When I came home from the hospital with my newborn, I noticed a note on the table and assumed it was a kind message from my mother-in-law. Instead, it said she was charging us $600 for taking care of our dog while I was in labor. My husband promised to talk to her, but I had a better idea.
A few days before I went into labor, I was sprawled out on the couch, trying to manage the dull ache in my lower back that kept growing sharper by the minute.
A woman in her 30s, 9 months pregnant, sits on a couch looking worried and uncomfortable | Source: Midjourney
My golden retriever, Rich, rested his head on my lap, his big brown eyes watching me like he knew something was up. I scratched behind his ears, grateful for his calm presence.
“Jake!” I called my husband, my voice strained as another wave of discomfort rolled through me.
Jake was in the kitchen, stacking turkey and cheese onto a sandwich, his eyebrows crunched.
“Yeah, babe?” he replied, not even looking up.
A man in his 30s making a sandwich in a kitchen | Source: Midjourney
I sighed. “We need to figure out what to do about Rich while we’re at the hospital. Can we ask your mom to help out?”
We had a scheduled induction the following day because my baby was a week overdue, and I was ready to be done with this mess.
Jake walked over, sandwich in hand, and gave me a quick kiss on the forehead. “Don’t stress, Doris. Mom loves Rich. She’ll handle it.”
A golden retriever in a home | Source: Pexels
That was my husband. He shrugged off almost anything with an easy solution. His optimism was one of the reasons I loved him, but I’m not going to lie, it was also one of the things that often grated on my nerves.
But that might just be a product of the hormones and my discomfort. “Alright,” I said, leaning back into the cushions. “Just make sure she knows it’s only for a couple of days.”
Later that night, Jake called Abigail, his mom, and explained the situation. She agreed without hesitation. He hung up, grinning. “She said she’s happy to help. Problem solved.”
A man holding a phone | Source: Pexels
I guessed that would have to be good enough for me.
Jake and I packed our hospital bag that evening, and the next morning, we said goodbye to Rich. By the door, I knelt to scratch his fluffy head.
“Be a good boy for Grandma, okay?” He wagged his tail like he understood.
“Don’t worry about a thing,” Abigail waved me off with a smile. “I just wish I could be at the hospital.”
A woman in her 60s waving goodbye in a living room with a smile | Source: Midjourney
That had been a slight issue. We had asked that our family not visit or accompany us to the hospital. My pregnancy had been rough enough, and I just needed my husband during labor.
If something went wrong, I didn’t want anyone else there either.
Abigail said she understood, but maybe she was still a bit salty about it.
“Mom, you know our wishes,” Jake intervened, smiling to take the sting out of his words.
“I know, I know,” she said. “You modern kids! Now, go have my grandchild.”
“Thank you, Abigail,” I said, and with that, we went out the door.
A pregnant woman in her 30s waving goodbye with a small smile | Source: Midjourney
***
I never got to be induced. My water broke just as we were entering the hospital… and honestly, we, women, need to talk about labor with each other and our daughters more often because this was hell.
I spent hours gripping the hospital bed rails like they were the only thing tethering me to reality. Between the contractions and the endless poking and prodding from nurses, I thought I might lose my mind.
Jake was by my side the whole time, holding my hand and trying his best to keep me calm, though he looked like he was one more contraction away from passing out himself.
A woman in her 30s in a hospital looking in pain while in labor | Source: Midjourney
But all the pain and the exhaustion melted away the moment they placed my son in my arms. He was tiny, wrinkly, and absolutely perfect.
Jake and I cried like idiots. It was a marvel that we’d brought this little person into the world. For three days, the hospital was our bubble of joy.
When we were finally allowed to go home, I felt relieved. We carefully carried our child through the hospital doors toward the parking lot.
A parking lot | Source: Pexels
Jake called Abigail to tell her we had been discharged, and she said she was going to give us a few days to get settled before meeting the baby. That was so kind of her!
As we pulled up to our driveway, I thought about settling on our couch and getting Rich to meet his new little brother. It was going to be perfect… yeah, no.
The first thing I noticed when we walked into the kitchen was a folded piece of paper on the table. My heart fluttered, thinking Abigail had left us a sweet “Welcome Home” note.
A folded piece of paper on a kitchen table | Source: Midjourney
I carefully shifted the baby in my arms and opened it, already imagining something like “Congratulations on your new bundle of joy!”
Instead, the note read:
“You owe me $600 for feeding and walking Rich. My time costs money. You have my bank details.”
For a moment, I just stared at it, sure I was reading it wrong. But nope. It was real. My mother-in-law was demanding money for watching our dog.
It’s not that I didn’t want to pay for services like that, but she was family AND she never mentioned charging us.
A woman’s hand holding a piece of paper with a note | Source: Midjourney
“Jake,” I called, my voice sharp. He was in the living room, setting down the car seat. “You might want to come see this.”
He walked in, took one look at the note, and groaned. “Are you serious?”
“Dead serious,” I said, waving the paper in his face. “Your mom’s demanding money for taking care of Rich while I was pushing your child out of my body.”
Jake ran a hand through his hair, already looking defeated. “I’ll talk to her,” he muttered.
A man in his 30s looking exasperated, running his hand through his hair in a kitchen | Source: Midjourney
“No,” I snapped, stopping him in his tracks. “I’ll handle this.” My mind was already coming up with an idea, and it didn’t involve quietly paying up.
A week later, Abigail came over to see the baby. She strolled in with a big smile, kissed Jake’s cheek in greeting, and began cooing over my son like the most doting grandmother.
“Oh, he’s precious,” she said, cradling him in her arms. “He has Jake’s nose.”
A baby’s face | Source: Pexels
For a moment, I almost believed she was here just to see her grandson. But as she handed the baby back to me, she dropped the act.
“So,” she said, brushing her hands together. “When can I expect my money? I’ve waited long enough.”
I stared at her, holding my baby close. My smile didn’t waver. “Of course, Abigail. I’ll pay you—on one condition.”
Her eyes narrowed. “Condition? What condition?”
I walked over to the computer desk we kept in the area between the kitchen and the living room and pulled out a folder I’d prepared earlier. I’d spent the past few days going through every instance when Jake and I had done something for her.
A set of folders arranged on a desk | Source: Pexels
Every favor, every single dollar we ever spent on her (excluding gifts) was all there in black and white.
“Well,” I said, flipping it open, “since you’re charging us for your services, I figured it’s only fair we do the same.”
I laid the folder on the table and slid it toward her. Abigail leaned over, her face tight with suspicion. “What is this?” she asked.
“You can think of it as an itemized invoice,” I said, keeping my voice light. “You know, like professionals do.”
Her face went pale as she grabbed the paper and scanned what I’d written.
A woman in her 60s looking surprised while holding a piece of paper | Source: Midjourney
“Let’s see,” I began, tapping the paper. “Helping you move houses last year? That’s $800. That’s cheaper than regular movers, so you can consider it a family discount. Then, there’s the time we paid for your car repair when your transmission failed. That was $1,200. And the free babysitting I did for your neighbor’s kids at your request? That’s around $600.”
Two people moving boxes | Source: Pexels
Abigail’s mouth opened and closed like a fish. “This is ridiculous!” she finally sputtered. “You can’t charge me for things family does for each other!”
I crossed my arms and raised an eyebrow. “Exactly,” I said, my tone sharp. “Family helps each other out without expecting payment. At least, that’s what I thought.”
A woman in her 30s holding a newborn in a blanket, talking and waving her hand | Source: Midjourney
She tried to argue, but her words came out jumbled. “But… but this is different! I had to rearrange my schedule to take care of Rich!”
“And I had to rearrange my entire life to have your grandchild,” I shot back, shrugging. “So if you want to talk about fair compensation, I think we’re more than even.”
Abigail’s face turned beet red. She stood there for a moment, staring at me like she couldn’t believe what was happening. Then, without another word, she spun around and stormed out of the house, slamming the door so hard the baby started to fuss.
A woman in her 60s, her face blushed and pouting, looking angry in a living room | Source: Midjourney
Jake, who had been watching silently from the kitchen, walked over and shook his head, a small grin tugging at his lips. “No one should mess with my wife,” he said, wrapping me in his arms and kissing my cheek.
I couldn’t help but laugh as we pulled apart. “You got that right,” I replied teasingly, sinking onto the couch with the baby.
Rich trotted over, his tail wagging, and rested his head on my knee. I scratched his ears, looking down at the little bundle in my arms.
A golden retriever with a lolling tongue | Source: Pexels
At that moment, I felt at peace. Abigail might not have learned her lesson, but at least she wouldn’t be bothering us about that $600 again. And if she ever did, well… I still had the folder.
Let her try me.
A woman in her 30s holding a newborn wrapped in a blanket, sitting on a couch with her husband smiling in the background | Source: Midjourney
Blind mystic Baba Vanga and Nostradamus both made the same concerning predictions for 2025
Some of you may be considering what kind of New Year’s resolutions you could make as 2025 draws near. If these forecasts come true, then there’s no need to worry.
Yes, as 2024 draws to a close, the ghosts of the past become more audible as two of history’s most mysterious people, Baba Vanga and Nostradamus, make terrifying prophecies that never cease to both enthrall and horrify.
The prophetic abilities ascribed to these fabled seers have been a subject of discussion for many years, regardless of one’s stance.
Despite having died away in 1996, Baba Vanga, the blind Bulgarian mystic born Vangeliya Pandeva Gushterova, is credited with an amazing 85% accuracy rate in her predictions.
According to The Economic Times, they have reportedly included Barack Obama’s presidency, the 9/11 attacks, and Princess Diana’s passing.
With predictions spanning the next three millennia (scroll to the bottom of the page for that delightful reading), her prophetic talent has left a lasting effect and cemented her place as a formidable force in the field of prophetic mystery.
Furthermore, the 16th-century French astrologer Nostradamus recorded his visions in the enigmatic quatrains of his book Les Prophéties, published in 1555.
His predictions are credited with predicting significant occurrences as the ascent to power of Adolf Hitler, the murder of President Kennedy, and the September 11 terrorist attacks, solidifying his status as a visionary whose writings are constantly examined for hints about what lies ahead.
Unsettling Forecasts for 2025
2025 has been identified by both seers as a critical year with serious ramifications for the international scene:
Nostradamus predicts the rise of a dark cult and the establishment of an underwater dominion.
In the meantime, Baba Vanga adds a futuristic perspective to our comprehension of human potential when he anticipates the development of telepathy.
But the projections also have a darker tone when it comes to war predictions.
Both foresee a catastrophic war in Europe; Nostradamus refers to it as involving “cruel wars,” but he also cryptically states that “the ancient plague will be worse than enemies.”
Furthermore, Baba Vanga forebodingly says that this fight will “devastate” populations, which bodes ill for the near future and makes me wonder if I should really bother purchasing my yearly calendar featuring Neil Diamond.
And if that’s not enough to keep you up at night, Nostradamus also predicts the arrival of an asteroid on Earth, saying that “a fireball will rise from the cosmos, The world begs you to be a forerunner of fate. The fate of the Earth, a second chance: science and fate in a cosmic dance.
A Hint of Hope and Intriguing Extraterrestrials
There are glimmers of hope despite the ominous predictions.
According to Sky History, Nostradamus alludes to a potential end to the continuing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, speculating that interventions by countries such as France or Turkey might usher in peace and that both sides will eventually run out of energy.
Strangely enough, both seers hint at the prospect of extraterrestrial encounters; Baba Vanga, for example, speculates that aliens might show up at a big athletic event.
However, as I have already stated, Baba Vanga left us forecasts that would last for 3,056 years when he passed away. Needless to say, things don’t seem to work out well with the aliens.
Baba Vanga was a person who?
According to the Mirror, Baba Vanga, known as the “Nostradamus of the Balkans,” is said to have had an accuracy rate of 85%. Her forecasts have been known to come true even after her death.
At the age of twelve, she was supposedly blinded by a storm, during which her mystic talents apparently materialized.
However, what prophecy of the mystic has apparently come true in the past?
The terrorist strikes of 9/11
She made the menacing prognosis in 1989: “Oh, horror! The steel birds will attack and then the American brothers will fall. The terrifying allusion to “steel birds” may refer to the aircraft that Al-Qaeda hijacked and used in the horrific 9/11 attacks in 2001.
The Kursk’s sinking.
In 1980, Baba had a terrible vision of Kursk, Russia, being “covered with water, and the whole world will weep over it.” Her prediction was confirmed when a nuclear submarine sank close to Kursk in August 2000, killing 188 crew members.
Given the realization of those terrifying prophecies, it becomes plausible that you might want to worry about the following 3,000+ years. Here’s how she see the next three millennia developing, from the New York Post:
2025: The population of Europe will be destroyed by a conflict.
2028: Research on Venus as a potential energy source will start by humans.
2033: Sea levels will rise dramatically on a global scale due to the melting of the polar ice caps.
2076: Communism will take hold in numerous nations worldwide.
2130: Aliens will make contact with humans.
2170: Much of the globe will be destroyed by drought.
3005: A Martian civilization and Earth will engage in combat.
3797: The Earth is no longer habitable, and humans will have to leave.
5079: The end of the world.
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