I received plastic earrings from my mother-in-law. My sister-in-law received a diamond necklace in the interim. Unsure of how to respond, I just forced an odd smile on my face. My spouse lost himself as soon as he spotted the plastic earrings. “Mom, how dare you?” Attempting to soothe my spouse, I found myself experiencing a range of feelings. My mother-in-law’s motives were evident, and the difference in presence was striking. What caught me off guard, though, was the following twist in the story. Those plastic earrings proved to be more than just a cheapskate present. With her usual flair for the dramatic, my mother-in-law had…