On Mother’s Day, my grown kids told me they had chosen the restaurant and expected me to pay for all twelve of them, just like always.

Part 2
Brian Whitaker opened the bill first because he always opened bills he assumed someone else would pay. He glanced down with the casual expression of a man checking the weather, then went completely still.

His wife, Lauren, leaned closer. “How much?”

Brian shut the folder too quickly. “It’s wrong.”

Madison reached across the table and snatched it from him. Her bracelets clicked against her champagne flute.

“What do you mean wrong?” she asked.

Then she saw the total.

Her mouth opened, but no words came out.

Kevin, still chewing a piece of maple-glazed bacon, laughed. “Come on. It can’t be that bad.”

Madison turned the folder toward him.

Kevin stopped chewing.