Three weeks after giving birth, I was exhausted almost every minute of the day.
My newborn daughter had finally fallen asleep one afternoon, and for once, the house was quiet. I lay down beside her, telling myself I would only close my eyes for a few minutes.
The next thing I remember, I was waking up to voices downstairs.
At first, I assumed my husband, Caleb, had come home early from work.
Then I heard a woman’s voice.
My eyes opened immediately.
It was my mother-in-law.
I hadn’t invited her over. I hadn’t even known she was coming.
Then I remembered the emergency key.
We had given it to her after the baby was born, thinking it would be useful if we ever needed help in an actual emergency.
I never imagined she would use it to let herself into our home while I was asleep.
I was about to go downstairs when I heard her voice again.
“And what happens when she goes back to work?”
“We’ll figure it out,” Caleb replied.
“You said you’d handle this.”
“Mom, keep your voice down. She’s sleeping.”
I froze halfway down the hallway.
There was a long pause.
Then my mother-in-law lowered her voice.
“She can never know.”
That was enough.
Whatever they were discussing, I was no longer going to stand upstairs pretending I hadn’t heard it.
