Chapter 3 - The Cost of Convenience
The room erupted. Victoria was the first to find her voice, her face flushing a deep, mottled red. “This is disgraceful! I raised my son to be a provider! You are his wife, and your duty is to this family!”
“My duty is to myself, Victoria,” I said, my voice cutting through her screeching. “Do you have any idea how much it costs to feed this group every single Saturday? I’ve tracked it for a year. Nine thousand dollars.”
The room went silent. Nine thousand dollars was more than Ryan made in three months.
“Nine thousand?” Sarah whispered, looking at her kids.
“Meat, sides, drinks, desserts, and the ‘emergency’ cash you asked for when you were short on rent, Ryan,” I said, pulling a printout from my pocket and placing it on the counter. “And let’s not forget the birthday gifts, the school supplies for the nephews, and the medical bills for Victoria’s ‘shortages.’ You all have been living on my salary while David spent his money on PlayStations and sneakers.”
David looked at the floor, his face burning. He tried to speak, but Victoria interrupted him, her finger pointed at my chest. “You are a greedy, selfish woman! You have a high-paying job! You should be honored to take care of the people David loves!”
“If he loves you so much, Victoria,” I said, picking up my wine glass, “he can use his salary to feed you. There’s a grocery store three blocks away. I suggest you go.”
Ryan’s wife, Sarah, looked at the list of expenses on the counter. She was a mother of three, and she was clearly doing the math. She looked at Victoria, then back at me. “Victoria, did you know she was paying for all this?”
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Victoria stuttered, her composure finally shattering. “It... it doesn't matter! It’s the principle!”
“The principle is that I’m done,” I said. “David, you have thirty minutes to take your family to a restaurant. They are your guests, not mine. I’m going to my room to read.”
