My coworker is a single mom, and I’ve always tried to be supportive. I know how hard it can be, so I went above and beyond. Last year, I lent her some money because her baby needed a few things. It wasn’t a small amount, but she swore she’d pay me back.
She still hasn’t paid me back. Instead, I watched her come into work wearing brand new clothes. She keeps buying stuff for herself (like Uggs last month and concert tickets). Meanwhile, I stayed silent, not wanting to cause drama.
I’ve also covered a lot of her shifts whenever she asked. Her excuses were endless: “I’m exhausted,” “babysitter issues,” or “I have to take the baby to the doctor.” Even when it felt unjustified, I did it because I felt bad for her situation.
A couple of weeks ago, I asked her to cover for me one time. Just once. She said she couldn’t. No apology, just a flat no.
Then last night, she begged me to cover for her again. I finally stood up for myself. This time I said no.
The next morning, I opened the work chat, and my stomach dropped. She had decided to play the victim. She’d posted: “I guess some people here don’t understand what it’s like being a single mom.” Then she listed a bunch of dates I’d supposedly “refused” to help her, including some that weren’t even true.
People started replying with sad emojis and sympathy. I felt my face go hot.
I was shaking with rage. I realized being “nice” was just letting her walk all over me. So, I took a deep breath, opened my banking app and my photo gallery, and compiled a little collage.
I replied to the group chat: “Since we’re discussing understanding, maybe the team can help me understand this?”
I attached three images:
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A screenshot of the $300 Venmo transfer I sent her labeled “For baby formula & diapers,” followed by a timestamped photo from her Instagram that same night showing her holding a $150 bottle of tequila at a club.
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A side-by-side list from the schedule showing I had covered 12 of her shifts in the last six months, while she had covered exactly zero of mine.
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A screenshot of her text to me from two weeks ago saying, “I can’t cover you, I need my rest lol,” followed by her text from last night begging me to work because she “didn’t feel like coming in.”
“I understand being a single mom is hard,” I added. “But lying to your coworkers to get free money and time off isn’t parenting. It’s grifting. Please stop asking me for favors.”
The chat went dead silent. The sad emojis stopped instantly.
Five minutes later, the manager removed her from the group chat. She called out “sick” for the rest of the week, likely out of embarrassment. When she finally came back, she didn’t look at me once. She eventually transferred me $50—it’s a start, but the look on her face when the whole office knew the truth? That was priceless.
