I nearly choked on my water. ‘I’m sorry?’
‘Well, you’re planning to marry him, aren’t you? How are you going to take care of him? You know he needs his clothes ironed, and he can’t sleep without his special pillow.’
I looked at Richard, expecting him to jump up and tell my father that this was inappropriate. But he just sat there and remained silent.
‘I…er…’ I stuttered. ‘We haven’t discussed those details yet.’
‘Oh, you’ll have to learn quickly, dear,’ Isabella interjected. ‘Our Richie is very demanding. He has to eat dinner at six o’clock sharp every day, and don’t even think of serving him vegetables. He won’t touch them.’
Okay, I didn’t sign up for this, I thought. What’s going on? Why hadn’t Richard said anything to his parents? Why was he letting them treat him like a child?
At that moment, the waiter came over with the food, saving me from having to answer for a moment. As we ate, Richard’s parents continued to fuss around him.
I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw Isabella cutting his steak for him and Daniel constantly reminding him to use his napkin. I was stunned.
As expected, my appetite was gone and I just sat there picking at my pasta. I kept wondering why I hadn’t seen this coming. Why was Richard so reluctant to come with me to my parents’ house when we were dating?
Now all his excuses made sense.
As dinner drew to a close, I breathed a sigh of relief, thinking the worst was over. But no… the nightmare dinner had just reached its climax.
When the waiter brought the bill, Isabella snatched it up before anyone could see. Honestly, I thought she did it because she didn’t want me to pay out of politeness, but what she said next made me stare at her with widened eyes.
‘Well, darling, I think it’s only fair if we split it fifty-fifty, don’t you?’ – She smiled at me. ‘After all, we are one family now.’
They had ordered hundreds of dollars worth of food and wine, while I had a $20 pasta dish. And now they expected me to pay half? No way!
Feeling stunned, I looked at Richard, silently begging him to say something. I expected him to stand up for me and tell my mother how ridiculous she sounded. But the man just sat there, avoiding my gaze.
In that moment, everything became crystal clear. This wasn’t just about an expensive dinner. It was about my future if I married Richard. I would marry his parents, too.
So I took a deep breath and stood up.
‘Actually,’ I began in a steady voice, ’I think I’ll pay for my own dinner.
While Richard and his parents looked at me, I pulled out my wallet and put enough money on the table to pay for the pasta and a generous tip.
‘But…’ protested Isabella. ‘We’re family!’
‘No, we’re not,’ I said, looking her straight in the eye. ‘And we’re not going to be.’
Then I turned to Richard, who finally met my gaze. He looked confused, like he couldn’t figure out what was going on.
‘Richard,’ I said softly, ’I care about you. But this…this isn’t the future I want. I don’t need a child to take care of. I need a partner. And I don’t think you’re ready to be that.’
I took off my wedding ring and placed it on the table.
‘I’m sorry, but the wedding is cancelled.’
With those words, I turned and walked out of the restaurant, leaving three stunned faces behind me.
As I stepped out into the cool night air, I felt a weight lifted off my shoulders. Yes, it was painful. Yes, it would be awkward at work. But I knew I had made the right decision.
The next morning, I returned my wedding dress.
As the saleswoman processed my return, she asked if everything was okay.
I smiled, feeling lighter than I had in months. ‘You know what? Everything will be.’
Having said that, I realised that the bravest thing you can do is to give up on something that doesn’t suit you. It may be painful in the moment, but in the long run it’s the kindest thing you can do for yourself.
Don’t you agree?