Jess was wary when her aloof mother-in-law, Debbie, gifted her expensive shoes for her birthday. Her fears were confirmed when TSA found something suspicious hidden inside during a business trip. Was this sabotage or something worse?
At first, Jess dismissed her unease. The shoes were beautiful, and Arthur, her husband, encouraged her to wear them as a sign of goodwill. But at airport security, discomfort turned to alarm when an officer flagged them. Hidden inside was a plastic-wrapped package containing mysterious herbs.
Jess was detained, terrified of being accused of smuggling. After tense testing, TSA found no illegal substances but warned her to be more cautious. Shaken, she later had the herbs analyzed—mugwort, yarrow, and St. John’s Wort—used in folk magic to sever ties and drive people away.
Realizing Debbie’s true intent, Jess confronted Arthur, who was devastated but resolute. He called his mother, declaring she was unwelcome until she owned up and apologized. As Jess leaned into Arthur, she knew they would weather this together. Maybe that’s what enraged Debbie most—every attempt to divide them only made them stronger.
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