After months of working overtime to help cover our mortgage, I was counting down the days to our tenth anniversary trip to Maui. I’d carefully planned every detail and split the costs equally with my husband, Wade. But one week before departure, everything changed during a dinner with his mother.
As I served the meal, my mother-in-law complained about how “exhausted” she was from her retired lifestyle and how she “deserved a luxury vacation.” Before I could process this, Wade dropped the bomb: “Why don’t you let Mom take your ticket?” I stood frozen, my fork halfway to my mouth.
When I protested that I desperately needed this break after a grueling year, Wade dismissed me. “Lots of women work these days,” he said, as if my exhaustion was irrelevant. “This is about my mom right now.” That’s when I realized – I wasn’t a priority in my own marriage.
So I played along. I transferred my plane ticket to his mother’s name… and then quietly spent the next few days modifying every reservation. The five-star hotel? Now just for her. The spa treatments? All in her name. Wade’s new accommodations? A budget motel across the street with construction noise and vending machine dinners.
When they landed in Maui, Wade’s furious call came immediately. “WHAT DID YOU DO?!” he screamed through the phone. I calmly explained that since he wanted this to be a mother-son trip so badly, I’d simply made it official. Then I hung up and left for my own solo getaway at a peaceful Oregon bed-and-breakfast, where I enjoyed blissful silence and zero interruptions.
The aftermath was revealing. Wade returned sunburned and humbled, finally admitting his mistake without excuses. I took space at my sister’s to reconsider our relationship, while he started therapy on his own. Now we’re planning a redo vacation – this time with clear boundaries and mutual respect. The lesson? Never let someone make you the second choice in your own life.
