When my husband Ross suggested that his mother, Linda, move in to help with our busy household, I reluctantly agreed.
Life had been overwhelming—juggling work, parenting three kids, and a never-ending list of chores. Linda seemed eager to support us, but her idea of “help” quickly took a strange turn. Just days after arriving, I came home to find three young women living in our house—doing laundry, helping the kids, and even giving Ross a haircut.
It turned out these women were former students of Linda’s, and she had taken it upon herself to bring them in “temporarily” to assist.
But the situation felt more like a twisted matchmaking scheme. They were everywhere—charming, cheerful, and constantly around my husband. When I confronted Linda, she casually implied that maybe Ross needed someone “more energetic.” She had even created a list ranking these women as potential partners for him. I was stunned, but I didn’t argue—I made a plan.
The next day, I invited three handy male friends to “help” around the house—landscaping, plumbing, fixing the car. As they worked, Ross watched with growing unease, clearly uncomfortable with the sudden role reversal. The tension hit its peak when Linda saw her plan backfire in front of her eyes. That’s when I revealed her not-so-secret matchmaking list to Ross. Shocked
