Mother-in-Law Demands Kneeling Service, I Fix Family

My mother-in-law had a bizarre rule. Before anyone ate, a daughter-in-law had to kneel and invite her to the table.

My sister-in-law had knelt for three years.

I only found out after I married in.

The day we signed the marriage papers, my mother-in-law sat in the big carved armchair and spoke down at me from on high.

"Now that you've married in, you're part of the Fox family."

"From here on you and your sister-in-law will split it evenly, half a month each."

I thought she meant splitting the housework, and I opened my mouth to explain.