She Looked at My Daughter Like She Was a Mistake
“What?! A girl?!”
She sounded like I’d delivered a crocodile.
“Yes, a beautiful little girl!” the nurse smiled, gently placing my daughter on my chest.
I looked down at that tiny face, and in that moment, I didn’t care about anything else. She was my entire universe. But my MIL…
“I… I don’t understand. The ultrasound said… It was supposed to be a boy…”
“Sometimes they get it wrong,” I said, not taking my eyes off my baby girl.
“No, this is… this can’t be right… Is this even my son’s child?”
I slowly raised my head.
“Excuse me, what did you just say?”
“I’m just asking! These things happen! Maybe there was a mix-up…”
I had to physically restrain myself from hurling a pillow at her.
Later that afternoon, they brought us to the newborn viewing room, where rows of tiny babies slept like angels in little bassinets. Sheila stopped in front of the glass.
“Now this boy — he’s adorable. Look at those fingers! And those cheeks — just like Jake’s when he was little!”
I held my daughter tightly.
“That’s not our baby, Mom.”
“Pity. Because this one…” She glanced down at my daughter with a look of thinly veiled disgust.
“Well, she’s a bit… odd. Maybe she’s from another room. Who knows. And honestly, a girl? It’s just… not the same.”
“Are you being serious right now?”
“What? I was expecting a grandson. I prepared everything for a boy. This is… a shock, you understand?”
I looked down at my baby. She had fallen asleep again, wrapping her tiny fists around the edge of her blanket.
And I knew, without a doubt — she deserved a grandmother who would love her fiercely.
I was done! My MIL needed a lesson.
And believe me, I already knew exactly what it would look like.
***
The day of our discharge was warm and sunny — the perfect weather for a little revenge.
I woke up early, glanced at the baby snuggled up beside me, softly snoring, and whispered,
“Today, sweetheart, we’re putting on a show.”
The nurse brought over the discharge papers, wished us luck and plenty of sleep (for both of us), and nodded toward the hallway. Our guests had arrived.
