“Can I get the biggest steak?” one of them asked.
“Add lobster,” Serena said. “Tonight’s covered.”
I looked at Chris.
He ordered the ribeye without meeting my eyes.
“Tonight’s covered.”
“And for you?” the waiter asked.
“House salad, baked potato, and water.”
Serena laughed. “At a steakhouse?”
“I know what I’m paying for.”
Chris shifted in his chair. “Natalie…”
I stood. “Excuse me. I’m going to the restroom.”
“At a steakhouse?”
Instead, I walked straight to the waiter.
“Separate checks, please. We’ll cover Henry and Tarryn, who are seated across from us. No one else.”
He nodded. “Understood, ma’am.”
I returned to the table with my heart pounding.
I ate while Serena ordered another bottle of wine and Chris avoided my eyes.
I wasn’t going to rescue anyone from the consequences they had earned.
“Understood, ma’am.”
***
After the plates were cleared, Henry set down his napkin.
“This is more than I needed,” he said. “But I’m glad everyone’s here.”
I reached into my purse.
“Chris, I brought something for you.”
He looked at the envelope. “What is it?”
“This is more than I needed.”
“Open it.”
He pulled out the printed plane tickets.
His face changed at once.
“Are these ours?”
“They were.”
For one second, he smiled.
“I bought them months ago for our anniversary,” I said. “I was saving for the hotel.”
“Open it.”
Chris folded the pages too quickly. “Natalie, not now.”
“But the hotel money paid for your family’s last dinner.”
Tarryn turned toward him. “What does she mean?”
“The card balance was high,” Chris said. “I was putting the money back after my bonus.”
“You took it without asking me,” I said.
“What does she mean?”
“I was fixing a bill.”
“You were fixing the result of staying quiet.”
Serena put down her glass. “Why are we discussing your marriage at Dad’s birthday?”
“Because, Serena, you made my money part of dinner before we’d even ordered.”
“I never forced you to pay.”
“I was fixing a bill.”
“You called me a credit card, ordered wine, and told your kids that tonight was covered.”
“It was a joke.”
“Then who was supposed to pay for the joke?”
Before Serena answered, the waiter returned with several folders.
He placed one in front of each household.
She opened hers and stared.
“What is this?”
“It was a joke.”
“Your check,” I said.
“It’s over $400.”
“You ordered steak, lobster, drinks, and dessert. Surely you can’t be surprised.”
“But you always pay.”
I turned to Chris. “I told you everyone was paying tonight. Did you tell them?”
Every face shifted toward him.
“Your check.”
He cleared his throat. “I was going to.”
“When?”
“I didn’t want to spoil Dad’s night.”
“So you chose to let me down again. You let everyone walk all over me.”
Chris leaned closer. “Just cover it tonight. We’ll work it out at home.”
“We already tried that.”
“I was going to.”
“You’re humiliating me.”
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