I’m a 25-year-old newlywed, married to my loving husband, who is 28. Last weekend, I brought a dish from my late mom’s recipes to my in-laws’ family dinner. As I set it on the table, my MIL gave me a harsh look and said, “Get your mother’s food out of my house!” In tears, I left and waited for my husband in the car for an hour. The ride home was silent until he suddenly burst out laughing and said, “Did you hear the joke my cousin made during dinner? He’s hilarious-he should be a comedian.” I sat in stunned silence, hurt that he neither noticed my absence nor acknowledged the humiliation his mother had caused me.

This was only the second gathering I’d attended with his family and the third time I’d met my mother-in-law. My own mother sadly passed away a year before our marriage and my MIL never had the chance to meet her. I don’t understand where this hostility is coming from. Now, I feel not only humiliated but also deeply hurt that my mom’s memory was disrespected. What makes it even harder is that my husband remains indifferent, offering neither an apology nor any acknowledgment of my feelings. I’m struggling to move past this, especially without his support or any apology on behalf of his mother.
Sincerely,
Theresa