No More: Cutting Ties With My Golden-Boy Brother

01

Word around the village was that my brother's wedding would be something special, a proper feast thrown at the state-run restaurant.

The day of the wedding, everyone did head to the state-run restaurant, and halfway through the banquet, I, the older sister, got called outside by one of the staff.

"Excuse me, you're Ms. Darlene Summers, aren't you?"

I nodded. The man produced a receipt. "This is the receipt for the wedding banquet you booked with us a week ago. If you could settle the balance now, please."

"Twelve tables in all, two hundred dollars per table, plus the cigarettes and liquor and other services. The banquet comes to eight thousand dollars total."

I heard the man out patiently. So this was the banquet my brother Cary Summers had booked under my name, and now that the bill was due, they'd come to me for the money.

I held the receipt in my hand, pointed to the spot where my name was signed, and said with a smile, "The thing is, this signature isn't my handwriting."

......

The smile dropped off the man's face the second he heard that. He looked at the receipt, then at me. "This signature was made by a gentleman. He said at the time that he was acting on your behalf..."

"On my behalf? Is there a formal letter of authorization?"

His face went redder and redder. He shook his head, then shot a look at the people beside him, and three or four of them closed in around me.

Very much the posture of: you're not leaving until this bill is paid.

I didn't panic. I just gave a small smile. "So this is the strong-arm approach. Let me be clear with you, I didn't sign that name, and I'm not owning it. And whoever booked this banquet, that's who you should be going to. If any of you try to hold me here against my will, I'll call the police."

My voice wasn't loud, but it carried far enough for everyone still eating to hear.

The staff member who'd first come for me pulled one of the others over and said quietly, "Go get Manager James."

Before long a middle-aged man in a suit and tie came hurrying over, and I recognized him at once. Wasn't this my mother's cousin? A minute ago he'd been one of the guests.

Manager James came straight at me. "Darlene, your brother's getting married today, it's a happy occasion. As his older sister, you should just cover the money first and not upset the other guests."

This Manager James clearly understood everything, and his words were oh so considerate of his cousin's daughter.

I answered right back, all smiles. "Uncle, you're the manager of this Grand Regency. Surely you can pay for one meal for your own nephew."

Manager James hadn't expected me to be this difficult. His expression changed in an instant.

He drew me gently off to one side and lowered his voice. "Darlene, your brother's wedding is a matter of the whole Summers family's face..."

"The reason Cary was able to book this place under my name, would that be thanks to you, Uncle?"

I cut him off softly, keeping my eyes fixed on his face until it slowly flushed and then paled.

"That's not the point. The point is your brother's banquet is already halfway through..."

"So what? If you think this makes my parents lose face, Uncle, you're welcome to cover the eight thousand yourself."

Manager James had nothing to say to that. He stood there looking harried and cornered.

Out of options, he had someone fetch my parents.

My father, Walter Summers, came over with his face flushed and greasy from drinking, and my mother, Sheila Whitney, wore the same high-spirited look, but the moment they reached me, the smiles froze on their faces.

Manager James leaned in and murmured what must have been a recap of everything, and Walter Summers turned a pair of furious eyes on me.

"Darlene, do you really have to cause a scene at your brother's wedding? It's not like you've got any use for the money in your hands. Cover it for your brother first, and we'll pay you back later..."

"I don't have money. When you two were getting everything ready for my brother's wedding, didn't you set aside plenty of funds? Plus all the gift money you've collected. Don't tell me you can't even come up with eight thousand now?"

I didn't soften just because my parents had shown up. If anything, I hit back harder.

Walter Summers's eyes were going red as he looked at me. "Darlene, today is your brother's important day. If you dare not pay this, you just wait..."

"Then I'll wait. I didn't even want to come today."

I finished and turned to leave, but Sheila Whitney grabbed hold of me. "Darlene, you're not going anywhere. If you leave, who's going to pay for this banquet?"

I shook her hand off. "Whoever booked it pays."

Sheila Whitney glanced back at the guests still eating. "Your brother doesn't have the money."

"No money, then let the police take him away." They pressed in on me step by step, and I didn't give an inch.