Grandma just wanted a quiet dinner to celebrate her birthday, but our family demanded going all out. But they didn’t just kidnap her birthday, they dropped her at the table when the bill arrived!
My grandma always has prepared cookies, never forgets a birthday. If anyone got the perfect birthday dinner, it was her.
She’s 85 this year, and it’s a big event. A happy evening with good food and her favorite people? Done.
“Grandma deserves something spectacular,” Aunt Linda said.
“Not some boring little dinner.”
The rest of the family demanded taking Grandma to the nicest restaurant in town.
“Seriously, Jade won’t say no,” Katie whispered. “She works at a bank! She’s loaded. Lives alone. No kids. What else is she spending money on?”
Mark snorted. “Exactly. We just gotta keep it chill until the bill comes. Then we’ll play dumb, and she’ll pick it up.”
I froze in place. Oh, so that was the harsh plan.
Blow up Grandma’s birthday dinner into a huge event and let me foot the bill while they sat there acting clueless.
“What about Grandma?” Mark asked.
“Should we tell her to bring her wallet too? You know, as backup?”
Katie laughed. “Please. She’ll insist on paying anyway. She always does. But cousin dearest will jump in to save the day because she’s such a hero.”
I picked Grandma up on the night, and we drove to the nicest res in town.
Meanwhile, the rest of them acted like we were at a celebrity afterparty. Katie took nonstop photos “for the aesthetic,” posing with every drink and appetizer.
Mark sampled every overpriced whiskey on the menu, loudly proclaiming himself a “connoisseur” to our server Miguel, who deserved a medal for his patience.
Aunt Linda kept loudly recommending the most premium options to anyone who’d listen.
Through it all, Grandma laughed.
“This is lovely,” she whispered to me. “I never expected all this fuss.”
“I’m glad you’re having a good time, Grandma.” I smiled and gave her hand a brief squeeze.
Meanwhile, I watched as my family ordered wine bottles, not glasses, the most expensive cuts of meat, and every side dish on the menu.
I watched the bill climbing with each order, mentally calculating their scheme. I ordered modestly, a simple filet and a glass of house wine. Grandma did the same.
“Are you sure that’s all you want?” Uncle Joe pressed. “It’s a special occasion! Live a little!”
I smiled tightly. “This is perfect for me.”
Then the check came.
“Ohhhh wow,” Aunt Linda said, staring at the bill like it was written in a foreign language.
“Look at that total… I’d help, but you know, we’re still paying off that time-share from two summers ago.”
“We all just figured you’d cover this one, Jade. You’re almost done paying off your house, right? And you’ve got the best job out of all of us. You know how to make things happen. We’ll support you… emotionally.”
And then Aunt Linda had the bold to throw in a guilt trip.
“And come on… it’s for Grandma. It’s her big day. We might not have many more of these left, you know.”
I said, “Let me take care of something real quick and we’ll get back to this discussion.”
I’d known they planned to avoid paying the bill, but to stoop so low as to abandon Grandma on her birthday! That was just cruel.
“Grandma, are you okay?” I asked as I slipped back into my seat.
“There you are!” Grandma said,
“Are we okay, Jade? Is everything paid for? I can cover some if I need to, sweetheart… I don’t have much with me, but I’ve been saving up…”
“Don’t you worry, Grandma. Everything’s under control.”
Grandma still looked a little sad, but I promised her it was all taken care of.
“But what about the others?” she asked as I drove her home, the stars twinkling above us.
“They had somewhere else to be, I guess,” I said, keeping my tone light. “It’s a pity, but I must admit I’m glad I got to have you all to myself for the best part of the evening, Grandma. You still had a good birthday dinner, right?”
She nodded, but I could tell she was hurt. That made me even angrier.
Uncle Joe wanted to know if this was some kind of joke because now the restaurant was threatening legal action. “Fix this! Now!”
Oh, right. I forgot to introduce.
My old college buddy Eric is a manager of that steakhouse. Therefore, I’d made sure Eric had all their contact info. Full names, phone numbers, addresses.
He only charged me for my and Grandma’s share of the meal. The rest? Oh yeah. He’s collecting directly from them with interest if they keep dodging him.
Grandma called later to thank me again for the night out.