After They Barred My Mom From Sanya, I Refunded Everyone's Tickets

When my husband Cornelius James broke his leg in an accident, my mother dropped everything back home in the countryside and came specially to take care of him.

A month later, he made a full recovery.

The day he was discharged, he took my mother's hand in front of every doctor and nurse there and thanked her.

"Mom, you've worked so hard. From now on you're my own mother. Next week I'll take vacation days and bring you to Miami."

My mother was as happy as a child.

But on the day we checked in at the airport, the staff stopped her.

"This lady doesn't have a ticket. She can't come through."

I went through his phone.

Only then did I find six tickets, six seats.

His dad, his mom, his sister, even a cousin so distant he barely counted.

Everyone but my mother.

I turned to Cornelius.

"Where's my mom's ticket?"

He frowned.

"I didn't buy her one. Your mom's just a country old lady. What's she going to do in Miami?"

"She won't be used to the hotel, she won't be used to the food. She'll just end up being a burden to all of us."

I looked at my mother.

A month of caring for Cornelius day and night, and her cheeks had gone thin, nothing left but bone.

Then I looked at my mother-in-law.

Nice clothes, gold bracelet on her wrist, bright and full of energy.

In that moment, I finally understood.

That "own mother" Cornelius had called her was just a name to coax her into working.

When they needed my mother's labor, she was family.

When they didn't, she wasn't even worth a single plane ticket.

Fine. Then none of them were going either.

Thirty minutes before boarding, I canceled every one of their tickets.

Then I booked two tickets to Aspen.

This time, I was going to make them understand.

The one left behind would never be my mother.

Beside me, Cornelius was still going on with his explanations.

"Babe, it's not that I couldn't stand to let your mom come. It's one plane ticket. How much could that cost?"

"I was really thinking of Mom. Miami's so far, the food and the lodging are nothing like the countryside. A country old lady goes all that way, what if the climate doesn't agree with her?"

He said it with such a serious face, as if he were being so considerate.

But I wouldn't believe a single word he said anymore.

A week ago, it was him, with his own mouth, in front of the doctors.

To thank my mother for a month of hard care, he'd take vacation days and bring her to Miami.

Yet today, six tickets.

Even his cousin he barely knew got one.

"Besides, your mom's not like mine."

Cornelius went on, sounding more righteous by the second.

"My mom loves to travel, she's used to long trips, she can go anywhere. But this is your mom's first time, right?"

"We can't ruin the whole trip for everybody just for your mom's sake, can we?"

I looked at that face of his, so sure it was in the right, and my heart went cold, bit by bit. I said nothing.

My mother-in-law jumped in.

"Exactly, Layla Summers, don't be difficult now. Your dad passed early, and you're your mom's only daughter. All the more reason you should be thinking of her."

My father-in-law nodded along.

"Right, she's getting on in years, no need to drag her around. Next time we'll pick somewhere closer."

"Somewhere nearby, take a little walk, stroll through a park. So much easier, and it doesn't cost a thing."

"Isn't that right, Adeline Summers?"

When her name came up, my mother was still clutching that little red suitcase.

Inside it was the cured bacon and dried vegetables she'd brought specially for everyone, along with a few new outfits she couldn't bear to wear herself.

She kept her head down, swallowing her disappointment, and said quietly to me,

"Layla, maybe just let it go."

"Cornelius and the others are right. I'm a country person, I really haven't been anywhere as far as Miami. If the climate doesn't agree with me, I'll hold everyone up."

"I'll just stay here, watch the house for you, do some cleaning."

Hearing that, my nose stung.

She was always like this.

Even when someone ground her face into the dirt, her first instinct was to think of them, afraid of being a burden to me.

But why should she?

This whole month, the one up at five every morning boiling bone broth for Cornelius was her.

The one running through every market nearby, picking out only the freshest pork ribs so he'd heal faster, was her.

The one sitting on the edge of the bed at night, massaging his aching leg over and over so he could sleep, was her.

And his parents never once showed their faces.

Now she was the one who'd given the most, and she didn't deserve a single ticket to Miami?

But I didn't argue with them.

Because people like this, their hearts are always slanted.

It's not that they can't understand. They just choose to pretend they don't.

But I would not let this go.

My father passed early.

It was my mother alone who raised me.

How much she'd endured, how much she'd swallowed, I knew better than anyone.

I would never stand by and watch her be trampled underfoot.

At that thought,

I lowered my head and moved fast on Cornelius's phone.

Before he noticed, I used the verification code to log into his travel account on my own phone.

Looking at those six tickets on the screen, I smiled.

If they didn't want my mother to go, then none of them would go.

Thirty minutes before they boarded, I would cancel every ticket, and let them find out for themselves what it felt like to be stopped at the gate by airport staff!

Watching me tap and swipe at the phone, Cornelius had no idea I was logging into his account. He thought I was just poking at the screen to vent, and his face got worse by the second.

"Layla, what's the meaning of this?"

"If you've got something to say, say it. Don't sit there in silence just to make me feel bad."

"Everyone's standing here waiting. Do you really have to make a scene until nobody's happy?"

Selina and Eustace's faces went hard too.

"So immature. Making a fuss this long over some little thing."

Eustace shook his head.

"Forget it. If you want to stand here wasting time, then waste it. Stay as long as you like."

"We've got the airport shops to browse. We're not staying here with you."

And with that, they pulled Cornelius's cousins along and headed straight for security.

They didn't spare my mother so much as a glance.

Cornelius watched them go, then looked at the phone in my hand, his face livid.

"Layla, look what you've done."

"A perfectly good trip that hasn't even started, and you've ruined it. Look at it."

"If this is going to be your attitude, then don't come. Stay home and keep your mother company!"

With that, he snatched the phone out of my hand, turned, and hurried after his parents.

My mother panicked and rushed after him.

"Cornelius, don't be angry. Don't leave Layla behind."

Hearing his name called, Cornelius turned his head.

But the second he saw it was my mother, he spun right back around.

His steps even picked up, quicker than before, as if my mother were something clinging to him he couldn't shake off.

She saw it. She stopped chasing, dropped her head, and the tears came.

"Layla, am I a burden to you?"

My eyes stung.

The disgust I felt for the Jameses only deepened.

"No. You're not a burden."

I held my mother's hand tight.

"You never were."

"And besides, all of this is their fault. Every bit of it."

"Layla..."

She wanted to say something more, some words to talk me down, but I didn't give her the chance.

This one year of marriage, and I'd already lost every last bit of faith in Cornelius.

From small things, like never putting the toilet seat down, to big ones, like lying that his father had hurt his leg and needed money for treatment, when really he'd been funding their trips around the country behind my back.

I'd already been thinking about divorcing him.

After what had happened with my mother, I was only more certain.

Cornelius was no good man.

And the Jameses were no place to stay.

"Mom, I know what I'm doing. Don't worry about me."

I said it with a smile.

"Right now, the first thing we do is buy tickets to Aspen!"

My mother froze.

"Aspen? You're not going to Miami anymore?"

I nodded.

"No."

"I only want to go to Aspen with you!"

That threw her.

"But your mother-in-law and the rest of them, won't they have something to say?"

"It doesn't matter anymore."

For the first time, I let my mother see that I was thinking about divorce.

"Mom, once we're back from Aspen, I'm divorcing Cornelius."

My mother went quiet all at once.

For a long time. Long enough that I thought the words had frightened her.

Then she pulled me into her arms.

"My Layla, you've suffered. Whatever you do, I'm behind you."

There were plenty of flights to Aspen.

I booked the earliest one.

Its departure was set exactly half an hour before Cornelius and his family's flight to Miami.

After getting my mother checked in, I took her to wander the airport with me.

We were passing a scarf boutique when we spotted the James family.

They were on a shopping spree, arms loaded with bags.

A chill went through me, and I opened the joint account Cornelius and I shared.

In just twenty minutes, the five hundred thousand in it had dropped to four hundred seventy thousand.

And nearly all of that money was mine.

He'd been out of work for six months already.

I'd just never called it out, to let him keep his dignity.

But now he was taking the money I'd earned on grueling business trips and overtime, and spending it to make his family happy.

I let out a cold laugh and quickly transferred every cent out of the account.

From this moment on, he wasn't touching a single dollar of it.

If he wanted to keep his family happy, he could pay out of his own pocket.

When they saw us walk over, especially my mother, Selina's brow drew tight.

Adeline, don't just go touching things. Those rough hands of yours from hoeing fields out in the countryside, if you snag a thread on that scarf, that would be a real problem!

My mother had just taken a liking to one of the scarves.

At those words she drew her hand back, not daring to touch it.

This wasn't the first time.

She loved showing off her superiority in front of my mother.

Before, I'd always wanted to flare up to her face, but my mother would stop me.

But now I was about to get divorced.

Why should I hold back.

I turned to the salesgirl.

Which is the most expensive scarf in your shop?

The salesgirl's face lit up, and she quickly brought out the priciest one, packaged in a box.

Ma'am, this is our limited edition. Only ten in the world, all hand-embroidered. The price is eighty-eight thousand.

The moment Selina heard the price, her eyes lit up.

Cornelius, look, this one would suit me perfectly.

She reached out to grab it.

I slapped the back of her hand.

Can you even afford it? And you're grabbing?

Hands that rough, careful you don't snag a thread on the scarf!

Selina had never suffered such humiliation. Her mouth fell open and she made to curse at me.

But Cornelius pulled her back.

He lowered his voice and said to her,

Mom, Layla is definitely buying this to honor you.

Once you have it, I'll take you a nice photo.

Selina was won over, all her displeasure at having her hand pushed away wiped clean.

I rolled my eyes inside. Give it to her?

I'd throw it away before I gave it to her.

After paying, I took my mother's hand and headed for the door.

Selina panicked and blocked my path.

Layla, what's the matter with you? Hurry up and hand over the scarf you bought for me. Do you expect me to ask nicely?

Cornelius chimed in from the side.

That's right, Layla, hurry up. I know you bought this scarf to make it up to Mom, to apologize for your mother spoiling her mood just now.

An apology should come with the right attitude.

He gave my mother her orders.

Adeline, when it's time, you hand the scarf to my mother and apologize in person.

My mother didn't do as she was told like before. She waited for me to give the word.

Before I could speak, Eustace started grumbling too.

Why should it stop there? She didn't only spoil your mother-in-law's mood. You have to buy me an apology gift too, no less than eighty thousand!

The moment he said it, Cornelius's cousins joined in.

We want one too. We got upset just now as well. Our gifts can't be less than eighty thousand either!

Eighty thousand this, eighty thousand that. The nerve. Do you people even deserve it?

I was laughing now.

I looked back at Selina.

And you, did I ever say the scarf was for you? Stop flattering yourself. This is for my mother.

If you want one, have your son buy it!

I threw the words down and took my mother's hand, heading back.

The intercom was already announcing that boarding had opened for our flight. It was time to get in line.

Behind me Selina was still throwing a fit over the scarf, with Cornelius groveling to soothe her.

It wasn't until he said he'd buy her one exactly like it that she stopped crying.

Except.

I'd already transferred all the money away.

Where was he going to get the money to pay?

Sure enough, the moment we boarded the plane, Cornelius called.

Again and again.

I didn't pick up any of them.

He started texting.

Layla, have you lost your mind?

How could you transfer out that four hundred seventy thousand without asking me? I don't have money to buy the scarf now, transfer it back!

I've always kept track of my accounts, so I sent the statement over at once.

You've been unemployed for six months, and saved a total of thirty thousand. I have four hundred seventy thousand. Today you spent it all on your family. Tell me, where in what's left is there any part that's yours?

He was still self-righteous.

So what? We're husband and wife. Even if I don't earn a single cent, part of what's in there is mine!

Hurry up and transfer the money to me, or when you get to Miami, don't even dream of staying at the hotel I booked!

I laughed.

He wanted to threaten me with the hotel.

Well, they'd have to make it onto the plane first.

I sent back one word, Get lost!, and blocked him.

That attitude of mine tipped Selina right over the edge.

I'd barely gotten a few words in with my mother before the family group chat lit up with a flood of messages.

I opened it. All of it was Selina, sobbing her heart out.

I worked myself to the bone raising my son, and this is the kind of wife he ends up with.

My son arranges a trip for her mother out of pure kindness, and what does she do? Not a shred of gratitude. She goes and transfers every cent out of the family account.

The relatives piled on fast.

Layla, how can you treat your mother-in-law like this? Once you marry in, you're supposed to know your place.

I said it from the start, didn't I? Don't marry a country girl. They're all from the sticks, what kind of manners could you expect?

Exactly. Cornelius has a college degree, he could've had any woman he wanted. How did he end up with such a crooked little tree?

I read through it all and couldn't help laughing.

Same old routine, running down country people.

When they were the ones being waited on hand and foot by my mother, why didn't her being from the countryside bother them then?

When Cornelius broke his leg, nobody was calling my mother a country woman.

Take the food and curse the cook. No shame at all.

Now one line, "that old country woman," and they think it wipes out everything she gave.

Really, it was almost funny.

I was about to leave the chat when a message from Cornelius's cousin Hildegarde James popped up.

Auntie, don't take it too hard. There's a much better opportunity right in front of you now.

My boss's daughter just got divorced. Her family's worth hundreds of millions. Now that's a real match for Cornelius.

She's traveling in a lawless region abroad right now. What do you all think, why not reroute and go meet her there?

That stopped me cold.

Just last night I'd seen Hildegarde on her social media feed, bragging that she had a big deal coming up soon, one that would make her a lot of money.

That big deal wouldn't happen to be the James family, would it?

Hildegarde wasn't done.

A man should always aim higher. Layla comes from a single-parent home. A woman like that, her horizons and her circle only go so far.

The chat filled up with flattery on cue.

Cornelius is so impressive, he really should find someone with better standing.

Cornelius said nothing.

It was Selina who went straight to Hildegarde and had her post the contact details in the chat.

I was still weighing whether to warn them when someone kicked me out of the group.

Fine by me. No point talking sense into people bent on their own ruin.

Right then, the boarding announcement came over the speakers.

"Passengers traveling to Aspen, your flight is now boarding. Please power down all electronic devices."

I quickly canceled Cornelius and his family's check-in, refunded the tickets, and switched off my phone.

Then I took my mother's hand and started toward the gate.

"Mom, ready?"

She still looked uneasy.

"Layla, if we just leave like this, your husband's family will..."

I smiled.

"Mom."

"From today on, we don't have to deal with them anymore."

"This time, let me be the one to show you the world out there."

My mother looked at me, and her eyes slowly went red.

"All right. I'll do as you say."