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My Mom Gave Me a Short Letter and Asked to Open It after My Son Was Born


When Nathanโ€™s wife is about to give birth to their son, his mother gives him an ominous note, instructing him to open it after the babyโ€™s arrival. Once the baby is born, an old family tradition comes to light with Nathanโ€™s mother demanding that the baby be named after her grandfather or elseโ€ฆ

The house was quiet and still. But it was that kind of quiet that came with a dull sense that something was going to happen soon. My mom sat at the kitchen table, her eyes focused on a blank sheet of paper in front of her. She tapped her pen against the table as if lost in her thoughts.

A woman sitting at a table | Source: Midjourney

A woman sitting at a table | Source: Midjourney

โ€œMom, what are you doing?โ€ I asked, leaning against the doorway. It was late, and I was tired. My wife, Jenna, was upstairs resting, trying to catch whatever sleep she could before our son arrived. He was two days late, and we both knew he would appear soon.

โ€œJust thinking,โ€ my mother replied without looking up at me.

โ€œThinking about what?โ€ I pressed.

A pregnant woman lying in bed | Source: Midjourney

A pregnant woman lying in bed | Source: Midjourney

She finally glanced up at me, her eyes wide.

โ€œAbout the baby, Nathan,โ€ she said. โ€œAbout life. Aboutโ€ฆ a lot of things, really.โ€

I nodded, unsure of what to say. My mom had always been a bit of a mystery. She was a quiet woman with heavy emotions that she rarely shared. If anything, she only shared her feelings with my father, but it had been years since he passed on.

She gasped, as if struck with a sudden thought, and looked back down at the paper. She scribbled something quickly, folded it, and sealed it in an envelope.

A woman sitting at a table and writing | Source: Midjourney

A woman sitting at a table and writing | Source: Midjourney

โ€œHere,โ€ she said, handing it to me. โ€œOpen it right after your son is born.โ€

โ€œWhat is this? A gift or a prophecy?โ€ I laughed.

My mother just smiled.

โ€œJust open it when the time is right,โ€ she said. โ€œYouโ€™ll see.โ€

Before I could press for more details, I heard Jenna shuffling around upstairs.

โ€œNathan?โ€ she called. โ€œI think itโ€™s time!โ€

A white envelope on a table | Source: Midjourney

A white envelope on a table | Source: Midjourney

The words hit me like a jolt of electricity. My son was coming! I ran up the stairs and grabbed the hospital bag. My mother was right behind me, calm and steady, the envelope still clutched in my hand.

Six hours later, the sound of our babyโ€™s cry filled the delivery room. Jenna was exhausted but glowing with pride, holding our son to her chest. Tears streamed down my face as I looked at them both. Finally, he was here.

โ€œHeโ€™s perfect,โ€ I declared, taking in my sonโ€™s tiny hands and feet.

A newborn baby boy | Source: Midjourney

A newborn baby boy | Source: Midjourney

Jenna smiled.

โ€œWhat are his stats?โ€ she asked the nurse. โ€œHeโ€™s been in there for a few extra days.โ€

The nurse checked her notes and beamed.

โ€œA happy and healthy little boy at nine pounds, ten ounces, and nineteen inches long! Congratulations, Mom and Dad!โ€ she said.

A smiling nurse | Source: Midjourney

A smiling nurse | Source: Midjourney

In that moment, I remembered the envelope from my mother. In the rush to the hospital, I shoved it into my back pocket.

The note was simple, with just a few words scribbled in my momโ€™s neat handwriting:

Your son will be 9 pounds, 10 ounces, and 19 inches long.

โ€œWhat? How?โ€ I muttered to myself.

A man reading a note | Source: Midjourney

A man reading a note | Source: Midjourney

โ€œWhatโ€™s wrong, Nathan?โ€ Jenna asked.

โ€œNothing at all,โ€ I said, trying to reassure her. โ€œItโ€™s just that I should probably call my mom.โ€

I stepped out of the room, my mind spinning. What were the odds? What did my mother know about my son that I didnโ€™t?

A frowning man | Source: Midjourney

A frowning man | Source: Midjourney

โ€œMom,โ€ I said into the phone. โ€œYou were right. You were exactly right. How did you know how big the baby would be?โ€

I could hear her take a deep breath on the other end.

โ€œI told you, Nathan, Iโ€™m very in tune with the family things. My grandfather, your great-grandfather, was born with those exact measurements, and since him, every firstborn son has had those measurements too.โ€

โ€œWhy didnโ€™t you ever mention that to me?โ€ I asked.

A woman talking on the phone | Source: Midjourney

A woman talking on the phone | Source: Midjourney

There was a brief silence, as though my mother was choosing her words carefully.

โ€œI didnโ€™t want to influence you in any way, Nathan,โ€ she said. โ€œBut now that the tradition is true for your son too, I was thinkingโ€ฆโ€

โ€œThinking what?โ€ I asked. I was getting annoyed with how she spoke, constantly pausing and not just spitting out what she wanted to say.

A close up of an annoyed man | Source: Midjourney

A close up of an annoyed man | Source: Midjourney

โ€œMaybe we should name your son Oscar, in memory of my grandfather. It would mean the world to me, and it would honor him.โ€

I froze on the spot. Jenna and I had already picked out a name.

โ€œMom, Jen, and I have already decided what to name our son,โ€ I said. โ€œYou know that.โ€

โ€œI know,โ€ she said quietly. โ€œBut this feels important. Please, just think about it.โ€

A woman talking on the phone | Source: Midjourney

A woman talking on the phone | Source: Midjourney

Back in the room, I could see Jenna was already suspicious.

โ€œWhat was that about? Why did you take so long? You havenโ€™t even held Matthew yet.โ€

I sighed.

โ€œMy mom wants us to name him Oscar. After her grandfather. Apparently, itโ€™s some tradition of all firstborn sons; they all weigh exactly the same.โ€

Jennaโ€™s face darkened.

A woman holding her baby | Source: Midjourney

A woman holding her baby | Source: Midjourney

โ€œWe already have a name, Nathan,โ€ she said. โ€œWe agreed on Matthew because of my father.โ€

โ€œI know, I know!โ€ I exclaimed. โ€œBut maybe we could consider it as a middle name or something like that?โ€

Before my wife could even sit with the suggestion, her mother, Nora, walked in, her face bright with excitement. I wasnโ€™t surprised. She lived about five minutes away from the hospital, so I knew she would come over as soon as the baby was born. I was sure Jenna had texted her while I was talking to my mother.

A smiling older woman | Source: Midjourney

A smiling older woman | Source: Midjourney

โ€œOh, heโ€™s beautiful!โ€ she cried, rushing over to take the baby from Jenna.

As she cradled him in her arms, Jenna explained the situation.

โ€œNathanโ€™s mother wants us to name him Oscar. But weโ€™ve already decided on a name.โ€

Noraโ€™s expression shifted from joy to something a bit more serious.

โ€œOscar,โ€ she repeated as if testing the name on her tongue. โ€œIsnโ€™t that your brotherโ€™s name?โ€

An older woman with a serious expression | Source: Midjourney

An older woman with a serious expression | Source: Midjourney

I nodded.

โ€œAnd my great-grandfather,โ€ I said.

She gave me a hard look. I knew she was wondering about her late husbandโ€™s name. We had decided long before Jennaโ€™s father had passed that our son would be named after him.

Just then, my mother walked in.

A close up of an older woman | Source: Midjourney

A close up of an older woman | Source: Midjourney

โ€œLet me see baby Oscar,โ€ she chimed as she walked over to Nora.

โ€œWhat?โ€ Jenna asked. โ€œHis name is Matthew.โ€

โ€œYour son will be named Oscar, or he wonโ€™t get a single penny from my will,โ€ my mother said, her tone completely different from when we spoke on the phone.

โ€œExcuse me?โ€ I asked, stunned.

A shocked man | Source: Midjourney

A shocked man | Source: Midjourney

โ€œOur entire familyโ€™s fortune was built by my grandfather. The maple syrup business? All because of him. If you donโ€™t honor him by passing down his name, then you donโ€™t deserve his legacy.โ€

Jenna and I stared at her. Nora held tightly onto the baby.

This was supposed to be a happy moment in our lives, but now it felt like a battleground. I could see my wifeโ€™s frustration boiling over.

โ€œMom,โ€ I said. โ€œLetโ€™s just talk about thisโ€ฆโ€

A maple syrup warehouse | Source: Midjourney

A maple syrup warehouse | Source: Midjourney

โ€œNo,โ€ my mother said stubbornly.

Then my wife turned to me, her eyes blazing.

โ€œNathan, we agreed on a name. Iโ€™m not changing it just because of some family tradition that only surfaced now.โ€

I took a deep breath. I understood where Jenna was coming from, but I also understood where my mother was coming from, despite how misguided it was.

โ€œPleaseโ€ฆโ€ my mother said her eyes misting up. โ€œIt would mean the world to me. And itโ€™s not just about the money. Itโ€™s about the legacy.โ€

A close up of a frowning woman | Source: Midjourney

A close up of a frowning woman | Source: Midjourney

โ€œHow about a compromise?โ€ I suggested. โ€œWe use the name we picked as his first name, and Oscar will be his middle name.โ€

Jenna hesitated. I knew that she hated being backed into a corner like this.

โ€œPlease,โ€ I said softly. โ€œJust think about how much this would mean to the both of youโ€ฆโ€

Jenna looked down at our baby who was now asleep in her arms again, after Nora had given him back to her daughter.

A woman holding her newborn baby | Source: Midjourney

A woman holding her newborn baby | Source: Midjourney

โ€œFine, but only as a middle name.โ€

My mother and I sighed in relief. For now, at least, the battle was over.

โ€œI hope he has my grandfatherโ€™s eyes,โ€ my mother said.

โ€œYou can see when he wakes up,โ€ Jenna said, reaching out for her.

As I looked at my family, I was relieved that everything seemed okay for now. But I couldnโ€™t help but feel a strange sense of unease. I still had the note in my pocket, the one where my mom had somehow predicted Matthewโ€™s exact weight and height.

But I guess itโ€™s just a reminder that some family traditions run deeper than we might ever understand.

A man holding his newborn baby | Source: Midjourney

A man holding his newborn baby | Source: Midjourney

What would you have done?

If you enjoyed this story, hereโ€™s another one for you |

My MIL Came to My Wedding in a White Dress and Announced Her Engagement โ€“ I Outplayed Her at Her Own Wedding

When Tina and Jim get engaged, his mother tries to have an active role in the wedding planning, frustrating the couple. On the day of the wedding, Beth upstages the couple with a personal announcement, leaving Tina to plan her own revenge in time.

When Jim and I got engaged, his mother, Beth, wasted no time in meddling. From day one, she bombarded us with her opinions.

A close-up of a couple | Source: Midjourney

A close-up of a couple | Source: Midjourney

โ€œI have so many ideas for your wedding, Tina,โ€ Beth said. โ€œIโ€™ve been planning Jimโ€™s wedding for years now!โ€

โ€œBut this isnโ€™t just my wedding, Mom,โ€ Jim said to his mother.

She waved him off and continued to enthusiastically go on about floral arrangements.

Women in a flower shop | Source: Midjourney

Women in a flower shop | Source: Midjourney

I knew then that Iโ€™d have to shut it down if I hoped to have a say in my own wedding.

โ€œYour mom will tone down, right?โ€ I asked Jim when we went for a walk one day. โ€œThis isnโ€™t going to lead to a fight? I donโ€™t have to actually tell her to back off?โ€

Jim chuckled and squeezed my hand.

A couple holding hands and walking | Source: Midjourney

A couple holding hands and walking | Source: Midjourney

โ€œMy mother is a lot, love,โ€ he said. โ€œBut sheโ€™s not stupid. She will take the hint.โ€

But of course, Beth didnโ€™t take the hint.

She asked to meet me at a coffee shop so that she could go on about the venues, flowers, and even the cake.

An interior of a coffee shop | Source: Midjourney

An interior of a coffee shop | Source: Midjourney

โ€œVanilla is the timeless option,โ€ she said, sipping her coffee. โ€œDonโ€™t do chocolate, or even worse, peanut butter. And donโ€™t do naked cakes. Theyโ€™re not cute.โ€

Read the full storyย here.

This work is inspired by real events and people, but it has been fictionalized for creative purposes. Names, characters, and details have been changed to protect privacy and enhance the narrative. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.

The author and publisher make no claims to the accuracy of events or the portrayal of characters and are not liable for any misinterpretation. This story is provided โ€œas is,โ€ and any opinions expressed are those of the characters and do not reflect the views of the author or publisher.


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