Put Him in His Place
“Mom said the restaurant’s confirmed,” Hannah spoke as though ignoring the tension in Jane’s voice. “And about the money. Did you and Mark transfer everything?”
Jane paused momentarily, searching for the right words, but Hannah continued:
“The amount is modest, really. I even thought about contributing some of mine, but you know, with my expenses… This is all for Mom, you understand.”
“Wait,” Jane interrupted, trying to maintain her composure. “We never agreed on this. Mark didn’t tell me anything.”
“Oh, you know how he is, always forgetting everything,” Hannah laughed, as if it was the most normal thing in the world. “I told him it would be about three hundred pounds from you. That’s reasonable for this kind of event, right?”
The words sounded as if the decision had long been made, and any objections seemed absurd. Jane tightened her grip on the phone, feeling her irritation grow.
“Three hundred pounds?” She repeated slowly, almost whispering.
“Yes, I even got a discount! There’s cakes and service, you’ll see. Mom will love it. Don’t stress; I already paid the deposit. Mark said you’d handle the rest.”
Hannah hung up without waiting for a reply.
Jane sat staring at the phone. A lump formed in her throat, and one thought lingered in her mind: “Once again, it’s all one-sided.”
***
That evening, the tension in the kitchen felt as taut as a tightrope. Mark opened the fridge, pulled out a beer, and mumbled without looking at Jane, “Hannah said you’re against giving money for the restaurant.”
Jane froze.
“Against? Is that what she said?” She rose from her chair, trying to keep herself calm. “Did I refuse? I didn’t even know about it until she called and threw it on me.”
Mark frowned as he turned around.
“Come on, she’s not doing it for herself. Mom doesn’t have a birthday every year.”
“And it’s not a problem that she’s ‘managed’ it on our dime? Three hundred, Mark!” Jane restrained herself from shouting, “Three hundred pounds! Is that okay to you?”
Mark shrugged and looked away.
“Well, it’s for Mom. What do you expect? Hannah did a good job organizing everything.”
Jane scoffed.
“Good job, indeed. But it’s easy to be efficient with someone else’s money. And you know, Mark, I don’t understand why you just agreed without talking to me. Did we discuss it together? No. She just decided, and you nodded along.”
“Just stop,” Mark waved a hand and took a sip. “She’s trying her best.”
“For whom? Us? Mom? Or herself?” Jane raised her voice but quickly toned down to avoid waking their son. “Mark, I can’t keep doing this. With her, it’s always: ‘give me, send it, pay up.’ Then she disappears as if she never asked.”
He pondered, staring into his glass.
“What can I do? That’s just her. Do you want to talk to her yourself?”
“I already did,” Jane replied curtly. “And you know what she told me? It’s our duty.”
“What did you expect? She’s handling everything. Maybe her life is tougher than ours.”
“Handling it?!”. Jane snapped, “Mark, all she does is manipulate everyone around her, and you just let her!”
The conversation reached an impasse. Mark shrugged, mumbled something indecipherable, and left the room, leaving Jane alone with her thoughts.
***
The following morning began with an unexpected call. Jane picked up reluctantly.
“Hey Jane! You busy?” Hannah’s voice was surprisingly upbeat.
“Listening,” Jane replied tersely, bracing for another ‘favor’.
“Listen, I need a favor. I started a small project with a neighbor. An online shop, you know how it is these days. So, I need to pay for something, but I’m completely broke. I thought maybe you could lend me your card temporarily, just for a couple of days.”
Jane froze momentarily, processing what she heard.
“Hannah,” her voice was firm, “are you serious? My card?”
“Well, yes! What’s the big deal? I’ll be careful. I’ll account for everything, won’t spend anything extra.”
“No. This isn’t up for discussion.”
There was silence on the other end.
“I don’t understand,” Hannah’s voice no longer sounded confident. “It’s just a card. Why refuse me?”
“Hannah, because I value my peace of mind. And my card.”
“Jane, don’t you trust me?” Hannah sounded agitated, but it was more of a tactic.
Jane held back from saying too much.
“Let’s end this here, Hannah. I’m busy.”
She hung up, feeling both relieved and angry. Hannah was overstepping all boundaries.
That evening, when Mark returned from work, Jane knew the conversation would be tough.
“Mark,” she began calmly, “your sister called again.”
He removed his shoes, delaying a glance in her direction.
“What now?”
“She asked for my card. For some project of hers.”
Mark looked at her, surprised.
“And what did you say?”
“Of course, I said no.”
“Why couldn’t you just help out?” He spoke sharply. “It’s Hannah.”
Jane sighed, controlling her temper.
“Mark, is it a family thing with you lot, not understanding the difference between a request and an imposition? Can’t she handle things herself?”
“Jane, she wasn’t asking for millions. You always make things so complicated.”
She looked at him, disbelief clear in her eyes.
“Complicated? I make it complicated? Do you really think this can go on indefinitely?”
Mark paused, then muttered, “She just needed a little help, that’s all.”
“Right, and then she’ll disappear, and we’re left dealing with the aftermath.”
He waved dismissively and retreated to his room.
Jane sat at the kitchen table, feeling something break inside. She couldn’t tolerate it any longer. Hannah wasn’t just interfering in their lives; she was wrecking it.
Throughout the evening, Jane pondered how to end it. A plan formed in her mind: calm, reasonable, and most importantly, final.
***
The following week, they were invited to a family gathering. Almost everyone was there: grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins. Hannah, as always, was in the limelight, loudly boasting about how “invested in the future” she was. Jane watched the spectacle with a calm, nearly indifferent expression.
Mark sat beside her, clearly nervous as if sensing something unpleasant was about to happen.
“So,” Hannah continued, addressing everyone, “my neighbor and I are launching this brilliant project. We’re doing it all on our own, you know how challenging it is nowadays.”
Jane cleared her throat to draw attention.
“Hannah, what about using someone else’s money for your project?”
Everyone around the table paused. Hannah didn’t immediately realize the remark was aimed at her.
“What do you mean?” Her voice sounded tense.
“You asked for my card for ‘temporary expenses’. And before that, Mark gave you money for car repairs. By the way, did you return that money?”
Hannah blushed.
“Well, they’re just small things. Why bring them up here?”
Jane was relentless.
“It’s not trivial when you keep trying to live off others.”
“I don’t get why you’re so angry,” Hannah attempted a smile, but it wavered. “We’re family.”
“Family?” Jane raised her eyebrows. “What kind of family takes without returning, then acts offended when refused?”
Silence hung over the table. Mark tried to interject, but Jane cut him off.
“No, Mark. Stop covering for her. We’ve already spent tons on her and our own nerves. Now she can explain why she needs my card.”
Hannah jumped to her feet, fists clenched.
“You’re just jealous, Jane! I’m trying for everyone, while you only sit and count pennies.”
“Jealous?” Jane smirked. “Of you conning everyone? Don’t make me laugh.”
Hannah slapped her hand on the table and stormed out.
Mark stood, looking at Jane in dismay.
“Why go so far? She’s my sister.”
“And why do you let her get away with it?” Jane replied, holding his gaze.
He said nothing, only shook his head and left after Hannah.
Jane realized she’d accomplished what she set out to do: the truth was out. But it felt more like a loss than a win. The rest avoided her gaze, maintaining their quiet.
That evening, Mark didn’t return home. He sent a brief message: “I need time to think about everything.”
Jane sat on the couch. She knew she’d done the right thing, yet something inside refused to recognize it as a victory.
