My Entitled SIL Kicked Me out of the Family Potluck Because I Couldn’t Bring Delicacies –

Karma Taught Her a Better Lesson Than I Ever Could Emily is filled with dread at the things Jessica asks she bring to the extravagant potluck that her sister-in-law is throwing. Emily prepares a casserole to take with her in an attempt to stay under her budget, but Jessica rejects both it and her. Jessica has no choice but to eat humble pie until karma intervenes.It never occurred to me that a family potluck would become so theatrical. My relationship with Jessica, my sister-in-law, had never been good.She frequently flaunted her costly tastes and opulent lifestyle, which made me feel insignificant no matter how hard I tried to work things out with her.Of course, it didn’t help that Mark, my spouse, had been having financial difficulties for the previous 12 months due to his job loss.Mark once told me, “I can’t make any apologies for my sister,” when I was griping about something Jessica had said. “ I know how frustrated you get, and I wish that I could help make it better.” “No, it’s true,” I said to him. “I want you to stay away from anything that could damage your bond with the family. I’ll just try my best to ignore her.”The reason Mark lost his job was because the company was looking for newer hires.Speaking of his boss, Mark remarked, “I don’t understand why Steven would want younger people with basically no experience to come in and take over.”Our way of life was being crushed under the weight. To make ends meet, we had no choice except to reduce everything. Mark was taking on any odd jobs he could find while I worked two part-time jobs.He was recently learning more about the job when he worked with a mechanic. We would spend our evenings scrutinizing bank statements and bills in an attempt to maximize our spending. “Emma, I’m so sorry,” my husband said to me. “We’ll manage to overcome this. I swear to you. I’m still making every effort to return to the banking sector.”I squeezed his hand and said, “I know,” to him. “I know that we just need a lucky break, and we’ll get it soon.” Though the weight of it all was unrelenting and always bearing down on us, I still believed what I was saying. It had to get significantly worse before it could possibly get any better.Jessica said, “Hello Emily,” over the phone, her voice slurring. I answered the phone and immediately regretted it. “Hi Jess,” I said.“Don’t forget about the potluck this weekend,” she stated. However, I’m going to be talking about luxury foods. I’ll send out a message asking for everything you can bring.If Jessica’s remark to the family group chat confirmed how much I didn’t want to go, then I was already dreading the potluck. Hello family Recall that the potluck’s theme is luxury. Among the items you can contribute are the following: Exotic chocolates, gourmet cheeses, and fine wines. You are free to select the nation of your choice at this time.Jessica shocked me beyond belief. Her husband was as rich as they came, so it was easy for her to dictate to everyone. Thus, money held no value for her.Mark said, “I know you want to skip the entire event,” after I read him the list. But you must not overlook this. At the end of the day, it’s for my father, right?” I gave a nod. I would have skipped dinner altogether if it had been any other night, but this one was really significant. My father-in-law was celebrating his retirement, and I knew it meant the world to Mark. “I can’t afford to skip my shift at the mechanic,” he stated. I have no option but to leave. Thus, you must speak on our behalf here.” “No, I know,” I replied in agreement. “It’s just that your sister makes everything so difficult.” My spouse rubbed his forehead and sighed.“I don’t know how we can afford to get anything on the list Jessica sent,” I responded. “We’ll work things out. We always do,” Mark remarked as he took a seat to eat. He put down his fork and said, “Actually, love, you know what?” “Create something. Prepare a dish or a takeout item. How Jess can be upset because you took over what she made at home is beyond me.” “That seems like a good idea,” I grinned.I created a handmade casserole that was really hearty. With a few modifications, I created my own version of the dish using the ancient recipe my grandma had shared. On the day of the potluck, Mark commented, “It’s delicious and always a hit with me,” as he prepared for his shift. My side of the family always enjoyed this meal, so I thought that would be sufficient. With my casserole in hand, I went to Jessica’s house, hoping she wouldn’t cause a scene. She looked at my food with contempt as soon as I entered the kitchen.“Emily, what’s this?” she questioned, furrowing her nose. I said, “It’s a family recipe.” “I thought that it would be nice to bring something homemade among all the things you wanted.” “At home? For heaven’s sake, Emily, this is a potluck, not a soup kitchen. When everyone else is bringing treats, why do you choose to arrive with this? As you may know, Gretchen is bringing three varieties of caviare. How come you would decide to make such a fool of yourself?” She enquired. She groaned and swept a dismissive hand over my meal.I could feel the wrath and embarrassment rising on my cheeks. “I couldn’t afford the things on your list,” I replied. “Your brother and I are doing the best we can.” She gave me a sly smile while crossing her arms. “Maybe you wouldn’t be in this predicament if you and Mark had handled your money more wisely. To be honest, Emily. This is really awkward. This is not what I can serve my guests. It’s preferable, in my opinion, that you go.” The things my sister-in-law said hurt. I’d never felt so ashamed of myself. I grabbed up my dish and exited the kitchen without another word.“Where are you going, Em?” I questioned my mother-in-law as I was about to leave the front door. “Home,” I said in response. “I’m not feeling well and it’s not fair that I get to be here without Mark.” My mother-in-law gave me a perfunctory glance as her eyes softened. She questioned, “Are you sure?” I was aware that she would not inquire more. Not in this particular context, anyhow. And all I wanted was for her to simply turn away. I knew I would immediately burst into tears if she said anything more, because I was about to cry. “All right,” she replied. “I’ll call to check up on you later.”The burden of the last year pressed down on me as I made my way to my car. The feeling of never being good enough for the family, the restless nights, and the ongoing concern. I drove home, disappointment weighing heavily on my heart. I whispered to myself, “Come on, Emily,” as I stepped into the shower. Before Mark got home, I was going to wash the day and all my feelings away. When my husband entered our bedroom, he said, “You’re home?” “I didn’t expect you to be in.” I sat up and told him everything while I observed his facial expression change with each emotion.He said, “I’ll give her a call in the morning.” “She will not speak to you like this again.” However, karma got ahead of her game. My phone buzzed the following morning when I was preparing pancakes for Mark and myself. “Em,” she exclaimed as soon as I responded, laughing heartily. “You won’t believe what happened last night!” “What is it?” I inquired, my interest peaked. “The potluck that Jessica hosted was a total bust. It seems that after cleaning the refrigerator, her assistant forgot to plug it in, causing all of the food she had prepared to perish. There was a distinct fragrance.”“Oh my god,” I let out a cry. “Everyone said it was the worst dinner they had ever had and departed early. It’s fair to her. But her dad was really pissed off. Her mother said, “Something you made is the only thing that could have saved the evening.” I couldn’t resist chuckling at Sarah. This was just plain old karma. Jessica’s rejection of my meal and her fixation on perfection had backfired horribly.How would you have responded in that situation?