That was part of how the pattern survived.
Everyone stayed silent.
I sat down beside Chris.
“Are you going to tell them?”
“In a minute. Let everybody sit down.”
“You promised before anyone ordered.”
“Natalie, people are still arriving. Give me a second.”
He greeted his brothers.
Made a joke with his nephew.
Opened the menu.
And the promised conversation never happened.
Before long Serena lifted her hand toward the waiter.
“Let’s start with three shrimp cocktails, two bottles of your best red wine, and extra bread.”
Henry lowered his menu.
“Serena, that’s quite a lot.”
“It’s your birthday!”
Then she smiled brightly at me.
“And our walking credit card got that big promotion recently, right, Nat?”
There it was again.
“I didn’t get a promotion.”
Serena looked genuinely surprised.
“Really? Chris said work was going incredibly well for you.”
I looked directly at my husband.
“Did he?”
Chris studied the menu.
“She misunderstood something I said.”
A few people laughed awkwardly.
Then everyone moved on.
I leaned closer.
“Are you going to correct what else she misunderstood?”
“It’s harmless, Natalie. Please leave it.”
Serena turned toward her sons.
“Order anything you want tonight. Grandpa only turns sixty-five once.”
“Can I get the biggest steak?”
“Absolutely. And add a lobster tail.”
Then she said,
“Tonight’s covered.”
I looked at Chris.
He ordered an expensive ribeye without meeting my eyes.
When the waiter reached me, I said,
“I’ll have the house salad, a baked potato, and water.”
Serena laughed.
“A salad at a steakhouse? Seriously, Natalie?”
“I know exactly what I’m paying for tonight, so I’m ordering accordingly.”
Chris shifted beside me.
“Natalie.”
I stood.
“Excuse me. I’m going to the restroom.”
But instead, I walked over to the waiter’s station.
“I’d like separate checks tonight, please. One for each household. My husband and I will pay for Henry and Tarryn at the head of the table. Everyone else should receive their own bill.”
The waiter nodded without hesitation.
“Of course.”
I returned to my seat.
My heart was pounding, but I remained calm.
I ate my salad while Serena ordered another bottle of wine.
The children ate lobster.
Chris avoided eye contact.
And I said nothing.
I was no longer going to save people from consequences they had personally ordered.
After the plates were cleared, Henry looked around the table.
“This is far more than I needed,” he said. “I’m simply grateful everyone is here. That’s the real gift.”
I reached into my purse.
“Chris, I have something for you. For us.”
He looked cautiously at the envelope.
“What is it?”
“Open it.”
He unfolded the paper.
Two airline tickets.
Our names printed together.
