“I’m not going on the trip,” I said. We were in the kitchen, making dinner. “I’ve canceled my place in the room.”
He turned from the stove. The expression on his face went through several things quickly.
“Olivia –“
“You have reservations confirmed for two people. You and your mother both have rooms. I’d like you to go.”
“You want me to go without you.”
“I’d like you to experience the trip you arranged.”
He set down the spoon. “This is a punishment.”
“It’s not. I’m genuinely not interested in punishing you. I’m telling you that I’m not going to attend an anniversary trip that isn’t an anniversary trip, and that since the reservations exist and are paid for, I’d like you and your mother to use them.”
“So I’m just supposed to go to the coast with my mother for our tenth anniversary.”
“If that’s how you want to characterize it.” I paused. “You could also cancel her room and we could reschedule something for just the two of us. I’d be open to that.”
“It’s four days before departure.”
“Yes.”
He looked at me. “You know she’s been looking forward to this.”
“I know. That’s partly why you’re in this situation.” I kept my voice even. “Nathan, I need you to understand something. Every time your mother’s feelings have come into conflict with an agreement we made, her feelings have won. I’m not saying that to be cruel about her. I’m saying it because I need you to see the pattern, and I need you to understand that I’ve been absorbing the cost of that pattern for years.”