When Claire, John, and their son Ethan board a flight to visit John’s parents, John mysteriously disappears into business class, leaving Claire alone to navigate the flight with their child. But when they arrive at their destination, Claire’s father-in-law teaches John a lesson he won’t forget.
About a week ago, my father-in-law showed my husband that even though he is married and has a son, he still has a lot to learn.
My husband, John, and I were preparing for a long-awaited trip to visit his parents with our energetic two-year-old son, Ethan. John had been particularly stressed at work and kept talking about how much he needed a break.
‘Claire, I can’t wait to finally relax,’ John said as we packed our bags. ‘I just need some peace and quiet, you know?’
I smiled, even though I was busy packing Ethan’s toys.
‘I know, John. We all need a break. But Ethan will be happy to see his grandparents and be spoiled by their love.’
Little did I know that my husband had some rather selfish plans.
At the airport, I was fussing over our little boy and managing our luggage, while trying to open a container of apple sauce for Ethan. John had mysteriously disappeared.
‘What the hell?’ I muttered to myself, thinking he must have gone to the toilet before boarding.
Later, I spotted him again at the gate, looking unusually calm.
‘Where were you?’ I asked, holding Ethan by the hip.
‘Just taking care of something,’ he replied, a smirk playing on his lips. ‘And I needed to pick up a pair of headphones.’
‘Did you buy me a pair?’ I asked him.
‘No,’ he replied. ‘I didn’t think you’d need them because you’d have to worry about Ethan.’
I couldn’t believe my ears. Who was this man?
But that wasn’t all.
As we boarded, John handed me our boarding passes, and his pass was different from ours.
‘John, why do you have a business class ticket?’ I asked, feeling crushed.
My husband shrugged impassively.
‘I can’t deal with you and the baby right now. I need some peace and quiet. We’ll be dealing with a lot of relatives starting tonight.’
I held back my anger throughout the flight. I had no choice but to think about John reclining in his seat with a glass of champagne while Ethan pulled my hair and fidgeted.
‘Try patting him on the back,’ advised the woman next to me. ‘Maybe that will calm him down.’
I smiled at her, not wanting to growl, because my son had pushed my patience to the limit.
‘Thank you,’ I replied as Ethan reached out his sticky hand to ruffle the woman’s hair.
It was one of the longest flights of my life, and by the time we landed, my frustration had turned to cold fury.
Of course, John didn’t notice my mood as we drove to his parents’ house.
‘I’m so glad to see you! How was the flight?’ said John’s mother, Amy, taking Ethan from my arms.
I forced myself to smile.
‘Everything was fine, Mrs Smith,’ I said. ‘Ethan was a little restless, but we managed.’
John’s father, Jacob, looked at us intently.
‘What about you, John?’ he asked. ‘How was your flight?’
John smiled, completely oblivious to the tension filling the room.
‘Oh, it was fantastic! Business class is really something else. Now I understand why everyone chooses it if they have the opportunity.’
My father-in-law’s expression hardened slightly, but he remained silent.
The next day, we were all supposed to go to a family dinner.
‘It’s just a tradition to go to a restaurant when the family comes to visit,’ said Amy, playing with Ethan. ‘Dress warmly, Claire, it gets chilly at night.’
As we were about to leave, Mr Smith called John into his office.
‘John, your mother and I will take care of Claire and Ethan tonight. You’ll stay here and prepare the house for the rest of the guests. Your brother will arrive in the morning. The beds must be made,’ Jacob said firmly.
My husband was stunned.
‘But this is our family dinner, Dad,’ John said. ‘I’ve been looking forward to it.’
‘Tonight you’ll understand what it’s like to be abandoned,’ Jacob continued.
John tried to protest, but Mr Smith wouldn’t budge. We went out to dinner, and John had no choice but to stay behind and sort out the house for the rest of the family. Family holiday tours
When we returned, the house was spotless, and John was furious but silent.
‘Oh, but that’s not all,’ Jacob said to me as I went upstairs to put Ethan to bed.
‘What do you mean?’ I asked nervously.
‘You’ll see tomorrow,’ he said with a smile and headed for his bedroom.
The next morning, as we sat down to breakfast, my father-in-law presented John with a detailed list of chores he needed to do.
‘Clean the garage? Really, Dad? And fix the fence? And mow the lawn?’ John complained. ‘Why are you doing this? People usually hire people for this.’
Mr Smith’s gaze was unwavering.
‘You need to learn what family and hard work are all about. You can’t run away from your responsibilities just because you feel like it or because there’s an easy way out. You’ll spend the rest of the week making up for what you did to Claire and Ethan.’ Family holiday tours
John looked shocked, finally realising that his escape from business class had consequences.
He spent the rest of the week repairing the entire plot. And every evening, his father checked his work to make sure everything was done correctly.
‘I’m tired,’ he said one evening, plopping down on the bed. ‘And I really wanted to go strawberry picking with you, Ethan, and Mum today. But I had to paint the fence.’
I almost felt sorry for him. But not enough to take the bait. I knew that while cleaning and repairing the house, he had had plenty of time to think about his actions.
The day before we left, my husband came up to me, his eyes full of remorse.
‘I’m so sorry it turned out this way,’ he said quietly. ‘Now I understand how hard it is and how much I took you for granted.’
‘It’s not just about understanding, John. The main thing is to be there, every step of the way,’ I said, folding our clothes.
He promised to change, and I believed he was sincere.
But it seems my father-in-law had another card up his sleeve.
‘Your business class ticket for the return flight has been cancelled and replaced with an economy class seat. But Claire and Ethan will be travelling in business class. This time, you’ll have to manage on your own, John,’ he said.
My husband’s face fell as he realised the implications of his father’s exchange. He tried to protest, but Mr Smith was adamant, emphasising that John needed to understand the value of family and compassion through his own experience. Family holiday tours
‘I’m so sorry,’ John said when we arrived at the airport. ‘I didn’t mean to hurt you like this. I just wanted some peace and quiet. I had a lot of work to do.’
‘It’s okay,’ I replied, snuggling up to Ethan. ‘But things have to change when we get home. Okay, John?’
He nodded slowly and kissed me on the forehead before we had to part ways and board our flights.
What would you have done?
