Hannah is forced to pay her grocery bill by her sister-in-law and is not willing to refuse. However, it doesn’t end there. In an attempt to give the cunning Melissa a lesson, Hannah intends to ruin her birthday and make her consider her life.
My sister-in-law is a lot of effort, but I adore her. Because of her high maintenance, it can be challenging to interact with her at times. However, I make every effort to work things out with her for the benefit of my brother, Brandon.
Melissa has never changed. My brother and she have been married for about ten years, and he hasn’t noticed her deceptive behavior. Melissa, you see, has a way of getting things for free and thinks everyone should be at her disposal.
Melissa asked me to go grocery shopping at this upscale, pricey supermarket she loved last month.
“Oh, really? Come on, Hannah,” she remarked. “It will be fun for us to spend some time together.”
I reasoned that because it was almost her birthday, we should spend some time together and perhaps even choose a thoughtful present.
I had no idea that we were about to step into a trap.
“Your shoes are definitely not made for walking around and shopping for hours on end,” Melissa remarked as she exited her vehicle in the parking lot.
“I’ll be alright,” I chuckled.
Over the course of several hours, Melissa chatted along while tossing items into the cart and acting as though it was no great problem.
“Do you really need an entire collection of these candles?” Mel picked out approximately six different candles and loaded them into the cart as I requested.
She said, “Yes!” as she peered at the boxes of collectibles and other foreign goods.
The amount at the checkout counter was an astounding $1,470!
My jaw dropped to the floor, but it really wasn’t my decision if Melissa was okay with spending that much money.
Until Melissa turned to face me, that is.
“Oh no!” she cried out. “I believe I left my wallet at home, Hannah! Are you able to handle this? When we return home, I’ll compensate you.”
“Sure, but this is a ridiculous amount, are you sure you need everything?” I enquired.
I could afford to pay the payment because I was in good financial standing, but I wasn’t sure if I really needed to. Melissa had purchased a plethora of unnecessary items.
“Yes, Hannah,” in response. “I need all of this items for my birthday. That’s what I’m planning.”
Reluctant to make a scene, I reluctantly consented.
“I’ll reimburse you, I swear. Hannah, I or Brandon will deliver the funds to you.”
I nodded before removing my wallet from my purse.
Melissa didn’t even give me a sidelong glance as we drove out of the store.
Days soon became weeks, and I queried Melissa about the money when I saw her at our family brunch.
And you know what? She laughed, took a sip of her mimosa, and said, with such audacity:
“Oh, please, hurry up! Why are you acting so avaricious? Think of it as a birthday present. You are able to pay for it.”
I was unable to speak. That this was my sister-in-law astounded me. How can you be so cruel about your family?
However, I realized it was time to impart to her a lesson she would never forget.
Initially, I was aware that Melissa had been boasting for several months about her intention to purchase a brand-new high-end vehicle.
It’s opulent, Hannah. The seats seem to have been custom-made for me. What’s even better, you ask? In order for us to purchase the car, Brandon will co-sign the loan.”
“Why him?” I enquired. “Shouldn’t you just do it yourself?”
Mel gave me a shy glance.
“Because my credit is shot, so there’s no way the dealership will allow it,” she stated.
Then she thought, “But that’s why I have a husband,” and chuckled.
When I knew my sister-in-law wasn’t a suitable fit for the loan, I secretly informed the dealership that she had been approved.
I pretended to be ignorant of how the system operated and added, “I just wanted to know how I could go about the same thing, but my credit score isn’t the best either.”
I was asked several questions by the dealership, and I happily provided them Melissa’s name. They became quite cautious as a result, and they began requesting additional references and paperwork.
Mel’s brother was getting irritated with her whining, and she was growing angry with the delays.
When they came over for supper one evening, she complained, “Why is this taking so long?” “I’m supposed to have my car by now.”
Brandon remarked, “They said they need more paperwork.” “I don’t understand it either, but you need to be more patient.”
“Stupid formalities,” she said to herself as she took up her fork.
I then got in touch with a friend who was employed at a posh bakery. Melissa had placed an absurdly high order for a personalized cake from the same shop for her birthday celebration.
“She tends to stiff people on payments, Jess,” I replied. “This is your business, much as I adore her. Thus, I believe you ought to insist on payment in full.”
She yelled to my brother, “This is all ridiculous!” “Why do they suddenly require so much money? They have never before requested this! It wasn’t a problem when we ordered your mother’s birthday cake.”
Confused, my brother said, “But you’ve got the money, right?”
“I do, of course! That’s not the purpose, though! That’s the idea behind it, Brandon.”
And that was only the start. I was itching for more drama.
My next goal was going to be Mel’s internet shopping because she enjoys it so much.
“Brandon, can I use your Amazon account?” My brother and I inquired. “I really think it’s time for me to get myself a Kindle.”
I requested for his assistance with something, and he answered, “Sure,” beaming. “I’ll text you all the details.”
I altered the password after logging into the account. Mel was perusing while seated in my living room, and when she made the decision to make a purchase, she became locked out naturally.
She tried to get access back for hours on end by calling customer support, only to discover later that it was me all along.
When Brandon arrived to bring her up later, she angrily exclaimed, “Amazon customer service is useless!” “They can’t even secure their own website.”
“What do you mean?” inquired my brother.
“I’m having trouble logging in. It appears as though your account is not there.
Half-jokingly, he said, “Maybe you should just take a break from shopping.”
She gave him a deathly glance.
Not amusing at all, Brandon. My birthday is coming up, therefore I should get lovely things.”
I laughed out loud behind my wine glass. Mel’s entitlement to a poor existence was becoming worse.
Mel’s birthday meal at home was the cherry on top. I went about telling my family and a few people we had in common how she had left me with a $1,470 debt and would not reimburse me.
The majority of individuals had left by the end of the evening.
A huge cake, a broken car deal, and relatively few guests were Mel’s birthday presents.
“Where is everyone?” she inquired of my brother, surveying the nearly deserted living room.
“I’m not sure,” he remarked. “Did they depart? Perhaps they’re simply behind schedule. Hannah? Who is where?”
I gave a shoulder shrug.
She said, “The party started an hour ago.”
And you know what I got her for her birthday? a birthday card for her that included a gift card worth $14.70.
Here’s a small gift for your upcoming shopping excursion. Melissa, happy birthday!
She felt ashamed.
My brother contacted me one evening while I was enjoying a cup of tea. He sounded more exhausted than I had ever heard him.
He said, “Hey, can we talk?”
“What’s up?” I said, confident that I had understood his topic of interest.
“It’s Mel,” he moaned. “I’m at a loss for what to do. She has been behaving rather oddly. And now that you’ve told everyone everything, I’m finally beginning to realize what I was ignoring.”
I said, “I’m sorry,” since I was truly sad for him. “However, you are entitled to the truth. She cannot continue to control others throughout her life and hope to get away with it.”
“Well, we need to have a bigger conversation, Mel and I,” he replied. “But if she doesn’t get her act together, a divorce may happen.”
With the hope that he would eventually open his eyes to the lady he married, I left him to continue talking.
How would you have responded in that situation?