Chapter 8 - The Truth at the Table
Robert sat down opposite Millie without being invited.
“Let’s discuss this privately.”
“No,” Millie said. “Private discussions are where this family changes the truth.”
Her mother began crying.
“We never wanted to hurt you.”
Millie looked at her carefully.
“You wanted my money, but you didn’t want me in the photographs.”
“That was Vanessa’s idea.”
Vanessa turned sharply.
“Mom!”
Millie’s expression hardened.
There it was again.
The immediate search for someone else to blame.
Her father rubbed his forehead.
“We thought you would be working most of the time.”
“No one asked me.”
“You always work.”
“Because whenever the family needs something, I’m expected to provide it.”
Robert’s voice softened.
“You’re successful. Vanessa is still finding her way.”
Vanessa was twenty-nine.
She had been finding her way using Millie’s emergency payments for nearly a decade.
Millie’s mother sat beside Robert.
“We made mistakes. Please reactivate the rooms, and we’ll solve this when we get home.”
“No.”
“Why are you being so cruel?”
Millie did not raise her voice.
“Cruel would have been canceling your tickets and leaving you at the port. I allowed you to keep exactly what you purchased. You consider equality cruel because you’re accustomed to my sacrifice.”
Her mother stopped crying.
Daniel placed his payment card on the table and asked Elena to separate his charges.
One by one, the relatives did the same.
Soon, only Robert, Millie’s mother, Vanessa, and Vanessa’s boyfriend remained responsible for the largest part of the balance.
Vanessa’s boyfriend shifted uncomfortably.
“I was told this was already covered.”
He looked at Vanessa.
She said nothing.
He stood.
“I’ll pay for my drinks and spa treatment. But I’m not paying for your boutique purchases.”
Vanessa’s face burned.
May you like
Millie returned to her lobster.
The family was finally having the honest conversation they had avoided for years.
