Mark sighed.
“Rachel will explode.”
“Probably.”
“What do you need from me?”
“Backup. And the biggest poster board you can find.”
By lunchtime, Aunt Linda had agreed to help.
Uncle Paul laughed for almost a full minute before volunteering his name.
Two cousins offered to contribute imaginary obligations of their own.
By 6:30 the next evening, nearly every adult relative sat around my dining table.
Nobody wanted revenge.
We all wanted Rachel to understand what it felt like to have her time assigned without permission.
Taped across the wall behind them was an enormous calendar titled:
THE FAMILY FAVOR PLAN
Rachel’s name filled almost every weekend for the next three months.
Two weekends were assigned to our cousin’s four children.
One Saturday said: Drive Uncle Paul to his appointments.
Another read: Take Aunt Linda grocery shopping.
A third said: Cook meals for Mom.
Mark checked the tape holding it to the wall.
Mom twisted a napkin in her hands.
“Remember,” I told everyone, “nobody expects her to do any of this.”
Aunt Linda nodded.
“We only want her to listen.”
Rachel arrived twelve minutes late and entered without knocking.
“Sorry, traffic was—”
Then she saw the relatives, the table, and the calendar.
