When Lily heard the front door slam in the dead of night, she feared the worst and rushed to her son’s room, only to find Gage munching on cookies left by his secret visitor. The discovery of her mother-in-law’s covert late-night visits turned Lily’s world upside down.

It all started one morning. I woke up and couldn’t find my hairbrush. I always kept it on my nightstand, but it wasn’t there. I searched around and finally found it in the living room. “I must be getting forgetful,” I muttered to myself, trying to laugh it off.

But it kept happening. One day, my keys were in the refrigerator. Another day, my shoes were in the bathroom. “What is going on?” I wondered, feeling a bit worried. I even joked with my husband, “Maybe we have a ghost!”

Then there was our son, Gage. He’s usually a ball of energy, always running around and making noise. Lately, though, he had been so quiet and sleepy. “Gage, are you okay?” I asked him one afternoon as he lay on the couch, not moving much.

“I’m okay, Mommy,” he said softly, but I wasn’t convinced. He didn’t have a fever or any other symptoms, so I couldn’t figure out what was wrong.

Then one night, I heard the front door close with a loud slap. My heart raced as I sat up in bed, straining to hear any other noises. Was I dreaming? I listened closely. Silence.

“No, that was real,” I whispered to myself, feeling a chill run down my spine. I glanced at the clock on my nightstand. It was 2 a.m. I quickly slipped out of bed, my feet hitting the cold floor, and rushed to Gage’s room, my mind racing with fear.

“Are we being robbed?” I thought, panic rising in my chest. “Is someone in the house?” I moved quietly, trying to avoid making any noise. My heart pounded in my ears as I reached Gage’s door. I took a deep breath and slowly pushed it open.

I gasped when I saw Gage sitting up in bed, wide awake. He was munching on cookies, and crumbs were all over his pajamas and sheets. Relief washed over me, mixed with confusion.

“Gage, what are you doing?” I whispered, my voice trembling.

He looked up at me with big, innocent eyes. “I’m eating cookies, Mommy,” he said simply.

When I snatched the cookies away from Gage, he looked at me with wide eyes.

“Who gave you these cookies?” I asked.

He put his finger over his mouth and shook his head. “Can’t tell,” he whispered.

I stayed with him until Gage fell asleep, my mind racing with thoughts. I was glad he wasn’t sick, but I was also confused and a bit frustrated. I had so many questions and no clear answers.

Frustrated, I pulled out my phone and opened the door cam app. As I watched the footage, my jaw dropped. There was my mother-in-law, opening the front door with the spare key. She slipped inside quietly, carrying a bag full of treats. I watched as she handed Gage an iPad, some sweets, and more.

Later, when I showed the video to my husband, he chuckled. “It’s kind of sweet,” he said, smiling. “She just wants to spoil him.”

I shook my head. “It’s not sweet. She’s disrupting his sleep schedule, his eating habits, and giving him too much sugar. It’s not good for him.”

He frowned. “I guess you’re right. But she’s just trying to be the favorite grandma.”

“That’s exactly the problem,” I replied. “It’s not healthy for Gage.”

That evening, I called my mother-in-law. “We need to talk,” I said firmly.

“Oh, Lily, what’s wrong?” she asked, sounding innocent.

“I know you’ve been visiting Gage at night,” I said. “I saw the footage on the door cam.”

She laughed lightly. “Oh, dear, I just love him so much. I wanted to spend more time with him.”

“Well,” I said, trying to stay calm, “if you love him, you need to respect his routines. You can’t keep disrupting his sleep and filling him with sugar.”

She sighed. “I just wanted to make him happy.”

“Then why don’t you take him for a week?” I suggested. “See if you can handle his sleep schedule and his sugar highs.”

There was a pause on the other end. “Alright,” she said slowly. “I can do that.”

The next Monday, I packed Gage’s clothes and kindergarten toys and dropped him off at her house. “Be good for Grandma,” I said, hugging him.

“I will, Mommy,” he said, waving as he ran inside.

By Thursday, my phone rang. It was my mother-in-law. “Lily, I’m so sorry,” she said, sounding exhausted. “I didn’t realize how much he needs his sleep and how bad the sugar was affecting him.”

I sighed with relief. “I’m glad you understand. It’s important for his health and well-being.”

“I promise I won’t do it again,” she said. “Can you come get him?”

“Of course,” I said. “I’ll be there soon.”

When I arrived, Gage ran to me and hugged me tightly. “I missed you, Mommy,” he said.

“I missed you too, sweetie,” I replied, kissing the top of his head.

As we drove home, I felt a sense of relief. Hopefully, this would put an end to the nightly disruptions. “Did you have fun with Grandma?” I asked.

He nodded. “But I like sleeping in my own bed better,” he said.

I smiled. “Well, that’s where you’ll be from now on.”

That night, as I tucked Gage into bed, he looked up at me. “Mommy, will Grandma still visit?”

“Yes,” I said, “but during the day. No more late-night visits.”

He nodded, satisfied with my answer. “Goodnight, Mommy.”

“Goodnight, Gage,” I said, turning off the light.

As I lay in bed, I thought about how much had changed in just a few days. It wasn’t easy confronting my mother-in-law, but it was necessary. Gage needed stability, and I was determined to give it to him.

The next morning, I woke up to find everything in its place. No more missing items, no more late-night surprises. Just the peace and quiet of a normal, happy home.