ManyWriters

On my birthday, my husband's childhood sweetheart Irina posted the new robot that my husband and son had made for her on social media.
I casually liked the post, but soon received a scolding from my husband:
"Didn't we give you one too? Our son even baked you a cake by hand. What more do you want?"
However, Irina's robot was clearly the latest model, and even the cake our son gave her was a bit larger than mine.
They love me, but they love Irina a little more.
Perhaps I should try to let go and love them a little less too.

The Husband and Son Regret Their Favoritism

That afternoon, my husband and son showed up at my office with a cake bigger than a washbasin and the latest model robot.


Seeing me, they rushed forward eagerly, their eyes full of anticipation as they presented the gifts to me.


"Darling, our son and I came to make up for your birthday. Last time was our mistake, and we promise it won't happen again. We'll keep our distance from Irina. Can you give us a chance to make amends?"


I looked them over. It had only been a week since I'd seen them, but they already reeked of body odor. Their clothes looked like they hadn't been washed in ages. Both their faces were scruffy with beard stubble, devoid of any vitality. They looked so haggard, as if they had become different people.


I accepted the cake. The father and son had barely started to look happy when I called my coworkers over to eat the cake.


"Rainey, is it your birthday today?" a colleague asked.


Chapter 8