While a couple was in the hospital awaiting their baby’s arrival, they received a helping hand from the woman’s mother-in-law.

She volunteered to feed their dogs—a gesture the pair deeply appreciated.

But upon their return, they found a note stuck to their fridge, whose contents left them dumbfounded.

On October 9, 2023, an anonymous woman took to the “AITA” subreddit to share her bewildering experience. The woman, aged 31, welcomed her beautiful son into the world a week ago despite complications that kept her in the hospital until October 8.

Grateful to be back home with their newborn, she reflected on the unexpected turn of events. When her waters broke, she and her husband, aged 33, were at home, not thinking about cleaning. In a rush to the hospital, she simply threw some towels down on the bedroom carpet and left.

A Sweet Gesture or Something Else?

During their time in the hospital, the woman’s mother-in-law, aged 59, graciously offered to feed their dogs, a gesture the couple truly appreciated. However, upon their return home, the woman discovered a note and receipt on the fridge. To her surprise, her mother-in-law had taken it upon herself to clean not just the bedroom carpet but the entire house.

Overwhelmed by the influx of messages, OP decided to turn off her phone, seeking respite from the situation.

An elderly woman in yellow gloves cleaning a table | Source: Shutterstock
The note detailed the cleaning expenses, including a day’s labor at $25 per hour and $200 worth of cleaning products, leaving the woman utterly shocked by this unexpected demand for reimbursement. “Now, while it was nice of her to clean my carpet and then the rest of my house, neither of us asked her to do this,” she added.

What Did OP’s Husband Do?

In response to the unexpected demand, the original poster’s husband took the initiative to address the situation. He wrote a text to his mother, expressing their gratitude for her assistance during the hospital stay. However, he couldn’t help but voice his concerns about her actions:

“Hello mom, we really appreciate your help over the last few days while [my wife] was in the hospital. It was great having someone over to look after the dogs.”