MY SON-IN-LAW GIVEN ME 200,000 PESO TO COME TO THE CITY TO TAKE CARE OF HIS MOTHER, BUT AS SOON AS I ENTERED THE HOUSE, I ALMOST FAINTED BECAUSE OF THE SCENE ON THE BED…

My daughter, Maria , got married in Manila. Her husband’s family appeared to be intellectual and well-off, but since the wedding day, I have never felt truly at ease.

Recently, my son-in-law, Ramon , suddenly called the province, gave me 200,000 pesos and begged:

“Nanay, please help me take care of Mama for a while. She is sick and has no one to stay with her. Maria and I both have to go on a business trip.”

Listen, I thought I was also a mother-in-law, I can help.

That afternoon, I took a bus to the small villa in Quezon City where my mother-in-law — Doña Isabela — lived alone. The house was deserted, the door unlocked. I pushed the door open and called out, but no one answered.

When I went upstairs to the bedroom, my whole body froze.

On the bed was a life-sized doll, the size of a grown man, lying among a tangle of bonds, lace nightgowns, and other items I had never dared to look at twice in my life.

In the corner of the room hung a large photo: Doña Isabela hugged the doll, kissed its forehead and whispered: “Anak kong lalaki… anak kong mabait…” (My good boy…).

I stepped back, my heart pounding, then from the bathroom came a giggle, followed by a chilling sentence:

“Anak, huwag mong hayaang baguhin ka ng matandang babae ‘yan…”
(My baby is a good boy, don’t let that old lady change you…)

I tremblingly took the paper from my bag and wrote quickly:

“Maria, you must take your mother-in-law to see a doctor. It’s not a heart condition, it’s a mental one. ASAP.
Don’t let her near your grandchild when you have one. I beg you.”

Then I ran away from the house, caught the earliest bus back to the province, not daring to look back.

Three weeks later, Maria called, her voice trembling:

“Nanay, you’re right… I just came home and saw Mama wearing a wedding dress, forcing me to stand next to the doll for a ‘mother – son – grandchild’ photo. When I refused, she yelled: ‘Hindi mo pwedeng agawin ang anak ko sa akin!’ (You can’t take my son away from me!).”

Now Maria has taken her to the doctor. The truth is even more terrifying: Doña Isabela does not have a heart condition as Ramon says, but has been in psychiatric treatment for the past four years — for trying to adopt a doll as her real son after the shock of losing her only son in an accident.

And Ramon?
He knows everything, but he hides it from Maria. He just needs someone… to look after his mother for him. And that person is me .