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<\/p>\nWhen Serena finally sheds the deadweight of her marriage with a divorce, she meets someone who makes her feel supported. But her ex-mother-in-law has other plans and wants Serena to go back to Ryan. Eventually, tired of asking Serena, Helen sends her a gift box that Serena will never forget\u2026<\/p>\n
I always knew turning thirty-four was going to be a little weird, but I didn\u2019t expect it to be this weird.<\/p>\n
My life had gone through a series of changes in the past year alone. First, there was the divorce from Ryan. We had been married for six years, and we had two kids, Chloe and Jacob, during that time. I\u2019ll admit it, the first few years were great as we navigated our lives together, but as time went on, things got heavy.<\/p>\n
Being married to Ryan was like dragging a deadweight through life. That man was lazy, he lacked ambition, and spent most of his time drinking outside or at bars with his friends while I was juggling my job and raising our kids.<\/p>\n
I hesitated for a moment, then decided I might as well open it. Maybe it was something harmless. Maybe Helen had finally decided to let go of the past.<\/p>\n
I tugged at the ribbon, and it fell away instantly. Maybe I was just being paranoid.<\/p>\n
But as soon as Jacob lifted the lid excitedly, the sides of the box collapsed outward, and that\u2019s when I saw them. I screamed loudly along with my children, who were clutching tightly onto my legs.<\/p>\n
Rats. About a dozen of them. They spilled out of the box in a frenzied wave, squealing and scurrying in every direction of my home. Some of them ran toward the kitchen, others darted under the couch.<\/p>\n
\u201cOh, my God!\u201d I shrieked.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
I grabbed my kids and bolted out of the house, my heart pounding so hard I thought it might explode.<\/p>\n
Thank goodness I had my phone in my pocket. Instead of calling Kevin, I ended up calling 911.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat\u2019s your emergency?\u201d the dispatcher asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s a\u2026 there\u2019s a box of rats in my house!\u201d I said, the panic rising in my chest. \u201cMy ex-mother-in-law sent it to me for my birthday!\u201d<\/p>\n
There was a brief pause on the other end, and I could almost hear the dispatcher processing what I\u2019d just said. I knew how ridiculous it sounded.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ll send someone over right away,\u201d she replied.<\/p>\n
Within minutes, a patrol car pulled up in front of my house. Two officers got out looking as confused as I felt.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re the one with the rat problem?\u201d one of them asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes,\u201d I said, holding my daughter close to me. \u201cThey\u2019re everywhere. The box came from my ex-mother-in-law. She sent a note with her name on it. If she denies it, she\u2019s lying.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ll check it out,\u201d the officer said.<\/p>\n
The officers went into my home, and a few moments later, they returned, their expressions grim.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s too many of them,\u201d an officer said. \u201cWe need animal control in. You can\u2019t stay here tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI want to press charges!\u201d I exclaimed. \u201cHow could she do something so stupid? And who knows what damage these rats are going to cause?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ll talk to her,\u201d the second officer said. \u201cWhat\u2019s her address?\u201d<\/p>\n
I wrote it down on a notepad and gave it to them.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe\u2019ll probably deny it when she sees you,\u201d I said. \u201cEven if she wrote a note.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou drive and we\u2019ll follow you,\u201d an officer said.<\/p>\n
I nodded and followed them. Thankfully Kevin had arrived while the officers were inside the house, and reassured me that he would keep the kids.<\/p>\n
When we arrived, Helen opened the door looking surprised.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou know exactly why I\u2019m here,\u201d I said. \u201cYou sent me a box full of vermin!\u201d<\/p>\n
Helen spent a good ten minutes trying to convince us that it hadn\u2019t been her.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere was a note, ma\u2019am,\u201d an officer said simply.<\/p>\n
\u201cOh\u2026\u201d Helen said, finally realizing that she had nowhere to hide. \u201cI forgot\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou deal with her,\u201d I said to the officers. \u201cI\u2019m going back to my family.\u201d<\/p>\n
I got into my car and drove back home, leaving Helen looking scared as an officer took out a notepad and pen.<\/p>\n
As I got home, Kevin was packing the car with the kids sitting on the swing.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat\u2019s going on?\u201d I asked, getting out of the car.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe party has moved, sweetheart,\u201d Kevin said. \u201cCome on, we\u2019re going to your parents\u2019 house for a barbecue. Helen isn\u2019t going to ruin the day. We\u2019ll get animal control to come in tomorrow. And unfortunately, the cupcakes are a no-go.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah, Mom!\u201d Jacob called out. \u201cThere was a rat sitting on the cupcake tray!\u201d<\/p>\n
Hours later, we were sitting in my parents\u2019 backyard grilling burgers and steaks and just having a good time.<\/p>\n
Helen and Ryan who?<\/p>\n
What would you have done?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"