39.5°C fever, pain all over my body, my throat felt like it had been scraped with sandpaper, my head was splitting, and there was a constant ringing in my ears. I decided to wrap myself in a blanket and take a short nap, just to forget this hellish pain for a while. Sleep seemed like my only escape.

At first, I had strange, heavy nightmares – as if I was trudging through thick mud and someone kept pulling me deeper. But suddenly, a stream of icy water splashed into my face. I jerked, gasped, and struggled to open my eyes – and saw a figure standing over me.

— You’re still sleeping?! — the sharp, hoarse voice pierced my ears.

It was my mother-in-law. Her face was hard as stone, her lips pressed into a thin, almost white line, her hands clenched into fists. She stood over me as if she had caught me doing something shameful.

— Get up! — she almost shouted. — Guests will arrive in an hour! Everything must shine! Clean up, set the table! Don’t just sit here like a lazy girl!

I wanted to say something, but I had no strength. Instead, I slowly sat up and tried to wipe the cold water from my face, feeling my whole body trembling.

— Mom… I have a 39.5°C fever… I can’t even lift my head… — my voice was weak.

But she just waved it off.
— Oh, stop it! Everyone gets sick. I’ve been sick too and still did everything! Don’t you dare embarrass me in front of the guests!

At that moment, something inside me broke. Her words weren’t just cruel – they were cold and indifferent, like the water she had just poured on me.

And then I did something that made my mother-in-law panic and beg for forgiveness – but I didn’t care anymore.

I slowly got out of bed. My legs were shaking, the world was spinning in front of my eyes. But I walked past her without a word. The phone was on the nightstand – I grabbed it and, right in front of her, dialed 911.

— Hello, ambulance? I feel very bad… fever almost 40°C, extreme weakness, sore throat and headache… yes, the address is…

My mother-in-law reacted angrily:
— What are you doing? The guests will be here in an hour!

— You have guests. I have an infection and a fever. And this is my apartment. — For the first time, I said it out loud, calmly and clearly, without my usual apologetic tone.

While I packed my bag, she paced the kitchen, muttering about a “crazy daughter-in-law.” But when the ambulance arrived twenty minutes later, I was ready. The doctor took my temperature, checked my throat, and said:
— We’re going to the hospital. This is serious.

I put on my jacket and, before leaving, looked at her:
— When I come back, you and your guests will be gone. And you will never come in here without my permission again.

She opened her mouth to say something, but I closed the door behind me.