“The baby shower is at the country club,” my sister laughed. “Your Target clothes wouldn’t fit in with my husband’s family. Just… don’t come.”
I replied, “Okay.”
At the shower, my sister bragged about her successful siblings.
Then her mother-in-law gasped, showing her phone. “Isn’t this your sister on the Wall Street Journal ‘Power Women’ cover?”
My phone exploded because…
The call came on a Tuesday afternoon while I was in back-to-back board meetings. My assistant, Michael, knocked on the glass door of the conference room.
I held up one finger. Five more minutes with the VP of operations discussing our Q3 expansion into Southeast Asia. When I finally checked my phone, there were three missed calls from my sister Lauren and a voicemail.
“Hey, Emma, it’s me. So, about the baby shower next Saturday. I’ve been thinking, and okay, this is awkward, but the shower’s at Greenbryer Country Club.
Daniel’s family is hosting. His mom basically planned the whole thing. “Everyone’s going to be there.
His parents’ friends, his colleagues from the firm, people from their social circle. And I just think, you know, given where you are right now with the whole startup thing and everything, it might be better if you sit this one out. “You’d feel uncomfortable anyway.
All the other guests are, like, established. You know what I mean? Anyway, call me back.
Love you.”
I played it again. Given where you are right now. You’d feel uncomfortable.
Established. I set my phone down carefully and returned to my meeting. An hour later, Lauren texted.
Lauren: “Did you get my message?”
Me: “Yes.”
Lauren: “So, you understand, right? It’s not personal. Daniel’s family is just… they’re very particular.
His mom keeps talking about how elegant everything needs to be. Target clothes and startup stress just wouldn’t fit the vibe.”
I stared at that message. Target clothes, Lauren.
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