But as I stood in front of the produce section another thought appeared in my mind, one that refused to disappear.
Why was it always my responsibility to fix every problem quietly?
Why could she invite twenty people without hesitation while I was expected to create a miracle with one hundred dollars?
For several minutes I stood there holding the small stack of bills. Then I made a decision that surprised even me.
I bought exactly what one hundred dollars could buy.
Not a dollar more.
When I returned to the house the patio was already filling with guests. Folding chairs surrounded the long tables while laughter and conversation filled the air. Dorothy moved between people with a proud smile.
“My daughter in law prepared everything today,” she told them.
I smiled politely and walked into the kitchen. I cooked slowly and carefully, measuring every ingredient so nothing would be wasted. When the food was ready I placed the pots on large trays and carried them toward the patio.
The guests were already seated and waiting.
“The food is ready,” I announced with a calm voice.
The conversations faded as I approached the table and began placing the dishes one by one in front of everyone. Dorothy watched with visible satisfaction until I lifted the lid from the first large pot.
Inside there was only a modest pile of plain white rice.
No meat. No chicken. Not even beans.
Beside it sat a pot of clear broth with a few herbs floating on the surface, and next to that a plate stacked with warm tortillas. That was the entire meal.
Twenty people stared at the table in silence.
Dorothy was the first to react. “What is this?” she demanded.
I met her eyes calmly. “Lunch.”
She lifted another lid as if expecting something else to appear. “Where is the chicken? Where is the meat and the vegetables?”
“I bought everything the money allowed,” I answered.
A quiet murmur began spreading among the guests.
“How much money did she give you?” one woman asked.
I reached into my apron and held up the folded bills. “One hundred dollars.”
The words settled over the courtyard like a heavy cloud. A man near the fence shook his head slowly.
“You cannot feed twenty people with that amount,” he said.
Dorothy looked at me angrily. “You are lying.”
I gently shook my head and placed the grocery receipt on the table. “Rice, tortillas, and herbs for the soup. That is all the money covered.”