Mushroom Lies: A Daughter-in-Law's Struggle

cking mushrooms, saying mushroom

, specifically for

me to have any, not eve

up an excuse to send

ited me was my husband

only been five days since I had a miscarriage. T

l yesterday to let you know I'd come to cook chicken soup for my son? Austin works so hard to

t these were the only se

by. It wasn't due to health problems; rather, Austin had com

't the fi

parents' house. He came, kneeled in apolo

but the violenc

n. Like Miranda often said, a woman who

walked into the kitchen and sa

anda scolded fiercely, "What are you star

is mushroom come from? I've never seen you

with chicken soup. It's super nourishing. I was out there before dawn, waiting to snag it. Otherwise, someone else would've grabbed it

r-in-law Emalee sent a spark

company. I'd just drafted a new proposal-had

saying it wasn't on purpose. I was so

proposal co

twice, knocking me to the ground

ister? Who do you thin

es. "Beat her! Teach her a lesson! Ho

blood started pooli

I lost my f

house, swearing I'd divorce him. But my mom s

tep, groveling-kneeling, even hitting

k. What I got in retur

ng me off from the wor

, coming home to crash on the couch,

sometimes even packing a bowl in a th

to suspect

king it to, I didn't

though, was a call from

ad taken out a life i

eficiar

rang. I opened it to see Emalee standing t

ssed my face. She looked

ling daughter's he

just got back from school," Emalee said

sat her oversized

orth of clothes-pants, shirts, even u

auled the suitcase to the

k my nausea, I tossed her stuff into

uld hear Miranda and E

hroom smells amazi

h a laugh. "It's a rare mushroom-stewed

d the sweet little

m eating

lutton, there's plenty for

her and ask when h

lf. Eat up. Eat a

itcase, shoved it into a corner of

ng right by the complex entranc

n dragging a suitcase, a you

phone, zoomed in, and

I first

chicken soup to go. My father-in-law passed years

ht her carrying a thermos

-floor apartment, and a

staked out the place. A young woman came o

er, holding her arm l

urned wit

home-seven whole years. To keep our careers steady, I put off having kids. This year, I'd even

s ago, the doctor said my chance

id. When I finally got pregnant again, Au

knew

om from the balcony and caugh

ear-old anymore-wrinkles

hrough the apartment. Then came th

great!" Austi

suitcase and jacket with a forced s

d at me, feig

ing in bed? You just

, tears welled

ice. "Don't cry, i

n the table, muttering, "What's with the dra

e up," Au

he bedroom and told me

couldn't stop the cold la

e'd play nice for a whil

ed along, I could

ake out t

loud enough to m

d cracked the door open

bage bag in one hand and

ere she was heade

inside me as I ge

aby drop dead after eating

e in a while, I f

t, I put on my usual glo

let me h

ther dishes while Austin lounged

t you. If you collapse, your mo

clashed with Miranda, he'd hurl his p

a, I've rested enough. I'll just chop some

"Fine, hurry up then. I

the kitchen and

oms"-even had a basket left over. Said she

ant," she

later, Emal

n ate first and something happen

them all down at on

aced for

g out one would do for n

n's phone rang.

ot it,"

ped. Had she