My mom who was instrumental in everything from my teenage years to my wedding, decided that despite the millions of men around, she just had to have my husband. Here’s what happened: I’ve been happily married to Matt for eight years — or so I thought. We have two daughters and live a pretty relaxed family life. Now, my mom, Mona, lives about twenty minutes away. I just loved the idea of having her so close because, growing up, it had always been the two of us. Mom’s a single lady who is all about looking much younger than she is. I’ll credit her skincare routine because she does not look her age at all. For the longest time, she’s just wanted to find love and settle down. I don’t blame her because my father left us when I was about three years old, So, naturally, Mom isn’t the babysitting type. When my kids were born, she didn’t want to spend time with them. She said she would be the best grandmother come Christmas and their birthdays, but she wasn’t ready to do the dirty diapers. Which is fair — Matt and I wanted these babies, so it was up to us to do everything. “I’ll do school drop-offs and pick-ups when they’re older, Jess,” Mom used to tell me. But here’s the thing. Mom’s been coming over often, claiming she wants to help with the kids during the summer holidays while Matt and I work. Matt works from home as a medical writer, and I’m a paralegal. When Mom said she wanted to be around the kids,

I thought it would be a win-win situation — the kids would be entertained, and Matt wouldn’t be bothered by them while working. So, I’d come home every day, and while I cooked, Mom would sit at the counter and tell me what she and the kids got up to that day. But for weeks, all she would say to me was how lazy Matt was. “He sits behind his computer for hours. And then, when he’s not doing that, he’s watching TV. He doesn’t even come to check on the kids and me, to see if we’re okay or if he can join in.” “Mom, that’s just how he works. He takes a break in between the writing,” I said. “No, it’s more. He’s lousy. You should leave him, Jess.” I continued to brush it off, thinking she was just a nag — Mom had high opinions about everything from who I dated in school to the laundry detergents I bought. Fast forward to last week. My friend Sim invited me for coffee during our lunch break. We were restless from sitting behind our desks, so it was a welcome treat. I got to the café, while Sim popped into the little supermarket to get some things for her home. I looked through the window of the café, trying to scout whether we should sit inside or out, and what did I see? Oh, just Matt holding my Mom’s hand on the table and stroking her hair with his other hand. I just stood there like a deer in headlights, connecting numerous dots in my head. I took a photo, went into the supermarket to find Sim, and told her that something had come up and I needed to return to the office. I sat at my desk, unable to believe that my own mother and husband would pull such a horrible stunt. I also wondered where they had left my girls. When I got home that evening, Mom happily hummed to herself in the kitchen while starting dinner. I put the kettle on and sat down, scrolling through my phone when she began her rant. “Jess, have you thought more about what I said? You know, leaving Matt?” “Yes. I have. And I’ve decided to go ahead with it. I’ve had my eye on a guy from work as well. Maybe after this, I can get to know him,” I said, lying through my teeth. Mom was practically giddy. She danced around the stove and counter, adding ingredients to the pot. “Mom, look here,” I said, showing her the photo I took of her and Matt. Her face paled, and her eyes widened. called Matt in and showed him the photo — he had the same expression. “You were following me?” he asked defensively. I gave him a dirty look, which seemed to unlock something in him because the truth poured out. He said that they were having an affair, but it was true love. “He’s right, Jessie,” Mom said. “I’ve never felt this way about anyone else.” Anyway, I took a deep breath and stormed upstairs to where the girls were playing with their dollhouse. I packed our clothes and drove to Sim’s place, where I explained what had really happened that day. Now, I’m sitting here, eating a slice of pie while Sim puts the girls to bed. I’m thinking about sending out the photo to our family group chat. I won’t be the only one hurt and embarrassed by this entire situation. Tomorrow, Sim promised that she will draft the divorce documents. “Milk him for everything he has,” she said. And I will. If you were in my shoes, what would you do? Here’s another story: Cynthia is devastated when she visits her mother and discovers she’s dating her ex-boyfriend, John. Cynthia is convinced that John hasn’t left his dark past behind him and sets out to prove that he’s only interested in one thing: her mother’s money.