I was beyond exhausted—the kind of tired that makes you question if you’ve brushed your teeth or remembered to feed the dog.
Ever since the twins were born, my days had blurred into a never-ending cycle of diaper changes, feeding schedules, and sleepless nights. The last thing I needed was another problem to deal with. But when I stepped outside that morning, I found my car completely covered in eggs.
At first, I thought it was a random prank. Who wouldn’t? Halloween was around the corner, and maybe some kids had gotten a little too excited. I sighed, too tired to even be upset, and grabbed a sponge and bucket, ready to clean up the mess.
But just as I started scrubbing, my neighbor Brad came strutting over with that smug grin of his.
“That was me,” he said, almost proudly. “Your car was ruining the view of my Halloween decorations.”
I blinked at him, trying to process his words through the fog of exhaustion. My car? Ruining his view? His ridiculous display of plastic skeletons, fake cobwebs, and oversized pumpkins?
Furious, but too tired to even start an argument, I just nodded, biting back the urge to say something I might regret. I didn’t have the energy for a confrontation, but in that moment, I silently promised myself that I’d find a way to teach Brad a lesson.
He had no idea who he was messing with.
Don’t get me wrong, Lily and Lucas were my sweet little babies, but taking care of two newborns mostly by myself was incredibly hard. I hadn’t slept a full night in months. Halloween was coming, and the whole neighborhood was excited—except me.
I didn’t have the energy to decorate, let alone get into the festive spirit.
Then, there was Brad.
Brad took Halloween way too seriously. Every year, he turned his house into a huge haunted attraction with gravestones, skeletons, big jack-o’-lanterns, and more.
He loved the attention and would smile proudly whenever someone complimented his decorations.
The entire block loved it, but I was too exhausted to care about Brad’s haunted house.
One October morning, things started to fall apart.
I went outside, carrying Lily on one hip and holding Lucas in my arm, when I noticed something. My car was covered in eggs! The eggshells were stuck to the gooey mess, dripping down the windshield like some gross breakfast gone wrong.
“Are you serious?” I muttered, staring at the mess.
The night before, I had parked in front of Brad’s house. I didn’t have much choice since it was easier to park closer to my door with the twins’ stroller.
At first, I thought it was a prank. But when I saw egg splatters near Brad’s porch, I knew it had to be him.
Brad had done this.
Even though he didn’t own the street, Brad acted like he controlled the curb during Halloween.
Furious, I marched over to his house and knocked on the door, maybe harder than I should have, but I didn’t care anymore.
“What?” Brad opened the door with his usual smug expression, crossing his arms.
His house was already decorated. There were cobwebs, plastic skeletons, and a witch sitting on a chair. It was all too much.
I wasted no time. “Did you see who egged my car?”
Without blinking, Brad replied, “I did it. Your car was blocking the view of my decorations.”
I stared at him in disbelief. “You egged my car because it was parked in front of your house? You didn’t ask me to move it—you just trashed it?”
He shrugged like it was no big deal. “How can people see my display if your car is in the way?”
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “Are you serious?”
Brad nodded, still looking pleased with himself. “I’m the Halloween King. People come from all over to see my decorations. You’re always parked there. It’s inconsiderate and ruins the vibe.”
I was juggling two newborns, barely holding it together, and he was talking about ruining the vibe?
“Well, sorry if my life interferes with your spooky setup,” I snapped. “I’ve got newborn twins, Brad.”
“I know,” he said, leaning against the doorframe. “Maybe park somewhere else.”
“I park there because it’s easier with the babies and the stroller!”
Brad shrugged again. “Not my problem. You can park there after Halloween.”
I stood there, speechless, my anger boiling inside. But being so tired, I couldn’t even argue anymore.
“Fine,” I snapped, and stormed back inside, shaking with anger and disbelief.
As I washed the egg off my car, something clicked. Brad wasn’t just an annoying neighbor—he was a bully. And I had had enough. If he wanted to play dirty, fine. I could play smarter.
Later that night, while rocking Lily to sleep, an idea hit me. Brad’s weakness was his pride. He needed his haunted house to be the best. I didn’t have the energy for a fight, but revenge? That, I could handle.
The next day, I casually strolled over to Brad’s yard while he was adding more decorations.
“Hey, Brad,” I said, faking cheerfulness. “I’ve been thinking. It was inconsiderate of me to block your display. Have you thought about upgrading it?”
He looked suspicious. “Upgrade?”
“Yeah, with things like fog machines or ghost projectors. Your setup is great, but those would really impress people.”
His eyes lit up. I knew I had him.
I suggested brands I had researched—terrible machines with awful reviews. But he didn’t need to know that.
“You think so?” he asked, already planning his next move.
“Oh, definitely. You’d be the talk of the neighborhood.”
Satisfied, I walked away, waiting for Halloween.
When Halloween night came, Brad’s house looked like a scene from a horror movie. He had gone all out, as I expected.
Crowds gathered to admire his setup, and Brad was in the middle of it, enjoying the attention.
I watched from my porch, feeling like a villain in a movie. His display looked impressive—until it didn’t.
Right on cue, the fog machine sputtered and started spraying water like a garden hose. The crowd gasped, and kids laughed.
Brad rushed to fix it, but then his ghost projector malfunctioned. Instead of a spooky ghost, it showed a strange blob, making the kids laugh even more.
Then, one of his giant inflatables collapsed, rolling across the yard. Some teenagers, seeing the disaster, threw eggs at his house for fun.
Brad was frantic, running around trying to save his haunted house, but it was too late. His Halloween display had turned into a joke.
The next morning, just as I was feeding Lucas, there was a knock at the door. Brad stood there, looking defeated.
“I, uh, wanted to apologize,” he mumbled. “I overreacted.”
I crossed my arms, waiting. “Yeah, you did.”
He shifted uncomfortably. “I didn’t realize how hard it must be with the twins. I’m sorry.”
I let him squirm for a bit. “Thanks for apologizing, Brad. I’m sure it won’t happen again.”
He nodded quickly. “It won’t.”
As he turned to leave, I couldn’t help but add, “Funny how things work out, huh?”
Brad had no response.
My Kids’ Grandmom Came to Our Home, Packed the Christmas Presents She Gave Them & Took Them Away
When Rebecca’s mother-in-law, Darlene, goes home to take away her grandchildren’s Christmas presents, she’s left absolutely speechless. Later, she and her husband, Mark, learn that Darlene did this because she wanted to teach the couple a lesson… but karma intervenes, making sure that the old woman feels the same way the kids felt.
I never thought that this would be a story I’d tell. I mean, toxic in-laws are practically their own genre, but what my mother-in-law, Darlene, did this Christmas left me completely speechless.
Honestly, I’m still in shock.
A woman looking to the side | Source: Midjourney
I’m Rebecca, a mom of three chaotic kids. There’s Caleb (7), Sadie (5), and little Mason (3). Christmas is a huge deal in our house and has been like this since I was a child. We go all out.
The tree, the decorations, and of course, the gifts. Usually, Darlene shows up with her arms full of presents for the kids, playing the part of the doting grandma for one day a year.
This time, though, Darlene really outdid herself. Caleb got the new LEGO set that he had been begging for, and Sadie’s eyes lit up over a princess castle playset. Mason, the little speed demon of the family, zoomed through the living room on an adorable ride-on toy.
A castle made out of LEGO blocks | Source: Midjourney
She even threw in stylish clothes for all three kids.
“They need to be photo-ready, Becca,” she told me. “And this way, they all match!”
It was… impressive. I’ll admit it freely.
The kids were ecstatic. They loved being the center of attention, and they played nonstop, showing off their gifts and parading around in their new clothes.
Three little kids | Source: Midjourney
I thought that maybe this was the year. This was the year that Darlene and I would finally hit a smooth patch in our relationship.
Spoiler alert: I was so wrong.
Two days after Christmas, the house was still glowing with holiday cheer. It wasn’t anything new—we usually kept the decorations up until a few days before New Year’s Eve. My kids were in their element, surrounded by the toys they loved.
I even sent Darlene a text, thanking her for the thoughtful presents.
A woman texting | Source: Midjourney
Hi, Darlene! Thank you for spoiling the babies so much this Christmas. You’re appreciated!
Then, the doorbell rang.
“Mom, will you get it?” Caleb asked, dangling a bunch of grapes above Mason’s head.
“On it,” I said. “Just watch that your brother doesn’t choke on a grape, okay?”
I opened the door to find Darlene standing there, gripping three large empty bags. Her face was bright red, and she looked ready to explode.
A little boy holding a bunch of grapes | Source: Midjourney
“Darlene, hi!” I said. “What’s going on?”
She didn’t say a word. She just marched right past me into the living room, where the kids were now playing with Sadie’s castle.
I stood frozen as she immediately began to scoop Caleb’s LEGO blocks into one of the bags. The ride-on toy was kicked to the side. And then Sadie’s castle went next.
An upset older woman | Source: Midjourney
“Where are the clothes I bought you?” she barked at Caleb.
“In the washing, Grandma,” he said.
“Bring it, now,” she shouted.
I was too shocked to retaliate.
Caleb ran to the bathroom and back with the clothes in his arms.
A washing basket | Source: Midjourney
“Grandma, what are you doing?” Caleb asked, his voice trembling.
Sadie’s lip quivered as she clutched her princess doll.
“Mommy, why is Grandma taking our things?” she asked.
I didn’t have an answer. I just stood there, my mind spinning, trying to process what I was witnessing.
An upset little girl | Source: Midjourney
But it was when Darlene picked up the ride-on toy, preventing Mason from getting onto it, that really set me off.
“Darlene, what the hell are you doing?” I demanded, finding my voice at last.
She didn’t even glance my way.
“You’ll regret what you did,” she muttered coldly, zipping the bags shut with finality.
An angry older woman | Source: Midjourney
And then, without another word, she stormed out, slamming the door behind her.
The kids were devastated. Caleb cried for hours, asking why Grandma was mad. Sadie sat on the floor, clutching a stuffed animal like her world had just ended. And poor Mason kept wandering around the house, looking for his toy.
“Where did the car go, Mommy?” he asked.
An upset little boy | Source: Midjourney
I tried to comfort my children, but honestly, I didn’t know what to say. What had we done to deserve this? Why would Darlene take back the gifts she’d so generously given just a few days earlier?
When my husband, Mark, got home from work, I told him everything.
“She did what?” Mark’s face went beet red as he pulled out his phone. “Oh, hell no. This is unacceptable.”
He called her immediately. There was no answer. He texted his mother. No replies.
A frowning woman | Source: Midjourney
“I don’t understand, Bec,” he said. “How could she be so cold to take their toys away? And their clothes, for God’s sake. I’m so confused.”
“Tell me about it,” I said. “I didn’t know how to react when she stormed around doing whatever she wanted. It was insanity. You should have seen their faces, Mark.”
Darlene had gone completely radio silent, leaving us in the dark about what had triggered this insane stunt.
A man holding his head | Source: Midjourney
Three days later, Mark finally got her on the phone.
I could tell from his side of the conversation that whatever she was saying was absurd. He kept rubbing his temples and muttering under his breath.
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” he sighed.
When he hung up, he looked at me with disbelief.
A man holding his head | Source: Midjourney
“You’ll never believe it,” he said.
“What? Believe what?” I asked.
“She’s mad about her Christmas gift,” he said.
“What?” I repeated.
A frowning woman | Source: Midjourney
“Apparently, she was expecting that expensive designer handbag she’s been hinting about all year. Instead, we got her a $250 gift card to her favorite store. It was unacceptable, according to her.”
I stared at my husband, completely lost for words.
“So, she took away the kids’ gifts because of that? What on earth is wrong with her?”
A store gift card | Source: Midjourney
Mark nodded slowly, still processing the absurdity himself.
“Yeah, she said that we disrespected her with the gift card and gave us a few days to make it right. Since we didn’t, she took the kids’ presents to teach us a lesson.”
I was floored.
“You’ve got to be kidding me, Mark,” I said.
A woman holding her head | Source: Midjourney
“Nope,” he sighed again. “She took the kids’ Christmas gifts away over a damn handbag.”
We were furious, but we weren’t about to let Darlene’s tantrum ruin Christmas for our kids. That weekend, we dipped into our savings and bought replacements for the toys she took.
It wasn’t easy on our budget, but seeing the kids’ faces light up again made every penny worth it.
But Darlene?
Three smiling children | Source: Midjourney
Karma had other plans for the old woman.
A few days later, Mark’s cousin, Abby, called with some unexpected news.
I was in the kitchen, grilling chicken and vegetables for dinner, while Mark was going through Caleb’s holiday homework.
“Did you hear what your mom did?” she asked, practically choking with laughter.
A platter of grilled chicken and vegetables | Source: Midjourney
“Oh yeah,” Mark muttered. “We know all about her behavior. Why’s it funny to you?”
“Well, apparently, she’s been bragging to the family about how she taught you guys a lesson. But one of her friends, the one who’s super involved with that charity, found out.”
“Charity? Abby, what are you talking about?” Mark asked.
“Uh-oh,” I said, uncertain of where the conversation was going.
A woman talking on the phone and laughing | Source: Midjourney
“Yeah, so her friend was horrified at what Darlene did. The things that she took from the kids? She donated them to a charity. Dirty clothes and all! Word has spread fast, and now people are distancing themselves from her. Big time.”
Mark raised an eyebrow and looked at me.
“So, what? People are icing her out?”
Donation boxes at a charity shelter | Source: Midjourney
“They are, but that’s not the best part!” Abby said.
“Then what is the best part?” I asked.
“Oh, Becs,” she laughed. “Lovely Aunt Darlene has been uninvited from the New Year’s Eve gala. You know, the one she brags about all year? Her favorite event of the year? Yep. All gone!”
A man talking on a phone | Source: Midjourney
Mark and I exchanged glances. Darlene loved that gala more than anything. It was the ultimate social slap in the face. And she would have probably been planning her outfit since October.
Abby cut the call, still laughing to herself.
“She’s going to be so upset,” I said, slicing a lemon.
Lemons on a board | Source: Midjourney
“Serves her right,” my husband said. “She deserves this. She’s full of nonsense. And she donated the kids’ clothes just like that? She didn’t even wash it! What the hell, Becca?!”
“Let’s just have dinner with the kids and leave Darlene for the night,” I said.
A week later, Darlene called Mark, desperate for sympathy.
“They’ve all turned against me,” she sobbed. “I don’t understand what I did wrong!”
An upset older woman | Source: Midjourney
Mark didn’t miss a beat.
“Mom, you took all your grandkids’ Christmas presents because you didn’t get a handbag. Now you’re paying the price for being petty.”
She tried to apologize, but Mark wasn’t having it.
“If you want a relationship with my wife and children, you have a lot to make up for. And my kids are incredible. It’s your loss, Ma.”
Three smiling children | Source: Midjourney
In the end, we spoke to our children, explaining to them that their grandmother was angry with us, not them.
“She just wanted to teach Mom and me a lesson,” Mark said. “You guys did nothing wrong.”
“Are you sure?” Sadie asked, her lower lip jutting out.
A smiling man standing in a living room | Source: Midjourney
“Yes, I promise!” I said. “And this isn’t how we teach lessons. Dad and I will never take away something you love just to punish another person.”
“If we’re naughty, we get a timeout until we learn our lesson, right?” Caleb chimed in.
“Exactly, buddy,” Mark said. “Now, come on, let’s all get some ice cream cones.”
Ice cream cones | Source: Midjourney
That’s how one handbag led to a family falling out, a Christmas nearly ruined, and a grandmother learning the hard way that karma never misses.
And honestly? We’re in no rush to forgive.
Trust me, Darlene’s next holiday season won’t be quite as merry and bright.
A smiling woman | Source: Midjourney
What would you have done?
If you’ve enjoyed this story, here’s another one for you |
My Son Stays Quiet as His Wife Insults Me — But He Soon Teaches Her a Lesson in Front of Guests
Kate cannot wait to spend the holidays with her son and his wife. It’s her first Christmas with the family, and Kate needs to see how she fits. But when Liz criticizes her cooking, and John chooses silence over defending his mother, will the holidays be ruined?
Cooking was always my way of showing love. From the moment I got married, I became the “one who feeds everyone.” Every family dinner, every major holiday, especially Christmas, revolved around me in the kitchen, making meals from scratch.
It wasn’t just about the food. It was about creating something special that brought us together.
A smiling older woman | Source: Midjourney
But when Oliver, my husband, passed away a few years ago, the joy of cooking died with him.
Now, I only cook for myself, enough to get by. But Christmas is different. Christmas is when my son, John, comes home. He’s the reason I still dust off my old recipes, roll up my sleeves, and get to work in the kitchen.
His love for my Christmas dinners has always been special to me. A kind of pride, I guess. This year, though, something was different.
A smiling older man | Source: Midjourney
And not in a good way.
This work is inspired by real events and people, but it has been fictionalized for creative purposes. Names, characters, and details have been changed to protect privacy and enhance the narrative. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.
The author and publisher make no claims to the accuracy of events or the portrayal of characters and are not liable for any misinterpretation. This story is provided “as is,” and any opinions expressed are those of the characters and do not reflect the views of the author or publisher.
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