I leaned against the doorframe and watched them.
Vincent held his chin high, dripping with self-importance. "Even if you begged us to come home for dinner, we wouldn't go."
John parroted him right on cue. "Yeah! Me and Dad are eating at Aunt Nora's from now on! Even if you got on your knees and begged us to eat your food, we wouldn't touch it!"
I just stood there, watching.
Nora's door opened.
Vincent explained why they were there, but Nora didn't invite them in.
"Sorry, I only made enough for me and my daughter."
Vincent's face stiffened. "That's fine. We'll come back tomorrow, then. We won't freeload—I can pay for groceries."
"Sorry, but cooking for two extra people is a hassle. And I don't need your grocery money."
Vincent clearly hadn't expected such a blunt rejection. He stood there, rooted to the spot, with nowhere to put his hands.
To salvage what was left of his pride, he raised his voice.
"Don't worry, Johnny! From now on, Dad's taking you out to eat every night. Whatever you want, we'll get it!"
I let out a quiet laugh and turned back inside.
On Vincent's salary, after the mortgage and car payments, there was barely anything left. Eating out every night? He wouldn't last three days.
Sure enough, that evening he came home with a sour expression and got straight to the point.
"Transfer me five hundred dollars."
"No."
His eyes went wide. "You make that much money every month—how can you not have five hundred bucks?"
"Oh, so you do know I make good money. Funny how that doesn't stop you from trashing me in front of our son."
"When have I ever trashed you?!"
Whether he admitted it or not didn't matter to me.
"You're a grown man holding his hand out to his wife for cash. And you don't even have the decency to be embarrassed about it."
"My entire paycheck goes to the mortgage and the car! You think I'd be broke otherwise? Fine—you pay next month's mortgage and car payment. That's what you get for refusing to cook for us!"
"The house and the car are both in your name. Why on earth would I pay for them?"
Vincent jabbed a finger in my direction, shaking with anger.
"Judy, it's pretty clear you don't want this marriage to work!"
He pulled John to his side. "Starting today, neither of us says a word to your mother. Let's teach her a lesson."
John agreed without hesitation, then shot me a dirty look for good measure.
They thought the silent treatment would break me. That if they ignored me long enough, I'd cave.
They really overestimated themselves and underestimated me.
A few days later, Vincent called me in a panic.
"Why is the power out? The water's off too! I checked with the neighbors—everyone else is fine!"
"I thought you weren't speaking to me. So why are you calling?"
"Did you forget to pay the utility bills? Pay them right now! Your son and I need water and electricity!"
"And what time is it, anyway? Why aren't you home yet?"
"Look, Johnny and I are being the bigger people here. We're not holding a grudge anymore. Now get back here and make us dinner."
I crossed my legs in the airport terminal and leaned back in my seat. "Sorry. Can't make it."
"What do you mean you can't make it? Hurry up—we're starving over here!"
"Why don't you go knock on Nora's door? Maybe she and her daughter have some leftovers to spare tonight."
"Anyway, I have to go. I'm about to board."
Vincent's voice exploded through the phone. "Board?! Where the hell are you going?"
"Vacation. I'll be back in three months at the earliest. There's a little surprise waiting for you on the desk in the study. Go take a look."
I hung up and powered off my phone.
