When my mother-in-law, Margaret, demanded a monthly allowance from my inheritance, I didn't know whether to laugh or scream. I agreed to her request, though—not in the way she expected. My husband Tom was caught between disbelief and amusement. We’d all had our fair share of conflicts, but this took the cake. My best friend, Sarah, thought it was some kind of joke. With all our history, Margaret should’ve known better than to underestimate me this time. Little did she know, the way I planned to handle her request would turn our family dynamics upside down.
I was just settling into the couch with a coffee when the door swung open, and there was Margaret. She didn’t even bother with the polite knock. "Lisa, we need to talk," she announced. Her blue eyes met mine challengingly, and I immediately sensed trouble. Tom looked up from his laptop, eyebrows raised. "Mom, everything okay?" he asked cautiously. But I knew it wasn’t just a social call. Margaret had come with a purpose, and that was to talk about money.
Tom and I exchanged glances as Margaret marched into the living room, setting her purse down with a dramatic thud. "We should’ve prepared snacks," Tom whispered sarcastically. We both knew this wasn't just a friendly drop-by. Margaret always had a flair for turning casual visits into intense negotiations. I bit my lip, readying myself for whatever demand she was about to throw our way. "So," Margaret began, planting herself in the armchair, "let's discuss that allowance."