Future In-Laws Want My Entire Year-End Bonus
Wealth Vacuum
I head over to my boyfriend, Skylar Reynold's house during the holidays to pay his family a visit.
Skylar's mother, Helen Benett, smiles and says to me in front of everyone, "According to our rules, a future daughter-in-law must give cash gifts to all the children and elderly people in the family in her first year here. You must give every person at least 200 dollars to show how generous you are."
I'm stunned, to say the least.
Skylar nudges me before murmuring, "It's just a few thousand dollars, isn't it? Doesn't the holiday bonus that you've received before the holidays cover everything?"
I look at the living room, where 15 children and 8 elderly people are present. That makes it 4,600 dollars—the same figure that I've received after the taxes are deducted from the bonus.
I let out a soft chuckle at that moment. Then, I turn to look at Helen.
"According to your rules, Mrs. Reynold, I shall be the one giving away the cash gifts. But according to my family's rules, the groom's family has to give the bride's family cash gifts as well. The cash gifts must be doubled so that our marriage will be graced by luck.
"It'll be 9,200 dollars altogether. Would you like to pay me in cash, or are you going to transfer it into my account?"