Grandma pulled her checkbook out of her purse and everybody at the table relaxed immediately.
Same as always.
Linda even gave this smug little smile into her wineglass.
Then Grandma flipped the checkbook open, looked down at it for a second, and said, “Now what was that number again from last summer?”
Linda frowned. “What number?”
“The amount Denise borrowed for the divorce lawyer.” Grandma looked over her glasses. “Or the money you needed when your roof leaked. I get confused these days.”
Nobody said anything.
You could actually watch Denise stop chewing.
Grandma kept flipping pages calmly. “I wrote all of it down because my memory’s supposedly not very good anymore.”
Linda laughed nervously. “Oh my God, Ruth, nobody’s keeping score.”
Grandma looked up at her. “That’s interesting considering you all seem very comfortable counting my money.”
Dead quiet after that.
One of the cousins suddenly got up saying he needed another beer even though his bottle was still full.
Grandma closed the checkbook without writing anything.
Then she smiled at Linda real soft and said, “Honey, if I’m paying everybody’s share again this year, I’d at least like one of the upstairs bedrooms.”
I swear Denise almost choked.
Because everybody knew exactly why Grandma always got the pullout couch.
Linda immediately started with the usual “Oh don’t make this awkward” voice, but it didn’t work this time. Not after the cat food comment.
Grandma just sat there buttering her roll.
Then my uncle — Linda’s own husband — quietly said, “Actually… Ruth should’ve had a real room years ago.”
That’s when the whole thing finally cracked.
Nobody wanted to look at Grandma after that.
Especially not Linda.