When it was my turn, I ordered a simple pasta dish. I was too stunned to have much of an appetite.
As we waited for our food, Daniel finally addressed me directly.
A close-up shot of an older man | Source: Midjourney
“So, Clara,” he said, his voice gruff. “What are your intentions with our son?”
I almost choked on my water. “I’m sorry?”
“Well, you’re planning to marry him, aren’t you? How do you plan to take care of him? You know he needs his clothes ironed just so, and he can’t sleep without his special pillow.”
I looked at Richard, expecting him to jump in, to tell his father this was inappropriate. But he just sat there, silent.
A man in a restaurant | Source: Midjourney
“I… uhh…” I stammered. “We haven’t really discussed those details yet.”
“Oh, you’ll need to learn quickly dear,” Isabella intervened. “Our Richie is very particular. He needs dinner by exactly 6 p.m. every day, and don’t even think about serving him vegetables. He won’t touch them.”
Okay, I didn’t sign up for this, I thought. What was going on? Why was Richard not saying anything to his parents? Why was he letting them treat him like a baby?
A woman looking straight ahead, thinking | Source: Midjourney
At that point, the waiter arrived with the food, momentarily saving me from having to respond. As we ate, Richard’s parents continued to fuss over him.
I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw Isabella cut the steak for him, while Daniel kept reminding him to use his napkin. I was stunned.
As expected, my appetite had vanished, so I just sat there, picking at my pasta. I kept thinking why I didn’t see this coming. Why had Richard been so reluctant to visit his parents’ place with me when we were dating?
All his excuses started to make sense to me now.
A woman thinking while sitting in a restaurant | Source: Midjourney
As the meal drew to a close, I heaved a sigh of relief thinking the worst was behind us. Not yet… the nightmare dinner had just reached its climax.
When the waiter brought the bill, Isabella snatched it up before anyone else could see it. Honestly, I thought she did that because she didn’t want me to pay out of courtesy, but what she said next made me stare at her with wide eyes.
A woman feeling shocked after looking at the bill | Source: Midjourney
“Well, dear, I think it’s only fair we split this 50/50, don’t you?” she smiled at me. “After all, we’re family now.”
They had ordered hundreds of dollars worth of food and wine, while I’d had a $20 pasta dish. And now they expected me to pay half? No way!
Feeling flabbergasted, I looked at Richard, silently pleading with him to say something. I expected him to stand up for me and tell his mother how ridiculous she sounded. But that man just sat there, avoiding my gaze.
In that moment, everything became crystal clear. This wasn’t just about an expensive dinner. This was my future if I married Richard. I’d be marrying his parents too.
So, I took a deep breath and stood up.
“Actually,” I began in a steady voice, “I think I’ll just pay for my own meal.”
As Richard and his parents looked at me, I pulled out my wallet and placed enough cash on the table to cover my pasta and a generous tip.
“But…” Isabella protested. “We’re family!”
“No, we’re not,” I said, looking straight into her eyes. “And we’re not going to be.”
Then, I turned to Richard, who finally met my gaze. He looked confused, as if he couldn’t understand what was happening.
“Richard,” I said softly, “I care about you. But this… this isn’t the future I want. I’m not looking for a child to take care of. I want a partner. And I don’t think you’re ready to be that.”
