A week before my daughter Lily’s senior prom, our bathroom broke. Total disaster. No water, no plumbing. It would not be fixed in time. She’d been dreaming of this night. Saved for her dress, practiced her makeup, planned every detail. She just needed a sink, a mirror, and a quiet space.
So I called my husband’s parents to save Lily’s day – they live ten minutes away – and politely asked if Lily could come over for a few hours to get ready. I promised we’d bring everything and leave the place spotless.
They said NO. And their reason made me go pale.
My MIL said, “Lily’s NOT ALLOWED to use our bathroom because she didn’t invite her cousin Sarah to go in her prom limo group.”
I was floored. Sarah (my sister-in-law’s daughter) is a sophomore and has bullied Lily for years. Lily didn’t want her tormentor ruining her senior night, and my in-laws were trying to use the bathroom as leverage to force Lily to include her. It was pure emotional blackmail.
I hung up the phone, shaking with rage. I didn’t even have to explain it to my husband; he heard the yelling through the phone. He looked at me, grabbed his car keys, and said, “Get in the car.”
He drove us straight to the fanciest hotel in the city. He walked up to the front desk and booked the executive suite for two nights. It had a massive marble bathroom, a lighted vanity, and a jacuzzi tub.
Lily cried, not because she was sad, but because she felt so supported. She got ready in luxury, sipping sparkling cider, and felt like an absolute princess. She had the best night of her life.
The next morning, my MIL texted me: “Is Lily ready to apologize and bring Sarah over for pictures?”
My husband took my phone and replied: “Lily got ready at the Ritz. She looked beautiful. And since you chose petty manipulation over your granddaughter, you won’t be seeing any pictures. Or us. Don’t contact us until you learn how to be grandparents.”
We haven’t spoken to them in three months, and our peace of mind has never been better.
Would you like me to generate a different ending, perhaps one where the husband’s reaction is different?
