Mary knew marrying Ed meant more than just saying “I do” to him; it meant dealing with his mother, Scarlett, who’d never hidden her dislike for her. Ever since the wedding, Scarlett had gone out of her way to make things difficult, tossing out sly insults and critical remarks at every visit. But nothing could have prepared Mary for what was about to happen next. One cloudy afternoon, Mary and Ed drove to Scarlett’s house, the silence in the car thick enough to cut. Mary sat quietly, already counting down

A Surprise at the Birthday Party Once upon a time, in a cheerful neighborhood, a big birthday party was happening. Children were buzzing with excitement, and the air was filled with laughter and joy. Among the guests were a little girl named Trudy Lando and her mother, Madison. They were excited to join the celebration, but they were different from the other guests. Madison, a 33-year-old single mother, had been raising Trudy all by herself since her husband, Joe, tragically died in a mining accident. Madison had loved Joe since