My son recently got married to a woman I don’t know very well. They live in another state, so I only met her a few days before the wedding. At first, she seemed perfectly pleasant — polite, cheerful, even charming. But that impression didn’t last long.
During a casual conversation over coffee, I mentioned that I’d been vegan for nearly ten years. I expected a simple nod or maybe a curious question. Instead, she laughed. “Oh, you’re one of those people,” she said, smirking. “I hope you won’t be too picky at the wedding.”
It stung. I brushed it off at the time, thinking it was just a bad joke. But something in her tone made me uneasy. Still, I didn’t want to cause problems before my son’s big day. I love him more than anything, and I wanted to see him happy.
When the wedding day arrived, I told myself to focus on him — on the joy, not the tension. The ceremony was beautiful, and when I saw my son’s face as he exchanged vows, I felt nothing but pride. But when it came time for the reception, things took a turn.
There was no assigned seating, so I looked around and found a table marked with a small sign that read “vegan option.” It felt considerate, even thoughtful — a sign that maybe my daughter-in-law had planned ahead after all. I sat down with a quiet smile, relieved.
But when the meal arrived, I was horrified. The vegetables looked wilted and gray, the tofu had an unpleasant smell, and there was something sticky on the plate that made my stomach turn. It wasn’t just unappetizing — it was inedible.
I quietly called over the waitress and asked if I could please have a salad instead. She hesitated, then explained, “I’m sorry, ma’am. You’ll have to pay extra for that. Only one vegetarian meal was pre-ordered. The salad would come from the regular menu.”
I was speechless. Pay extra? At my own son’s wedding? For food that was practically spoiled? I could feel my face flush with embarrassment as a few guests nearby glanced over. My daughter-in-law was watching from across the room, whispering something to a friend and laughing. That was the moment I felt truly unwelcome.
I stood up and smoothed my dress, trying to hold my composure. My heart ached — this was supposed to be one of the happiest days of my life, seeing my son begin his new chapter. But instead, I felt like an outsider.
As I turned to leave, my son appeared beside me. His voice was low but sharp. “You’ll regret this, Mom. If you leave now, just forget us.”
Those words cut deeper than anything else that had happened. My son — the boy I’d raised, who used to hug me every night before bed — was now looking at me like I was a stranger.
I replied honestly, my voice trembling. “I came for you, but I won’t sit at a table where I’m mocked and then told to pay extra for a meal because the food I was served was expired.” I held back tears as I turned and walked out.
The night air felt cold against my skin, but I didn’t look back. I cried the entire drive home. I kept replaying his words over and over: ‘Just forget us.’
Days passed without a single message or call from him. Then one afternoon, my phone rang. It was my daughter-in-law. Her tone was harsh from the moment I answered.
“I can’t believe you did that,” she snapped. “You embarrassed my husband and ruined the reception. Half the family left after you stormed out. Do you have any idea how selfish that was?”
I stayed silent, letting her speak. There was no point arguing — she didn’t want to listen. But when she paused, expecting me to apologize, I finally said, “I think you’ve forgotten who started the disrespect. You mocked me from the day we met, and I’ve done nothing but try to be polite. I came to support my son. But I won’t be treated like a burden.”
There was a long silence before she muttered something under her breath and hung up.
It’s been two weeks now. I still haven’t heard from my son. Every day I check my phone, hoping for a message — some sign that he’s ready to talk. But there’s nothing.
I don’t want to lose him. He’s my only child. But I also can’t lose my self-respect. I was raised to believe that kindness and dignity go hand in hand.
Sometimes I wonder if I was wrong to walk out — if I should have just stayed quiet and endured it for the sake of peace. But then I remember the look in his eyes, and the laughter from across the room, and I know — walking out wasn’t about food. It was about not letting myself be treated like less, even by the people I love most.
Note: This story is a work of fiction inspired by real events. Names, characters, and details have been altered. Any resemblance is coincidental. The author and publisher disclaim accuracy, liability, and responsibility for interpretations or reliance. All images are for illustration purposes only.