There is curiosity, and then there is Diana’s level of curiosity. But when she found a pregnancy test in my bathroom and made a shocking announcement, she didn’t know how badly it would backfire on her.
I was halfway to my morning coffee when I heard it — the quiet but unmistakable creak of floorboards upstairs. I gripped my cup tighter.
Something was wrong. My mother-in-law, Diana, was supposed to be using the guest bathroom downstairs. She had no reason to be upstairs.
Frowning, I set down my cup and climbed the stairs two at a time. A strange chill ran down my spine — a mixture of irritation and unease. When I rounded the corner into the bedroom, I froze.
Diana was standing in my bathroom, staring at the countertop. No, not just staring — she was mesmerised. My stomach clenched.
‘Diana?’ My voice was sharp, not how I wanted it to be. ‘This isn’t the guest bathroom.’
She turned slowly, and for a split second I caught her expression — something between guilt and something else. Admiration? Satisfaction? I couldn’t tell. But what really made me freeze was her smirk.
She didn’t say a word. She just gave me that knowing look, walked past me and left as if nothing had happened.
I hesitated, then stepped into the bathroom. My eyes followed her gaze — straight to the pregnancy test on the countertop.
Positive.
A cold, sticky feeling sank into my stomach.
She knew.
I exhaled slowly, holding tightly to the edge of the sink.
What the hell is she doing here? And more importantly… why does she look so damn happy?
Two weeks later, we were at Diana’s family barbecue, and if I had known what was about to happen, I would have faked a stomach ache and stayed home.
The yard was full of people — uncles at the barbecue, children splashing in the pool, aunts chatting in the shade. I sipped lemonade, trying to enjoy the warmth of the sun despite the unpleasant feeling in my stomach. Diana was acting… strange. Almost smug. As if she had a secret she couldn’t wait to reveal.
And then, as everyone sat down to eat, she stood up, clinking her glass.
The conversations died down. People turned to her, waiting, their glasses raised.
‘To Hayden!’ she announced. ‘To Hayden! May you have a long and healthy journey, sweet baby!’
A confused whisper rippled through the crowd. My father-in-law frowned. ‘Who is Hayden?’
Diana beamed at me, her eyes shining with triumph. ‘Your child, of course! Since I was the first to know about your pregnancy, I thought it would be fair if I named my first grandchild!’
Silence. Thick, suffocating silence.
My throat went dry. I barely noticed the stunned faces around me. Ethan turned, his jaw clenched, his eyes filled with something between shock and betrayal.
‘Why didn’t you tell me?’ His voice was low, but every syllable was tinged with pain.
I blinked, stunned. ‘Because I’m not pregnant.’
The silence grew heavier. Then came waves of confused conversation.
Diana’s smile faded. ‘It’s not worth keeping it a secret, really! I saw the test!’
I tensed up. ‘What test?’
‘The one in your bathroom, of course,’ she said, her voice still sweet but now tinged with disappointment. ‘There was a positive pregnancy test in there! You can’t fool me.’
And then it dawned on me.
Oh, no.
I knew exactly whose test it was.
I slowly turned around, my heart sinking as I met the gaze of the only person who felt uncomfortable after that toast.
Ethan’s sister.
Her face was pale, her hand trembling slightly as she held her wine glass. And just like that, the whole barbecue situation exploded into chaos.
But amid all the shouting and gasping, I heard only one thing — Ethan’s sister whispered under her breath:
‘Oh, my God.’
The world seemed to freeze. The laughter, the clinking of cutlery, the soft hum of conversation — all disappeared. All that remained was the weight of Megan’s words, hanging in the air, ready to fall.
Diana looked as if she had just been slapped in the face. Her glass trembled in her hands. ‘What?’ she muttered.
Megan crossed her arms over her chest and straightened her back. ‘You heard me,’ she said in an even voice. ‘It was my test. Mum, Dad! I’m pregnant.’
A sudden inspiration swept through the family. Someone’s silver spoon clattered onto a plate. My father-in-law, Thomas, blinked, his jaw hanging open.
Diana opened and closed her mouth like a fish, but no words came out. When she finally found her voice, it was weak and trembling. ‘Megan, dear, you… you must be joking.’
Megan let out a dry laugh. “Oh, yes. Very funny.‘ Her eyes sparkled. ’I didn’t tell you because you said — and I quote — that you would kill me if I got pregnant before I finished school.”
Exclamations, then more whispers. Diana’s face turned pale. ‘I didn’t say that!’
‘Yes, you did, Mum.’ Megan’s voice was cold and firm. ‘And you know what? The people who really supported me were my brother and his wife.’ She pointed at Ethan and me. ‘They didn’t judge me. They didn’t threaten me. They gave me space to breathe.’
Diana’s eyes darted around, searching for someone to support her, but the whole family just sat there in silence — some were stunned, some felt uncomfortable. My father-in-law rubbed his temples, exhaling slowly.
‘Megan…’ Diana’s voice faltered. ‘Why… why didn’t you just come to me?’
Megan laughed sharply, shaking her head. ‘Do you really want me to answer that?’
Diana swallowed. Her perfect image of her family was crumbling before her eyes.
Megan sighed, furrowing her brow. ‘Listen, I wasn’t ready to tell anyone, but thanks to you, here we are.’
Diana swallowed. Her perfect image of family was crumbling right before her eyes.
Megan sighed, furrowing her brow. ‘Listen, I wasn’t ready to tell anyone, but thanks to you, here we are.’
Her gaze was like a knife. ‘You were so obsessed with a pregnancy that wasn’t even real, and now that you have a real one, you can’t handle it?’
Diana opened her mouth, but Megan didn’t finish.
‘You named my baby, Mum. You made a toast to Hayden as if you were carrying him.’ Megan shook her head in disbelief. ‘Do you even hear yourself?’
Diana’s lips trembled. ‘I… I just…’
‘No,’ Megan interrupted her. ‘You just did it for yourself, as always.’
The silence that followed could have broken glass.
Diana opened her mouth, then closed it again. She tried to find the words, but nothing came out. She looked completely, utterly lost.
Megan, however, was just getting started. She crossed her arms and tilted her head with feigned interest. ‘Oh, about the baby’s name?’
Diana blinked rapidly, still stunned.
‘Yes,’ Megan continued calmly, looking around at the stunned family and then back at her mother. ‘I’ll either name him after my brother,’ she nodded towards Ethan, “or after the only person who has ever really supported me. “
Then, to my great delight, she turned to me, smiling broadly. ‘So Hayden is out of the picture.’
I couldn’t help but smile slowly as I took a sip of my drink. The lemonade was fresh, invigorating, and tasted just like revenge.
Diana’s expression contorted — horror, humiliation, helplessness. This time, she was not in control of the situation.
Thomas sighed deeply, rubbing his face. ‘Damn it,’ he muttered under his breath.
Diana, desperately trying to regain some dignity, finally snapped, ‘This is absurd! Naming a child out of revenge?’
Megan raised an eyebrow. ‘Oh, you mean how you tried to name my child without even knowing if it existed?’
Diana tried to explain, but couldn’t find the words.
Megan, satisfied, grabbed her plate and headed for the snack table. ‘Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’d like to finally enjoy the barbecue before Mum self-destructs.’
Ethan pressed his hand to his mouth, but I could see his shoulders shaking with suppressed laughter.
Diana looked at me, her eyes full of pleading, as if I should help her. I just raised my glass and took another slow sip.
Maybe next time she’ll learn that sticking her nose where it doesn’t belong can backfire.
Diana blushed, clenching her fists at her sides.
Then, through clenched teeth, she exhaled, ‘I need another drink.’
After that disastrous barbecue, the aftermath was devastating. Diana, humiliated beyond belief, barely spoke for the rest of the night. She sat in the corner, sipping wine with a tense expression on her face. The rest of the family tried to act casually, pretending they hadn’t witnessed the most dramatic pregnancy announcement in history.
Megan, on the other hand, looked lighter, as if an unbearable burden had finally been lifted from her shoulders. Ethan and I stayed by her side for the rest of the evening, shielding her from Diana’s long stares.
In the weeks that followed, Diana tried to make amends, but it was too late — the family knew the truth. Some relatives took her side, muttering about ‘respect for parents,’ but most saw through her manipulations.
Megan continued her pregnancy on her own terms, setting clear boundaries with her mother. As for me? Let’s just say Diana no longer spies on my house. One unexpected pregnancy scandal taught her that lesson well enough.
