Most things I buy have two prices: the price I have paid and the price I will tell my parents.

This is for two reasons. One, I am embarrassed that I have let my family down by overpaying and not being an adequate adult, and two, I think my parents will enjoy something less if they know how much it costs. So every time they ask me the price of anything, I ask them to take a guess, and whatever they guess, I say is, in fact, the price.

Earlier this year, my mother mentioned to me that she would like to visit Goa. Growing up, our vacations as a family were visits to relatives and grandparents so my family’s preferences on vacation are something we are still discovering. What we are okay spending on and what is not worth it.

For this trip, I decided to book a villa on the beach I took swimming lessons this year and now enjoy my time in the sea. So I was excited to have my family enjoy the sea too. In Goa, you can sit for hours in the glow of the sun with the salt water washing over you.

We arrived at the Portuguese villa. It had a fully stocked fridge and a price list that immediately became the topic of discussion. My mother found me and said, “I drank some soda, and it was Rs. 70. It would be like 20 outside.” I told her once it is consumed, we don’t need to talk about it. I had already started imagining how bad I was going to feel when my family decided that this was in fact, not worth it.

Later in the day, my brother discovered that the drinking water was not complimentary. He started explaining to me how hotels inflate MRPs and how it was not cool for them to charge for water. I looked around hoping my parents weren't overhearing this. I didn’t want them dehydrated for the rest of this vacation. 30 minutes later, I found my father staring at a bottle for considerably longer than a minute.

For my family, prices are part of the conversation. It is the breeze and the sea. It is all part of the vacation. And life. They grew up planning every spend and every joy with such precision that it is a part of who they are. When I was younger, if you asked me how much money I wanted to make, my answer would be: Enough to not worry about the price of everything. For me, any talk about prices is an alarm. I am worried that we will soon be unhappy while being in a perfectly beautiful place because it is not worth the price.

For the next four mornings, we all woke up and went to the beach. We sat in the water for hours swimming and playing in the sea. In the afternoons, we napped and went out in the evenings for dinner. On our last day, I was lying down next to my mother and she finally asked me how much the trip cost. I asked her to take a guess. She guessed accurately and I sheepishly told her she was right. I waited for her to say something that would break my heart.

“The best part was living right on the beach. And taking a swim every morning.” She didn't.