When Saying “No” Was the Right Kind of Family Support
I was still so frustrated I could barely type without rolling my eyes. What should have been a smooth family trip to my cousin’s wedding in Greece turned into a full-blown drama—over a plane seat.
I’m 29, and I’d booked my flight months ahead. I get motion sickness easily, so I paid extra for a window seat near the front. It wasn’t about comfort—it was a necessity. Everyone in the family was responsible for their own tickets, and I made sure I got what I needed.
Then came the chaos.
At the gate, my older sister Madeline (32) came rushing over, visibly frazzled. Her husband, Victor, had been assigned a middle seat at the back of the plane, and she asked if I would switch with him so they could sit together.
I thought she was joking. She wasn’t.
I calmly told her no. I explained that I paid extra for that seat and needed it to avoid getting sick. Her response? “It’s just a seat. We thought family mattered more than comfort.”
Continue reading on the next page…