I Caused Yelling & Crying at My Boyfriend’s Mom’s Birthday Because She Kept Calling Me by the Wrong Name
My boyfriend’s mother insisted on calling me by his ex’s name long after they’d broken up, and it irked me so much, but I didn’t say anything until a family celebration gave me the perfect opportunity to address the issue. Let me tell you this: what I did might have ended my relationship.
Hi all! My name is Leylah, and I and Todd, my boyfriend, have been together for five lovely years. He’s honestly a good guy, and we’ve had a pretty decent relationship since he broke up with his high school sweetheart.
Now, Todd and Emma had been together since childhood, and she was so close to him that she was regarded as part of his family. When they broke up two years before Todd and I hooked up, he wasn’t the only person who struggled with it.
His mother, Tammy, built a strong bond with Laura and even regarded her as a daughter. I think she thought they’d be together forever and was even hoping they’d get married and start a family.
So, at first, Todd’s mother called me by his ex’s name once in a while but mostly used my correct name. I kind of brushed it off for a while because I didn’t want to make a big deal about it and wanted to fit in and be liked.
I also understood how Tammy felt and wanted to give her time to grieve for the relationship she’d wished for her son.
I believed it was a habit she’d outgrow as time went by.
However, years into our relationship, she then started calling me Laura, Todd’s ex’s name, instead of Leylah, all the time. On numerous occasions, Todd called her out for using the wrong name with me and corrected her, but she just wouldn’t stop.
Weeks before Tammy’s 60th birthday, she gathered the whole family and asked everyone to bring some food to her birthday party. Todd and I were also invited to this gathering, which included his two sisters and his brother-in-law (BIL).
At one point, I was in the kitchen with Tammy, her daughters, and the BIL when one of the siblings mentioned my cooking. “Todd says you make mean meals and desserts, according to my husband here?” the oldest sister mentioned.
Blushing, I replied jokingly, “I do dabble here and there, and I think Todd just speaks highly about my kitchen prowess because he’s biased.” Once she heard this, Tammy quickly turned to me and loudly said:
Todd’s sisters giggled at the mention of their brother’s ex’s name being used to address me but tried to hide their glee. I feigned excitement, pretending not to notice the slight, and said, “That’s a great idea!” but I planned to teach her a lesson instead and didn’t bother telling my boyfriend about what happened.
As the birthday celebration progressed, the atmosphere was electric with anticipation for the dessert finale. Everyone’s excitement was palpable, a collective craving for sweetness after the savory feast. The moment the subject of the birthday cake arose, I seized my opportunity.
