Chapter 2: The Bill Nobody Expected
"Whose signature?"" I asked.
The coordinator, whose name was Danielle, took a moment before answering.
"Your mother's.""
I leaned against the stone wall outside the restaurant.
"Then why are you calling me?""
"Because the request was submitted using your company's corporate billing profile.""
"That doesn't make sense. I didn't authorize anything.""
"I understand. But the request includes your company account number, and the additional services were marked as approved by the event host.""
I closed my eyes.
"How much?""
Danielle hesitated.
"The additional services total approximately forty-eight thousand dollars.""
I nearly dropped my phone.
"Forty-eight thousand?""
"Yes, ma'am.""
"Danielle, I authorized the birthday dinner package. Nothing else.""
"I understand.""
"Who requested the second ballroom?""
"Mrs. Carter.""
"And the champagne reception?""
"Also Mrs. Carter.""
I pressed my fingers against my forehead.
"Please freeze every additional service immediately. Nobody is allowed to charge my company account.""
"Of course. However, some of the preparations have already begun.""
"Then send me the signed documentation.""
"I'll email everything tonight.""
I thanked her and ended the call.
For several seconds, I simply stood there.
Forty-eight thousand dollars.
My mother had spent the evening criticizing flowers that cost more than most people's monthly rent, while secretly arranging additional services she expected me to pay for.
And now she was angry because I had refused to cover the original dinner balance.
My phone rang again.
This time, I answered.
"What?"" I asked.
Claire's voice came through immediately.
"Are you insane?""
I laughed once, without humor.
"Hello to you, too.""
"Do you have any idea what's happening in here?""
"I have a general idea.""
"Mom is crying.""
I looked at the restaurant entrance.
"Interesting. She wasn't crying when she dragged my chair away.""
"Don't be dramatic.""
"Claire, she told me to eat in the bathroom.""
"She was upset.""
"About what?""
"Your attitude.""
I was silent.
Claire continued.
"You always have to make everything about money. You can't just do something nice for Mom without reminding everybody what it cost.""
I stared at the passing traffic.
"Did I remind her what it cost?""
"You practically announced it.""
"Because she was telling me to leave the table at a dinner I paid for.""
"Whatever. The restaurant is threatening to stop the birthday celebration.""
"That's between Mom and the restaurant.""
"You can't do that!""
"Apparently, I can.""
Claire lowered her voice.
"Listen, Nia. Mom has important people here. Her friends from church.
Her business contacts. People she needs to impress.""
I almost laughed.
"Then perhaps she should have arranged her own party.""
"You know she doesn't have that kind of money.""
"Then why did she order forty-eight thousand dollars in additional services?""
Silence.
"What?""
"You heard me.""
Claire's breathing changed.
"That's not possible.""
"Ask her.""
I ended the call.
A minute later, Marcus called.
I answered because, unlike Claire, he occasionally attempted to sound reasonable.
"Nia, come back.""
"No.""
"Please. We need to talk.""
"About what?""
"Mom is embarrassed.""
I looked up at the restaurant's illuminated sign.
"Good.""
He sighed.
"Don't do this.""
"Do what, Marcus?""
"Punish everyone because Mom made a mistake.""
I laughed bitterly.
"A mistake is forgetting someone's birthday. Dragging my chair across a room and telling me to eat in a bathroom is a choice.""
"She didn't mean it like that.""
"How did she mean it?""
He didn't answer.
I continued.
"And why didn't you say anything?""
"Nia, I was trying to keep things peaceful.""
"Peaceful for whom?""
He exhaled.
"Just come back. We can sort out the money privately.""
I looked toward the ballroom.
"Marcus, how much did you know about the additional services?""
He went quiet.
Too quiet.
"Why are you asking?""
"Because the coordinator says Mom requested another ballroom and a private champagne reception.""
"That's not my business.""
"Did you know?""
He sighed.
"Look, Claire told me something about it.""
My fingers tightened around the phone.
"What exactly?""
"She said Mom wanted to surprise everyone.""
"With forty-eight thousand dollars?""
"I don't know the amount.""
"Who was supposed to pay?""
Another silence.
Then Marcus said, "You were.""
I felt the answer before he finished speaking.
"How?""
"Claire said you had agreed to handle the arrangements.""
I stared at the pavement.
"I never agreed.""
"Well, that's what she told Mom.""
I swallowed.
"Marcus, did you see the authorization?""
"No.""
"Did you see my signature?""
"No.""
"Then why did you assume I had approved it?""
He didn't answer.
I ended the call.
Inside the restaurant, my mother was beginning to understand that the evening wasn't going to unfold as she had imagined.
At 9:05 p.m., Aunt Patricia sent me a message.
Sweetheart, are you all right? Your mother is telling everyone you abandoned her birthday.
I typed a response.
I'm fine. I didn't abandon anyone. I was asked to leave.
Three dots appeared.
Then Patricia replied.
I saw what happened. I should have spoken up. I'm sorry.
I read the message twice.
At least one person had seen it.
Then my phone buzzed again.
A photograph arrived from my cousin, Jasmine.
It showed my mother standing beside the restaurant manager, her face red with anger.
Claire was behind her, holding the leather bill folder.
Marcus stood near the doorway, looking at his phone.
Beneath the photograph, Jasmine wrote:
Your mother is telling the manager that you promised to pay everything.
I zoomed in.
My mother was pointing toward the entrance.
Then another photograph arrived.
This one showed a document on the manager's clipboard.
I recognized the restaurant's event authorization form.
But the name at the bottom wasn't mine.
It was Claire's.
I called Jasmine.
"Where did you get this?""
"From the manager. He was showing your mother why they couldn't charge your company without authorization.""
"Is that Claire's signature?""
"Yes.""
"Are you sure?""
"Absolutely. I watched her sign it.""
I felt my stomach turn.
"What did she authorize?""
"Something about the second ballroom.""
I closed my eyes.
"Jasmine, don't leave yet. Can you ask the manager to preserve that document?""
"Why?""
"Because I think my sister has been using my company information.""
Jasmine went silent.
Then she said, "Nia, there's something else.""
"What?""
"Your mother just told everyone that you're financially unstable and that she was helping you by allowing you to organize tonight's event.""
I stared at the street.
Of course she had.
Even when I paid for everything, she found a way to make me look dependent.
But Jasmine wasn't finished.
"She also said something about your business.""
"What did she say?""
Jasmine lowered her voice.
"She said Carter Hospitality is actually a family company, and that Marcus and Claire are both supposed to become partners.""
I froze.
"What?""
"She said you promised them ownership.""
I had never promised them anything.
Not shares.
Not partnerships.
Not even employment.
I had occasionally hired Marcus for consulting work, and Claire had helped with two small events.
That was all.
But my mother had just announced something very different in front of seventy witnesses.
And judging by the expression on Jasmine's face, she wasn't the only person who believed it.
"Don't go anywhere," I told her.
Then I opened my email.
A new message from Danielle was waiting.
Subject: URGENT — Additional Event Authorization Documents.
I opened the attachment.
The first page showed the forty-eight-thousand-dollar request.
The second showed Claire's signature.
The third contained a scanned letter printed on my company's letterhead.
At the bottom was a sentence that made my hands go cold.
I, Nia Carter, authorize my sister, Claire Carter, to make financial decisions on behalf of Carter Hospitality Solutions.
I had never written that letter.
May you like
But someone had copied my signature.
And the document had been notarized.
