My Brother and I Came to Celebrate Mom’s Birthday—But Her New Husband Blocked the Door and Whispered, ‘You Shouldn’t Have Come’
We showed up at Mom’s house that afternoon, holding colorful gift bags, balloons, and a cake we’d carefully picked out. It was her 53rd birthday, and we wanted to surprise her. The plan was simple—knock on the door, yell “Happy Birthday!”, and watch her light up with joy. But when the door creaked open and her husband Rick peeked out, everything changed. His face was tense, eyes wide, and he only opened the door a few inches. “You shouldn’t have come,” he whispered, almost like he was scared. My stomach