My husband, John, and I were preparing for a long-awaited trip to his parents with our hyperactive two-year-old son, Ethan.
John had been extremely stressed at work and kept mentioning how much he needed a break.
“Claire, I can’t wait to finally relax,” John said as we packed our bags.
I smiled despite being engaged in packing Ethan’s toys.
“I know, John. We all need a break. But it’ll be fun for Ethan to see his grandparents and be spoilt with their love for a bit.”
At the airport, I was busy handling our toddler and managing the bags while also attempting to open an apple sauce container for Ethan. John mysteriously disappeared.
Later, I saw him again at the gate, appearing abnormally calm.
“Where have you been?” I asked, holding Ethan on my hip.
“Just taking care of something,” he explained, a smirk on his lips. “And I needed to grab a pair of headphones.”
“Did you get me a pair?” I asked him.
“No,” he said. “I didn’t think you’d need one because you’d have to worry about Ethan.”
I could not believe my ears. Who was this man?
But it was not all.
As we boarded, John handed me our boarding tickets, which looked different than ours.
“John, why do you have a business class ticket?” I asked, feeling crushed.
“I can’t deal with you and the kid right now. I need some peace and quiet for once. We’re going to be dealing with a lot of family from this evening.”
For the length of the flight, I kept my rage under control. I had no choice but to imagine John sitting with a glass of champagne as Ethan yanked on my hair and fussed the entire while.
It was one of the longest trips I’ve ever had, and by the time we arrived, my aggravation had turned into frigid wrath.
“It’s so wonderful to see you! How was the flight?” John’s mother, Amy, said, taking Ethan from my arms.
“It was fine, Mrs. Smith,” I said. “Ethan was a bit restless, but we managed.”
Jacob, John’s father, was watching us intently.
John grinned, entirely missing the tension that was building in the room.
“Oh, it was fantastic! Business class is really something else. I see why everyone opts for it if they can.”
The next day, we were all going to go out for a family supper.
Just as we were about to depart, Mr. Smith beckoned John into his study.
“John, your mother and I will take care of Claire and Ethan tonight. You, however, will stay here and prepare the house for the rest of the guests. Your brother will be here in the morning. The beds have to be made up,” Jacob said firmly.
“But it’s our family dinner, Dad,” John said. “I’ve been looking forward to it.”
“Tonight, you’ll understand what it feels like to be left behind,” Jacob continued.
We left for dinner, and John had no choice but to stay behind and prepare the house for the rest of his family.
When we returned, the house was spotless, and John was seething but silent.
The next morning, when we came down for breakfast, my father-in-law presented John with a long list of chores that needed to be completed.
“Cleaning the garage? Really, Dad? And fixing the fence? Mowing the lawn?” John complained. “Why are you doing this? Usually, you hire people for this.”
“You need to learn the value of family and hard work. You don’t get to escape your responsibilities because you feel like it or because there’s an easy way out. You will spend the rest of the week making up for what you did to Claire and Ethan.”
He spent the remainder of the week maintaining the entire property.
I almost felt bad for him. However, it is insufficient to take the bait. I knew he’d have plenty of time to think about his actions while cleaning and mending around the house.
My husband came to me the day before we were leaving, his eyes filled with remorse.
“I’m so sorry for everything,” he said quietly. “I understand now how hard it is and how much I took you for granted.”
However, it appeared like my father-in-law had one more card to play.
“Your business class ticket for the return flight has been canceled and exchanged for an economy seat. But Claire and Ethan will travel in business class. You can manage on your own this time, John,” he said.
“I’m so sorry,” John said when we got to the airport. “I didn’t mean to hurt you like this. I just wanted a moment of peace. Work has been a lot.”
“It’s okay,” I replied, holding onto Ethan. “But things have to change when we get home. Okay, John?”
He nodded softly and kissed my forehead before we parted ways and boarded the plane.
