Dinner Table Embarrassment and Blame

“I swear I didn’t mean to moan loud enough for the whole dinner table to hear.”

It happened during my boyfriend’s family dinner—his very conservative family. I’d been dealing

with a pulled muscle all week, and when he placed his hand on my lower back to help me

sit, the pain shot up my side. The sound slipped out before I could

stop it. His mother froze mid-bite. His dad choked on his wine.

My boyfriend turned bright red, whispering, “Babe—what was that?” I tried explaining

it was pain, not… whatever they thought. But things got worse when his sister

pulled me aside afterward and hissed, “If you’re trying to get attention, pick a different