At the very first meeting with my fiancé’s family, his mother threw a glass of wine in my face and laughed cruelly, “Just disinfecting the poor! Want to marry my son? Pay $100,000 now.” I turned and saw him smiling along with her.

Judith laughed softly. “How generous of you to describe normal expectations as gifts.”

Brandon chuckled with his mother. Diana noticed. She said nothing.

Judith raised her wine glass higher. “You see, dear, our family does not invest in uncertainty. If you wish to marry my son, there must be a contribution. One hundred thousand dollars. Paid before any engagement is announced.”

Before Diana could respond, Judith flicked her wrist. The wine left the glass in a red arc and splashed across Diana’s face, her hair, and her dress. Gasps rippled around the table. One cousin dropped a fork. Brandon smiled. Not nervously. Not apologetically. He smiled as if he were watching an amusing performance.

Judith laughed. “Just disinfecting the poor,” she said brightly. “A little humor never hurts.”

Wine dripped onto the white tablecloth. The smell of grapes and embarrassment hung in the air.

Diana reached for her napkin. She wiped her face slowly. Her hands did not shake. She placed the napkin back on the table neatly. She looked first at Judith. Then at Brandon.

“So this is entertainment for you,” Diana said softly.