My Husband's Mom Refused To Serve Me Steak, Saying It Was Only For Her Family. Then I Did This

At a family gathering, tension simmered more than the food on the grill. When it was time to serve dinner, my mother-in-law pointedly told me that the steak was reserved “only for family,” implying that I wasn’t included. Stunned by the exclusion and the blatant disrespect, I stood at the table, fork in hand, weighing my response. 

With all eyes on me, I took a deep breath and chose a course of action that would redefine our family dynamics forever…

“Sorry, Mathilda, I must have misheard you. Could you please repeat that?” I asked, giving her a chance to rescind what she had just said. She couldn’t be serious about this after having a relationship with her son for years and being married for at least a year. Yet it seemed like neither of us would back down as I saw that nasty smirk come on her lips.

“You see, Nilah, my son has brought you here as his plus one, but I only ever get enough steaks to feed the family,” she paused, looking over the people at this gathering before going back to me, “My family.” The words stung more than I had originally anticipated. Sure, she had made an effort to exclude me, but never this blatantly. It is why I knew what I had to do.

I looked at David, my husband, who was sporting a shell-shocked expression. He looked at me, never having seen his mother in this light, and he nodded at me, showing his support. With that go-ahead, I took a deep breath, knowing I would make Mathilda regret her words. What would Nilah say to her mother-in-law? How would it change future family dynamics? And most importantly, how would Mathilda react to it?

I had never seen it coming either. Sure, Mathilda and I had our differences, but she had never acted that way before. I had actually been pleasantly surprised with the fact that she had extended the invitation to both me and my husband for her famed family dinner. She had actually made sure that I was able to come. It was why I could never have expected this. 

I vividly remembered the phone call. She hadn’t even called David for this information, either, but used my personal number. “I feel like we are finally making headway,” I told David after the call, ecstatic that she was finally making an effort to include me. Usually, nights like this would have gone entirely differently, as she made sure I wasn’t even able to attend.

I don’t know how or why, but she always knew my schedule. She knew exactly when I had a fun night with friends or time with my own family. Whenever I had planned for David and me to go to one of these things, she miraculously had planned a family dinner for those specific dates. I had even offered to reschedule some of my plans before, but she always just told me to go. 

At first I believed it to be a mere coincidence, but when she refused my rescheduling plans multiple times, I knew something was wrong with it all. Especially when I told her I had rescheduled without discussing it and she had told me she wouldn’t have enough space for me, inadvertently excluding me from her parties. 

Tonight seemed to be different, though. Tonight, she had made the effort to invite me personally, ensuring the date would suit me. It had been the reason why would take a little surprise with us this time around. David had always found it difficult that me and his mother couldn’t get along and he was happy that we finally could build a relationship. 

However, the morning before, I couldn’t help but have a gnawing feeling in the pit of my stomach. “Something feels off…” I noted to David as I simply couldn’t shake the feeling that was coming over me. He gently rubbed my shoulder, his smile reflecting in the mirror. “It is just nerves. It is the first time you get to eat my mother’s famed steak. You are going to love it!” he said. 

I nodded, giving him a nervous smile. “You are right. It is just that it is the first time she has invited me to this. After trying so hard to exclude me, what do you think this change of heart is about?” I asked David, and I could see him ponder the question. He looked away for a moment, but I knew that look. What was he hiding from me?

Before I could ask the question, he looked at me again. “I didn’t tell you this because I didn’t want to get your hopes up, but last time I had dinner with them, I talked to her about the fact that I didn’t appreciate her excluding you. I also told her I wouldn’t come next time if you weren’t there…” he looked at me sheepishly with those words, and I really couldn’t believe it as tears sprang into my eyes. 

David immediately looked alarmed at my expression, afraid he had done or said something wrong. “It’s just that you are always so sad about it. I want you there and I decided that she has to get over it as you are my wife, and not just some girl.” David continued, making me smile. “I am not upset at you, Darling,” I said, trying to ease his nerves at my tears.