My MIL Kicked My Mom Out of the Delivery Room Because She ‘Wasn’t Paying the Hospital Bill’

“Your mother’s love is worth more than any hospital bill,” she said directly to me. “And I tried to put a price tag on something priceless.”

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Regina never apologized and never admitted her fault. Then Robert chuckled, breaking the tension.

“She’s on a money detox. No spending for a month. I seized all her cards. If she wants to give gifts, she has to make them.”

Regina groaned, a hint of her usual self peeking through. “This is his punishment for me. And I hate to admit it, but…” she hesitated, a small, reluctant smile appearing. “It’s actually been… fun. Humbling, but fun.”

My mom looked at the basket, then at Regina. Slowly, she reached out and took it.

“These are lovely,” she said sincerely, examining the handmade items. “Did you make all of these yourself?”

Regina nodded, a blush coloring her cheeks. “The blanket took three tries. And the pie… well, I haven’t actually baked anything from scratch since college.”

My mom smiled softly. “Handmade gifts have heart. If you ever want to learn new things, I’d love to teach you.”

Regina looked surprised, her eyebrows shooting up. “You… would? After what I did?”

“Of course,” my mom said, with the grace that had always defined her. “That’s what family does.”

Regina seemed to absorb those words, turning them over in her mind. Then she looked down at my newborn daughter, sleeping peacefully in her bassinet.

“Maybe I could learn to make things for the baby, too,” she said. “Things that matter more than whatever I could buy at the mall.”

I exhaled, feeling the tension of the past day finally leaving my body.

She was trying. And sometimes, that’s all you can ask for.

Since that day, my mother-in-law has changed. It wasn’t overnight. There were missteps and old habits that died hard. But the effort was real.

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