They exchanged knowing glances and promptly shoved me out to sleep with Margaret.
I obediently pretended to fall asleep, but from the next room, I heard their shameless passion shaking the walls.
Margaret Brooks had always struggled with sleep and sometimes sleepwalked, so she relied on sedatives at night. Once she swallowed the pill, she was out cold, oblivious to the shameless noises coming from the next room.
I tossed and turned, unable to sleep, until I quietly took Margaret’s phone. While they were distracted, I opened the door, recorded their scandalous scene, and uploaded it to Facebook with a few cutting words:
“This woman is shameless—throwing herself at my son. Now he doesn’t even talk to me at night, all because she has him wrapped around her finger. The bed is about to collapse from their antics. Disgraceful!”
After posting, I finally slept soundly.
At dawn, I was jolted awake by the sound of Margaret and Chloe Miller fighting. Before I could rub my eyes, Chloe yanked me up roughly.
“Mom, you’ve gone too far! How could you post Daniel and me on Facebook like that? You might not care about your face, but we do. What kind of person does that?”
Margaret was stunned. She opened Facebook, saw the post, and stomped her foot in panic.
“I don’t know! I never posted this! I never got up last night.”
I quickly added fuel to the fire. “I saw Grandma up last night. I called her, but she didn’t answer. I was too sleepy and fell back asleep.”
“That’s impossible! I don’t remember anything. I took my sleeping pills and went straight to bed.”
Daniel Brooks ran his hands through his hair in frustration.
“Mom, it must have been you. Ethan’s just a kid—he wouldn’t lie. If he says he saw you, then maybe your sleepwalking has come back.”
“No! I’ve been taking my medicine, following treatment. The doctor even said I was stable last time.”
Daniel wasn’t convinced. Chloe tugged on his hand, and within a minute, he had a plan.
“Mom, let’s send you to a nursing home or hospital for treatment. Ethan is back home now, and it’s inconvenient for you to cause trouble like this.”
“What?!”
Margaret refused, but Chloe knew how to manipulate Daniel. A little pout, a mention of Ethan’s name, and Daniel always caved.
And so, Margaret was sent away to a nursing home.
With her gone, I began my second plan.