Our Christmas Took an Unexpected Turn When Our House Was Egged — The Truth Left Me Speechless

Our House Was Egged on Christmas — I Was Flabbergasted When I Found Out Who Did It

Ellie’s family is surprised to discover their house egged and a mysterious note left behind when they return from their Christmas vacation. Ellie, who is determined to find the offender, watches the CCTV footage and finds that the vandal is a close friend or relative. When you confront them, you uncover years of deception and hurt that almost destroy their relationship. Is Ellie able to cope?

Family has always been the focus of Christmas. Because of this, my husband Ethan, our five-year-old son Noah, our seven-year-old daughter Maddie, and I have made it a habit to go to the islands every four years.

Before the flurry of holiday dinners and social commitments hit, it was just the four of us, relaxing in the sun.

This year was no exception. Or so I believed.

I froze when we drew into our driveway at the end of the journey.

Our home appeared to be the scene of a crime.

The porch was covered in broken shells, raw eggs poured down the walls in sticky streams, and even the holiday wreath I had painstakingly made was a smeared, foul-smelling disaster.

“What the hell?” Ethan mumbled as he got out of the car, followed closely by Noah.

“Mom, what happened?” From the backseat, Maddie inquired.

I answered, “I don’t know, sweetheart,” as a knot in my chest began to tighten.

Noah knelt next to the mess.

He said, “Could a bird do this, Dad?”

I was furious on the inside, but I tried to remain composed for the children.

Who would act in this way?

Not only were we nice neighbors, but we were excellent neighbors! I helped plan block celebrations, made cookies for new families, and never declined an opportunity to help.

This vandalism wasn’t haphazard. It was the target. It must have been.

The note was then located by Ethan. The edges were wet and folded, crammed beneath the doorframe. He gave it to me.

You took this from me before to Christmas.

As I gazed at the words, my thoughts were racing.

What had I taken? And from whom?

Ethan and I headed directly to the security cameras that evening after putting the kids to bed. I felt sick to my stomach as we watched the video.

A hooded individual was seen on CCTV slinking up our driveway while carrying cartons of eggs. Every toss was purposeful, as if they had practiced the move. This was a vendetta, not a joke.

“This is insane,” Ethan declared. “Anyone still does this? This is a drunken practical joke for unruly teenagers. Toilet paper and eggs.

Then I froze at the sight of the figure. The way their heads cocked. Between tosses, their shoulders drooped. My throat tightened each breath.

“No,” I shook my head and muttered. “It can’t be.”

However, it was.

My mother was the hooded person destroying our house.

I traveled to my mom’s place the following morning, leaving Ethan with the kids. I felt I may break the steering wheel in two since my hands were so tight on it.

She smiled warmly as usual and opened the door when I rang the bell.

“Ellie! What a surprise!”

“Why?” I skipped the politeness and blurted. “Just explain why.”

Her smile wavered.

“Why? “Explain what?” she inquired.

“Why would you harm us like that? Mom, don’t even attempt to conceal it. Hurry up!”

She blinked, trying to think of something to say, her face turning pale. Then she averted her gaze, a guilty grimace on her face.

She said, “Come sit down, El,”

“Mom, I’d rather not sit down. Why you decided to ruin my residence is something I’d like to know.

She finally added, “It was because of your mother-in-law,” in a strained voice.

“What does Gloria have to do with it?” I inquired.

“She called me, Eleanor,” my mother yelled, her voice laced with rage. She called just before Christmas to brag about how you and Ethan were bringing her on your cherished island getaway. She claimed that you gave her a sense of inclusion and specialness. and that she spent time with the children. And me? Oh, I just sat here in the cold by myself.

I gazed at her in utter disbelief.

“Mom,” I uttered quietly. Gloria did not accompany us. That is just untrue. I swear, she wasn’t on the trip.

My mother’s eyes grew wide.

“But then… why would she say that?”

“To hurt you,” I responded in a gentle yet forceful tone. “To give you just this feeling. to cause us to become estranged. Why wouldn’t I take my own mother instead of Gloria?

She covered her face with her hands and slid onto the couch.

“Ellie, I was really upset. I had the feeling that you no longer cared about me, that I was invisible. Additionally, I lost control.

Her remarks were poignant because they weren’t wholly incorrect.

To be very honest, I had allowed my mother to go to the periphery of our lives. Naturally, I loved her, but I hadn’t realized how alone she had gotten because I was juggling a full-time job, raising two little children, and everything else.

In hindsight, the symptoms were visible. Her hesitancy when speaking on the phone and the fact that she no longer stopped stopping by unexpectedly, usually bearing baked goods for all of us.

My schedule would allow me to get away with it. Furthermore, I hadn’t considered the repercussions.

“Mom,” I whispered softly as I sat next to her. “You made a mistake. However, I can see why you were offended. I apologize if I caused you to feel excluded. Momma, I’ve allowed life to get away with me. Managing the kids and work has been difficult.

She flinched.

Her words were, “I’m so sorry, Ellie,” “I’ll make things right! I swear! In addition to doing everything you ask of me, I’ll cover the cost of the cleaning.”

I cut. “We’ll clean it up, Mom,” I said. “With each other. However, we must first fix ourselves. No more games. No more allowing the words of others to distort our emotions. Alright?”

She nodded, clearly relieved. When we gave each other a hug, it felt like the barriers between us were finally falling down for the first time in years.

Mom arrived that afternoon carrying a stack of rags and a bucket of soapy water. We scrubbed the egg off the windows, the porch, and the walls together.

Even though the task was filthy, odorous, and draining, it seemed as though we were also removing years’ worth of stress with every streak we removed.

The house felt and looked whole again by the time we were done.

Ethan and I sat down to chat over a glass of wine that evening after preparing grilled cheese sandwiches for the kids and putting them to bed.

“Your mother initiated the entire situation, darling. Gloria told my mother over the phone that she was having a great time while on vacation with us. She gave the impression that my mother had broken.

Ethan responded, “You’re kidding, El,” and shook his head. “Did she actually do that? What in the world was she contemplating?

“I don’t know, but I believe you should speak with her. Honey, I have to take care of my mother. This was the tipping moment for her, who has been feeling abandoned for years. Gloria is on you, I’m sorry.

“I’ll call her,” Ethan stated firmly. “She’ll have no choice but to tell me the truth.”

While I phoned my mother once more, Ethan walked into our bedroom and called his mother.

Why don’t you join us in celebrating New Year’s Eve, Mom? Let’s just stay at home, shall we? Let’s just enjoy some food and beverages.

The person on the other end of the line paused. Then her voice became more cheerful than I had heard in a long time.

She questioned, “You really mean that?”

“I do, Mom,” I’d replied. “It’s time.”

Mom brought a platter of homemade dumplings, a chocolate cake, and lamingtons for the children on New Year’s Eve. She appeared to be ten years younger due to the glittering clothing she was wearing.

She worried about her legs as Maddie and Noah hurried to meet her at the entrance and clung to them. In addition to giving her a glass of champagne, Ethan even got her to chuckle with one of his infamously bad jokes.

We raised our glasses together at midnight as the sky outside was illuminated by pyrotechnics.

My mother added, “Cheers to new beginnings,” in a quiet voice.

I glanced around the room at my mother, who was beaming with happiness, my husband’s arm around my shoulders, and my children’s contented, drowsy expressions. Something changed.

Gloria joined Ethan and me in a coffee shop a week later.

Saying, “Mom, explain yourself,” Ethan sweetened his coffee. Don’t deny anything either. Be truthful.

“I was offended that you guys didn’t invite us, so I told your mother a falsehood. I have no idea why, but I did. I believe that loneliness overcame me as well. You are aware of how widows can be caught off guard by the holidays.

“Why didn’t you just go over and spend time with her?” As I bit into my croissant, I inquired. “You two were lonely. You could have taken advantage of the holidays to spend time together and get to know one another better. You had till the wee hours of the morning to speak, bake, and watch movies.

The words “I wasn’t thinking, Ellie,” broke out of her throat. “I would take it all back in a heartbeat if I could, I promise you that.”

For a long, none of us spoke.

“So, now what?” Ethan inquired.

“I’ll give Irene a call and put things right. To fix this, I’m going to arrange a tea party with her. We’ll make it right. You see.”

By saying, “I hope so, Gloria,” “Because the children cannot be forced to choose between their grandmothers.” I will not permit that to happen.”

“As you should!” she cried out. “Neither would I permit it. Ellie, I’ll repair it. Love, don’t worry about it.

Ultimately, we let our moms handle things on their own, and gradually, their relationship improved. These days, they bake something different every weekend as mahjong friends.

For the record, I no longer tolerate eggs.

How would you have responded?