<\/p>\n
Throughout that first dinner, I heard more about Scarlett than I did about any of Arnold\u2019s family members. How she always helped with the dishes (as I offered to help and was waved away). How she made the best apple pie (as my chocolate chip cookies sat untouched on the table).<\/p>\n
How she was practically a daughter to them (as I sat there, feeling more and more like an outsider). At first, I thought maybe Melissa was just having a hard time adjusting. But then she started calling me \u201cScarlett.\u201d<\/p>\n
Not once, not twice, but repeatedly.<\/p>\n
I corrected her politely the first few times, thinking it was an honest mistake. \u201cActually, it\u2019s Jasmine,\u201d I\u2019d say with a smile. \u201cOh, right,\u201d Melissa would reply, not sounding sorry at all.<\/p>\n
But when she texted me and called me Scarlett in writing, I knew it was deliberate. I couldn\u2019t ignore it anymore. One night, after another family dinner where Melissa had called me Scarlett all evening, I broke down and told Arnold about it.<\/p>\n
\u201cBabe, your mom keeps calling me Scarlett,\u201d I cried. \u201cI don\u2019t think it\u2019s an accident anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n
Arnold\u2019s smile suddenly faded. \u201cI\u2019ll talk to her,\u201d he said firmly.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis isn\u2019t okay.\u201d<\/p>\n
The next day, Arnold confronted his mother. I could hear his raised voice from the other room. \u201cMom, you need to get over Scarlett,\u201d he said firmly.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe\u2019s not interested in me anymore. We\u2019re never getting back together. Jasmine is my girlfriend now, and you need to respect that.\u201d<\/p>\n
I felt a twinge of guilt.<\/p>\n
Was I creating a rift between Arnold and his mother? Maybe I should handle this on my own, I thought. During our next visit, I noticed Melissa had a new tactic.<\/p>\n
Instead of calling me Scarlett, she started using other names. Jennifer, Jay, Jessica\u2026 anything but Jasmine. \u201cJennifer, could you pass the salt?\u201d she\u2019d ask sweetly.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s Jasmine,\u201d I\u2019d correct her, forcing a smile. \u201cOh, right. Jay, how\u2019s work going?\u201d<\/p>\n
It was infuriating, but I didn\u2019t want to complain to Arnold again.<\/p>\n
I decided to handle it on my own. I tried killing her with kindness, bringing her favorite flowers and offering to help with chores. I even sat through an entire afternoon looking at old family photos, hoping she\u2019d warm up to me.<\/p>\n
But nothing seemed to work. A few weeks before Thanksgiving, Melissa hosted a family BBQ in her backyard. I saw it as a chance to bond with the family and agreed to be there.<\/p>\n
As we stood around the grill, Arnold\u2019s sister Amy struck up a conversation. \u201cArnold tells me you\u2019re quite the cook, Jasmine,\u201d Amy said, smiling. \u201cHe was raving about your cooking to my husband the other day.\u201d<\/p>\n
I laughed, feeling a bit embarrassed.<\/p>\n
\u201cOh, he might be exaggerating a bit,\u201d I replied. \u201cI just enjoy experimenting in the kitchen.\u201d<\/p>\n
That\u2019s when Melissa saw her opportunity. \u201cWell,\u201d she said, emphasizing the wrong name, \u201cWhy don\u2019t we let Jennifer make the turkey this year?<\/p>\n
Show us what you can do.\u201d<\/p>\n
I felt a flash of annoyance at the wrong name, but I kept my expression neutral. \u201cSure,\u201d I said calmly. \u201cThat\u2019s a great idea!\u201d<\/p>\n
As I agreed, a plan started forming in my mind.<\/p>\n
If Melissa wanted to play games, I could play too. I spent the next few weeks perfecting my turkey recipe, determined to show Melissa that I was more than capable of filling Scarlett\u2019s shoes. Thanksgiving Day arrived, and Arnold and I headed to Melissa\u2019s house.<\/p>\n
We brought wine and dessert, but notably absent was the turkey I\u2019d promised to cook. As we walked in, I could feel the shock ripple through the room. Melissa\u2019s eyes widened as she looked at our empty hands.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere\u2019s the turkey?\u201d she asked. \u201cOh, was I supposed to cook it?\u201d I asked sweetly. \u201cI thought you told some \u2018Jennifer\u2019 to cook Thanksgiving dinner.<\/p>\n
I\u2019m Jasmine, remember?\u201d<\/p>\n
The room fell silent. I could see Arnold trying to hide a smile beside me. \u201cWhat do you mean?\u201d Melissa spluttered.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou agreed to cook the turkey!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDid I?\u201d I replied, keeping my voice calm. \u201cI don\u2019t recall agreeing to that. Maybe you should have asked Jasmine instead of Jennifer.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBut what are we supposed to eat now?\u201d Amy asked.<\/p>\n
I shrugged. \u201cI\u2019m sure Melissa has a backup plan. After all, she\u2019s such an experienced hostess.\u201d<\/p>\n
Melissa\u2019s face contorted with anger.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2026 you did this on purpose!\u201d she yelled. \u201cDid what?\u201d I asked innocently. \u201cI\u2019m just following your lead, Melissa.<\/p>\n
If you can\u2019t remember my name, how can I be expected to remember what you\u2019ve asked me to do?\u201d<\/p>\n
Arnold stepped forward, placing a hand on my shoulder. \u201cMom,\u201d he said firmly, \u201cthis has gone on long enough. You can\u2019t keep pretending not to know Jasmine\u2019s name.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s disrespectful and childish.\u201d<\/p>\n
Melissa\u2019s eyes filled with tears. \u201cHow dare you!\u201d she shouted. \u201cAfter everything I\u2019ve done for you, Arnold!<\/p>\n
And you bring this\u2026 this woman into our family who ruins Thanksgiving!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe only one ruining Thanksgiving is you, Mom,\u201d Arnold replied calmly. \u201cJasmine is my girlfriend, and she deserves your respect.\u201d<\/p>\n
The room erupted into chaos. Melissa was yelling, Amy was crying, and other family members were arguing amongst themselves.<\/p>\n
Through it all, I stood my ground, with Arnold by my side. \u201cI\u2019ve tried so hard to fit in with this family,\u201d I said, my voice trembling slightly. \u201cI\u2019ve been nothing but kind and respectful, even when you\u2019ve repeatedly disrespected me by refusing to use my name.<\/p>\n
I\u2019m not Scarlett, and I\u2019m not trying to be. I\u2019m Jasmine, and I\u2019m the woman your son has chosen to be with.\u201d<\/p>\n
Melissa\u2019s face crumpled, a mix of anger and embarrassment washing over her. \u201cYou don\u2019t understand,\u201d she said, her voice breaking.<\/p>\n
\u201cScarlett was like a daughter to me. When she left, it was like losing a child.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI do understand,\u201d I replied softly. \u201cBut that doesn\u2019t give you the right to treat me like I don\u2019t exist.<\/p>\n
I\u2019m here, I love your son, and I want to be a part of this family. But I won\u2019t let you erase who I am.\u201d<\/p>\n
For a moment, the room was silent. Then Melissa pointed at the door.<\/p>\n
\u201cGet out!\u201d she screamed. \u201cBoth of you, get out of my house!\u201d<\/p>\n
Without a word, Arnold took my hand, and we left. The next day, Arnold received a text from his mother.<\/p>\n
He read it aloud to me:<\/p>\n
\u201cArnold, I hope you realize that Jasmine is not the right woman for you. She caused so much yelling and crying at Thanksgiving. Is that really the kind of person you want to be with?\u201d<\/p>\n
I waited for Arnold\u2019s response.<\/p>\n
He looked at me, his eyes full of love and determination. \u201cMom,\u201d he typed, \u201cI don\u2019t need your suggestion on who\u2019s right for me. I\u2019m happy with Jasmine, and she\u2019s the one I\u2019m going to stay with.<\/p>\n
If you can\u2019t respect that, then maybe we need some time apart.\u201d<\/p>\n
As he hit send, I felt so relief that I hadn\u2019t felt in months. At that point, I knew that no matter what happened with his family, we\u2019d face it together. \u201cI\u2019m sorry it came to this,\u201d I whispered.<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t be,\u201d he replied, kissing the top of my head. \u201cYou stood up for yourself, and for us. I\u2019m proud of you.\u201d<\/p>\n
Looking back, I don\u2019t regret what I did.<\/p>\n
Sometimes, you have to stand up for yourself, even if it means ruffling a few feathers. Or in this case, a few turkeys. And who knows?<\/p>\n
Maybe next Thanksgiving, Melissa will finally remember my name. But if she doesn\u2019t, at least I know I\u2019ve got a great turkey recipe up my sleeve and a boyfriend who\u2019s willing to stand by me through it all. In the weeks that followed, Arnold and I focused on our relationship, creating our own traditions and building our own little family.<\/p>\n
And as for Melissa? Well, let\u2019s just say that sometimes it takes a shock to the system to make someone realize their mistakes. It\u2019s a work in progress, but I\u2019m slowly starting to hear my own name more often when we visit.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"