Two months pregnant, and my dog disappeared. That night, my mother-in-law served him for dinner. Her excuse was my constant morning sickness was starving the baby. A few days later, I went to great lengths to make her a special soup, too. Looking at the dark, murky bowl, I let out a sinister smile. “Mom, drink up. Slowly, now. Wouldn’t want you to choke on those little meaty bits, would we?” 1 It had been three days since my dog, Daisy, went missing. For three days, I’d tried my best to ignore the severe nausea, searching for him day and night. But whether I posted on Facebook or put up flyers, there was no sign of Daisy. My mother-in-law said there were dog flippers seen around the neighborhood lately; she suspected they took him. My husband, Mike, nodded along, saying it was possible. I sat heartbroken on the sofa, tears streaming as I looked at pictures of Daisy on my phone. Mike came over, gently rubbing my back, telling me not to get too upset, that it wasn’t good for the baby. Daisy was a Golden Retriever. He grew up with me. To me, he was my friend, my companion. More than that, he was family, one of a kind. How could I not be heartbroken? “No matter what, I’ll turn this town upside down if I have to. I will find Daisy!” I clenched my fists, furious, completely missing the look on Mike’s face. That evening, my mother-in-law cooked a huge spread, and right in the middle of the table sat a large tureen of meat soup. She ladled some into my bowl, but the layer of grease floating on top made me gag. I rushed to the bathroom, dry heaving, feeling so weak it was like I was trying to vomit up bile. My mother-in-law looked annoyed, pursing her lips. “When I was pregnant with Mike, I wasn’t delicate like you, always throwing up! Can’t even enjoy perfectly good meat. Some people just have no luck!” Perfectly good meat? She knew perfectly well that meat smells made me sick right now, yet she deliberately stewed a huge pot. Wasn't she just trying to torment me? “Mom, what kind of meat is this?” Her mouth opened slightly, then closed. She blinked. “Rabbit.” Rabbit… The thought of a cute bunny being stewed made my stomach churn again. Pale-faced, I leaned back on the sofa, scrolling through my phone. Every time I saw a dog video, the tears started flowing again. Daisy was a gift from my mom before she passed away. She worried about me being alone. After making my dad promise to look after me, she had someone carefully pick out the most well-behaved, understanding dog from a breeder. Daisy was part of my entire childhood. He was tied to my memories and longing for my mother. Thinking of this, I opened the neighborhood group chat again and posted another lost dog notice, adding a line about a substantial reward for his return. Not long after, someone sent me a friend request. It was my downstairs neighbor. Brenda, downstairs, was a kind soul, usually home watching her grandson. If she was adding me, she must know something about Daisy! I quickly accepted. She asked when the dog went missing. Specifically, it was three days ago that I couldn't find him. Goldens are smart; they don’t just get lost and not find their way home. “A few days ago, I heard a terrible yelp, like a dog crying out in pain. It even woke up my grandson, so I remember it clearly.” A yelp… In pain? “Yeah, I even came upstairs to check. Your mother-in-law said everything was fine, so I went back down.” The timing… it was exactly when Daisy disappeared! I thanked her profusely, sent her some cash through Venmo, and then my eyes fell on my mother-in-law nearby. She was definitely hiding something. I needed a way to trick the truth out of her. While Mike was in the shower, I found my old backup phone and taped it under my mother-in-law’s bed. Every so often, I’d call it, letting a dog barking ringtone play on loop. My mother-in-law looked around suspiciously, muttering to herself. I sneakily flipped the main breaker, plunging the house into darkness. Lowering my voice, pretending to shiver, I asked, “Mom, did you hear something?” 2 My mother-in-law stammered that she hadn’t heard anything. If Daisy’s disappearance had nothing to do with her, she wouldn’t react like this. I tiptoed barefoot over to her, held a flashlight under my chin, and tapped her on the back. “It sounds like… like a dog barking…” “Ahhhh!!!” My mother-in-law spun around, saw my pale face lit from below, and shrieked, collapsing onto the floor. A guilty conscience needs no accuser. I smirked, slowly walked back to the kitchen, and flipped the breaker back on. My mother-in-law scrambled up, shaken, her eyes now holding a trace of impatience and malice as she looked at me. I went back to my room, locked the door, and started thinking about all the details I’d overlooked. The dog vanishing without a trace. My mother-in-law’s strange behavior. And… Even though it was a hot summer, a chill ran down my spine. Mike came out of the bathroom, dripping wet, asking me what was going on. I pushed him aside and walked straight to the kitchen. I opened the refrigerator, took out the pot of leftover meat soup, and amidst my mother-in-law’s screams, poured it all down the drain. Behind me, she slapped her thighs dramatically. “Mike, stop your wife! She’s lost her mind! She’s crazy!” Seeing her reaction only strengthened my suspicion. Just as Mike reached out to grab me, I snatched a kitchen knife from the block. He backed away slowly. “From now on, both of you stay away from me.” The size of the bones, the structure of the limbs… this couldn’t possibly be a rabbit. Who ever saw a rabbit this big? The more I looked, the colder my heart grew. After digging through the pot, I finally found it – a leg bone. The faint, flower-shaped mark on it was clear as day. It felt like a punch to my gut. When I was little, a neighbor kid was messing around with decorative fireplace tools near a hot hearth. One piece, shaped like a flower, somehow got flung through the air, heading straight for me. Daisy jumped in front of me, and the hot metal seared his leg, leaving that unique mark. And now, that same flower-shaped mark was staring me in the face. This… this really was Daisy… Seeing me standing frozen, Mike spoke from behind me. “Honey, don’t jump to conclusions. Put the knife down first…” I picked up the leg bone, held it up in front of them, and demanded sharply, “What is this?” “Mom was just worried that having a dog around wasn’t good for the baby’s development, so she… she cooked him to help you get stronger—” I stared at Mike in disbelief. How could he say something so monstrous?! In other words, he knew all along his mom had killed and cooked my dog? My mother-in-law stood nearby, arms crossed, saying irritably, “It’s just a dog! So what if I cooked it? You throw up everything you eat; my grandson isn’t getting any nutrition!” “If anyone’s to blame, it’s your weak body! Otherwise, would the dog be dead?!” Rage surged through me. I turned to Mike, and he just looked back at me blankly. As if I were the unreasonable one, the sinner. They killed my dog for their own selfish reasons, and they expected me to be grateful! Why should I? “Fine. It was all for the baby, right? Then I’ll make sure your precious grandson never sees the light of day!” My mother-in-law’s eyes widened. “What do you mean?” What do I mean? First thing tomorrow, I’m going to the hospital for an abortion! “You wouldn’t dare!” Mike pointed at me furiously. “If you dare get an abortion, believe me, I’ll divorce you!” Ha! Threatening me with divorce? Did he think that scared me? I spat on the floor in front of them. “Okay, fine,” I said with a cold laugh. “Whoever backs out is the coward.” Mike lunged at me, but I shoved him aside. He raised his hand high, swung his arm, and slapped me hard across the face. “Making a mountain out of a molehill! You’re crazy! We’ve spoiled you rotten!” 3 A metallic taste filled my mouth. My body felt like it wasn’t my own as I stumbled backward, crashing against the dining table. A sharp pain shot through my lower abdomen. Blood started soaking through my clothes. My baby… “Oh dear Lord, my grandbaby!” Mike froze. My mother-in-law frantically pushed him, and together they clumsily got me to the hospital. “Whatever happens, you have to save my grandson! Save the baby!” she kept shouting. Lying on the hospital bed, I barely had the energy to lift my eyelids. What century were we living in? Still demanding they prioritize the baby over the mother? The doctor shot them an irritated look and told my mother-in-law to be quiet. When they stepped away, the doctor quietly asked me what I wanted. Just two words. Save me. Using my last bit of strength while I was still conscious, I signed the consent form. I also asked the doctor, pleaded with them, to let me keep my baby’s remains. I wanted to take my baby home, to lay him to rest peacefully. The procedure went smoothly. I carefully hid the small container with my baby’s remains and, when they weren’t looking, brought it home. During my recovery period, her true colors showed. She only cared about feeding herself, never giving me a kind look. My meals consisted of plain boiled noodles or instant ramen. By the third day, I couldn’t stand it anymore. I grabbed the bowl of noodles and dumped it all in the trash. My mother-in-law rolled her eyes dismissively, picked up a feather duster, and deliberately stirred up dust while saying loudly, indirectly aiming at me: “The Miller’s big black Lab next door just had two litters of puppies. Not like some people who can’t even hold onto a baby.” After speaking, her eyes landed on me. Fine. You want to play passive-aggressive games? If that’s how you want to be, then don’t blame me for what comes next. Some time later, Mike went out of town on a business trip, leaving just me and my mother-in-law at home. Late that night, while she was sound asleep, I put on a wig I’d bought earlier, made my face deathly pale, and painted my lips blood red. I changed into a white nightgown and stood before the mirror. I couldn’t wait to see her reaction. Standing outside her bedroom door, I spoke in an eerie, sing-song voice, ending with a giggle, “Woof woof… give me back my life… you have to give me back my life!” I let out a creepy laugh and dropped to all fours on the floor. Let’s see how she reacts to this. My mother-in-law first froze, then started screaming hysterically, shouting nonsense, “You cursed ghost! Die and stay dead! Go find peace already!” “After raising you for so long, being eaten by us was your destiny, a blessing!” I froze. My original plan was just to pretend Daisy’s ghost had come back to scare her good, but I hadn’t expected to hear her true feelings pour out like that. She thought Daisy’s spirit had returned. Alright then. I clapped my hands softly, went back to the bathroom, washed my face, composed myself, and returned to her room. Crazy people are unpredictable, right? Now, I was back to being 'normal' Sarah. I kicked her bed gently to wake her up and brought the bowl of soup to her. She was trembling, afraid to come closer. “Mom, why are you hiding over there? This is a special nourishing soup I made just for you. Come on, have some.” I took a sip myself, making satisfied smacking sounds, pretending to savor it. After a long pause, my mother-in-law finally crept closer and took a couple of tentative sips. She glanced at me sideways. “Earlier… you… never mind. Mom did what she did for your own good, killing that stupid dog to make soup for you. You need to be grateful, you know.” I beamed, completely ignoring her words, and said softly, “Yes, Mom. And look, I made this special nourishing soup for you. It’s great for your skin, makes you look younger, works wonders for beauty.” I scooped up some ingredients from the bottom, listing them proudly, “These are dates, goji berries, longan fruit…” She started drinking faster, seemingly hungry. “Mom, slow down. Don’t want your grandbaby to make you choke, now do we?”
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