Part 1Her Parisian Ballet Dream, My Final Invoice

My cousin Chloe wanted to go to Paris for an advanced ballet intensive.

My mother asked me for $15,000 to pay for it.

I took a screenshot of my bank account balance and sent it to her—exactly fifteen thousand dollars and twenty cents. Not a penny more.

Five seconds later, her message popped up: [Keep a hundred bucks for groceries, transfer the rest to me right now.]

* * *

Before my finger could even touch the screen, another message from my mom popped up.

"By the way, when are you coming home? Mom is making that chicken stew you love."

"Next month, my CD at the bank matures. I won't be short a single penny, and I'll pay you back immediately."

Home?

I had actually gone home just yesterday.

A former classmate was having her wedding in our hometown. Last week, I specifically mentioned this to my mom, telling her I would stay the night after the reception and head back to the city early the next morning.

She agreed enthusiastically on the phone, saying she would leave the door unlocked for me.

But when I arrived at the door, I found the deadbolt locked from the inside.

I was just about to knock when my mother's voice drifted out from inside.

"As soon as your sister gets off work tonight, I'll ask her for the money. Don't worry, you are going to that ballet program."

"Aunt Sarah, will Maya agree to this? It's $15,000, after all. And you still haven't paid her back for what you borrowed before."

"Why wouldn't she be willing? She has the softest heart."

My mom chuckled, a hint of disdain in her tone.

"Let's be honest, she's plain-looking and has a terrible personality. If it wasn't for the fact that she's making a six-figure salary now, do you think I'd be willing to cater to her?"

Chloe asked in a sweet, coaxing voice, "Then why did you buy her an iPhone right after high school graduation, and give her all that cash?"

My mom's voice pitched up sharply. "You silly girl! If I hadn't waited on her hand and foot after high school and buttered her up, do you think she would have majored in Computer Science? Remember my coworker, Mrs. Smith's son? He graduated from a no-name state college and barely makes fifty grand a year. You've been graduated for a while now; have you ever calculated how much we've spent on all your networking and connections?"

My mom's tone dripped with absolute indulgence. "Oh, you! You've almost drained my entire retirement fund. If I hadn't been far-sighted enough to make sure Maya could subsidize us, how would you be living such a good life right now!"

Chloe cheered happily. "Aunt Sarah, I knew you loved me even more than my own mom does! Next time I'm back in New York, you have to come with me, and I'll take you out to have some fun!"

"You got it! My Chloe is the sweetest!"

I had drank at the wedding banquet, and my stomach was churning.

I wanted to throw up but couldn't.

My first reaction in that moment was actually to thank myself for not replacing that cheap, non-soundproof front door.

I drove through the night, straight back to Chicago.