Larissa cherished her mother-in-law, Julia, who supported her through her fertility struggles. Julia was a second mother to her, especially after Larissa and Toby faced difficulty conceiving. Julia introduced Larissa to wellness practices, even gifting them a new mattress, claiming it would help them relax.

Months later, Larissa became pregnant, and their daughter, Maddie, was born. Julia’s presence was invaluable, helping with household chores and caring for Maddie. However, one night, Toby discovered a silk bag filled with herbs pinned to their mattress. He was startled and showed it to Larissa.

“It was pinned to the mattress. It was under the mattress protector,” Toby explained.

“It’s fertility herbs, it has to be!” Toby exclaimed.

Larissa was confused and worried. Toby insisted they couldn’t use the mattress anymore and decided to burn it. The next day, Toby confronted Julia.

“Mom, why didn’t you tell us about the herbs?” he asked.

Julia, looking guilty, explained, “I just wanted to help. I knew you were struggling, and I thought if it worked, you wouldn’t care how.”

Larissa felt torn, grateful for Julia’s help but upset about the secrecy. Julia promised to be more transparent in the future.

“We need to know what’s going on in our own home,” Toby said firmly.

Julia agreed, and peace slowly returned. Though Larissa was still perplexed by the situation, she focused on enjoying time with Maddie and appreciated Julia’s love and support, realizing the importance of openness and trust in their family.