You forgot to invite us to the party.
Rosie adored her husband and considered herself incredibly lucky to have him. Tom was a caring and loving man who did everything to make her happy.
However, Rosie wasn’t as fortunate with her husband’s family. There’s a saying that there’s always a black sheep in the family, but in this case, it seemed the opposite. Tom was the only normal one, while the rest were quite peculiar.
For instance, her father-in-law would always comment on how Rosie seemed to have filled out a bit, wondering if she might be expecting, despite her maintaining the same weight since they first met. This comment seemed to be a standard joke for Len, and he wouldn’t miss saying it even if she lost ten kilos.
Additionally, he often told inappropriate jokes, laughing at his own remarks, which made Rosie extremely uncomfortable. His habit of walking around the house shirtless only added to her awkwardness.
Her mother-in-law, Anne, had a habit of teaching people things she didn’t know much about herself. She advised Rosie on how to dress fashionably, which hairstyle to get, and which lipstick to wear. When Rosie and Tom moved into their own flat, Anne took the liberty to criticize and suggest better arrangements for every single corner.
Then, there was Tom’s younger sister, a flighty woman with two children from different fathers. She hadn’t had serious relationships with either of them. She hauled her kids everywhere and felt that everyone owed her something because she was a mother. This feeling of entitlement extended to expecting priority in queues or on buses.
Despite receiving child support and benefits, as well as sponging off her parents, Natalie was always on the hunt for free stuff. She had an addiction to getting things first, even if she didn’t need them. As a result, their home was cluttered with packs of unused nappies, unwanted clothes, and toys, which Natalie planned to sell as part of what she called her “business.”
Her kids were unruly, but that was hardly their fault given the environment they were growing up in. Whenever they visited someone, they’d hunt for treats and take things without asking. Natalie never corrected their behavior.
Rosie shuddered at the memory of the one time Natalie brought her kids over when they moved in. Natalie gifted them a tea set she’d obviously gotten for free, and by the time they left, there were no chocolates left in the house, a new vase was broken, and there were suspicious chocolate-like smears on the curtains.
So, when Rosie’s birthday approached, she decided not to invite Tom’s family, fearing they would ruin her celebration. Her father-in-law would make inappropriate jokes, her mother-in-law would offer unsolicited advice, and Natalie would scrounge for unwanted items from their guests, while her kids turned the house upside down.
She felt a twinge of guilt towards Tom but hoped he would understand.
“Tom, I want to celebrate my birthday at home with just my parents and a couple of friends.”
“Sure, sounds great. We didn’t decorate this place for nothing,” Tom smiled.
“Certainly, it feels like a photo studio now. Just…”
“What is it?” her husband asked.
“Please don’t be upset, but I don’t want to invite your family.”
Tom sighed and nodded.
“I’m sorry, but I want to relax on my birthday, not be on edge waiting for it to go wrong,” Rosie said apologetically.
“I understand, no need to explain. They can be quite a handful.”
“Are you upset?”
“No, not at all. It’s your day, and it should be how you want it.”
Rosie was reassured once again that she had the best husband in the world. Maybe Tom was adopted, she mused; it would certainly explain a lot.
Rosie didn’t mention her birthday plans to Tom’s parents, just telling them she and Tom would have a private celebration, and Tom asked them to keep it under wraps.
Yet, they found out anyway. Anne called Rosie’s mom, inquiring about something work-related, and Rosie’s mom slipped.
“How could your wife do this to us!?” Anne shouted over the phone to Tom. “Aren’t we part of the family?”
“Mum,” Tom tried to soothe her, “Rosie wanted to celebrate with just her parents and a few close friends. It’s her birthday, so it’s her choice. If we were throwing a big party, of course, we’d invite you.”
“I get it. Make sure you tell your wife we’re deeply hurt.”
Anne hung up, and Tom shook his head. He fully understood Rosie’s feelings. Although it seemed wrong to admit, he had always felt embarrassed by his family and didn’t want Rosie to feel the same.
So he kept the incident to himself, not wanting to ruin her day, and decided to tell her everything after her birthday.
On the morning of Rosie’s twenty-sixth, Tom surprised her with a bouquet and a spa voucher, knowing how exhausted she had been from their wedding, the house renovation, and her hectic job. She deserved to relax.
As the guests began to arrive, Rosie put in a lot of effort: she made a delicious lunch, dressed up, and styled her hair. She was elated and anticipated a day full of happy memories.
However, she had no idea what awaited her.
Once everyone was seated, the doorbell rang.
“Oh, it must be the cake,” Rosie said, springing up. She had forgotten about it and ordered it at the last minute.
Opening the door with a smile, it quickly vanished. There stood the uninvited guests. All of them.
“Happy birthday, Rosie!” Anne said, pursing her lips and handing her a single rose. “Will you invite us in?”
There was no choice but to let them in.
The room was suddenly filled with noise. Natalie’s kids kicked off their shoes and sprinted to the table. Her father-in-law immediately commented on how Rosie’s dress seemed a bit tight.
“You might want to try a size up,” he chuckled.
“You must have forgotten to invite us,” Anne continued, “I see you’ve got guests. But not us. My goodness, Rosie! You invited people, but the floors haven’t been mopped.”
Rosie wanted to point out that it was her grandkids who made the mess, but she refrained.
Her mood deflated. Natalie’s kids created a din, grabbing food with their hands and rummaging through cupboards for sweets. The youngest even started crying when he couldn’t find a cake.
“You could have at least bought a cake. See, Sean’s upset!” Natalie reprimanded. “And are those perfumes a gift for you? Let me try them. You can give me your old ones.”
Throughout all this, Rosie remained silent. Tom, too, was quietly observing. Watching his relatives settle at the table, demanding plates, listening to his mom criticize the food, and his dad making odd jokes.
But Tom lost his patience when he saw Natalie, thinking she was unnoticed, taking the envelope with cash gifts from the table.
“Put it back!” he snapped.
“What do you mean?” Natalie blinked innocently.
“I saw you take it!”
“I was adding some money; I just didn’t have an envelope,” his sister attempted to dodge the accusation.
“Tom, don’t start with Natalie, don’t ruin the evening,” Anne scolded him. “Remind your wife it’s rude not to invite family.”
“And tell her dress size,” her father-in-law laughed, “Rosie, your dress shows all your bumps.”
“That’s it!” Tom slammed his hand on the table, silencing even the children. “Mum, Dad, Natalie, time for you to leave.”
“What?!” Anne was indignant. “How dare you?”
“How dare you show up uninvited? How dare you insult my wife? How can your kids, Natalie, behave so rudely? Until you learn some manners, don’t come here again.”
Naturally, a row broke out, and Rosie only breathed easily once they left.
Of course, her birthday was ruined, and despite attempts from friends and her parents to cheer her up, it was difficult to reclaim the festive spirit.
However, there was an upside: Rosie realized again that she had chosen the right partner. A man who stood up for her, even against his own family. Whatever happened, she knew he was on her side. And that was perhaps the best gift she could have received.
