I should’ve known my birthday would be a disaster the moment I saw my niece and nephew whispering like little villains, eyes locked on me. But nothing could’ve prepared me for the audacity that followed.
My birthday BBQ was supposed to be relaxing. I got my hair done, wore a new dress, and just wanted a peaceful day.
But…First, I caught my niece and nephew trying to push my elderly neighbor, Mrs. Thompson into the pool. She barely saved herself, but SIL just laughed it off.
Minutes later, I saw them whispering, giggling—plotting. One had a phone recording, and I realized… I was the next target.
But when they charged, I simply…stepped aside. SPLASH!
They tumbled in, gasping. But SIL didn’t care about them—just their phones.
SIL: Their IPHONES! You just stood there and let this happen!
Me: Maybe you should’ve watched your kids.
Her face turned red. But I was done. Instead of arguing, I handed them towels, helped them dry off, and tried to let it go. I thought that was the end of it—until I woke up to a text the next day. A link to two brand-new iPhones.
SIL: You should’ve let them push you in. It’s not like you’d melt. So YOU OWE US FOR THESE.
I refused. The next day, she showed up yelling, amusing the neighbors. Suddenly, one of them—the one they tried to push—walked over to SIL, holding up her phone.
SIL’s face turned pale.
Mrs. Thompson didn’t speak right away. She simply let Jessica look. And whatever was on that screen had Jessica’s entire world crashing down. Her hands clenched into fists. Her mouth opened like she wanted to argue, but no sound came out.
Mrs. Thompson finally turned and knocked on my door.
Senior woman knocking on a door | Source: Midjourney
“Hey, Mrs. Thompson,” I greeted, raising a brow.
She smiled warmly, eyes twinkling with amusement. “She won’t be bothering you about the phones anymore.”
I glanced at Jessica, who now looked like she wanted to sink into the pavement.
“Oh?” I said, smirking. “And why’s that?”
Mrs. Thompson grinned, lowering her voice just enough to make it feel like an inside joke. “I simply let her know that I also have a lovely little video of her kids trying to push me into the pool. And if she keeps pushing this phone nonsense, well… I’d be happy to take it to the police.”
Young woman and a senior woman having a conversation | Source: Midjourney
I let out a laugh, and Mrs. Thompson chuckled with me. “Of course, we wouldn’t actually do that,” she added innocently. “But you should’ve seen her face.”
Jessica didn’t argue. She didn’t scream. She didn’t even look at me. She simply spun around, grabbed Ava’s hand, and stormed off.
Mark muttered a quiet, “Let’s go,” and hurried after her. They tossed the decorations back into the trunk, slammed the doors shut, and within seconds, their car peeled out of my driveway.
For the first time ever, Jessica had nothing to say.
I turned back to Mrs. Thompson, shaking my head in amusement. “You might be my favorite neighbor.”
She winked. “I know, dear.”
Young woman and a senior woman having a conversation | Source: Midjourney
By the next morning, the family group chat was flooded with messages. My mom, ever the peacemaker, tried to smooth things over. My dad stayed out of it, probably enjoying his coffee in peace. Mark sent a half-hearted “Sorry about that” text, which meant absolutely nothing.
Jessica? Not a word.
But then, just as I was finishing my morning coffee, a new message popped up.
Jessica:Ava’s party was a disaster because of you. Hope you’re happy.
I stared at it for a second, then smiled.
Me:Oh, I am. Thanks for checking.