Chapter 3
We didn't go home that night.
I took Amy and Frederick to a hotel.
I couldn't bear the thought of walking back into that house.
Not after what had happened there.
Frederick's fever finally broke around two in the morning.
Amy sat beside him on the bed, stroking his hair.
She hadn't slept.
Neither had I.
We just sat there in the dim light, watching our son breathe.
"I need to tell you everything," Amy said suddenly.
I turned to look at her.
"Okay."
She took a deep breath.
"It started right after Frederick was born."
"Your mother showed up at the hospital."
"Said she was there to 'help.'"
I nodded.
I remembered.
I had been so grateful.
So stupid.
"At first, it was nice," Amy continued.
"She cooked. She cleaned. She held the baby so I could shower."
"But then... it changed."
"She started making comments."
"About how I was too tired to be a good wife."
"About how I should be grateful you worked so hard for us."
"About how a real woman would have lost the baby weight by now."
I felt my jaw tighten.
"She said those things to you?"
Amy nodded.
"Every day."
"And when I tried to tell you... she would always find a way to make it seem like I was overreacting."
"Like I was just hormonal and emotional."
I closed my eyes.
I remembered those conversations.
Amy had tried to tell me something was wrong.
But I had brushed her off.
Told her my mother meant well.
Told her she was just stressed from being a new mom.
I had failed her.
"Then the money started," Amy said.
"Your mother told me you were giving her three thousand dollars a month."
"Said it was for household expenses."
"But she never gave me any of it."
"She bought all the food. All the supplies."
"Controlled everything."
"If I wanted something for the baby, I had to ask her permission."
"And if she thought it was 'unnecessary,' she would say no."
I felt rage building inside me.
Hot and burning.
"She also started inviting people over," Amy continued.
"Relatives I barely knew."
"She would make me cook for them. Clean up after them."
"Said it was my 'duty' as the woman of the house."
"Even when Frederick was colicky. Even when I hadn't slept in days."
She paused.
"The party was the worst."
"She planned the whole thing without telling me."
"Invited everyone. Bought all that expensive food and alcohol."
"With your money."
"Then she told me I had to serve everyone."
"Because 'that's what a good wife does.'"
"And Frederick woke up with a fever this morning."
"I told her I needed to take him to the doctor."
"She said no."
"Said I was being dramatic. That it was just a little cold."
"Said the party was more important."
Tears were streaming down her face now.
"I was so scared, Connor."
"She had everyone on her side."
"Aunt Betsy. Uncle Ray. All of them."
"They all agreed with her."
"Said I was lucky to have such a generous mother-in-law."
"I felt so alone."
I pulled her into my arms.
"I'm here now," I said, my voice thick with emotion.
"I'm here, and I'm never letting anyone hurt you again."
She cried against my chest.
And I made a promise to myself.
A promise to my wife.
A promise to my son.
I would make this right.
Whatever it took.
The next morning, I called a lawyer.
Then I called our pediatrician.
Frederick needed to be checked out.
And I needed to know exactly what my mother had been doing with my money.
May you like
Because if she had stolen from me once, she had probably done it more.
And I was going to find out everything.
