In-Law Vacation Split: Burgers vs. Beach Resort

My wife, Amelia Hurst, and I agree on a plan for the long holiday. We will spend three days traveling with my parents first, then three days with hers. She agrees without hesitation, saying, "Sure. Since they're our parents, it's only fair." But from the first to the third day, she doesn't book a hotel, take us to a single attraction, or buy a single ticket. Every day at noon, she parks outside Pac Burger, orders a combo for two, and spends the entire afternoon on her phone. "Your parents have never had anything fancy anyway. All they've ever done is work themselves to the bone. They were born to have it rough. "If we actually took them out and spend money on them, they'd just feel the pinch themselves. We might as well keep the money for ourselves." My parents smile stiffly as they go along with her. "Amy's right. We're too old to be going on trips anyway. Having a burger is plenty good." As soon as the third day is over, she eagerly grabs the car keys. "Come on, let's hurry back. My parents are waiting for you to make arrangements for their trip. "Book an ocean-view room in Walabi first. My dad loves seafood, so make sure we get the freshest stuff. And get my mom a bracelet, something over 5,000 dollars. She needs to look classy on the trip." As I watch her grin with excitement, my heart turns ice-cold. "Sure. I'll take care of everything." Chapter 1 My parents had never been anywhere in their lives. The second they heard I was taking them on a trip, they had their bags packed a whole week in advance. Mom went into town to get her hair dyed, while Dad went around telling everyone he knew, grinning the whole time. On the morning of the first day of the long holiday, Amelia Hurst and I drove over to pick them up. They were already sitting out front in brand-new clothes, waiting for us. But once we reached town, Amelia first pulled into a gas station and spent 20 whole minutes fueling up. Then she grabbed a rag and started wiping the windshield at a snail's pace. A sinking feeling hit me, and I couldn't help speaking up. "We can wipe it when we get back. Let's just get going." Amelia's expression darkened. She was clearly annoyed. "The whole front of the car is covered in bugs after driving on the highway. You didn't pay for this car, so of course you don't care." My parents tugged at my arm, so I bit my tongue and said nothing else. An hour later, she finally put the rag down. But then she headed straight into the restroom and spent another half hour in there. Just when I thought she was finally done, she went into the convenience store. She spent 20 minutes buying a single bottle of water. By this point, my parents had awkward looks on their faces. They asked me hesitantly, "Is Amy upset because we brought too many things with us? We've never traveled before, so we don't really know what's appropriate…" I was so frustrated I couldn't take it anymore. I got out and practically dragged Amelia back in. When she finally started the engine, I breathed a sigh of relief. Smiling, I turned to my parents. "Buckle up. It's going to be a three-hour drive." What I didn't expect was for the car to swing right around and stop at the Pac Burger next door. Amelia went in and ordered a meal for two, which consisted of two burgers, two sodas, and an order of fries. She plopped it down in front of my parents. "You can't have fun on an empty stomach, so do eat first." My parents hurriedly picked up the burgers and took a bite. "This is pretty good. Amy, you really know how to pick a spot." "Yeah, this is really tasty." Amelia kept her head down, playing on her phone without responding. I dug my nails into my palms, not daring to rush her. I was afraid she'd suddenly lose her temper, throw a fit, and refuse to take us anywhere. Once my parents ate every last bite, Amelia glanced over, then went right back to scrolling through short videos. "Give the food some time to settle. Being too full before a drive isn't good for you." Somehow, that little break lasted until 4:00 pm. She finally put her phone away and headed back to the car. "It's pretty late now. We'll go tomorrow." The next day, she didn't get up until noon. We drove around town for a bit, only to end up parked outside Pac Burger again. I stared at the sign, my fists clenching hard. Amelia ordered the meal for two again. This time, she added two pieces of fried chicken on top. "You guys were practically fighting over the food yesterday, so I ordered some fried chicken as well. Dig in." My parents felt so awkward that they didn't even know what to do with themselves. I couldn't take it anymore. Chapter 2 I said, "If you haven't bought the tickets yet, I can get them now. I can book everything right on my phone." Amelia shot me a glare. "I've got it all planned out. Quit worrying about it." Just as we finished eating, her phone rang. "It's from work," she said. By the time she finished the call, the sun was already setting. Amelia had this easy smile on her face, as if nothing had happened at all. "Sorry, Adam, Patty. Something urgent came up at work. Let's call it a day and try again tomorrow." … On the third morning, we pulled up outside Pac Burger again. I sat there in the car, shaking from head to toe. "We're going home." Amelia turned to look at me. "Fine. Don't blame me for being a bad host to your parents when you're the one refusing to eat." After dropping my parents off, Amelia impatiently shoved me toward the car. "Let's hurry up and go. Their three days are up." The second she got in the car, she was like a completely different person. She started humming to herself, drumming the beat on the steering wheel with her fingers. "Book an ocean-view suite at Walabi first, one with a balcony overlooking the ocean. My dad loves sitting out there with his morning coffee. "And get in touch with the local market about the seafood. Make sure everything is wild-caught. My dad's got a picky palate. He'd taste the difference right away." My phone screen lit up. It was a message from my mom. "Kenny, you know, I never liked traveling anyway. We get by just fine every year. The food from Pac Burger was really tasty, though." Then came a message from Dad. "Son, I've had my fill. I've never even had a hamburger before. Thank Amy for us. You two go enjoy yourselves with her folks." As I stared at the two messages, my eyes suddenly burned, tears welling up. Amelia glanced over and laughed. "Are you seriously that excited? You're tearing up the moment you hear the word 'Walabi'?" It felt like there was a lump in my throat. "You want to take your parents to Walabi, get them an ocean-view suite and jewelry, but when it comes to my parents, all they get is Pac Burger?" The smile vanished from her face in an instant. She didn't say a word as she kept her eyes fixed on the road ahead. I stared at her, continuing, "My parents raised me. Don't they even deserve one decent meal?" She slammed her hand down on the horn and floored the gas. My head jerked back and hit the headrest with a thud. "My mom worked hard all her life. Now that I've finally made something of myself, I want her to enjoy the good life for once. What's wrong with that?" I gasped for breath, my chest so tight it felt like it was about to explode. "I want my parents to have a good life too, so what's wrong with that?" Amelia let out a cold snort. "Your parents have spent their whole lives farming. What kind of good life do you think they're suited for? They're born to toil. "Letting them experience the good life will only shorten their lives. You'll just make them die sooner!" The more she talked, the more worked up she got. She smacked the steering wheel as she spoke. "Besides, didn't they look pretty happy eating at Pac Burger? "They acted like gluttons! They didn't leave a single crumb behind. They would've licked the fries' packaging clean if they could!" My parents hated wasting food or throwing things away. But somehow, she twisted that into them being gluttons. Neither of us said another word for the rest of the ride back. The tension in the car was unbearable. When we got home, my father-in-law, Dale Hurst, and my mother-in-law, Julie Bartlett, were on the couch with their arms crossed. "Well, look who's finally decided to come home." Julie sneered. "I was starting to think I didn't have a daughter anymore.” Amelia elbowed me hard in the ribs, signaling me to apologize. But I stood there without moving. Julie continued, "So, where did you take your in-laws? Did you have a nice time?" Amelia answered, "We didn't go anywhere. We just ate at Pac Burger twice." Julie's face softened a little. "What's the point of giving them such good food? A few leafy greens are plenty for the likes of country folk like them." That was it. I couldn't hold back my anger anymore. Chapter 3 "You people get seafood, yet when it comes to my parents, you call Pac Burger good food?" I snapped at them. Julie shot to her feet. "Am I wrong? What gives those two shameless old people the right to spend my daughter's money on hamburgers?" My voice rose. "What do you mean by spending your daughter's money? Haven't I been spending money on you two this whole time? "I spend my entire 13,000-dollar monthly salary on this household! What's wrong with my parents wanting to have a decent meal for once?" The moment the words left my mouth, a wave of bitterness washed over me, and my eyes got so hot they ached. Amelia's salary only covered her own car payments. Not one cent of her money ever came to me. The mortgage was 5,000 dollars a month, and I covered all the household expenses. On top of that, Dale and Julie were ill every other week and needed to be hospitalized. If I hadn't been so short on money, I never would've even made my parents put up with Amelia's attitude for three whole days. Dale threw his phone, his face black as thunder. "Watch your tone! You go home for a few days, and now you think you can do whatever you want?" Julie shoved at me, hard. "You married my daughter! So what if we spend some of your money? What, you're saying I shouldn't eat your food? You want me dead, is that it?" I flung her hands off me. The next second, Amelia grabbed a glass from the coffee table and hurled it at me. My temple began to throb. Blood ran down my forehead, and my ears rang so loudly I could barely hear anything else. She jabbed a finger right in my face. "Kenneth, I'm warning you. I married you so you'd take care of my parents, not so you could bully them! "If you ever lay a hand on my mom again, don't expect me to go easy on you!" A loud ringing filled my head. Julie shot me a mocking look, then sat back down and went back to watching TV. Dale scoffed as he picked up his phone. As for Amelia, she turned and walked into the kitchen. I stood there for a long time, but not one of them paid me any attention. Pressing a hand over my temple, I went to the bedroom. Julie's voice sounded from behind me. "What did I tell you? Men are all scumbags. If you don't keep them on a short leash, they'll walk all over you. You have to put them in their place before they learn to behave." I sat in my room for an hour. When I came back out, I held up my phone screen for them to see. "I've booked an ocean-view room that costs 2,200 dollars a night for three nights. "Have a look and see if this meets your standards." Dale and Julie exchanged a glance. Julie couldn't keep the corners of her mouth from curling up. They clearly thought they'd put me in my place with what they did. I turned to Amelia and said, "For the first meal, we'll have king crab. Then some caviar for your parents' health. "As for the second meal, we'll have oysters and scallops. They're nutritious. Since Julie wants salmon, I asked them to prepare it fresh." Amelia's tone softened. She nodded. "Fine. You arrange all that." I kept scrolling through my phone and making the payments. "I've also booked activities like scuba diving and boat trips. If we're going, we might as well make the most of it." Surprise crossed Amelia's face. "Do you even have money left?" "I asked the company to advance me six months' worth of salary." I paused, then added, "It's just that I might have to pitch in a little less around here from now on." Amelia said in a gentle tone, "What are you talking about? We're family. You really think I'd let you go hungry?" She reached toward my injured temple. "Does it still hurt?" I turned my head away, avoiding her touch. She sighed. "Honestly, you can be so stubborn. Don't argue with me like that again, okay?" As I nodded, I said in a softer tone, "You're right. I should understand that once we're married, our little family comes first. I shouldn't meddle so much in my parents' business. "I was wrong before for insisting on everything being fair and saying we should split the long holiday between our families. Good thing you knew better, and we only spent money on Pac Burger. At least we didn't waste any money." Amelia said with a smile, "I'm glad you finally understand. Everything I save, I save for this family." Julie's expression relaxed, though she still kept her nose in the air. Chapter 4 Julie said, "As long as you behave yourself and do your part in this family, I'll treat you like my own flesh and blood. "From now on, just pretend your parents are dead. Don't bring them up again. If they have the nerve to show their faces here, I'll chase them out with a broom. "Those shameless old things think they can take advantage of our family? How revolting!" I nodded with a smile on my face. "You're right, Julie. It wouldn't be right for me to lay a hand on them, so if they come around causing trouble, I'll leave them to you." Julie snorted and turned back to the TV, looking pleased with herself. For once, Dale gave me an approving nod. "Now you're finally acting like a proper son-in-law." After dinner, we went back to our rooms to rest. At 2:00 am, I started making trips to the bathroom. I went seven times that night. By the time I got up the next morning, my face was as white as a sheet. Dale and Julie had already packed their bags and were anxiously checking the time, worried about missing their flight. I said weakly, "You all go ahead. I think I ate something bad. I need to go get a shot." Julie's face immediately fell. She started complaining, "I told you not to go back to the countryside, but you just had to go! You've come back covered in germs! "And now you're pulling this crap right before we're supposed to leave? How disgusting!" Amelia frowned at me, then picked up her suitcase. "You go to the hospital first. We'll head over without you. Once you're done, just catch a flight and meet us there." The door slammed shut. I stood in the middle of the living room, listening to their footsteps fade down the stairs, followed by the sound of the car starting and driving away. I sat motionless on the couch, waiting for the time to pass. Two hours later, I got the update that the plane had taken off. That was the moment I started making calls. I called the hotel in Walabi first. "This is Kenneth Chambers. I made a reservation yesterday, but I won't be needing the room anymore. I'd like to cancel it." Then I called the restaurants, the airport pickup, and all the activities I booked. I canceled every single booking I'd shown them yesterday. One refund after another came through. Then I called a real estate agent. "The house is my premarital property. Put it on the market. The sooner you can sell it, the better." After that, I left the house, hailed a cab, and went straight to the bank. Amelia had left her bank card at home. She always covered the keypad with her hand whenever she entered her PIN, but I could see everything clearly in the reflection on the counter's glass surface. She kept her guard up around me, so I pretended not to notice. The teller punched in the numbers, then looked at me. "The total is 573,000 dollars." She'd been saving every cent she had for years, never dipping into it once. My paycheck, on the other hand, went entirely toward her family. "I'd like to withdraw everything," I said. As I walked out of the bank with the money, my phone started vibrating like crazy. Before long, I had 37 missed calls. Messages from Amelia started flooding my screen, one after another. "What happened to the hotel reservation?" "Where's the person who was supposed to pick us up? We've been waiting at the airport for an hour! What is going on? Is this how you handle things?" "My parents are starving! The restaurant says there's no reservation under our name, so they won't prepare anything for us!" Her final text was full of fury. "Did you take my money out of my account?"