Chapter 2: The Reservations That Disappeared
The first call came at 6:12 in the morning.
Vanessa.
I watched her name flash across my screen while Clara slept beside me.
For a moment, I considered answering.
Then I remembered the ice hitting my wife.
I remembered my mother laughing.
I remembered my father telling her to eat with strangers because his favorite chair mattered more.
I turned the phone face down.
It rang again.
And again.
By 7:00, I had seventeen missed calls.
I made coffee quietly in the kitchen.
Clara appeared in the doorway wearing one of my oversized shirts.
“You’re awake.””
I looked at her.
“How are you feeling?””
She touched her stomach.
“Better.””
I knew she was lying.
Not completely.
But enough.
Clara had always been the kind of person who protected everyone else from her pain.
She sat down carefully.
“Your family is calling.””
“Yes.””
“Are you going to answer?””
I shook my head.
“Not yet.””
She studied me.
“Daniel, what did you do?””
I looked at her.
“What do you mean?””
“You have that look.””
“What look?””
“The look you get when you’ve already made a decision.””
I sat across from her.
“I canceled their trip.””
Her expression changed.
For a few seconds, she said nothing.
“The Europe trip?””
“Yes.””
“Daniel…”
“They hurt you.””
She looked away.
“I don’t want you making decisions because you’re angry.””
“I’m not angry.””
She raised an eyebrow.
I sighed.
“Okay. I’m angry.””
She reached across the table.
“But this is your parents.””
“And you’re my wife.””
The words came out immediately.
No hesitation.
Because they were true.
Before Clara could answer, my phone buzzed again.
This time, it was a text from Vanessa.
SECURITY WON’T LET US THROUGH.
A second message appeared.
THE HOTEL SAYS OUR RESERVATIONS DON’T EXIST.
I showed Clara.
She closed her eyes.
“Oh my God.””
I expected her to smile.
I expected satisfaction.
Instead, she looked tired.
“This is going to become a war.””
I looked at the screen.
“I know.””
And I was right.
Twenty minutes later, my father called.
I answered.
“Daniel.””
His voice was different.
Not angry.
Confused.
“Why are you ignoring your family?””
I almost laughed.
“My family?””
“Yes.””
I stood by the window.
“You mean the people who threw water on my pregnant wife?””
“That was a misunderstanding.””
“A misunderstanding?””
“Vanessa got upset.””
“She attacked Clara.””
“She was emotional.””
I closed my eyes.
My father always had a way of making cruelty sound reasonable.
“Dad, you told my wife to eat in the kitchen.””
Silence.
Then:
“You’re exaggerating.””
“No. I’m remembering.””
His voice hardened.
“You’re being dramatic.””
I stared outside.
The same words.
Over and over.
Everyone who hurt Clara had decided her pain was the problem.
Not their actions.
“Your vacation is canceled.””
The silence that followed was heavy.
“You wouldn’t.””
“I already did.””
“You paid for that.””
“Yes.””
“Then you’re throwing away your own money.””
I smiled sadly.
“No. I’m stopping people from using my money to celebrate disrespect.””
My father’s breathing changed.
“Daniel, think carefully.””
“I did.””
Then I ended the call.
Later that afternoon, my mother showed up at our house.
She didn’t knock.
She just stood outside and called me.
“Open the door.””
I looked through the window.
She was holding a folder.
Clara noticed.
“Your mom?””
“Yes.””
“What does she want?””
I already knew.
Damage control.
I opened the door.
My mother walked inside.
“You have gone too far.””
I stared at her.
“Hello to you too.””
She ignored that.
“Do you understand what you’ve done?””
“Yes.””
“You embarrassed your father and sister.””
I almost couldn’t believe it.
“Mom, Clara is the one who was embarrassed.””
My mother waved her hand.
“Vanessa made one mistake.””
“One mistake?””
“Yes.””
“She threw ice water at my pregnant wife.””
“She was angry.””
“That doesn’t make it okay.””
My mother’s face hardened.
“You’re choosing her over us.””
I looked at her.
“No.””
I paused.
“I’m choosing what is right.””
Her expression changed.
Like she had never heard those words from me before.
Before she left, she turned around.
“This isn’t over.””
I watched her walk away.
And deep down, I knew she was right.
Because that evening, another message appeared.
This time, from an unknown number.
It contained a photo.
A screenshot of my family group chat.
May you like
And at the top was a message from Vanessa.
“Daniel needs to be taught a lesson.””
