She came with Caleb, Denise, and two other relatives.
Security stopped them at the entrance.
My mother demanded to see her daughter-in-law.
“She is carrying my grandchild.”
The security officer calmly asked whether Emma had authorized visitors.
My mother went silent.
Then her phone rang.
It was me.
“I know about the messages,” I said.
There was a long pause.
“What messages?”
“The ones you sent Caleb.”
My mother immediately changed her tone.
“You don’t understand what happened.”
“I understand enough.”
“She disrespected me.”
“She was eight months pregnant.”
“She embarrassed this family.”
“You put fish bones in front of her.”
“That isn’t what happened.”
“You took her phone.”
“I never touched her.”
“Caleb did.”
Silence.
Then I heard Caleb in the background.
“Don’t say anything.”
My mother must not have realized her phone was still connected.
I heard everything.
She whispered, “We need to stick to the same story.”
