We can’t have them suffering.”
My blood pressure spiked. Using children as emotional weapons was my absolute breaking point. I looked at Finn, hoping he’d back me up, but he just shrugged.
“We could wait, but if Nina wants to go now…”
“Exactly!” Nina interrupted, ushering the kids toward the door. “We’re going NOW! Everyone, get your things.”
As the kids ran inside, I turned to face my sister-in-law.
“Using your children to manipulate people into getting your way is pathetic.”
Her eyes flashed. “Everyone’s hungry. Get over it!
If you couldn’t afford to pay for dinner, you shouldn’t have offered in the first place.”
That was it. Something inside me snapped. But instead of blowing up, I went quiet.
My mind locked in and a plan was already forming… simple, solid, and just the kind of payback she’d never forget. “You know what?” I said, forcing a smile and a thumbs up. “You’re absolutely right.
Let’s go to dinner right now.”
“Good!” Nina said, the look of victory carved all over her face. As we gathered our things, Finn pulled me aside. “You okay?
You seem… different.”
I squeezed his hand. “I’m perfect. Trust me on this one.”
He studied my face, then grinned.
“I know that look. What are you planning?”
“You’ll see. Just follow my lead.”
***
The restaurant was buzzing with the early dinner crowd.
Our server, Marcus, greeted us as we slid into the booth. “I’ll be right back,” I said, standing up. “Just need to hit the restroom.”
Only I didn’t head for the restroom.
I went straight to Marcus at the computer terminal. “Hey, I need to make a special request for our table.”
He looked up, his pen ready. “Sure.
What do you need?”
I told him exactly how I wanted things handled. He raised an eyebrow. “You sure about this?”
I held up my phone.
“It’s 5:35. Trust me.” Then I slipped him a folded $20. Marcus glanced at the bill, then back at me.
“Alright. I’ll make it happen.”
“Thanks!” I said, walking back to our booth with my heart thumping like a bass drum. Sliding into my seat, I smiled sweetly at the table.
“So… ready to order?”
Nina ordered the most expensive items. “I’ll have the grilled salmon with lobster tail, a steak… and Jake wants the prime rib. Cindy, you want the chicken parmesan, right, baby?”
The kids nodded enthusiastically, and I admired Nina’s strategy of maximum wallet damage.
“And for you folks?” Marcus asked. “We’ll have the usual,” I said with a smile. After Marcus left, Nina leaned back, satisfied.
“See? That wasn’t so hard. Sometimes you just have to be flexible.”
“You’re absolutely right!” I agreed.
“Flexibility is so important.”
Twenty minutes later, Marcus appeared with a loaded tray, setting down three plates in front of Nina and the kids. “Where’s everybody else’s food?” Nina asked, cutting into her steak. “Oh,” I said casually, “ours won’t be ready until six.
Remember? That’s when my coupon is valid.”
Nina’s fork froze. “What do you mean?”
“Well, you wanted to eat immediately, so I arranged for your food to come out immediately.
Ours comes out at six, so we can use the coupon.”
Her face paled. “But… we’re all eating together. You’re paying for everyone.”
I shook my head.
“I offered to pay for dinner at six o’clock. You chose to eat now, so that’s separate.”
“That’s ridiculous! You can’t just change the rules like that!”
“I’m not changing anything.
I made an offer for dinner at six. You declined and chose to eat early.”
She looked desperately at Finn. “Tell your wife she’s being unreasonable!”
Finn shook his head.
“Actually, Kayla offered to pay for dinner. She never said anything about paying for an early dinner.”
“This is insane!” Nina turned to her parents. “Mom, Dad, tell them they’re being ridiculous!”
Charlie and Daisy exchanged uncomfortable glances.
They’d left their wallets at home, and they both knew it. Charlie cleared his throat. “Well… no point wasting a good coupon.”
Daisy agreed fast.
“We’ll just wait till six for our food. No rush.”
They nodded, quiet as church mice… because honestly, what were they gonna do? Protest on an empty stomach?
Finn bit his lip to keep from laughing. Marcus approached, holding a leather folder. “Ma’am, here’s your separate check.”
Nina’s face went through several shades of red as she opened it.
“Ninety-eight dollars?! For chicken parmesan and kids’ meals?”
“The lobster tail was an upcharge,” Marcus explained helpfully. I watched Nina fumble through her purse, muttering.
The kids, blissfully unaware, continued eating. “This is unbelievable,” she hissed, slapping down her credit card. “You’re being petty and vindictive.”
“I’m being consistent,” I replied.
“You wanted to eat now, and I made that happen. You’re getting exactly what you asked for.”
As Marcus processed Nina’s payment, our food arrived. Perfect timing — 6:00 p.m.
on the dot. “Enjoy your meals!” Marcus said, clearly trying not to smile. Nina’s kids had finished and were getting restless.
“Mom, can we go to the playground now?” Cindy asked. “We have to wait for everyone else to finish,” Nina said through gritted teeth. “Actually,” I said, biting into my burger, “you don’t have to wait.
You’ve already eaten. Feel free to take the kids home.”
That was the final straw. Nina stood up so abruptly that her chair scraped the floor.
“Come on, kids. We’re leaving.”
“But Aunt Kayla and Uncle Finn are still eating,” Jake protested. “Now!” Nina snapped, grabbing her purse.
As they headed for the door, I called out, “Thanks for joining us for dinner! We should do this again sometime!”
The look Nina shot me could have melted steel, but I just smiled and waved. After they left, the table fell silent.
Daisy picked at her chicken while Charlie focused on his mashed potatoes. “That was…” Daisy began, then stopped. “Brilliant!” Finn finished, squeezing my hand.
“Absolutely brilliant.”
“I feel a little bad,” I admitted, though I didn’t really. “But I’m so tired of being manipulated.”
“She had it coming,” Finn added. “Using the kids like that… it’s not right.”
We finished dinner with a comfortable conversation.
The bill came to exactly $74.50 with the coupon. Walking to the parking lot, Finn put his arm around me. “Remind me never to get on your bad side!” he said, grinning.
“Just don’t use children as emotional weapons, and we’ll be fine.”
“Noted!”
Two weeks later, I still smile thinking about that dinner. Nina hasn’t spoken to me since, which honestly has been a blessing. The kids ask about us sometimes, but Nina changes the subject.
I’ve learned something important: I refuse to be manipulated anymore. Life is too short to let entitled people walk all over you, family or not. Sometimes the best lesson you can teach someone is that actions have consequences.
And the best revenge is simply giving people exactly what they ask for. I won’t let anyone take advantage of my kindness again. Not Nina, not anyone.
Because when you stand up for yourself, you teach others how to treat you. And that lesson? It’s worth every penny of that $98 dinner bill.
