I live in a building that has a huge restaurant/cocktail bar on the ground floor.  There are 4 restaurants as well as the bar.  1 restaurant is extremely expensive, where you have to book a table as it gets booked out quickly.  SO and I have eaten there once.

Twins decided they also wanted to eat at that same expensive restaurant (with SO paying of course).  SO was thrilled as he thought this would be a way for us to get together and “connect”.  They made the booking for 6.30pm.

They also decided they would come to my apartment to check it out and have a few drinks beforehand.  I was a bit apprehensive at first, but thought it may work out, so agreed.

They arrived at 5pm.  I was in my apartment slicing lemons for our corona’s, when they walked in.  First was Bossy, then Whiny, followed by SO.  I greeted them with a big smile and said  “Hi! Welcome to my place – please make yourself at home” They sat down and muttered “hi”.  I offered them drinks – both hot and cold – to which they refused.  SO asked me to show them around – as I got up, Bossy went to the bathroom, so I showed Whiny who said “oh nice”. When Bossy came out, SO asked her if she wanted to look around and she said “oh.. might as well”.  So, I did the same, with the same reaction. I started to realise they weren’t here to “connect”.

At dinner, they ordered the most expensive items on the menu, starting with a crab dish that was tiny and cost about $80.00.  It was a dip, with wafers.  She scooped the wafer and crab, reached over and said “try it Dad” and shoved her hand into his mouth.  He ate it with a surprised look, and gave me a sheepish grin.  I gave him my widest smile and said “ooh! Hand-fed – look at you getting all spoilt like lovers..how special ...”  They turned bright red and SO refused to sample anything she gave him after that.  The twins then tried the “let’s go down memory lane” and started reminiscing about his trips to Thailand and their holidays when it was ‘just them’.  I got up and walked out saying I needed a cigarette.

SO came out after me and sat with my while I smoked, shortly after the twins walked out to join us.  SO was sitting on the edge of a bench, with me next to him. Bossy tries to squash right next to him. He gets up, grabs me and plonks me on his lap and wraps his arms around me.  They storm back into the restaurant.

For dinner, Bossy grabs the menu and beckons the waiter over to place our orders.  SO was holding my hand under the table and Bossy mutters something about too much PDA.  I gave her a sweet smile and asked her if she wanted to say something?  She glares daggers at me as the waiter arrives and ignores me.  SO squeezes my hand so I give him a hug. Whiny looks like she wants to puke into her wine.

Bossy starts to order, looks at SO and says “so Dad? Are you FINALLY ready or what?!”.  SO looks at me, I ignore her, look at the waiter and place SO and I’s order. Waiter smiles at us and walks off.  Bossy is burning by that point.  Whiny is following Bossy’s lead and glares at SO.  I grab SO and say let’s go to the bar while we wait and grab a cocktail, it’s a bit hot in here.. They follow. They go through the menu and pick the most expensive cocktail.  Whiny tries to get SO to take a sip from her glass. He says no, he’s ok.  Bossy then tries the same and he also says no.  I grab SO’s hand and we walk out to have another cigarette. They follow us out. Same thing – attempts to talk about the past.  I ignore and start talking to SO about things that actually interest us – like movies and planning a garden. They grow sullen and silent – then whisper among themselves, so we go back inside.

Dessert.  They order – again, the most expensive. I order coffee, as does SO.  We finish our coffee and they are still taking their time with their dessert.  SO asks them if they are almost done and Bossy gets upset says “what! You can’t wait to take her upstairs..God!”.  I raised my eyebrows and stared at her just unbelieving she just said that.  She refused to take her eyes off SO, who is getting pissed off by now. 

He tells her to quit it and calls the Waiter to bring the bill.  The bill arrives and I see SO rise his eyebrows.  Never seen him do that with a bill before.  He says to the twins “good grief.. you guys went a bit overboard here”. Bossy says “Well, DAD! How often do you bring HER here?!!”  I got up and walked to the bar.  SO paid the bill and came straight to me.  They follow and we pretty much ignore them.  I’m fuming and just want them out of my sight.  He feels the same and tells them we’re going back upstairs.  They glare daggers at him and storm off without a word. 

SO and I went upstairs and sat on our balcony, just shocked.  I was fuming and told him to never, ever, ever put me through that shit again.  That it’s damn obvious they came to piss on their territory and thought they could manipulate the night.  They were rude, arrogant and abnoxious and as far as I was concerned – they were now dead to me.  No way would I be around them willingly again unless they bloody apologised – and it better be damn sincere.  Also, next time – if there ever was a next time, he’d better bloody well be ready because I will not be keeping quiet.  I will rip them to shreds and make sure they learn how to behave in public.  They will never be rude to me in my own place, ever again – God, I was steaming.

He was completely mortified and agreed with me – he was also damn angry with how they treated him and said he would not let that happen again.  He said it really woke him up how he failed by spoiling them – but his eyes are now open and he’ll be taking steps to fix that.