Family vacations are supposed to be about togetherness—unless your husband decides luxury is only for him. That’s exactly what happened when my husband, Ryan, booked first-class tickets for himself and his mother, leaving me in economy with our two young kids.
When I saw the boarding passes, I was stunned. “You seriously upgraded just you and your mom?” I asked, struggling to keep our toddler from running off.
Ryan shrugged like it was no big deal. “You know how Mom gets on flights. And I need to relax—work’s been insane.”
I stared at him, waiting for the punchline. There wasn’t one.
As we boarded, Ryan and his mom settled into their spacious seats, sipping champagne while I wrestled with carry-ons and snack requests. Our five-year-old kept asking, “Why can’t we sit with Daddy?” I just smiled and said, “Because Daddy needed extra legroom… from his family.”
But here’s where things got interesting. Earlier, while going through security, I’d quietly slipped Ryan’s wallet into my bag. Call it petty, but after being abandoned in economy, I wasn’t feeling generous.
Mid-flight, I watched as Ryan ordered the most expensive meal and drinks. Then came the moment of truth—when the flight attendant handed him the bill. His face went pale as he patted his pockets.
He rushed back to economy, whispering, “I lost my wallet. Do you have cash?”
I blinked innocently. “How much do you need?”
“About $1,500.”
I nearly choked. “For what, a gold-plated steak?”
In the end, he had to ask his mom to cover it—and the look on her face was priceless. The rest of the flight was deliciously awkward.
When we landed, Ryan was still fuming. “I can’t believe I lost it,” he muttered.
I just smiled. “At least you got your first-class experience, right?”
His wallet magically reappeared in his bag the next day. Some lessons are best taught the hard way.
