“He told me to go to bed.”
Jenny listened without interrupting.
“What do you need him to understand?”
“That every time he says paying is easier, he means easier for everyone except me.”
“Then stop making it easy.”
I folded the napkin.
“I already have.”
“He told me to go to bed.”
***
Before Henry’s birthday dinner, I stood in front of the mirror, fastening my earrings.
Chris was fighting with his tie.
“Tonight, the checks are separate by household,” I said.
His hands stopped.
“Natalie.”
“I’m telling you now so you can tell them before anyone orders.”
His hands stopped.
“Can we not make Dad’s birthday about money?”
“I’m trying to make it about your father. Your family turns every dinner into a free buffet.”
Chris sighed. “I’ll talk to Serena.”
“Everyone, Chris.”
“You want me to announce that my wife won’t pay?”
“I want you to tell the adults that they’re responsible for their own households.”
“I’ll talk to Serena.”
He pulled the tie tighter.
“I’ll handle it.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means I’ll take care of it.”
“You’ll text them?”
“I’ll speak to them when we arrive.”
“Before they order?”
“What does that mean?”
“Yes.”
He picked up his jacket.
“I know how to speak to my family.”
It wasn’t an answer, but it was the last chance I gave him.
***
Henry, my father-in-law, was already at the restaurant.
He picked up his jacket.
He hugged me. “You didn’t need to choose somewhere this fancy, Natalie.”
“I didn’t,” I said.
Henry glanced at Serena. “I thought so.”
Serena waved from the center of the table. “Come on, Dad. It’s your birthday.”
Tarryn, Chris’s mother, kissed my cheek and asked about work.
Neither she nor Henry had ever called me a wallet, but they’d watched me pay often enough to know the pattern.
“I thought so.”
I looked at Chris. “Are you going to tell them?”
He adjusted his chair. “In a minute.”
“You said before anyone ordered.”
“Natalie, people are still sitting down. Be reasonable, please.”
He greeted everyone and opened his menu.
The minute never came.
“Are you going to tell them?”
***
The waiter had barely handed out the menus when Serena raised one finger.
“Three shrimp cocktails, two bottles of your best red, and extra bread.”
Henry lowered his menu. “That sounds like a lot.”
“It’s your birthday,” Serena said.
Then she smiled at me. “Besides, our walking credit card finally got that promotion.”
“That sounds like a lot.”
“I didn’t get a promotion,” I said.
Serena blinked. “Really? Chris said things were going great.”
I turned to him. “Did you?”
Chris stared at the steak list. “She misunderstood.”
A few people laughed anyway.
“Are you going to correct the rest?” I asked.
“Did you?”
“It’s harmless,” he murmured. “Leave it.”
Serena leaned toward her sons. “Get whatever you want. Grandpa only turns sixty-five once.”
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