Rhonda made it three steps toward the entrance before she noticed the cancellation sign. Her smile disappeared. Within minutes, Caleb, Megan, and half the guest list were crowded beneath the awning demanding answers. Rhonda immediately announced that Finch Hall had made a mistake. The manager calmly corrected her. The event had been canceled by the only person authorized to approve the final charges: me.
Caleb found me near the reception desk. “Mom, what did you do?” he asked, as if I were the one who had created the problem. I showed him the original booking agreement, my $3,100 deposit receipt, and the email stating that no additional charges could be authorized without my written approval. Then I handed him the invitation with Rhonda’s name printed across the top. “Your hostess can pay for her party.”
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