The bill came in two separate installments, and my husband realized the problem too late.

Everything else would have to be distributed according to each person’s wishes.

The waiter confirmed that he understood.

I returned to my place.

Nobody suspected anything.

In fact, the opposite happened.

My sister-in-law ordered another bottle.

One of Chris’s brothers added a deeper cut.

“Since we’re here, we should take advantage of it,” he said with a laugh.

Chris heard the comment.

He didn’t say anything.

Me neither.

Dinner continued.

And as everyone ate, I realized that this evening was no longer about money.

It was a test.

I wanted to see how far people would go when they realized someone else would pay the price.

The answer was quite clear.

They kept asking.