I’ve always known my mother-in-law, Denise, wasn’t fond of me. She wasn’t overtly mean, but she had this way of making me feel like I was just a passing phase in her son’s life.
So, when my husband Julian invited her over for dinner, I wasn’t surprised when she suddenly got a “work call” right before we were about to eat.
“Oh, I’m so sorry,” she sighed dramatically, holding up her phone. “It’s my manager—I have to take this.”
Julian looked disappointed but nodded. “Of course, Mom.”
She walked away from the table, holding the phone to her ear. “Yes, I understand. No, that’s totally fine. I can leave now if you need me to.” She glanced at us with an exaggerated look of regret, as if apologizing for leaving.
I didn’t believe her.
She ended the call and lowered her phone. That’s when I noticed something odd.
There was no call screen, no timer, no missed notifications.
Instead, her front camera was open, showing her own confused reflection.
She quickly tried to close the app, but I had already seen it.
I looked at Julian. He hadn’t noticed. But I had—and now I had to decide what to do.
I could’ve called her out right away, made a joke, or given her a knowing look. But instead, I smiled and said, “Are you sure you have to go, Denise? We made your favorite—lemon herb chicken.”
She hesitated for a split second, fingers gripping her phone. She knew I’d seen it. I could tell by the way her eyes shifted and her nervous stance, like a child caught sneaking a treat.
But she stuck to her story. “Yes, unfortunately, I have to handle something urgent at work. You know how it is.”
Julian gave her a small smile. “Of course. We’ll do this another time.”
Denise nodded quickly, grabbed her purse, and almost ran out the door.
I took a slow breath. I wasn’t really angry—I’d gotten used to her tricks. But this? This felt like a new low.
After dinner, I casually mentioned it to Julian. “Did you notice anything strange about your mom’s call?”
He frowned. “What do you mean?”
I paused, not wanting to start an argument, but also not wanting him to keep making excuses for her. “She wasn’t actually on a call. Her front camera was open.”
He blinked. “What?”
I shrugged. “I saw it. She faked the whole thing.”
Julian’s face went blank for a moment, then he chuckled. “I don’t know whether to be mad or impressed.”
I smiled, relieved that he wasn’t upset. “So, what do we do?”
Julian thought for a moment, then a mischievous glint appeared in his eyes. “We invite her again.”
The following week, Julian invited Denise over for another dinner. This time, we went all out—her favorite dish, a beautifully set table, even a dessert she loved. I wanted to see if she’d try the same trick.
Sure enough, just before we sat down, her phone “rang.” She barely glanced at it before standing up. “Oh dear,” she said, frowning at the screen. “It’s work again. I really hate to do this, but—”
Julian interrupted smoothly. “No worries, Mom. We’ll wait.”
She blinked. “Oh, no, it’s fine. I don’t know how long this will—”
“No problem at all,” I said, smiling. “We don’t want you eating cold food, so we’ll just hold off.”
She stared at us, clearly caught off guard. “Uh… it might be a long call.”
Julian leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. “That’s fine. We’ve got time.”
Denise hesitated, phone still at her ear. I could see her thinking—how long could she keep up the act? Would she pretend to talk longer? Admit she’d been caught? Or leave?
Finally, after an awkward pause, she sighed and put the phone down. “Alright, fine. You got me.”
Julian raised an eyebrow. “Mom, why?”
She exhaled, looking suddenly exhausted. “I just… didn’t think you’d notice.”
I softened a little. “Did you think we wouldn’t notice the fake call, or that you didn’t actually want to be here?”
Her face turned red. “It’s not that I don’t want to be here. I just… I’m used to it being just Julian and me. And now it’s different. I know that sounds silly, but sometimes it feels like I’ve lost my son.”
Julian sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “Mom, you haven’t lost me. But I do have a wife now. We’re a team.”
She nodded slowly. “I know. And I know you love her. But I guess I felt like if I didn’t leave, you’d stop inviting me.”
My heart softened a little. Despite all her faults, it was clear she wasn’t being malicious—she was just struggling with the change.
I reached for her hand. “Denise, you don’t have to pretend. If you need time to adjust, that’s fine. But I want you to know—you’re always welcome here. We want you here, not because we have to, but because we want to spend time with you.”
She swallowed, her eyes a little misty. Then she nodded. “Okay.”
That night, we had the first real, honest conversation we’d ever had. She wasn’t overly warm, but she tried. And for the first time, I felt like she saw me as more than just a temporary fixture in Julian’s life.
Sometimes, people act out not because they don’t care, but because they fear being left behind. My mother-in-law faked a call to avoid dinner, but really, she was afraid of losing her place in Julian’s life. Once we confronted her—not with anger, but with understanding—things started to shift.
Relationships take patience, honesty, and a little bit of strategy. But in the end, everyone just wants to feel like they belong.
If you’ve ever dealt with a difficult in-law or someone who pushed you away out of fear, share your experience below. And if you enjoyed this story, like and share—it might just resonate with someone else today!