The Bride Forgot How to Say “Thank You”
“Emily, is there anything to eat at your place?” asked Sarah in a hurry. “I’m starving, it’s terrible. And I’m in such a rush. I’ve got to do everything today since it’s the holiday—Mother’s Day. The girls are waiting for me; we’re heading to the club tonight.”
“Yes, a holiday for sure, you’re right. Our day. Here, this is for you, dear. Happy Mother’s Day,” Emily handed Sarah a cute little box with a bracelet Sarah had been dreaming of for years.
She couldn’t afford to buy it for herself. Her salary seemed to disappear in no time. There was always something urgent—a cool new jacket, getting her hair done, or meeting friends. She couldn’t deny herself these little joys. Emily knew about Sarah’s desire and wanted to give her something special. Sarah was like family. Emily had always dreamed of having a daughter, besides her grown-up son. When James brought Sarah, his girlfriend, home, it was as if her wish came true. Emily loved her deeply and spoiled her a lot.
Emily didn’t adore the delicate girl because Sarah was particularly special or kind. Emily was just like that—she cherished her son and, therefore, loved everyone and everything connected to him. Sarah had been dating him for three years. Emily, being an ideal future mother-in-law, tried to make her part of the family.
But there was one thing she hadn’t considered: some people take advantage of kindness. They quickly get used to the good things in life and start believing they deserve it all. Gratitude fades, and they eventually think it’s normal to have everything handed to them on a silver platter.
So it was with Sarah. From the first day they met, Emily decided she’d do everything to make Sarah feel comfortable in the family. Emily and her husband, David, James’ father, had recently moved to a lovely home in the countryside. A few weeks after meeting Sarah, Emily invited her to stay the night.
From that moment on, Sarah lived in James’ room, never asking permission from him or his family. It was as if it was entirely natural. No one really seemed to mind, but sometimes, Emily and David, as parents of an adult son, wanted to spend some time alone with their family. But there was no such opportunity anymore.
Sarah found this house much nicer than her small flat with her mom and grandmother. The house had an excellent renovation, and there were all the comforts of life. The fridge was always stocked with food to suit any taste. Tasty fresh meals were always ready, and there was no need to clean, as Emily took care of everything joyfully herself.
Sarah was always included in family outings, visiting friends in neighboring towns. At Emily’s friend, Claire’s, house, the family was greeted with warmth. Delicious dinners, comfortable beds, and fun activities were always ensured for Sarah as well. Everyone at Claire’s loved Sarah. She loved visiting them—fed, entertained, and taken out, it was like a fairy tale life.
Over the three years as James’ family member, Sarah even went on two free trips to the seaside, despite having a well-paying job. Even at country resorts, she never contributed a penny. She never even bought groceries or something as simple as cakes for tea.
It might have seemed that Sarah was just enjoying being with such kind, generous, and hospitable people. But no, Emily, her husband, nor James ever thought ill of her. Sarah was cheerful, open, and lively. It wasn’t until that crucial Mother’s Day that Emily’s perspective started changing.
On that Mother’s Day, Emily and her best friend Claire decided to celebrate together. Claire had come to the city to visit Emily. They took a hotel room with facilities including a pool and spa, and massages just for the occasion. They could even invite a few guests, but only until eleven at night.
The friends had a great time laughing, drinking champagne, and talking about everything. Their harmony was interrupted by none other than Sarah. Surprisingly, but true. “Hello, Emily. James said you were at the SPA today? Mind if I come over for a bit?” Emily was taken aback. She thought two adult women, best friends, deserved some time alone, leaving behind the house chores and family duties (and Claire had three kids, after all). Why did they need anyone else when they were having fun on their own?
But saying no to Sarah felt wrong. “Alright then, come on over,” mumbled Emily hesitantly.
“Are we expecting someone else?” Claire asked in surprise.
“Yeah, Sarah will join us for a bit.”
“Oh, I see. Well, I brought a gift for her, thinking you’d pass it on for me, but now I can give it to her myself.”
“So did I. I meant to give it at home… but okay.”
Within fifteen minutes, Sarah was at their door. “Oh, what a lovely place! It’s beautiful here. Is the spa open? I’ll go since I’m short on time.” Sarah quickly donned a white robe and went to unwind.
Claire and Emily exchanged surprised looks but shrugged and continued their conversation. Meanwhile, a lavish dinner arrived from the restaurant—oysters, mussels, exotic fruits, sweets, fish, and caviar, extravagant and luxurious for their special day.
As the friends enjoyed the marvelous dinner, Sarah returned. “What have we got here? Delicious, mmm…” She joined them without any courtesy.
Emily and Claire felt a bit uneasy but carried on. Emily decided to lighten the mood by giving Sarah her gift. “Oh, how neat. I wanted just this!” Sarah mumbled while finishing another oyster.
Claire also congratulated Sarah with a gentle kiss on the cheek. Silence followed—Sarah didn’t properly say thank you nor offer any wishes in return. It felt like Mother’s Day was only about her.
“Alright, I need to hurry. The girls are waiting, and I need to go home, wash my hair, and change.”
“You know, Sarah, James is waiting for you at home? Sure, you worked today and probably didn’t meet him, but now?”
“He told me, but like I said, my friends are waiting. They’ve booked a table at the club. I want to relax with them tonight.”
“James made dinner for you. And a gift. You’ll love it.” Emily had arranged in advance with James to gift a bracelet, while James saved up for months to buy matching earrings. Things Sarah couldn’t even dream of. But seeing her lukewarm response to Emily’s gift, Emily felt disheartened. Maybe Sarah expected something else, or perhaps she forgot how to be grateful. Most likely, it was the latter. James’ family had spoiled her too much; she took everything they did for granted.
“Sarah, spend some time with James. He prepared and waited for you,” Emily insisted. “He can drive you to the club and pick you up.”
“No worries. I’ll see him in the morning. Our friends invited us for quad biking. I’ve wanted to go forever.”
“And dinner? And the gift?”
“He can eat the dinner himself, and I’ll collect the gift tomorrow, no big deal.”
Sarah left as quickly as she had arrived. She didn’t wish Emily or Claire a happy holiday or brought any presents. Off she went to amuse herself, not where the dear person was waiting but where she wanted to have fun. Everything seemed to make sense now.
The room was quiet.
“Emily, I don’t mean to say anything, but…”
“Yes, I understand. I realized I have much to blame for myself. I did too much good for this girl. So much that she forgot how to say thank you, but learned to take advantage of people spectacularly well.”
The friends decided not to ruin their evening with thoughts and discussions about the shameless Sarah.
The next morning, James had a very important conversation awaiting with his mom…
