Elara here, married to Soren for a year. The majority of life has been great. We loved the little things and settled into married life quickly.
Soren is my ideal partner. He’s helpful and always there when I need him. Like most excellent things, there’s a catch.
His mother, Maris, is that catch.
She didn’t like me from the start. Her harsh glares and caustic statements showed her disapproval. I don’t know what I did, but she assumed I stole her son.
Since she’s Soren’s mom, I tried to be nice. To protect Soren, I smiled through her cruel words and kept quiet. But no phony smile could prepare me for what followed.
Just when I felt I could bear her jabs, they got worse.
Our house was a nightmare for weeks. Hell, my life was a nightmare.
I initially saw roaches here and there. One hurrying across the counter. The bathroom has another.
Soon, they were everywhere. Our kitchen, bathroom, living room, and bedroom! At night, I’d feel something creep on my arm, turn on the light, and see a roach sitting on the bed.
We repeated pest control calls. We tried traps, sprays—everything. They returned like they were after me. Naturally, Maris weighed in.
“Really, Elara,” she said sweetly, “you should clean the house. Let Soren’s home be clean. Can you live this way?”
She continued. A roach crept up the wall as she drank tea in our living room one day. Maris exclaimed, seeing a monster.
“Oh my, Elara,” she whispered, gripping her chest. “I’d be embarrassed if I were you. I never experienced this with Soren.”
She brought a package of cleaning materials, put them on the counter, and smiled like she was helping me. “I thought you might need these, sweetheart. Maybe they might help you organize.”
Every syllable hurt. Like she enjoyed my struggles. Her criticisms hurt harder each time, making me feel like I failed at home.
I wanted to shout. Instead, I smiled, nodded, and said I tried. I felt furious within. You terrible woman, this isn’t my fault! I wanted to shout. But I didn’t. Not to Soren’s mom.
That day, something unexpected happened. Maris arrived, spewing her usual insults. She forgot her handbag on the couch as she left. A receipt fell out as I moved it.
I almost ignored it until I noticed it.
Pet store receipt. It claimed she bought what? Live cockroaches.
Staring at that paper, I froze. It sank in. Maris caused it. She planted roaches in my house, making me look messy.
I was enraged. My hands shook. Anger spawned a darker plan.
I wasn’t simply criticizing her. That was too easy. My revenge was coming.
I ran to my car with the receipt. I didn’t know what to do, but I had to hit back strongly. I made a strategy while driving.
I visited that pet store. I’d go bigger if she played filthy.
Hunters employ severe animal attractants to lure wild creatures, which I found inside. When I saw it, my strategy made sense.
I traveled to Maris’s place that night. Her proximity to the woods made it ideal. I sneaked around her yard, sprinkling attractant on plants, grass, and walls.
She always leaves the back door unlocked, so I sprinkled some inside. My heart raced, but I continued.
I drove home, went to bed, and grinned as I fell asleep. Revenge was my fantasy. Maris panicked. Beautiful chaos.
Next morning, the phone rang. It was Soren. I replied, half-asleep, and his voice was shocked.
“Elara, you won’t believe this,” he said. “Mom’s house was destroyed last night!”
I sat up fast. “Wrecked? By whom?”
“Not who. What. Animals. Deer, foxes, and birds destroyed her garden and fences. She describes the smell as horrible.”
I bit my lip to stop laughing. “That’s awful! What will she do?”
“We’re keeping her till it’s corrected. She has no choice.”
Oh no. That wasn’t planned. But I stayed calm. “Okay. Work will be done.”
Her face was angry and ashamed when she arrived. Her eyes barely met mine as she entered and noticed more bugs.
“Oh, don’t mind those,” I said cheerfully. “They keep coming no matter what we do.”
Later that night, I showed Soren the receipt. He stared at it, and I watched him realize it.
He raised his voice: “She did WHAT?”
“She brought roaches into our house. I found this yesterday.”
He confronted her in the guest room. Despite her protests, the receipt was undisputed. She whispered an apology while staring at the floor.
“I didn’t think it’d get this bad,” she whispered.
Soren snapped, “Well, it did. You pay for pest control and damage. You can keep the bugs you brought till then.”
I smiled within despite my silence. Though I didn’t want her to move in, she was trapped with her mess.
While sleeping that night, I felt serene. Revenge may not be sweet. It’s sometimes just what you need.
As for Maris? She’ll share her room with bugs.
A long time.
