“What will the family say when they find out you’re planning to leave on your birthday?” her husband grumbled disapprovingly.
“What do you mean you won’t be here?” he said with a bewildered grin, looking skeptically at the joyful Sarah.
“Exactly that! I’ve decided to finally celebrate my birthday the way I want, not how the family wants!” glowed the fifty-year-old woman, sitting across from James.
“What do we tell the relatives?” James worried, imagining the uproar his mother would cause once she found out.
“Do we have to tell them anything? It’s my birthday, and if I’m not inviting them, why do I need to justify myself?” Sarah responded calmly.
“Do the kids know? They were planning to come!” James winced with annoyance.
“Yes, Alex and Mary supported my decision!”
Sarah’s words caught him by surprise. For about two weeks now, James’s mother, Margaret, had been curious about where and how Sarah intended to celebrate her birthday.
Now, with Sarah’s response that there wouldn’t be any party, James grew anxious. He wasn’t sure how he would explain to his mother that this year was going to be different.
Sensing his concern, Margaret began giving James instructions about the party.
“Hint to Sarah that I’d love the same salads from last year, especially the one with pineapple. She should also prepare the stuffed salmon. She does it so well,” Margaret listed enthusiastically.
Her relationship with Sarah was alright, but certainly not friendly.
Margaret usually didn’t interfere in James and Sarah’s life, except when a celebration was at hand.
Then, as usual, the mother-in-law would insist that Sarah take charge of cooking.
“I’m working; I won’t have time,” Sarah, who was at the school from morning till evening five days a week, would reply.
She was an English teacher and, due to a shortage of staff, worked double shifts.
During such times, Margaret would tearfully plead with Sarah for help.
“Everything you make is always delicious, while mine turns out bland,” sighed Margaret, trying to stir up some sympathy. “Everyone loves your cooking.”
“Your birthday is on a Friday, and I’m working,” Sarah repeatedly explained to her.
“I moved the celebration to Saturday to make it convenient for you,” Margaret announced joyfully. “Don’t worry; I’ll help you too.”
Sarah realized she’d have to cook for her mother-in-law’s birthday after all. She could refuse, but she knew in that case, James’s mother would hold a grudge.
This scenario happened several times a year. Margaret would ask Sarah not only to assist her but also her sister-in-law and other relatives.
Eventually, Sarah realized they were using her as unpaid labor. Instead of relaxing, she spent her weekends cooking for one of the family’s gatherings.
And it wasn’t just James’s family; her own relatives took advantage of her culinary skills too.
At some point, Sarah decided it was enough and that it was time to set boundaries with her demanding relatives.
She decided to start with her birthday. No one would be invited, and instead, she’d spend a couple of days at a hotel in another city, where no one knew her.
That’s exactly what Sarah told James when he inquired about her birthday plans.
“Do your family know yet?” James asked, curious about how her mother would react to the unexpected news since she too wasn’t shy about asking her daughter to cook.
“No. I’m not telling anyone anything. If they ask, I’ll answer,” Sarah replied indifferently. “For once, I won’t be spending the whole day at the stove and the evening serving relatives.”
“I hear you,” James nodded to his wife.
That evening, as if on cue, Margaret called her son with the same question about the birthday.
“Has Sarah made any preparations? Her birthday’s next week, and she hasn’t said a word,” Margaret complained displeased.
“Sarah isn’t having a party this year,” James decided to be straightforward with his mom.
“What do you mean she’s not celebrating? Is she serious? Put her on the phone! I’ll talk to her myself!” Margaret demanded in her commanding tone.
James walked into the kitchen, where Sarah was making dinner. Nudging her, he silently handed over the phone.
“Is it true you’re not celebrating your birthday?” his mother asked in an emotional voice.
“It’s true. I’ve decided not to spend the day in the kitchen but to relax and treat myself like a queen,” Sarah conveyed the full story to Margaret.
“It’s strange you only thought of yourself and didn’t consider others’ opinions,” her mother-in-law replied with frustration. “Do you not want us over?”
“Why should I ask? It’s my birthday,” Sarah replied coolly.
“Will you still help us in the future?” Margaret inquired.
“If I have the time,” Sarah subtly hinted that her help with cooking might be a thing of the past.
“What about your stuffed salmon? And those delicious salads?” James’s mother sighed regretfully. “It’s really inconsiderate of you. You know what? Whether you like it or not, I’m coming over to congratulate you!”
“Feel free to come, but I won’t be home,” Sarah replied and ended the call.
The day before her birthday, James drove his wife to the train station. As she boarded the train, Sarah relaxed and turned off her phone.
She only switched it on the next day, closer to the evening. Instantly, along with the birthday wishes, messages full of disapproval started coming in.
There were over twenty-five messages from Margaret, but Sarah decided not to read them.
She spent about an hour talking with her children, who lived in another city, and then went to a restaurant.
Sarah spent three days in the new city, enjoying peace, quiet, and freedom.
Her husband greeted her at the station, seeing a radiant and fully refreshed birthday girl. By his displeased expression, she knew James was still upset.
However, this didn’t bother Sarah in the slightest. She was delighted she had managed to stand up to her demanding family.
