“Emily, don’t you trust my son?” asked Judith, placing her phone down on the table and crossing her arms.
“What does trust have to do with it? It’s my phone,” Emily replied, trying to stay calm despite the rising anger in her chest.
“What are you hiding on there? Just hand it over. I just wanted to check a soup recipe. You’ve got one saved, right? Or is there something else you’re trying to keep from us?”
Emily counted to ten in her head. Just two more weeks in this house. Two weeks until the renovation on their apartment was finished. She could endure it. She had to.
“Judith, you have a laptop. You can find any recipe online.”
“Aha! That’s the response of someone with secrets. If you’re staying in my house, I have every right to see what’s on your phone. I know you’re hiding something from Adam.”
Emily thought back to when Adam first suggested moving in with his mom during the renovation. “Why waste money on a hotel?” he’d said. “It’s only temporary. Mom will be thrilled.” Thrilled? Judith was elated—for the chance to pry and criticize.
“I’m not hiding anything,” Emily said. “But I do expect a little respect for my privacy.”
“Privacy?” Judith scoffed. “We’re family! There’s no such thing as privacy in this house. You live under my roof, you follow my rules!”
“We’re only here until our apartment’s ready. I appreciate the help, but that doesn’t mean—”
“Oh, so now you’re being ‘grateful’?” Judith interrupted, narrowing her eyes. “If you were truly grateful, you wouldn’t act so suspicious. Who are you texting so privately? Is that why you didn’t want to move in here?”
At that moment, the front door opened—Adam was home. Emily breathed a sigh of relief… too soon.
“Adam!” Judith called dramatically. “Can you believe this? Your wife won’t even let me see her phone. Says it’s ‘personal.’ What do you think she’s hiding?”
Adam looked from his mother to his wife, clearly already exhausted.
“Mom, come on. What does it matter? It’s just a phone.”
“No, Adam! If she has nothing to hide, why keep it locked? I don’t even lock mine!”
“Because personal security and boundaries exist,” Emily interjected firmly. “It’s completely normal.”
“Did you hear that?” Judith looked at Adam pointedly. “She’s throwing around the word ‘boundaries’ now.”
Adam sighed and turned to Emily. “Emily, why not just show her? It’s not a big deal.”
Emily stared at him. “Are you serious right now? We’ve always respected each other’s privacy. And now you’re asking me to hand over my phone to your mom?”
“Exactly!” Judith chimed in. “She’s too defensive. I warned you, Adam…”
Emily turned sharply to her mother-in-law. “Warned him about what? What exactly have you been saying about me?”
A heavy silence settled over the room. Judith pursed her lips like she was the victim in the conversation. Adam shifted, visibly uncomfortable.
“Sweetheart, I just worry,” Judith said with faux concern. “You’ve been married for three years, and I still feel like she’s keeping secrets from you.”
Emily clutched her phone tighter. “Adam, can’t you see what she’s doing?”
Adam took a step forward. “Emily, just show her the phone so we can move on.”
“No,” Emily said, stepping back. “This is where it starts. Today it’s my phone. Tomorrow it’s my private conversations, my emails, my life.”
Judith smirked. “So there is something to hide.”
“Mom!” Adam raised his voice. Judith only shrugged.
“I’m just being realistic. She’s been closed off since she got here. You’re too trusting.”
Emily felt her heart sink. Three years she’d tried to keep peace with this woman. Three years of subtle jabs and icy comments. And now this.
“Adam, do you remember how we agreed early on—never to go through each other’s phones? We promised to trust and respect each other.”
“I remember,” Adam nodded. “But this feels different.”
“It only feels different because your mom is pressuring you into thinking it is!”
Judith sighed theatrically. “Now I’m the villain again. I offered my home, and look how I’m repaid.”
“We can go to a hotel,” Emily snapped.
“Emily!” Adam scolded. “Be reasonable. Mom’s only trying to help.”
“Help?” Emily’s laugh was bitter. “In two days she’s already demanding access to my private messages. Is that your idea of help?”
“I just needed a recipe!” Judith cried. “You’re blowing everything out of proportion!”
“Everyone calm down,” Adam said, raising his hands. “Mom, please don’t touch other people’s things. Emily, you’re taking this too far.”
“Oh, so I’m the problem now?” Emily stared at him in disbelief. “Perfect.”
“I’m not saying that! I just don’t understand why this has to be a big fight.”
“Because it’s my phone, Adam. And it’s not up for debate.”
“There it is again—boundaries, privacy,” Judith muttered. “My friend Karen always used to say that. Turned out she was cheating with her boss. People love hiding behind that word…”
Emily turned slowly toward her. “Are you accusing me of cheating?”
“Me? Oh no. Just… reflecting.”
“Say it clearly. Are you accusing me of something or not?”
Judith’s eyes sparkled with faux innocence. “I’d never accuse. But where there’s smoke…”
“Adam, don’t listen to her,” Emily said. “She’s trying to pit you against me.”
“No, Mom,” Adam said, his voice suddenly sharper. “You’ve been trying to pit me against her. Just like you did with Rachel.”
Judith’s face went pale. “Excuse me?”
“Rachel told me everything,” Adam said. “And you’re doing the same thing again.”
Emily let out a breath. “Adam, let’s go.”
“You’re both ungrateful!” Judith yelled. “Get out of my house!”
As Emily packed, Adam quietly called a rideshare. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I should’ve realized sooner.”
“Yes,” Emily said softly. “You should have.”
Adam’s phone buzzed. “It’s her,” he said, glancing down. Then, without hesitation, he declined the call.
“That’s a start,” he said, half-smiling. “Small… but important.”
Emily gave a tired smile back. “There’s a long road ahead.”
