ir faces.

“Aunt Lucy, this food is incredible!” one of Connor’s friends exclaimed. “Did you cook all of this yourself?”

I smiled, proud of what I had accomplished.

“I did,” I said simply.

My son was positively beaming.

He looked so pleased with how everything had turned out, and I couldn’t help but feel a small sense of triumph.

I’d shown Eve just what I was capable of.

And Eve?

I watched her from the corner of my eye as she quietly ate her dinner.

She hadn’t contributed a single thing to the meal, but here she was, enjoying every bite.

For the first time since I’d moved in, she seemed a little… embarrassed?

I could tell that she hadn’t expected me to pull off such a flawless dinner, and she didn’t quite know how to respond.

After dinner, as we cleared the table and started washing dishes, Eve finally spoke up.

“Lucy, can we talk?”

I glanced at her, wiping my hands on a dish towel. “Sure, what’s on your mind?”

She hesitated for a moment, then sighed.

“I didn’t realize how much I’ve been putting on you.

I’ve been so tired lately, and I guess I’ve been relying on you too much. I’m really sorry.”

Her words took me by surprise.

I hadn’t expected her to admit what she’d been doing.

For a moment, I didn’t know what to say.

“It’s okay, Darling,” I said.

“I don’t mind helping, but you’ve got to remember, I’m not as young as I used to be. These old knees can only take so much.”

She smiled back, looking relieved.

“We make a great team, though. From now on, I’ll be helping out more.

Let’s go put your feet up.

I’ll make you a cup of tea, okay?”

And just like that, the tension between us seemed to dissolve. It was a small Christmas miracle.

As we sat down with our tea, Eve even offered to massage my knees.

It was something I never would have expected.

As I sipped my tea, I realized that maybe things would be okay after all.

Eve had returned to being the kind, thoughtful daughter-in-law I knew, and for the first time in a while, I felt like I could finally relax.

Now, everything feels as it should be. I’m not a servant.

I’m family.

And as we sit on the porch together, sipping our tea, I can finally relax, knowing that I’ve taught Eve a lesson without a single harsh word.

But that’s just my story.

What would you have done in my shoes? Would you have taught a lesson, or would you have put your foot down from the start?