When Ellie and her family returned home from their annual Christmas getaway, they were greeted by an unexpected and unsettling sight. Their house, usually a cozy and festive haven, was covered in raw eggs. The walls dripped with sticky streams, the porch was littered with broken shells, and even Ellie’s carefully crafted holiday wreath was a splattered mess. As her husband Ethan stepped out of the car, their young son Noah asked innocently, “Could a bird have done this, Dad?” Ellie forced a smile for the kids, but inside, she was seething. This wasn’t a random prank—it felt targeted.
The discovery of a crumpled note under the doorframe confirmed her suspicion. It read: “This is for what you took from me before Christmas.” The cryptic message only added to her confusion. What could she have possibly taken from someone? And who would go to such lengths for revenge?
Later that night, once the kids were asleep, Ellie and Ethan scrolled through the security footage. The camera revealed a hooded figure sneaking onto their property, a carton of eggs in hand. Each throw was deliberate and filled with purpose—it wasn’t a prank; it was personal. But it wasn’t until Ellie noticed the familiar slump of the figure’s shoulders and the way they tilted their head that she felt her stomach drop. “No… it can’t be,” she whispered. But it was. The person egging their house was her mother.
The next morning, Ellie left Ethan to care for the kids and drove straight to her mother’s house. Her hands trembled on the steering wheel, her emotions a whirlwind of anger, hurt, and confusion. When her mother opened the door with a warm smile, Ellie didn’t hold back. “Why?” she blurted. “Why would you do that to us?” The smile faded from her mother’s face, replaced with guilt and sadness. She invited Ellie inside, but Ellie stayed rooted in place, demanding answers.
“It was because of your mother-in-law,” her mother finally confessed. “She called me right before Christmas. She told me how you’d invited her on your fancy island vacation, how special she felt, and how wonderful it was to spend time with the kids. And me? I was left behind. Forgotten.” Ellie stared at her mother, her mind racing. “Mom, Gloria wasn’t on that trip. She wasn’t with us at all. I would never take her and leave you behind.”
Her mother’s eyes widened in shock. “But… she made it sound so real.” Ellie’s heart broke as she realized the extent of the manipulation. Gloria had called her mother with the sole purpose of making her feel excluded. “She did it to hurt you, Mom. And it worked. But instead of talking to me, you…you did that?” Her mother’s face crumpled as tears welled in her eyes. “I was so angry, Ellie. I felt invisible. And I let that anger take over.”
@kendallmaynard25(my house just got egged) 😀
Ellie sighed deeply, her own frustration giving way to compassion. The truth was, she hadn’t realized how distant she’d become from her mother. Between raising two young kids, managing her career, and keeping everything afloat, she’d let her mother drift to the sidelines of her life. And while nothing excused what her mother had done, Ellie couldn’t ignore the loneliness that had driven her to such an act.
“Mom, what you did was wrong. But I understand where it came from. I’m sorry if I made you feel left out,” Ellie said softly. Her mother broke down in tears. “I’ll fix this, Ellie. I’ll pay for the cleaning, I’ll do whatever it takes.”
“No, Mom,” Ellie replied. “We’ll fix it together. But it starts with us—no more letting other people’s words come between us.”
Later that day, her mother showed up at Ellie’s house with a bucket, soap, and sponges. Together, they scrubbed egg off the walls, cleaned the porch, and repaired the damage. It was exhausting work, but it felt healing in a way Ellie hadn’t expected. Each wipe seemed to clear away not just the mess, but the years of unspoken hurt between them.
That evening, after the kids were in bed, Ellie sat down with Ethan over a glass of wine. “It was Gloria,” Ellie said. “She called my mom and made up a story about being on vacation with us. She wanted to hurt her.” Ethan’s jaw tightened. “Are you serious? What was she thinking?”
“I don’t know,” Ellie replied. “But you need to talk to her. I need to focus on repairing things with my mom.”
Ethan nodded, his voice firm. “I’ll handle it.”
A week later, Ellie and Ethan met with Gloria at a coffee shop. Ethan didn’t waste time. “Mom, why would you do that? Why would you call Ellie’s mom and lie to her?” Gloria’s face fell, and she looked away. “I was lonely. I was hurt that you didn’t invite me. I let my emotions get the best of me.”
Ellie spoke up, her voice steady but firm. “You had a chance to spend time with her. You could have reached out, built a relationship. But instead, you chose to hurt her—and us—in the process.”
Gloria’s voice broke as she promised to make amends. “I’ll call her. I’ll invite her to tea. I’ll make things right.”
Slowly but surely, both mothers worked to rebuild their relationship. They started meeting regularly, sharing meals, and even taking up mahjong together. The damage wasn’t erased overnight, but it was healing.
On New Year’s Eve, Ellie’s mother joined their family celebration. She arrived with homemade dumplings, a chocolate cake, and her signature lamingtons. The kids clung to her legs as she fussed over them, and Ethan handed her a glass of champagne with a warm smile.
At midnight, as fireworks sparkled in the sky, Ellie raised her glass with her family. “Cheers to new beginnings,” her mother said softly. Ellie looked around the room—at her children’s happy faces, Ethan’s steady presence, and her mother’s radiant smile. For the first time in a long time, everything felt whole.
And while Ellie would probably never look at an egg the same way again, she knew one thing for certain: family bonds are worth fighting for, no matter how messy the cleanup might be.
