Emily’s heart sank when she heard about the fancy potluck her sister-in-law, Jessica, was planning. Jessica’s events were always extravagant, full of luxury items that made Emily feel out of place. And now, Jessica had sent a message demanding that everyone bring gourmet cheeses, imported chocolates, and high-end wines.
Emily dreaded the upcoming potluck. Her relationship with Jessica had always been strained, no matter how hard she tried to make peace. Jessica had a way of flaunting her wealth, making Emily feel small in comparison. To make matters worse, Emily and her husband, Mark, had been struggling financially ever since Mark lost his job.
“I can’t apologize for my sister,” Mark said sympathetically one day after Emily complained about something Jessica had said. “I know she frustrates you, and I wish I could help.”
“No, I get it,” Emily replied. “I don’t want you to strain your relationship with your family. I’ll just try to ignore her.”
Mark had lost his job because his company wanted to replace him with younger employees.
“I just don’t understand why Steven would want to hire people with no experience to take over,” Mark grumbled about his former boss.
The loss of his job put a huge strain on their lifestyle. They had to cut back on everything to make ends meet. Emily worked two part-time jobs, and Mark picked up any odd job he could find, recently learning about mechanics.
Their evenings were spent pouring over bills and bank statements, trying to stretch their budget as much as possible.
“I’m so sorry, Emily,” Mark said one evening. “We’re going to get through this. I promise you. I’m doing everything I can to get back into the financial industry.”
“I know,” Emily replied, squeezing his hand. “We just need a lucky break, and it’ll come soon.”
Emily tried to stay positive, but the weight of their struggles was constant. And just when it seemed like things couldn’t get worse, Jessica called.
“Hi, Emily,” Jessica’s voice drawled over the phone.
“Jess, hi,” Emily answered, already regretting it.
“Don’t forget about the potluck this weekend,” Jessica said. “But I have a theme this time—luxury foods. I’ll send a message with what I want everyone to bring.”
Emily groaned inwardly. If she was dreading the potluck before, Jessica’s message made her want to skip it entirely. Jessica had sent a list of gourmet items for everyone to bring—things that were way out of Emily’s budget.
When Emily showed the list to Mark, he sighed. “I know you want to skip the whole thing, but you can’t. It’s for my dad, remember?”
Emily nodded reluctantly. The potluck was to celebrate her father-in-law’s retirement, and she knew how important it was to Mark.
“I can’t afford to skip my shift at the mechanic’s shop,” Mark added. “So you’ll have to go without me.”
“I know,” Emily agreed. “It’s just that your sister makes everything so difficult.”
Mark rubbed his forehead in frustration. “I don’t know how we’re going to afford anything on Jessica’s list,” Emily said.
“We’ll figure something out. We always do,” Mark reassured her, sitting down to dinner.
“Actually, you know what?” he said, putting down his fork. “Why don’t you make something? A casserole or something homemade. I don’t see how Jess can complain about that.”
Emily smiled. “That sounds like a plan.”
She decided to make a hearty casserole using an old family recipe her grandmother had passed down. With a few tweaks, it had become her version of the dish, and it was always a hit with her side of the family.
“It’s delicious, and it’s always a hit with me,” Mark said, getting ready for his shift on the day of the potluck.
Emily hoped it would be enough. She arrived at Jessica’s house with the casserole, praying that her sister-in-law wouldn’t make a scene. But as soon as she stepped into the kitchen, Jessica eyed the dish with disdain.
“Emily, what is this?” Jessica asked, wrinkling her nose.
“It’s a family recipe,” Emily explained. “I thought it would be nice to bring something homemade among all the luxury items you wanted.”
“Homemade? Emily, this is a potluck, not a soup kitchen!” Jessica snapped. “Everyone else is bringing delicacies, and you show up with this? Don’t you know Gretchen is bringing three types of caviar? Why would you embarrass yourself like this?”
Jessica waved her hand dismissively at the casserole and sighed. Emily felt her face flush with a mix of embarrassment and anger.
“I couldn’t afford the things on your list,” Emily said quietly. “Mark and I are doing the best we can.”
Jessica crossed her arms and smirked. “Maybe if you and Mark managed your money better, you wouldn’t be in this situation. Honestly, Emily, this is just embarrassing. I can’t serve this to my guests. I think it’s best if you leave.”
Jessica’s words stung like a slap. Emily had never felt so humiliated. Without a word, she picked up her casserole and left the kitchen.
“Where are you going, Em?” her mother-in-law asked as Emily neared the front door.
“Home,” Emily replied softly. “I’m not feeling well, and it’s not fair for me to be here without Mark.”
Her mother-in-law looked her up and down, her eyes softening. “Are you sure?”
Emily nodded. She knew her mother-in-law wouldn’t press the issue, at least not in this setting. And Emily was grateful for that; she was on the verge of tears, and if anyone said anything more, she would break down.
“Okay then,” her mother-in-law said. “I’ll call to check on you later.”
As Emily walked to her car, the weight of the past year bore down on her. The sleepless nights, the constant worry, the feeling of never being good enough for the family. She drove home with a heavy heart.
“Come on, Emily,” she muttered to herself as she got into the shower, determined to wash away the day’s frustrations before Mark got home.
“You’re home?” Mark asked as he walked into their bedroom later. “I didn’t expect you to be back so soon.”
Emily sat up and told him everything, watching the emotions race across his face.
“I’ll call her in the morning,” he promised. “She won’t talk to you like that again.”
But karma had other plans.
The next morning, as Emily was making pancakes for Mark and herself, her phone buzzed. It was Sarah, Mark’s cousin.
“Em!” Sarah said, giggling as soon as Emily answered. “You won’t believe what happened last night!”
“What is it?” Emily asked, her curiosity piqued.
“Jessica’s potluck was a total disaster!” Sarah exclaimed. “Her helper forgot to plug the fridge back in after cleaning it, and everything Jessica had prepared spoiled. The smell was awful!”
“Oh my goodness,” Emily gasped.
“Everyone left early, saying it was the worst dinner ever,” Sarah continued. “Serves her right! Her dad was really upset, and her mom said the only thing that could have saved the evening was something you made.”
Emily couldn’t help but laugh along with Sarah. This was pure karma. Jessica’s obsession with perfection and her dismissal of Emily’s homemade casserole had backfired spectacularly.
“What would you have done?” Emily thought to herself, still smiling as she hung up the phone.
