When Mia’s stepmother, Trudy, decided to throw herself a huge, over-the-top party for her 45th birthday, Mia just knew she’d be stuck doing all the behind-the-scenes work. But little did Trudy know, the universe had a surprise in store for her—a payback moment she’d never forget.
Get ready for a wild ride, because this story is one of those moments where karma steps in, and let me tell you, it’s so satisfying.
Let’s start with the key players. I’m Mia, a 16-year-old living with my dad and my stepmom, Trudy. Trudy’s been around for a couple of years now, and she’s embraced the “evil stepmother” vibe like she was born for it. Seriously, if entitlement had a queen, it would be Trudy.
Living with her is like being stuck in a bad reality show—except no cameras, and I’m definitely not getting paid for the drama.
Now, my dad? He’s the “keep-the-peace” kind of guy. He’s always about the “happy wife, happy life” motto, but with Trudy, happiness is always in short supply. She acts like the world revolves around her, and no one else matters.
Then last Saturday came—the day of her big birthday bash. Trudy went all out like she was royalty. I mean, this party looked more like a wedding reception than a birthday. She strutted around like she was preparing for a grand coronation all week.
“Mia, you better get me something special this year,” she said one morning while I was making a smoothie. “A dishwasher would be perfect. I’ve done so much for you, after all.”
Right, Trudy. “So much” meant treating me like Cinderella before the fairy godmother showed up.
“Uh, Trudy,” I said, blending away, “I’m saving for my prom dress.”
Her face scrunched up like I’d said the most ridiculous thing ever. “Your prom dress? That’s absurd! Just buy a cheap one from the store. A dishwasher is way more practical. No excuses, Mia.”
Excuses? She expected me to use my prom dress money to buy her a dishwasher? Where was my fairy godmother when I needed one?
And to top it off, Trudy convinced my dad that I was “too young” to get a real job. Babysitting was the only way I could make money, but it wasn’t enough for a dishwasher or even a great prom dress.
Fast forward to the party. The house looked like a scene out of a luxury magazine—caterers, an event planner, and enough flowers to fill a garden. While everyone was running around, I was stuck wiping mirrors and setting up drinks, just trying not to get in Trudy’s way.
When her friends arrived, Trudy transformed into the star of the show. She was throwing out fake smiles and soaking up compliments. “Mia, refill the drinks!” she shouted. So, of course, I had to.
I spent the whole party like a ghost, just waiting for the cake-cutting so I could slip away.
Finally, I grabbed a plate of food and found a quiet corner. My dad spotted me and chuckled. “Taking a break, Mimi? I’ll get you a fancy milkshake from the station.”
Then, it was time for the cake. My dad lit the candles while Trudy did this little dance, grinning like she owned the world. But as the party started winding down, Trudy clinked her glass, looked at me with a smirk, and dropped her bomb.
“Mia, since you didn’t bother to buy me a dishwasher, the least you can do is wash all these dishes.”
Everything went silent. All eyes were on me. My cheeks burned. Did she really just say that?
“You didn’t get your mom a gift?” one of her friends asked, pretending to feel sorry for me. “How rude!”
I clenched my jaw and spoke calmly, “Trudy, I told you—I’m saving for prom.”
She waved her hand, dismissing me like I was nothing. “Just wash the dishes, Mia. Do something useful.”
I wanted to scream. Instead, I forced a smile and said, “Fine.” For the next hour, I scrubbed those dishes, my anger building with every plate.
The next morning, I was jolted awake by Trudy’s scream. I rushed downstairs to find her standing in the middle of a disaster. The kitchen was flooded, and the air reeked of burnt plastic.
“What happened?” I asked, rubbing my eyes.
“The pipes! The kitchen is ruined!” Trudy shouted, flailing her arms.
Turns out, she’d poured meat oil down the sink the night before and tried to fix it with drain cleaner. Now, the pipes were a wreck.
I bit my lip to hold back a laugh. Karma strikes again!
For the whole next week, the kitchen was off-limits. The repairs cost so much that my dad announced they’d have to cut back on other things.
“Except for Mia,” he said. “I’ve got $500 set aside for her prom dress.”
Trudy was livid. “You’re spoiling her, David! What about the kitchen tiles?”
“You spoiled yourself with that party. I can spoil my daughter for her prom,” he shot back.
Trudy fumed, but in the end, she had no choice but to back off. She even agreed to let me get a part-time job and offered to help me find a prom dress.
“Let’s pick out something nice together,” she said, trying to make peace.
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