“It’s okay.”
“It isn’t.”
I turned toward him.
He lowered his voice.
“I should have said something.”
“Yes.”
He flinched.
I hadn’t meant to say it so directly.
But there was no point pretending anymore.
He looked down.
“I’m sorry.”
“For what?”
“You know.”
“I want to hear you say it.”
He swallowed.
“I should have told her you paid.”
“She already knew.”
“I know.”
“Then why didn’t you?”
He looked away.
“I didn’t want a fight.”
I almost laughed.
“A fight?”
“Mom—”
“You weren’t trying to avoid a fight, Michael.”
He stared at me.
“You were trying to avoid making your wife angry.”
He didn’t answer.
That was answer enough.
I turned back toward the window.
The mountains below gave way to ocean.
Beautiful.
Bright.
Endless.
I had wanted this trip to be a gift.
Now it felt like a test I hadn’t known I was taking.
Michael eventually returned to his seat.
I spent most of the flight reading.
I didn’t speak to Vanessa.
She didn’t speak to me.
But every now and then, I could hear her laughing with Michael.
It sounded forced.
Maybe hers was.
Maybe his was.
I didn’t know anymore.
When we landed, Vanessa immediately took out her phone.
“Are they still waiting for us?”
Michael nodded.
“Yes.”
“The private transfer?”
“Yes.”
She smiled.
“Good.”
I followed them through the terminal.
The Cabo heat wrapped around me the moment we stepped outside.
I took a breath.
Warm air.
Salt.
Palm trees.
Bright sky.
For one second, I forgot everything.
Then I saw the private transfer desk.
The resort’s name was printed on a polished sign.
The employee smiled.
“Mr. and Mrs.
Carter?”
Vanessa stepped forward.
“Yes.”
He checked his tablet.
His smile disappeared.
“I’m sorry.”
Vanessa frowned.
“What?”
The employee looked at the screen again.
“There appears to be a payment issue with your reservation.”
“What kind of issue?”
“The card guaranteeing the booking is no longer valid.”
Vanessa laughed.
“That’s impossible.”
“I’m sorry.”
He turned the tablet slightly.
“The payment method was removed.”
“Removed?”
“Yes.”
“By whom?”
He glanced at the reservation.
“I don’t have access to that information.”
Vanessa’s face hardened.
“Can you just process the reservation?”
“We need an active payment method.”
“You already have our reservation.”
“Yes.”
“Then what’s the problem?”
“The guarantee.”
She looked at Michael.
“Call the resort.”
Michael pulled out his phone.
“I’ll call.”
The employee continued.
“Until the payment method is replaced, the transfer cannot be released.”
Vanessa looked at me.
I stood several feet behind them.
Quiet.
She stared.
Then she understood.
Her sunglasses hid her eyes, but I saw the change in her face.
“You.”
I said nothing.
“Carol.”
I kept holding my suitcase.
“What?”
“You did this.”
Michael looked between us.
“Mom?”
Vanessa took off her sunglasses.
“You removed the card.”
I didn’t deny it.
“Yes.”
Michael’s face went pale.
“Why?”
I looked at him.
“Because your wife told everyone at the airport that she paid for this vacation.”
Vanessa stepped toward me.
“Are you serious?”
“Completely.”
“You would sabotage our anniversary over one argument?”
“No.”
I kept my voice calm.
“I’m not sabotaging anything.”
“You canceled our reservation!”
“I didn’t cancel anything.”
The employee looked uncomfortable.
I continued.
“I removed my payment method.
The reservation can still be paid for.”
Vanessa stared at me.
“You knew this would happen.”
“Yes.”
“That’s unbelievable.”
“You said you paid for the trip.”
“I did!”
I raised an eyebrow.
“Then pay for it.”
She opened her mouth.
Nothing came out.
Michael looked at her.
“Vanessa.”
She turned on him.
“Don’t.”
“I thought you said we paid for it.”
“We did.”
“With what?”
She glared at him.
“Why are you asking me that?”
“Because Mom removed her card.”
The employee cleared his throat.
“If you’d like, I can contact the resort and see whether an alternate payment method can be added.”
Vanessa straightened.
“Yes.”
“Of course.”
She pulled out her credit card.
“Use this.”
The employee entered the number.
He waited.
Then his expression changed.
“I’m sorry.
The available credit is not sufficient for the guarantee.”
Vanessa’s face turned red.
“Try again.”
“I did.”
“Try again.”
He did.
Same result.
Michael looked at her.
“How much do we need?”
The employee checked.
“The outstanding balance for the reservation and services is approximately—”
He told them.
Vanessa stared at him.
It was almost exactly what I had paid.
Twelve thousand dollars.
She laughed.
Not because anything was funny.
Because she didn’t know what else to do.
“You have to be kidding.”
The employee shook his head.
“I’m sorry.”
“We’re not paying twelve thousand dollars.”
I looked at her.
“You said you already did.”
She turned toward me.
“You are enjoying this.”
“No.”
I shook my head.
“I’m not.”
And that was the truth.
I wasn’t enjoying it.
