{"id":1391,"date":"2024-11-29T04:37:27","date_gmt":"2024-11-29T04:37:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/momentsunfolded.com\/?p=1391"},"modified":"2024-11-29T04:37:29","modified_gmt":"2024-11-29T04:37:29","slug":"entitled-parents-demand-1000-from-nanny-for-vacation-plane-tickets-the-lesson-they-learned-was-harsh","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/momentsunfolded.com\/archives\/1391","title":{"rendered":"Entitled Parents Demand $1000 from Nanny for Vacation Plane Tickets \u2013 The Lesson They Learned Was Harsh"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Jane\u2019s employers plan a luxurious holiday away, tagging her along to look after their children. While they promised that they would take care of all the expenses, it is only when they return home that they demand that Jane play her part and pay for her plane tickets. But Jane won\u2019t give up that easily.\n
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\u201cJane, can you come into the living room?\u201d Mrs. Smith called out, her teaspoon clinking as she stirred sugar into the cup of tea Melanie, the helper, had just given her.\n\n

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\"A\n\n

A fancy teacup with a gold spoon\n\n\n

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I was tidying up the playroom.\n\n

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\u201cNow, please,\u201d she added.\n\n

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Her tone was sweet, but something felt off. I walked into the living room, trying to keep my nerves at bay.\n\n

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\u201cSure, Mrs. Smith. What\u2019s up?\u201d I replied, wiping the disinfectant onto my jeans.\n\n

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\"A\n\n

A children\u2019s playroom\n\n\n

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She was sitting on the couch, perfectly poised as always. Not even a strand of hair out of place. Mr. Smith was seated beside her, his phone in his hand. He gave me a tight smile.\n\n

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\u201cJane, we need to talk about the vacation.\u201d\n\n

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\"A\n\n

A woman sitting on a couch\n\n\n

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I nodded, curious.\n\n

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We had been home for two days now. Back from our trip to the seaside, staying in a luxurious resort. It was almost the break I needed, minus the fact that I had the Smiths\u2019 three children, and their friends, the Johnsons\u2019 two sons to care for as well.\n\n

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\"A\n\n

A woman holding a baby at the beach\n\n\n

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I was just doing my job in a fancier location.\n\n

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\u201cOf course,\u201d I said. \u201cIt was a lovely trip. Thank you again for inviting me.\u201d\n\n

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\u201cYes, well,\u201d Mrs. Smith started. \u201cWe need to discuss the plane tickets. When will you be able to return the $1000?\u201d\n\n

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I blinked. I was sure that I had misheard her.\n\n

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\"A\n\n

A person holding a boarding pass\n\n\n

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\u201cSorry, $1000? For the tickets? What?\u201d\n\n

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\u201cYes, for the tickets, Jane,\u201d she spoke slowly as if I was stupid. \u201cWe spent a lot on them, and we thought you\u2019d be grateful enough to pay us back.\u201d\n\n

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My heart raced. I didn\u2019t have that kind of money to spare. I was their full-time nanny, with a mother to care for at home.\n\n

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\"A\n\n

A close-up of a worried woman\n\n\n

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\u201cBut you told me that everything was sorted. You said, \u2018Don\u2019t worry about it, Jane. We\u2019ve got it all covered.\u2019\u201d\n\n

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Mrs. Smith\u2019s expression hardened. Mr. Smith gazed at me.\n\n

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\"A\n\n

A man in a suit\n\n\n

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\u201cThat was before the Johnsons refused to sign a business deal with Craig. That was the entire purpose of the holiday. Mr. Smith and I needed to woo them. So, there\u2019s no need to seem generous now, Jane. You have exactly one week to return the money, or it will be taken from your pay.\u201d\n\n

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\"A\n\n

A person signing a document\n\n\n

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I was stunned. The room felt like it was spinning.\n\n

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\u201cBut\u2026 I can\u2019t afford that, Mrs. Smith,\u201d I admitted. \u201cMost of my salary goes to the rent at home and my mother\u2019s medication. I can\u2019t take that away from her. And you didn\u2019t mention anything about paying you back!\u201d\n\n

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\"A\n\n

A person taking medication\n\n\n

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\u201cThat\u2019s not our problem, Jane. One week,\u201d Mr. Smith reiterated, reaching for a croissant from the tea tray left for Mrs. Smith. With a wave of his hand, he signaled the end of the discussion.\n\n

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That night, I sat in my tiny room a few feet away from the Smiths\u2019 house. I was seething. How could they do this? I needed a plan, and I needed it fast.\n\n

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\"Croissants\n\n

Croissants on a plate\n\n\n

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Then it hit me: the Smiths cared deeply about their social standing and their reputation.\n\n

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\u201cOf course, that\u2019s all they care about,\u201d I muttered to myself as I brushed my teeth before bed. \u201cBut I can use that to my advantage.\u201d\n\n

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\"A\n\n

A woman brushing her teeth\n\n\n

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The next day, after I dropped the kids off at school, I created a fake email account. I drafted a polite but detailed message about my experience, making sure to be clear without naming any names.\n\n

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But there were enough telltale signs pointing to the Smiths, from their cars to the kids, to the gold facial appointments that Mrs. Smith bragged about.\n\n

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\"A\n\n

A woman getting a gold facial\n\n\n

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Thereafter, I sent it to the key people in their social circle, including the other influential families that the Smiths wanted to be in league with.\n\n

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\u201cI just don\u2019t understand what they want from us,\u201d I overheard Mrs. Smith say into the phone later that day. \u201cEva asked me if everything is true, but I don\u2019t know what she\u2019s talking about.\u201d\n\n

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\"A\n\n

A person using a laptop\n\n\n

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A few days later, the gossip started spreading. The Smiths\u2019 dirty little secret on how they treated \u201ctheir staff\u201d was out, and naturally, their reputation took a hit.\n\n

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Mrs. Smith called in a masseuse to soothe her muscles.\n\n

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\u201cJust let them into the spa when they arrive, Jane,\u201d she said. \u201cI need all the help I can get.\u201d\n\n

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\"A\n\n

A woman getting a massage\n\n\n

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Later that day, when I went to pick the kids up from school, the other nannies were hanging about, waiting for the bell to ring.\n\n

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\u201cDid you read the email about the Smiths?\u201d one of the nannies said. \u201cJane, are they really like that?\u201d\n\n

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I nodded.\n\n

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\"A\n\n

A group of women standing together\n\n\n

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\u201cThey\u2019re good parents, but they\u2019re horrible people,\u201d I admitted, not wanting to give away that I was the person who sent out the email.\n\n

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\u201cHow long will you work for them?\u201d another asked me. \u201cI couldn\u2019t live or work under those circumstances. Rich people need to learn that respect for them is earned, too.\u201d\n\n

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I smiled.\n\n

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\"A\n\n

A smiling woman\n\n\n

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The nannies went back and forth as we waited. And through their chatter, I discovered something interesting about Mrs. Smith.\n\n

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Turns out that my employer had a habit of \u201cborrowing\u201d items from her friends and never returning them.\n\n

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\u201cAn entire Gucci handbag, Jane,\u201d Mina said. \u201cMrs. Smith asked my ma\u2019am if she could borrow it for a fundraising gala two months ago.\u201d\n\n

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\"A\n\n

A black Gucci handbag\n\n\n

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\u201cThat\u2019s ridiculous!\u201d I said, shocked. \u201cI didn\u2019t know that she was capable of that sort of thing. But she doesn\u2019t like me getting too close to her things anyway.\u201d\n\n

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A few days later, Mrs. Smith held one of her ladies\u2019 luncheons. It was a monthly event that she loved hosting, but this time it was only two weeks into the month.\n\n

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\"A\n\n

A menu on a plate\n\n\n

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\u201cI need this to go well, Jane,\u201d she said as I cut fruit up for the kids. \u201cSo, you need to attend it. The kids will be at school. Everything will be catered for. Just walk around and talk to the women. Make us seem human.\u201d\n\n

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I knew that she was puzzling. She must have heard more than enough through the grapevine.\n\n

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\"Sliced\n\n

Sliced fruit on a chopping board\n\n\n

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During the event, I walked around as requested of me. But I wasn\u2019t going to let this opportunity slip. And I had nothing to lose. The Smiths were probably going to fire me at the end of the week when I couldn\u2019t make the $1000.\n\n

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\u201cWe\u2019ll deal with it, darling,\u201d my mother coughed into the phone when I told her the truth of the matter.\n\n

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\"A\n\n

A person covering her mouth\n\n\n

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At the luncheon, I walked around, casually mentioning to the ladies how much I admired Mrs. Smith\u2019s collection, making sure that I spoke to Eva, Mina\u2019s employer.\n\n

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\u201cMrs. Smith has a stunning handbag similar to yours,\u201d I said. \u201cGucci. Did she lend you this one? She\u2019s always telling me that she lends her things out because she has so much.\u201d\n\n

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\"A\n\n

A woman wearing a Gucci bag\n\n\n

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Eva looked at me over the top of her champagne glass.\n\n

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\u201cIs that so, Jane?\u201d she asked, her eyes narrowing.\n\n

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Whispers started circulating. By the end of the luncheon, Mrs. Smith\u2019s reputation for borrowing without returning was the hot topic.\n\n

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\"A\n\n

A woman holding a glass of champagne\n\n\n

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The next morning, her friends began asking for their things back.\n\n

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Mrs. Smith was mortified.\n\n

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During dinner the next night, Mr. Smith called me to the table, asking me to join them.\n\n

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\u201cThank you, but I usually wait for Ivy and Melanie to eat,\u201d I said politely, mentioning the chef and her helper.\n\n

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\"Food\n\n

Food on a table\n\n\n

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\u201cNo, sit with us,\u201d he insisted.\n\n

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I obliged.\n\n

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Despite his tone, I hoped that maybe he was going to tell me that the money could be forgotten. And that everything would return as normal.\n\n

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\u201cIt has come to my attention that an anonymous email has gone out,\u201d he said, cutting into his steak.\n\n

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\"Steak\n\n

Steak on a board\n\n\n

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\u201cA disgusting email,\u201d Mrs. Smith added, taking a long sip of her wine.\n\n

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\u201cDid you have anything to do with it?\u201d he asked me, his eyes trying to coax a confession out of me.\n\n

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I shook my head, looking down at my plate.\n\n

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\u201cThen that settles it,\u201d he said, knowingly. \u201cYou\u2019re dismissed. You can pack up and get out tomorrow.\u201d\n\n

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\"A\n\n

A woman holding a glass of wine\n\n\n

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I did exactly as I was told and moved back home. A week later, Mrs. Johnson called me.\n\n

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\u201cJane, can you come over for tea?\u201d she asked warmly.\n\n

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\u201cOf course, Mrs. Johnson,\u201d I replied, curious about the nature of the invitation.\n\n

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\"A\n\n

A woman holding her phone\n\n\n

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As we sat in her luxurious living room, she looked at me with genuine concern.\n\n

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\u201cI heard about what the Smiths did to you. It\u2019s disgraceful.\u201d\n\n

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I nodded, trying to keep my composure.\n\n

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\u201cWell,\u201d she continued. \u201cWe\u2019ve decided to cut ties with the Smiths entirely. And we\u2019d like to offer you a job. Better pay, better working conditions. We could use someone like you for our kids.\u201d\n\n

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\"A\n\n

A living room\n\n\n

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I was stunned.\n\n

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\u201cOf course!\u201d I exclaimed. I needed the job desperately.\n\n

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\u201cYou\u2019ve earned it,\u201d she smiled. \u201cThe boys loved having you watch them during the holiday. And somehow, you got Jonathan to eat his peas!\u201d\n\n

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I don\u2019t know how the Smiths reacted to me working for the Johnsons, but I hoped that they felt betrayed.\n\n

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\"A\n\n

A young woman with a little boy\n\n\n

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What would you have done?\n\n

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Still basking in her honeymoon glow, Jane is more than ready to begin her new life as a wife. But when she overhears a conversation between her husband and his friends, she discovers that her husband is as shallow as they come. Will Jane conform to the ideal woman Wayne wants, or will she leave?\n\n

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\"A\n\n

A man laughing\n\n\n

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This work is inspired by real events and people, but it has been fictionalized for creative purposes. Names, characters, and details have been changed to protect privacy and enhance the narrative. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.\n\n

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The author and publisher make no claims to the accuracy of events or the portrayal of characters and are not liable for any misinterpretation. This story is provided \u201cas is,\u201d and any opinions expressed are those of the characters and do not reflect the views of the author or publisher.\n\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Jane\u2019s employers plan a luxurious holiday away, tagging her along to look after their children. While they promised that they would take care of all the expenses, it is only when they return home that they demand that Jane play her part and pay for her plane tickets. But Jane won\u2019t give up that easily. […]\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1392,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1391","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/momentsunfolded.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1391","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/momentsunfolded.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/momentsunfolded.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/momentsunfolded.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/momentsunfolded.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1391"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/momentsunfolded.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1391\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1393,"href":"https:\/\/momentsunfolded.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1391\/revisions\/1393"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/momentsunfolded.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1392"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/momentsunfolded.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1391"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/momentsunfolded.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1391"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/momentsunfolded.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1391"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}