My stepmom threw away the necklace I gifted her on Mother’s Day — but karma hit her back immediately.

My dad married my stepmom Natalie two years ago, soon after my mom passed, and honestly, it’s been super tough for me. But, I’ve been trying to get on board with her because she makes Dad smile.

So, recently, Mother’s Day was rolling around, and I thought, “Hey, why not try to warm things up with a sweet gift?” I picked out this cute necklace with her initials and a tiny tortoise charm because Dad mentioned she loves tortoises. I was actually hyped about giving it to her, hoping it might bridge the gap between us.

But get this — when I handed her the gift, she gave it one look, made this face like she’d just smelled something foul, and just chucked it back into the gift bag. Then she nudged it under the table with her foot like it was trash!

My heart just dropped. I stood there, stunned and hurt, but tried to keep a brave face. Dad was in the other room, oblivious to what had just happened. I managed to mumble a quick, “Happy Mother’s Day,” before turning to leave the room, my eyes stinging with unshed tears.

But then, karma swooped in so fast! As she shoved it away, she suddenly let out a loud yelp. Her foot had hit the edge of the table leg, and she lost her balance, tumbling backward onto the floor. The bag with the necklace flew into the air, landing right on her head. She sat there, disheveled, the gift bag covering her face like a hat, and the necklace dangling over her eyes.

Dad rushed into the room, alarmed. “Natalie, are you okay?”

She scrambled to get up, flustered and embarrassed. “I’m fine, just lost my footing.”

He glanced at me, noticing the hurt in my eyes. “What happened?”

I took a deep breath and decided to be honest. “I gave her a necklace for Mother’s Day. She didn’t like it and threw it away.”

Dad’s face darkened. He looked at Natalie, who was now awkwardly holding the necklace. “Is that true, Natalie?”

She stammered, trying to find an excuse, but Dad cut her off. “That was a thoughtful gift. The least you could have done was appreciate the gesture.”

Natalie looked down, unable to meet his gaze. “I’m sorry,” she mumbled, barely audible.

Dad turned to me, his eyes softening. “Thank you for the gift, sweetheart. It was very kind of you.”

I nodded, feeling a mix of vindication and sadness. I wasn’t sure if things would ever be perfect between us, but at least now Dad understood a bit more about the effort I was making.

Later that evening, Dad came into my room and handed me the necklace. “Keep this, or maybe give it to someone who will appreciate it.”

I smiled, taking the necklace from him. “Thanks, Dad.”

As he left, I glanced at the tiny tortoise charm, a symbol of patience and perseverance. Maybe one day, Natalie and I could truly connect. Until then, I’d hold onto the hope that karma always has a way of balancing things out.