“Because,” she said, crossing her arms, “Mike and I are going to Aunt Linda’s sixtieth birthday party in Milburn this weekend. Mom and Dad are coming too. You need to stay here with Emma and Lucas.”
I couldn’t help but laugh, actually laugh out loud at the sheer audacity of it all.
“You’re joking, right?” I said, continuing to fold my ski pants. “You can’t seriously expect me to cancel my plans because you didn’t bother to tell me about yours.”
“This isn’t funny, Anna. You’re being completely unreasonable.”
“No, what’s unreasonable is assuming I’ll drop everything at a moment’s notice to be your personal babysitter. Again.”
Sarah’s mouth fell open.
She stood there for a moment, sputtering, before turning on her heel and storming out of my room.
“Mom! Dad! Mike!” I could hear her shouting down the hallway. “You won’t believe what Anna’s doing!”
I kept packing, my hands shaking slightly with anger.
The thundering of footsteps announced the arrival of the cavalry. My tiny room suddenly felt even smaller as Sarah, Mike, and my parents crowded in.
Mom’s face was already set in that disappointed expression I knew so well.
“What’s this about you going skiing?” she demanded, hands on her hips.
“Exactly what it sounds like,” I replied, zipping up my duffel bag. “I’m going to Pine Ridge Resort with my friends for the weekend.”
“But you can’t,” Sarah exclaimed. “We have Aunt Linda’s party.”
“No, you have Aunt Linda’s party,” I corrected her.
I stopped what I was doing and turned to face them all.
“Why am I just hearing about this party now? Why wasn’t I included in any of the planning?”
Mom hesitated, looking uncomfortable for the first time.
Sarah jumped in, her voice dripping with condescension.
“We all discussed it and decided this would work best for everyone. We go to the party, you watch the kids. It’s the most logical arrangement.”
“You all discussed it,” I repeated slowly, “without me, and decided what I would be doing with my weekend. How convenient.”
“Well, you can’t exactly bring small children to a sophisticated party,” Sarah sniffed. “Aunt Linda specifically said no kids.”
I shouldered my duffel bag.
“Sounds like a you problem. They’re your kids, Sarah. Figure it out.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Mike finally spoke up, frowning.
“It means exactly what it sounds like. I have plans. I’m going skiing. Your children are your responsibility, not mine. If you can’t bring them to the party, either don’t go or hire a babysitter.”
“A babysitter?” Sarah screeched. “With what money?”
“Again, not my problem.”
I turned to face them all, suddenly feeling stronger than I had in months, maybe years.
“Let me make this perfectly clear. I am going skiing tomorrow. I am done being your free, convenient babysitter. I’m done having my weekends hijacked, my plans ignored, and my life treated like it doesn’t matter. If you need childcare, Sarah, that’s your responsibility as a parent. Stop assuming I’ll always be there to pick up your slack.”
The silence that followed was deafening.
They all stared at me as if I’d suddenly started speaking in tongues.
Sarah’s mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water. Mom looked like she’d been slapped. Dad seemed to be trying to disappear into the doorframe. And Mike, well, Mike just stood there with that same confused expression he’d been wearing since his company went bankrupt.
The moment of shocked silence didn’t last long.
Sarah’s face crumpled and she burst into theatrical sobs, covering her face with her hands.
Mike muttered something that sounded distinctly like “ungrateful” under his breath.
“How dare you.” Mom’s voice rose. “After everything we’ve done for you. You’re being completely irresponsible.”
“Selfish,” Dad chimed in, shaking his head. “Absolutely selfish.”
I stood there, my duffel bag still over my shoulder, watching my family turn into a Greek chorus of accusations.
The words washed over me—selfish, ungrateful, inconsiderate, immature—each one meant to cut deep, to put me back in my place.
