I never thought my family would be so disrespectful on my special day, but my retaliation now leaves me wondering whether I had taken matters too far.

Payback was sweet after I took a stand at my wedding, which left my brother and mom livid. Even though my actions put a spotlight on their hypocrisy, all my family can focus on is my upset sister-in-law and their consequently ruined wedding day.The whole situation began when my brother came to me on my wedding day with a revelation of his own. “Leonard, all these months leading up to your wedding, and especially today, had me thinking about my future with Laurel,” Andrew began. While adjusting my tie, I gave Andrew a quick glance in the mirror and said, “You going to pop the question soon? Never thought I’d see the day my baby brother would let himself be tied down. “Then Andrew dropped the bombshell. “Yeah, I want to do it real soon, I don’t want to wait anymore. Today is perfect.” I couldn’t believe my ears. I glared at him wondering whether he was serious or not and asked, “Are you serious? You want to ask Laurel to marry you at my wedding?”Andrew nodded and it immediately angered me. This is my day, mine and my bride’s. “No,” I said hastily. “My wedding is not the place to advance your relationship. It’s our day, and you are not going to ruin it with any distractions.” My brother went to our mom and complained that I didn’t want him to propose to his girlfriend at my wedding. Mom was livid and thought I was being unreasonable and petty.”Leonard, you know it’s rare that our entire family is together like this right? How can you be so selfish?All he wants is for his family to be present for the special moment, and you don’t want him to have it,” my mother seethed. I wasn’t going to let anyone hijack my wedding for their purposes, so I stood my ground, “I don’t care if you think I’m being selfish. This is a special day for my bride and me to spend with loved ones, celebrating OUR future – no one else’s! If Andrew even looks like he is going to propose, I will have him kicked out, do you understand?”My mom did not like my strong stand on the matter and said that if I kicked Andrew out, she would also leave my wedding. I did not want my wedding day to become a spectacle my bride would look back at with regret, so I relented but vowed to get my revenge, which came sooner than I thought.Andrew got married to Laurel last weekend, and my payback felt rather sweet at the time. I waited until the newlyweds took to the floor for their first dance before I set my plan in motion.I walked onto the stage and grabbed the microphone from the stand, and bellowed, “Good afternoon everyone! Can I have your attention for an important announcement, please.” Beaming the widest smile I could muster, which I have to admit came easily, I looked at Andrew and Laurel, who had now stopped dancing and looked at me with shock.Their angry faces did not deter me. In fact, it only encouraged me to carry out my plan. I invited my wife, Grace, onto the stage with me, and once she stood smiling next to me, we dropped some news of our own. “Grace and I have exciting news, and since everyone is here together, I just want to share that we are expecting our first child,” I said beaming.Everyone cheered in delight, except my mom, my brother, and his bride. Getting a taste of their own medicine didn’t sit well with either of them. The sound of my mother screaming at me could be heard throughout the venue. She caught up with Grace and me just as we stepped off the stage, “What on earth were you thinking, Leonard? How could you be so dismissive of Andrew and Laurel’s wedding day? Never thought a child of mine would be so disrespectful, selfish, and mean!”With as much calmness as I could muster, I replied, “It’s really rare that the whole family is together like this. All I want is to share the wonderful news with everyone, and you won’t let me have it?” My mom went red in the face and had one more thing to say before stomping off, “It is your fault Andrew and Laurel’s wedding day is ruined. It is your fault Laurel just left the venue in tears, you should be ashamed of yourself!”A week has gone by since the tit-for-tat thing played out, and in hindsight, I wonder whether I had gone too far. Was there a better way to handle the situation, or did Andrew have it coming? In a similar story, the tables are somewhat turned, as the mom wonders whether she is in the wrong after her son got angry that her milestone celebration is now being compared to his wedding. To find out exactly what happened, click here for the whole story.This work is inspired by real events and people, but it has been fictionalized for creative purposes. Names, characters, and details have been changed to protect privacy and enhance the narrative. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental and not intended by the author. The author and publisher make no claims to the accuracy of events or the portrayal of characters and are not liable for any misinterpretation. This story is provided “as is,” and any opinions expressed are those of the characters and do not reflect the views of the author or publisher.