“Finally, we’re off,” it read. “I thought James would never stop hovering. It’s so much more relaxing without him there, isn’t it? At least his bank account was invited. Let’s make sure he doesn’t see the bar tab until we’re back.”
The responses were a barrage of laughing emojis and snide remarks from my brothers. They joked about how “boring” I was, how I used money to compensate for a lack of personality, and how they had successfully manipulated my guilt into paying for a trip they never intended for me to join. They hadn’t “forgotten” to invite me; they had actively plotted to keep me away while ensuring I footed the bill.
