My mother-in-law, Cynthia, moved in with us, and not long after, my daughter, Lisa, started acting strangely. She was no longer her usual happy self, and I could see something was off. One night, I caught her sleepwalking through the house, holding her teddy bear. Quietly, I followed her, and what I found that night changed everything, leading to a mystery I needed to unravel.
We used to be a happy family. Our days were filled with laughter and joy, especially with Lisa. We had family dinners, shared stories, and moments of love.
Tony worked hard as a financial analyst, always dreaming of starting his own business, while I balanced my job and took care of the house.
One evening, Tony came home looking excited. He could barely contain himself.
“Amelie, I’ve found business partners! I can finally start my own company, just like I’ve always wanted!” he announced, grinning from ear to ear.
I felt proud. “That’s incredible, Tony!” I hugged him tight. “You’ve worked so hard for this!”
His smile faded a bit, and he said, “There’s one thing we need to talk about.”
I raised an eyebrow. “What’s that?”
“Well, with our new jobs, we’ll be busier than ever,” Tony began. “Mom has been complaining about her health, and she suggested moving in with us. She wants to help take care of Lisa.”
I hesitated. “Tony, you know how Cynthia feels about our marriage. She’s never really accepted me.”
“I know,” Tony replied, his voice soft. “But she insists, and we could really use the help right now.”
I sighed. “Alright, fine. But only because we really need it. And of course, now that things are going well for us, she wants to move in.”
A few days later, Cynthia arrived at our home, smiling and holding a gift. She handed Lisa a soft teddy bear.
“Hello, Lisa! Grandma brought you something special,” she said, her voice bright.
“Thank you, Grandma!” Lisa said, hugging the bear tightly, her eyes twinkling with excitement.
Tony gave me a hopeful look. “Thanks, Cynthia. I’m sure Lisa will love it,” I said, forcing a smile.
Cynthia looked at me seriously. “Amelie, I know we’ve had our differences, but I want to make this work for Tony and Lisa.”
I replied cautiously, “I hope so.”
As the days passed, I noticed subtle changes in Lisa. She became tired more often, cranky, and wasn’t as cheerful as she used to be. It worried me. One afternoon, I asked her, “Lisa, honey, why are you so tired?”
“I don’t know, Mommy. I just feel sleepy,” she yawned.
That night, I woke up to find her sleepwalking again. She was walking around with her eyes closed, still holding the teddy bear. I whispered, “Lisa, sweetie, what are you doing?” gently taking her hand.
She didn’t answer, only continued clutching the bear. I guided her back to her bed, my stomach tight with worry.
The next morning, I told Tony about it.
“Tony, I saw Lisa sleepwalking last night,” I said. “She was holding the teddy bear your mom gave her.”
Tony looked surprised. “Really? That’s strange.”
Just then, Cynthia, who had been nearby, chimed in with a dismissive tone, “Oh, that’s perfectly normal. Tony used to sleepwalk when he was a child too. Nothing to worry about.”
“Are you sure?” I asked, skeptical.
“Absolutely. It’s just a phase,” she insisted.
I nodded, but something didn’t sit right with me. That same morning, as Tony prepared for work, he frowned and checked his wallet.
“Amelie, have you seen the money I left in my wallet? It’s gone,” he said, confused.
“No, I haven’t touched your wallet,” I replied, honestly.
Tony sighed. “Maybe I misplaced it. It’s probably just somewhere.”
I went to get my purse and found something strange: there was more money inside than I had before.
“Tony, look at this. Is this the money you were missing?” I asked, showing him the bills.
Tony looked inside my purse and nodded. “Yes, that’s exactly what was in my wallet. That’s weird. Did you accidentally take it?”
I shook my head. “No, I didn’t touch it. This is so strange.”
Tony shrugged. “Let’s not make a big deal out of it.” But I couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling that something was wrong.
That night, as I lay awake, I couldn’t stop thinking about Lisa and the strange things happening around the house.
I decided to keep a closer eye on Lisa. If she sleepwalked again, I would follow her to find out what was really going on.
That night, my suspicions were confirmed. Lisa got out of bed, clutching her teddy bear. Her eyes were open, but she didn’t seem aware of me. I quietly followed her, my heart pounding.
She walked straight to Cynthia’s room. I stopped outside the door and listened closely. What I heard made my blood run cold.
“Go to your parents’ room, Lisa. Take the money from the safe. It’s our little secret,” Cynthia’s voice whispered low and insistent.
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. I rushed back to wake Tony.
“Tony, wake up! You have to see this!” I whispered urgently, shaking him awake.
Tony blinked, confused. “What’s going on, Amelie?”
“It’s Lisa. She’s in your mom’s room. I heard Cynthia telling her to take money from the safe,” I said, my voice trembling.
Tony sat up, frustrated. “Amelie, you’re overreacting. Mom wouldn’t do that.”
“Please, Tony, just come with me,” I begged.
Reluctantly, he followed me to Cynthia’s room. We quietly opened the door and found Cynthia and Lisa both asleep. Tony sighed in exasperation.
“See? They’re both asleep. You’re making a big deal out of nothing,” he said, rubbing his temples.
“No, Tony. I know what I heard,” I insisted.
I rushed to the safe, and Tony, still skeptical, opened it. His face went pale. “What? No… the money was here this morning!” he exclaimed, his voice filled with disbelief.
“Tony, your mother is behind this,” I said firmly.
Suddenly, Cynthia entered the room, looking defensive.
“What’s all this noise about?” she asked.
Tony turned to face her, anger in his eyes. “Mom, did you ask Lisa to steal money from the safe?”
Cynthia’s eyes widened in shock. “Of course not! How could you even think that?”
Lisa, hearing the commotion, started to cry. I knelt down, comforting her. “Lisa, sweetie, can you tell us what happened? It’s important.”
Lisa sniffled and pointed to my purse.
Tony looked inside, and his face twisted with rage. “Amelie, how could you? Were you trying to frame my mom?”
“No, Tony! I didn’t know the money was in there! It was your mother’s doing!” I protested, tears filling my eyes.
Tony, too angry to listen, shook his head. “This is too much. I can’t deal with this right now. Amelie, I think it’s best if you stay somewhere else for a while. Mom will look after Lisa.”
My heart shattered, but I knew I had to find a way to prove the truth.
The next morning, as Tony left for work, I began packing my things. I felt a deep sadness, but I couldn’t give up. While packing, I went into Lisa’s room and found her sitting on her bed, talking to the teddy bear.
“Lisa, sweetie, who are you talking to?” I asked, trying not to alarm her.
She looked up, her eyes innocent. “The teddy bear, Mommy. But it doesn’t want to talk anymore.”
I frowned, confused. “What do you mean, it doesn’t want to talk anymore?”
Lisa hugged the bear tightly. “It used to talk to me before bedtime. Grandma said it was our little secret.”
My heart sank. This was worse than I thought.
“Lisa, can I borrow the teddy bear for a bit? I need to wash it,” I asked, trying to sound casual.
She hesitated but handed it over. “Okay, Mommy. Just be careful with him.”
I stayed home, waiting for the evening. I had a feeling about what was happening and who was behind it.
That evening, while preparing dinner, Cynthia entered the kitchen, arms crossed, a smug look on her face. “Why haven’t you left yet, Amelie? Tony doesn’t want a thief in his house.”
I took a deep breath. “I have some unfinished business, Cynthia. Everything will be sorted out when Tony gets home.”
Her eyes narrowed. “What are you planning?”
“You’ll see,” I replied, turning back to the stove.
When Tony came home, I was ready.
“Tony, I need to show you something,” I said, holding up the teddy bear.
He sighed, exhausted. “What now, Amelie?”
“Please, just trust me,” I said, my voice soft but firm.
I opened the teddy bear, revealing a small device inside. “Tony, Lisa wasn’t sleepwalking. She was being controlled by this device. Cynthia has been using it to give her instructions.”
Cynthia exploded. “That’s ridiculous! You’re making this up!”
“Let’s check Cynthia’s room for the other part of the device,” I suggested calmly.
Cynthia backed away, eyes wide with fear. “No, you can’t go in there!”
Tony, now suspicious, insisted, “Mom, we need to see.”
I pressed the button on the teddy bear and spoke into it. We immediately heard my voice echoing from Cynthia’s room.
Tony rushed in and found the other device hidden under Cynthia’s pillow.
Lisa peeked into the room. “Grandma, are we playing a new game since our secret is out?” she asked innocently.
Tony, shocked, asked, “Mom, how did you use the bear to control her?”
Cynthia’s face flushed with shame. “I put a walkie-talkie inside the bear and another one under my pillow. When Lisa would sleepwalk, I’d tell her what to do—take money from your wallet, put it in your mom’s purse, then bring it back.”
Tony looked at her, tears in his eyes. “Mom, why? Why would you do this?”
Cynthia broke down, her voice trembling. “At first, I just wanted to see if it would work. But then it became a way for me to feel important, to feel needed. I didn’t realize how much it would hurt everyone.”
Tony shook his head, his anger overwhelming. “Mom, this is wrong. You can’t use Lisa like that. If you want to be part of this family, you have to respect our boundaries.”
Cynthia, realizing her mistake, nodded tearfully. “I’m sorry, Tony. I just wanted to feel needed. I’ll respect your family’s peace.”
Tony turned to me. “Amelie, what do you think?”
I wiped my eyes, holding back my tears. “Cynthia, we all make mistakes. But if you want to be part of this family, you need to accept us for who we are. Lisa should spend time with her grandmother, but only in a way that respects our boundaries.”
Cynthia nodded, wiping away her tears. “I understand. I’ll respect your family’s peace and unity.”
I smiled faintly, looking at my daughter and feeling a sense of hope.
“Let’s take it one step at a time. We’ll rebuild our trust and create a loving home for Lisa.”
Cynthia reached out and took my hand. “Thank you, Amelie. I’ll make it right.”
With that, the truth was finally revealed. And though it would take time, we could begin to heal and move forward, as a family.
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