A Family Getaway Gone Wrong
We’d been counting down the days for weeks—me, Steve, the kids, and Steve’s mom. A break from the hustle and bustle of city life sounded like a dream come true. Steve had been talking non-stop about how he knew all the “best spots,” and I was more than happy to let him take control of the trip planning.
Finally, we arrived at our destination, but the excitement quickly turned to confusion. Steve pulled up to a tiny, rundown hostel on the edge of town. “This can’t be right,” I thought, staring at the peeling paint and creaky door. But just as I was about to question him, Steve dropped a bombshell:
“MOM NEEDS HER COMFORT,” he said, his tone firm. “She can’t deal with the noise from the kids. I need to take care of her, so we’ll be staying at the luxury, adult-only hotel in town so she can relax. Don’t worry, we’ll catch up with you tomorrow.”
Before I could say a word, he and his mom drove off, leaving me standing in front of the hostel with our two confused kids and a mountain of luggage. I couldn’t believe it. My head was spinning, but I kept my cool for the kids’ sake. I took a deep breath and got them settled into our tiny room. After I made a simple dinner, I tucked them in, but sleep didn’t come easy. I stayed up late, fuming.
“This is supposed to be a family vacation,” I thought. “Not a selfish getaway for Steve and his mom.”
The Morning After: Trouble Brewing
The next morning, I woke up to an endless string of missed calls and frantic text messages from Steve.
“CALL ME NOW.”
“Where are you?!”
“I NEED YOUR HELP!”
Curious, I finally picked up. “What’s going on, Steve?” I asked, trying to sound calm, though my frustration was bubbling under the surface.
“You won’t believe this,” he said, his voice frazzled. “The hotel called the police on us!”
“What? Why?” I asked, barely able to hide the smirk creeping onto my face.
“It’s Mom!” he groaned. “She got into an argument with the front desk because they wouldn’t let her smoke on the balcony. She wouldn’t back down, and they kicked us out! We don’t have anywhere to stay!”
“Oh no,” I said, pretending to be sympathetic. “That sounds rough.”
“It IS! The hotel charged us for the full stay, and now Mom’s furious. Can you come get us?”
I let the silence hang for a moment, making him sweat a bit.
“Oh, I’d love to, Steve,” I replied sweetly, “but I’m a bit tied up with the kids right now. You know, keeping them entertained and comfortable at this tiny hostel you thought was good enough for us.”
There was a long pause, and then I heard him mutter, “I messed up, didn’t I?”
“Big time,” I said firmly.
The Apology
By the time Steve and his mom showed up at the hostel later that day, Steve looked completely drained, and his mom refused to meet my eyes, muttering something about needing a cigarette.
“Look,” Steve began, his voice sincere, “I was trying to make things easier for Mom, but I didn’t think about how unfair it was to you and the kids. I’m sorry.”
I raised an eyebrow. “It’s not me you owe an apology to, Steve—it’s the kids. You left us in a place you wouldn’t even stay yourself, just so you and your mom could enjoy luxury. That’s not okay.”
He nodded, looking guilty. “You’re right. I’m sorry. I’ll make it up to them. I promise.”
To his credit, he did. For the rest of the trip, Steve took charge of entertaining the kids and made sure I had time to relax. And to my surprise, he even helped out around the hostel.
The Silent Treatment
As for his mom? Well, she spent the rest of the vacation surprisingly quiet. She stayed in the background, clearly embarrassed by the chaos she’d caused. Whenever I tried to talk to her, she’d mumble something about needing a cigarette, keeping to herself most of the time.
It was a rocky start to the trip, but by the end of it, Steve had learned an important lesson. “Being a husband and father means prioritizing your family—not just the parts that are convenient for you,” I reminded him.
And as for me? Well, I made it clear that “the next time we go on a trip, I’ll be doing the planning.” I gave him a playful look. “And you’ll be the one staying in the tiny hostel—if you’re lucky.”
