My old colleagues were attending a birthday party for one of them. I haven't seen them in 9 months but we chat occasionally on WhatsApp. I would call them acquaintances but not friends, although it was nice to have been asked by one of the friends' husbands to attend.
Two days before the party, one of the group said over email that she had bought a gift for the birthday girl. We didn't get a say in what it was or the price. In the end, it didn't get delivered on time, and due to sick babies, I wasn't able to go. The queen bee has now sent me a 'payment reminder' for the gift.
AIBU to say to her I'm not comfortable in paying it? I didn't agree to chipping in, I didn't get a say in the gift or its budget, and I didn't get to have the pleasure of seeing the birthday girl open it anyway!
I just feel like she made a decision, and expected everyone else to pay her.