Then, two days before the deposit had to be paid, Mom called me.
“Emily, we talked it over,” she said. “The venue is too expensive. It’s irresponsible.”
From somewhere behind her, my father added, “If Daniel can’t afford a party, maybe he’s not ready to be a husband.” Father’sDay gifts
I cried that night, but Daniel only held my hand and said, “Let them think what they want.”
One week later, Ashley, my sister, posted a picture online: “Birthday dinner loading… The Willow House, here we come!” Family
The very same venue. The very same private room. The very same time frame.
When I questioned Mom about it, she said, “Ashley’s birthday is different. Don’t make everything about you.”
So that Sunday, I arrived at brunch with a blue folder Daniel had handed me. My parents were smiling, Ashley was admiring her fresh manicure, and my father was making a speech about how “family should celebrate success.”
