I (32F) have been dealing with my sister-in-law Sarah (29F) for years now. She’s married to my husband’s brother, and ever since she joined the family, she’s been a constant source of frustration, especially when it comes to money.
Sarah has a habit of never paying her fair share. Whether it’s group gifts, family vacations, or dining out, she always has an excuse. “Oh, I forgot my wallet,” or “I’ll get you next time,” are her go-to phrases. The thing is, there never is a next time.
Last weekend was my husband’s birthday, and we decided to celebrate at an upscale restaurant. As usual, Sarah and her husband (my brother-in-law) were invited. I had a feeling she’d pull her usual stunt, so I decided to be prepared.
When we arrived at the restaurant, Sarah immediately started ordering the most expensive items on the menu. Caviar, lobster, wagyu beef, you name it. I could see my husband tensing up, knowing he’d likely be stuck with the bill again.
Halfway through the meal, Sarah loudly announced, “This is so wonderful! It’s so nice of you to treat us all for your birthday, John!” My husband looked confused, as we hadn’t discussed treating anyone.
That’s when I spoke up. “Actually, Sarah, we’re doing separate checks tonight. I already arranged it with the waiter when I made the reservation.”
The color drained from Sarah’s face. “But… I thought… I mean, it’s a celebration, right?”
“Yes,” I replied calmly, “but everyone’s responsible for their own meals. I’m sure you understand, given the current economy and all.”
Sarah sputtered, looking to her husband for help. He just shrugged, clearly embarrassed. “Sorry, honey. I told you to bring your card just in case.”
The rest of the dinner was awkward, to say the least. Sarah barely touched her expensive meal and kept shooting daggers at me with her eyes.
As we were leaving, she pulled me aside. “How could you do this to me?” she hissed. “You know our situation. We can’t afford this!”
I couldn’t hold back anymore. “Sarah, you’ve been mooching off us for years. If you can’t afford expensive restaurants, don’t order the priciest items on the menu. We’re all adults here, and it’s time you started acting like one.”
She stormed off, and I haven’t heard from her since. My husband is torn – he agrees Sarah needed a wake-up call but thinks I might have gone too far. My brother-in-law called the next day, not to apologize, but to sheepishly ask if we could help with their bill “just this once.”
Here’s where it gets complicated: I just found out that Sarah recently lost her job but has been keeping it a secret from the family. My brother-in-law confided this to my husband, swearing him to secrecy. Apparently, they’ve been struggling financially for months.
Now I’m feeling conflicted. On one hand, I’m frustrated with years of Sarah taking advantage of us. On the other hand, I feel terrible for exposing their situation in such a public way.
So, NISE, was I wrong for giving my sister-in-law a taste of her own medicine, even though I unknowingly exposed a sensitive situation?
Source: nowiveseeneverything
