Grandma just wanted a quiet dinner for her 85th birthday, but the family had other ideas. They took her to a fancy steakhouse and expected me to pay.
Grandma was happy just to be with everyone, but behind the scenes, my cousins were planning to leave the bill to me. When it came, they all acted like they didn’t have money and hoped I’d pay the $800.
What made me really upset was when Grandma went to the restroom—and they all left her sitting alone at the table. They didn’t even wait for her.
I paid the bill, kept Grandma calm, and stayed with her for the rest of the evening. But my family’s plan didn’t work out.
I had told the restaurant manager—who’s an old college friend—and he made sure my relatives got charged for their part, plus extra for how they acted.
The next morning, they were freaking out about the charges, but I didn’t care. Grandma called to thank me, and I told her that next year, it would just be the two of us for her birthday—no drama.
