Mia is forced to follow instructions when her stepmother, Trudy, throws a lavish celebration for her 45th birthday, even if it means acting as a covert assistant throughout the celebration. Fortunately for Mia, however, karma appears to be on her side and prepared to discipline Trudy.
This is one of those stories when the cosmos intervenes and gives you a cosmic smackdown when you least expect it, so grab some popcorn, people.
Allow me to present the main characters in the narrative:
My name is Mia. I’m sixteen years old and living with my dad and my stepmother, Trudy, in a suburban house. Since she’s been there for roughly two years, Trudy has mastered the role of the “wicked stepmother.”
Her image would probably be gazing back at you if you searched for “en.tit.led” in a dictionary.
Although no one is recording and I’m surely not getting compensated for my trouble, life with her has felt like living inside a horrible reality show.
Dad does his best to keep out of the way. He is the “happy wife, happy life” kind of guy, but Trudy is never truly content. She is the kind of person who thinks everything will be done for her and that she will be catered to.
Let’s now discuss last Saturday, which was Trudy’s birthday celebration. To be honest, it was so extravagant that it could as well have been a wedding celebration.
Trudy was attempting to preserve her youth in every way she could on her 45th birthday. She walked around the house like a queen in the week before the celebration.
As I was chopping fruit for my morning smoothie, she entered the kitchen and said, “Mia, you’d better get me something special this year.” It would be good to have a dishwasher. I’ve done a lot for you, after all.
Yes, of course. Good ol’ Trudy. She has helped me a lot. if you consider controlling me like I’m a Cinderella impersonator.
I added yogurt to the blender and said, “Well, Trudy, I’m sort of saving for my prom dress.”
I was aware of the direction this talk was taking.
She seemed shocked by what I had just said, as evidenced by the strange expression on her face.
“Your prom gown?” she sneered. “That’s absurd, Mia! You can just purchase an item from one of the apparel stores. Something inexpensive. A dishwasher is a lot more useful. I’m tired of hearing justifications.
Excuses? I was blown away. This woman truly thought that simply because she “deserved” an appliance, I would spend all of my savings on it. For example, when I need my fairy godmother, where is she?
In any case, it was Trudy who persuaded my father that I was too young to work on the weekends or after school.
One evening during dinner, Trudy informed my dad, “Mia can only watch children on this street.” She will only be a few houses away from home and be safe. Furthermore, she doesn’t really need so much money.
So, all the money I saved on prom dresses? They came from the babysitting jobs I had taken during the previous 12 months.
They wouldn’t even pay for the clothing I wanted, much less a little dishwasher. However, I remained committed to finding what I liked.
Let us fast-forward to Trudy’s 45th birthday. There were enough flowers to rival a garden center, an event planner scurried around with a clipboard, and the house was humming with caterers.
I was working in the background, cleaning mirrors, arranging drink stations, and generally avoiding eye contact.
I thought, “Jeez, is the Royal Family coming over?”
After setting up the gin station, I attempted to head to my room in the hopes of getting ready before Trudy’s entourage of friends arrived.
Trudy became a celebrity of sorts as soon as the guests arrived. Like she was at the Oscars or something, she wandered about feigning smiles and taking in the praise.
“Mia! Could you please replenish the drinks? My visitors are thirsty! From the outside marquee, she let forth a bark.
Naturally, I was forced to do so. I was unable to refuse. Not when there are so many people present. Trudy would most likely collapse.
Like the invisible Cinderella, I followed instructions and floated around. I was keeping track of the minutes till the day would fade into oblivion and we would light the candles on the ornate cake.
For a little while, I hid away after managing to obtain some food. At least Trudy had told the caterers she preferred fancy meals, and she enjoyed her food.
“Kiddo, are you hiding here?” When my dad saw me consuming some lobster mac & cheese, he laughed.
I said as I ate another forkful of food, “Dad, I’m starving.” “And everyone is still eating.”
“Mimi, take a break,” he suggested. Consume food. From the milkshake station, I will bring you one of those upscale milkshakes.
The cake was served shortly after. As my dad lighted the candles, Trudy danced a little and grinned like a Cheshire cat.
Trudy extinguished the candles while everyone chanted loudly for her. She clinked her fork against her wine glass as the gathering was coming to an end and gave me that terrible, eager look.
“Mia, the least you could do is wash all these dishes since you didn’t even bother to get me a dishwasher for my birthday. It’s only right.
I was momentarily stunned as I stood there. Everyone fell silent. Twenty sets of eyes gazed at me as if I were the antagonist in this situation.
It was true what she said. Aloud. before all of her pals.
“You didn’t get your mom a birthday present?” asked Alexis, one of Trudy’s pals. That is simply impolite. and depressing.
Even though my throat constricted, I was able to maintain my composure.
“I told you I didn’t have the money, Trudy. as a dishwasher, in particular. I’ve been putting money down for prom.
As if I were talking gibberish, she waved her hand.
“Mia, just do the dishes,” she urged. “For once, do something constructive.”
I might have let out a scream. Instead, I nodded and swallowed my pride.
“All right. I answered, “I’ll change and get started on them.”
I scrubbed till my fingers became numb for the next hour while submerged elbow-deep in soapy water. Instead of crying, I merely scrubbed harder while thinking of the day I would finally leave this madhouse.
The party was over and Trudy’s friends had left by the time I was done. I was so emotionally spent that I dragged myself to bed.
I awoke the following morning to Trudy’s shriek emanating from the kitchen. I figured one of her new, sophisticated devices might have broken. She recently purchased an expensive new coffee maker for herself that appeared to belong in a coffee shop.
However, she was standing in the center of a catastrophe zone when I entered the kitchen.
The kitchen was a complete mess.
The floor was flooded, and the air smelled like burned plastic.
She cried out, “Mia!” upon seeing me. “Observe what transpired!”
Still half sleeping, I blinked.
“What the devil is doing?”
She screamed and thrashed her arms, saying, “The pipes!” “Oh, what a mess my kitchen is! Fixing this is going to be quite expensive!
But when I went to bed last night, everything seemed alright. What took place here?
In the kitchen, my dad poked his head.
My dad said, “Trudy, did you really dump all the meat oils in the sink last night?”
She exclaimed, “I did!” “I had nowhere else to dispose of it. And without accepting it, the caterers departed. However, I also poured some drain cleaner down the sink.
“Oh, Trudy! That is not what you should do! Look now! You made a mess of this! I instructed you to simply pour hot water out of a kettle.
My initial reaction was to chuckle. Come on, I know I shouldn’t have. After all? Didn’t it appear that karma also had a role in this?
I couldn’t help but feel a small smirk pulling at my lips as Trudy went crazy. I said nothing at all.
The kitchen was totally out of commission for the following week. Despite my dad’s best efforts to calm her, the harm had already been done. Dad said that they would need to reduce their spending because the cost of the repairs was so high.
“With the exception of Mia,” he said. “Her prom dress costs five hundred dollars.”
“David, you can’t be serious!” Trudy gave a hiss. “You can spoil Mia, but you want me to pay for the new kitchen tiles?”
“You overindulged during your celebration. I can buy my kid a prom present.
That’s how Trudy learnt to avoid upsetting my dad. She did, however, slightly alter her position. She made an effort to make amends with me and let me keep my part-time work.
She said, “Mia, I’ll accompany you when you go dress shopping.”
Do you believe it will endure?
How would you have responded?
