The Betrayal Over Presents: A Family Drama
My life had always been steady until the scandal with my daughter-in-law blew up. Until then, my relationship with Elaine, my son’s wife, had been civil—no warmth, but no quarrels either. We exchanged polite greetings, and I made sure never to meddle in their family affairs. But what happened turned everything upside down. Now, I can scarcely bear to look her in the eye after such betrayal.
I’m retired, though I still work part-time, living alone in a cosy flat on the outskirts of Manchester. My closest family here is my son, Thomas, my two beloved granddaughters—Emily and Charlotte—and, of course, Elaine, if she can even be called family after this. My world revolved around them. I had friends, but they were for light chatter over tea, nothing deeper. My true joy was those girls—my granddaughters—for whom I’d do anything.
Like any grandmother, I adored spoiling Emily and Charlotte. I baked cakes for them, bought toys, and kept up with children’s fashion to gift them pretty dresses or colourful school bags. My pension and wages meant I never had to scrimp, and seeing their happy faces was worth every penny. I didn’t neglect Elaine, either—holidays warranted thoughtful gifts to keep peace in the family, and I bought my son the occasional treat. All for harmony.
Before Elaine’s birthday, I asked Thomas what she might like. Without hesitation, he said, “A top-of-the-range air fryer. She loves cooking—she’d be over the moon.” I knew it wasn’t cheap, but for my daughter-in-law, I tightened my belt. At the shop, I near exhausted the poor sales assistant—testing functions, comparing models, double-checking every detail. After three hours, I picked the perfect one. At home, I unwrapped it to remove the price tags, admiring my choice with satisfaction.
Just then, my neighbour, Margaret, popped in. Spotting the air fryer, she gasped.
“Margaret, this is the dream! Cooking will be a breeze. How much did it set you back?”
I told her, and she whistled.
“Blimey, I could never afford that.”
I admitted I wouldn’t have splashed out for myself—but for Elaine, at Thomas’s suggestion, I made an exception. Margaret praised me: “What a mother-in-law they’ve got!” We sipped tea, admired the air fryer once more, and parted kindly.
Elaine’s birthday went splendidly. She beamed at the gift, thanked me a dozen times, even asked where to place it in the kitchen. We parted warmly—never closer—and I was certain all was well. No storm clouds in sight.
Two weeks later, Margaret returned, her face troubled.
“Margaret, I didn’t know whether to say… but Elaine’s selling that air fryer.”
I blinked.
“Selling it? She adored it! Where?”
“On that resale website. Priced low—I’d have bought it myself if I didn’t know it was your gift.”
We opened the laptop, and there it was—my air fryer, nearly new, listed for sale. My face burned. Curious, I clicked on the seller’s other listings. I wish I hadn’t. There, flashing before me, were all the things I’d gifted the girls, Thomas, even Elaine herself: dolls, dresses, even the jumper I’d picked for Thomas! All up for sale like rubbish.
Margaret, seeing my pallor, apologised and left. I couldn’t hold back—I dialled Elaine.
“Elaine, how’s the air fryer? Made anything nice? I’ll pop round for tea soon.”
She hesitated.
“Well… you know…”
“Oh, I know, love, I know!” I cut in. “Why sell it so cheap? Should’ve priced it higher! And the girls’ dresses, their toys—all there. I give from the heart, and you flog it online? If you needed money, I’d have handed you an envelope! Or shall I just give you the sweet money for the girls next time?”
Elaine knew she was caught and turned defensive.
“What’s the fuss? They’re my things—I’ll do as I please!”
We rowed like never before. Then I rang Thomas, hoping for backup—but he hadn’t known about his wife’s little “business.” The air fryer, mind you, still sat in their kitchen—for show, I suppose. What stung most was my son refusing to take sides. “Mum, stay out of it,” he muttered, and that wounded me deepest.
This wasn’t just a squabble. What Elaine did was cruel. My gifts, my love for the girls—all reduced to listings on a website. How can I trust her now? How do I face someone who trampled over my feelings so carelessly?
