Jess is skeptical when her cold MIL gives her costly shoes for her birthday. Her greatest worries are realized when she wears them on a business trip and the TSA finds something suspect hidden inside. Now she must determine whether this present was an effort at sabotage or something even sinister. I should not have trusted Debbie’s gift. Looking back, the warning flags were all there: the overly-sweet grin she gave me as she handed me the box, the way her eyes glinted with something other than friendliness.But, what was I expected to do?
They were only shoes, right? Beautiful patent leather yellow shoes with a broad heel, just my style. And for once, my mother-in-law appeared to be making an attempt. “Oh, they’re lovely,” I’d say, injecting excitement into my voice as Arthur smiled alongside me. “Thank you, Debbie.” She had waved her hand dismissively. “Well, I’ve noticed you always wear practical shoes. I figured you might want something nice for once.”
The barb was there, wrapped in silk, as usual. But I had smiled and nodded, as usual. That’s what you do when you’re trying to maintain peace, right? When your husband adores his mother, and you strive to be the larger person? Besides, it wasn’t the first time she’d made subtle barbs at me. There was the Christmas dinner when she specifically asked Arthur if he recalled how his ex-girlfriend Sarah made “the most divine turkey.”
Or when mom showed up unexpectedly on our anniversary with antique photo albums filled with Arthur’s childhood photos and remained for three hours. Every visit was a diplomatic exercise in which I acted as an ambassador to a hostile nation. “She’s just set in her ways,” Arthur would add after particularly heated exchanges. “Give her time.” But we’d been married for over a year, and her conduct had worsened, not improved.
I did not wear the shoes for a week. They remained in their box, spotless and accusatory, until my business trip to Chicago came up. Arthur lounged on our bed, scrolling through his phone, while I packed my suitcase. “You should wear Mom’s shoes,” he said. “Show her you appreciate them.” I ran my finger across the soft leather. “Yeah, maybe I will.”
“I think she’s trying, you know,” he said, looking up from his screen. “That this is her way of extending an olive branch.” “Fine,” I said, sliding the sneaker back on. “Just breaking in new shoes.” But it wasn’t okay. With each step closer to safety, the sensation worsened: a constant pressure against the ball of my foot, as if something was attempting to push its way out.
By the time I got to the conveyor belt, I was nearly limping. I was relieved when the TSA officer ordered me to take off my shoes and place them on the belt. The TSA officer’s expression told me everything before he opened his words. He’d been perusing everything with the practiced ennui of someone who’d seen it all, but something compelled him to sit up straight, eyes narrowing at his computer.
“Ma’am, step aside, please.” My stomach sank. “Is there a problem?”He pointed to the X-ray screen, where something dark and dense was hiding in the contour of my left shoe. “We need to look into this more closely. “Please remove the insole.” The businessman behind me in line gave me a dubious look as he retrieved his laptop. A woman drew her tiny daughter closer as they passed.
My cheeks flushed as I sat down and worked on the insole with quivering hands. “Need some help?” A female officer appeared and put on blue latex gloves.”I… I don’t understand,” I said. “This was a gift from my mother-in-law. I only wore them for the first time today.” The insole finally peeled back, making a faint ripping sound. A little plastic-wrapped gift was nestled in a beautifully cut recess in the sole. Green-brown contents were seen through the clear wrapper.
The original officer’s face stiffened. “Can you explain this?””These are not my sneakers. Yes, they are, but they were a present. I did not know—” My voice cracked. “Please, I don’t know what that is. I’m expected to do a presentation in Chicago tomorrow morning.” “We’ll need to test the contents,” he interrupted me. “Please wait here.”
Twenty minutes felt like twenty years. I sat in a hard plastic chair, watching other visitors pass by, imagining headlines like “Marketing Executive Caught Smuggling Drugs.”I considered calling Arthur, but couldn’t bear explaining this over the phone. What would he think? What might he say to Debbie? The senior officer who eventually came to speak with me had kind eyes above his severe jaw. “The preliminary tests show no controlled substances in this package,” he informed me. “But we can’t let you carry it on your flight, just in case. “You realize this could have been a serious situation?”
“Yes, sir.” I held back tears of relief. “I’m so sorry for the trouble.””Be more careful about what you carry through security,” he urged as he let me go. I stared at the box the TSA officer had placed in my palm. Part of me wanted to throw it away, but I hurriedly placed it in one of the airport lockers before rushing to catch my flight. I barely made it, and my mind raced during the ride to Chicago. Why would Debbie do that? What exactly was she trying to accomplish?
Each possibility I examined seemed more absurd than the next, yet they all led to the same obvious conclusion: my mother-in-law had purposefully set me up.After returning home, I immediately brought the bag to a lab for testing. When the findings arrived, I couldn’t believe my eyes. I stared at the report as my coffee grew cold beside me. Mugwort. Yarrow. St. John’s Wort. According to my hasty Google searches, these herbs were utilized in folk magic.
They were employed in spells to drive individuals away, cut off relationships, or “protect” someone from negative influences.That evening, I waited until Arthur and I finished our dinner. When I finally mustered the confidence, he was filling the dishwasher and humming quietly. “We need to talk about your mother,” I told you. He turned with dish soap bubbles clinging to his hands. “What’s wrong?”
I told him everything about the airport, the herbs, and what I’d learned about their alleged magical abilities.His face darkened with each word, and the muscle in his jaw ticked as he clinched it. “She has never desired me in your life. This demonstrates it. Arthur, I almost got arrested because of this stunt. All because she refuses to understand that you chose me.
Arthur dried his hands slowly and meticulously, as if he required the simple task to center himself. “I knew she was having trouble accepting you, but this…” He shakes his head. “This is something else totally. It’s a completely different level, and it’s unforgivable.” “What are we going to do?” He stared at me with pain in his eyes. However, there was also determination. “I’ll call her right now. And then I’ll inform her that she’s not welcome in our home until she admits what she did and really apologizes to you.
“Arthur, you don’t have to—” “Yes, I do.” He clasped my hand, his grip hard and secure. “She crossed the line, Jess. She attempted to harm you and make you look like a criminal. I adore my mother, but I will not allow her ruin my marriage. You’re part of my family as well, and it’s about time she realized that.” I leaned against him, feeling his heartbeat against my cheek. The shoes sat in our closet, a reminder that even the most deadly gifts can come in the most beautiful wrappers.
As Arthur reached for his phone, I knew we’d weather the storm together and emerge stronger for the experience.Maybe that’s what drives Debbie insane: knowing that every effort to separate us simply draws us closer together. Maybe one day she’ll realize Arthur has enough room in his heart for both of us. Until then, we’ll keep our distance, and I’ll be more cautious when taking things.
