Chapter 3 - The Ultimate Ultimatum
The garden grew so quiet you could hear the distant hum of traffic on the highway.
Thomas laid the papers flat on the pristine white tablecloth right in front of Robert’s untouched birthday steak.
“Three thousand four hundred dollars,” Thomas said evenly, pointing at the top statement. “That’s your monthly mortgage payment on the suburban house you live in. Paid by me. Every single month for the last six years.”
Helen gasped, her hands flying to her mouth.
“Two hundred and twenty dollars for your blood pressure medication, Dad,” Thomas continued, sliding the pharmacy receipts forward. “Covered by my business account. The groceries in your pantry? My catering wholesale discount. The venue rental for this party, the catered brisket, the open bar, and that three-tier birthday cake you’re all eating?” Thomas swept his hand across the lavish spread. “Paid in full with my credit card yesterday afternoon.”
Aunt Linda choked on her water. Several cousins looked away, suddenly very interested in their shoes.
“You treat my children like common servants,” Thomas said, his voice rising, carrying across the entire garden, “while living off the sweat of the man you claim is a failure. You sneer at my single fatherhood, yet you’ve never spent a single dime of your own retirement funds on yourselves because I’ve carried every single bill you’ve ever thrown my way.”
Robert’s face turned from red to an alarming shade of pale grey. He stammered, pointing a shaking finger. “We raised you! You owe us everything!”
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“I owe you nothing anymore,” Thomas declared. He turned to the entire crowd of stunned relatives. “The party is over. Everyone out. Venue management has been notified that my contract is terminated effective immediately. You have twenty minutes to pack up your lawn chairs and leave.”
Without waiting for a reply, Thomas turned his back on his parents for the first time in his life and walked toward his car, leaving the garden in absolute, stunned silence.
