Diane was nosy. Not just regular nosy—she was the kind of nosy that made you double-check if your diary was still where you left it. But even I didn’t think she’d cross the line like this. When she found a pregnancy test in my bathroom and made a shocking announcement, she had no idea just how badly it would backfire.
I was halfway through my morning coffee, savoring the quiet of the house, when I heard it—a soft creak from the upstairs floorboards. My grip on my mug tightened.
That wasn’t right. Diane, my mother-in-law, was supposed to be using the guest bathroom downstairs. She had no reason to be upstairs.
Frowning, I set my coffee down and headed for the stairs, taking them two at a time. A weird feeling crawled up my spine—a mix of irritation and unease. As I rounded the corner into my bedroom, I froze.
Diane was standing in my master bathroom, staring at the counter. No, not just staring—she was fixated. My stomach twisted.
“Diane?” My voice came out sharper than I intended. “That’s… not the guest bathroom.”
She turned slowly, and for a split second, I caught her expression. Guilt. But also… something else. Satisfaction? Excitement? I couldn’t tell. And then she smirked.
She didn’t say a word. Just gave me a knowing little glance, brushed past me, and strolled out like she hadn’t just been caught snooping in my most private space.
Confused, I hesitated before stepping into the bathroom. My eyes followed where hers had been locked—and then I saw it.
A pregnancy test.
Positive.
A cold, sinking feeling settled in my gut.
She knew.
I gripped the edge of the sink, my mind racing. What the hell was she doing up here? And more importantly… why did she look so damn pleased?
Two weeks later, we were at Diane’s house for a big family BBQ, and if I had known the insanity that was about to unfold, I would’ve faked a stomach ache to stay home.
The backyard was packed—uncles manning the grill, kids splashing in the pool, aunts gossiping in the shade. I was sipping my lemonade, trying to enjoy the warmth of the sun despite the uneasy feeling curling in my gut. Diane had been acting… weird. Smug, almost. Like she had a secret she couldn’t wait to spill.
And then, right as everyone was settling down with their food, she stood, clinking her glass.
Conversations died down. People turned toward her, waiting, glasses raised.
“To Hayden!” she declared. “To Hayden! May you have a long, healthy life, sweet baby!”
A puzzled murmur rippled through the crowd. My father-in-law frowned. “Who’s Hayden?”
Diane beamed at me, her eyes shining with triumph. “Your baby, of course! Since I was the first to find out about your pregnancy, I thought it was only right that I name my first grandchild!”
Silence. Thick, suffocating silence.
My throat went dry. I barely registered the stunned expressions around me. Ethan, my husband, had turned, his jaw tight, his eyes dark with something between shock and betrayal.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” His voice was low, but the hurt in it was sharp.
I blinked at him, completely stunned. “Because I’m not pregnant.”
The silence deepened. Then a wave of confused murmurs.
Diane’s smile faltered. “There’s no need to keep it secret, really! I saw the test!”
I stiffened. “What test?”
“The one in your bathroom, of course,” she said, her voice still sweet but now tinged with frustration. “There was a positive pregnancy test! You won’t fool me.”
And that’s when it hit me.
Oh.
Oh, no.
I knew exactly whose test that was.
I turned slowly, my stomach twisting into knots, locking eyes with the one person who had been shifting uncomfortably since the toast.
Ethan’s sister.
Her face was pale, her grip on her wine glass trembling slightly. And just like that, the entire BBQ exploded into chaos.
Diane looked like she had just been slapped. Her glass trembled in her grip. “Wh-what?” she choked out.
Megan, arms crossed, squared her shoulders. “You heard me,” she said evenly. “It was mine. Mom, Dad! I’m pregnant.”
A sharp inhale swept through the family. Someone’s fork clattered onto their plate. My father-in-law blinked, his jaw slack.
Diane opened and closed her mouth like a fish, but no words came out. When she finally spoke, her voice was small and shaky. “Megan, sweetheart, you—you must be joking.”
Megan let out a dry laugh. “Oh, yeah. Real funny.” Her eyes flashed. “I didn’t tell you because you said—and I quote—you’d kill me if I got pregnant before graduating.”
Gasps, then more whispers. Diane’s face drained of color. “I never said that!”
“Yes, you did, Mom.” Megan’s voice was cold, firm. “And guess what? The people who actually supported me were my brother and his wife.” She gestured toward Ethan and me. “They didn’t judge me. They didn’t threaten me. They let me breathe.”
Diane looked around frantically, searching for someone to back her up, but the family just stared. My father-in-law rubbed his temples, exhaling slowly.
Megan sighed, rubbing her forehead. “Look, I wasn’t ready to tell anyone, but thanks to you, here we are.” Her glare was razor-sharp. “You were so obsessed with a pregnancy that wasn’t even real, and now that one is, you can’t handle it?”
Diane opened her mouth, but Megan wasn’t done.
“You named my baby, Mom. You gave a speech about Hayden like you were the one carrying them.” Megan shook her head. “Do you even hear yourself?”
Diane’s lips trembled. “I—I just—”
“No,” Megan interrupted. “You just made this about you, like always.”
The silence that followed could’ve shattered glass.
Then, to my absolute delight, Megan turned to me, flashing a wicked little grin. “Oh, and about the baby’s name?”
Diane blinked rapidly.
“Yeah,” Megan continued smoothly, glancing at Ethan. “I’m either naming them after my brother—or after my only real supporter.”
Which meant Hayden was out.
I took a slow sip of my lemonade, enjoying every second of Diane’s horror.
Diane, desperate, finally snapped, “Well, that’s just ridiculous! Naming your child out of spite?”
Megan raised a brow. “Oh, you mean like how you tried to name my child before even knowing if they existed?”
Diane tried to explain herself but no words came out.
Megan, satisfied, grabbed her plate. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’d like to actually enjoy the BBQ.”
Ethan covered his mouth, but I saw his shoulders shaking with barely contained laughter.
Diane turned red, fists clenching.
Then, through gritted teeth, she spat, “I need another drink.”
