My first grandson arrived five months ago, yet my daughter-in-law still refuses to let me meet him. She keeps saying, “I’m not ready for visitors yet!” I haven’t even been shown a single photo — even though her own mother has already moved in to help.
Last night, I reached my limit and went to my son’s house unannounced. The moment they saw me, both of them went pale. I was taken aback when I saw that my grandson had dark skin, nothing like my very fair-skinned son or daughter-in-law.
My son held my hand and confessed that the situation had stunned them as well. Early in their marriage, his wife had a short-lived affair. They never imagined the baby wouldn’t be his when she became pregnant. But once the baby was born, he decided to raise him as his own.
They had kept me at a distance because they feared how I would respond. I felt overwhelmed — wounded by the betrayal and crushed to realize that the child I believed was my grandson isn’t biologically connected to us.
I told my son he was no longer my son, just as the child was no longer his. I told my daughter-in-law she wasn’t welcome in my home, just as I wasn’t welcome in her child’s life — and that neither this child nor any future ones should expect anything from me. Then I walked away.
Now I’m not sure what to do next.
