When her sister and her family moved into her house without asking, Phoebe believed her day couldn’t get any worse. But just when it looked like there was no hope left, a knock on the door triggered a tasty dose of quick karma.
Growing up, my sister and I were always close, but after she got married, things changed. I will never forget what transpired between us a few days ago.
My name is Phoebe, I’m thirty-one, and I own a little three-bedroom home. It’s nothing special, but I’m incredibly proud that it’s mine.
I have been making mortgage payments day and night for the past ten years in order to pay it off.
I admit that occasionally I’m envious of my friends’ upscale downtown flats, but then I remind myself that this is my place. No housemates dropping filthy dishes in the sink, no landlord sneering at me. Me and my place alone.
Let me now introduce you to Holly, my sister.
She is 38 years old, married to Nicholas, her high school love, and has two children. When we were younger, we were close, but after she got married, things changed. I never held it against her when she began to concentrate more on her new life. I think she acted in her own best interests.
Even though we drifted away, we remained friendly. Or so I believed.
The free-spirited sorts have always been Holly and Nicholas. They are among those who always talk about “living life to the fullest” and “quit the rat race.”
When we would gather for family dinners, it used to irritate me to no end.
While drinking her wine, Holly would remark, “Life is too short to be cooped up in a cubicle, Phoebe.” “See the world and take more trips!”
I would roll my eyes.
“Holly, some of us prefer having a reliable source of income and a place to live.”
As Nicholas would say, “But consider the adventures! The memories!
Yes, I believe that memories do not cover expenses, friend.
I attempted to advise them to handle their money more sensibly. Despite having two young children to consider, they were constantly taking last-minute vacations or purchasing the newest technology.
However, did they pay attention? Not at all.
And they did it a few months ago. They thought they would use the money they made from the sale of their home during the market boom to “travel the world” for a year.
The exchange seems to have happened yesterday.
“Phoebe, we’re doing it!” Holly let out a squeal on the phone. “The house was sold!”
“What?” My coffee almost choked me. “Are you serious, Holly? What about the school for the children? Your occupations?”
“Oh, when traveling, we’ll homeschool them. It will be a lesson unto itself! Later on, we can always get employment. This is our opportunity to truly live!
I made an effort to reason with her. I was somewhat concerned.
“Have you given this much thought, Holly? Travel is costly, particularly when children are involved. When the funds run out, what will happen?
“Don’t worry so much, Phoebe,” she remarked, dismissing the worries. “We have everything worked out. We may volunteer for room and board while staying in hostels. Everything will be alright!
It wasn’t good. Absolutely not.
Their social media was initially flooded with images from upscale dining establishments and hotels.
“Living the dream!” would be the caption for each photo.
However, those posts began to decline after two months.
A blurry photo of them camping in a field with a statement about “embracing the simple life” was the last one I saw.
Then there was a couple weeks of radio silence. I didn’t realize what was actually going on behind the scenes; I assumed they were just enjoying their trip.
After a long day of meetings and deadlines, I once returned home from work feeling completely worn out. I just wanted to pour a bottle of wine, kick off my shoes, and binge-watch some trashy reality TV.
However, I realized something was wrong as soon as I entered my front door.
There were familiar voices coming from my living room, kid-sized backpacks on the floor, and shoes I didn’t recognize in the foyer.
They were there when I entered.
Nicholas, Holly, and their two children. In my living room, they were unpacking boxes and suitcases.
“Holly?” Squinting my eyes, I blurted out as I took in the chaos in my living room. “What are you doing here, exactly?”
“Hello, Phoebe!” Holly gave a little chirp. “Astonishment! We’ve returned!
“Back?” I said it again. “In my home?”
Nicholas then moved forward, grinning as if this were the most commonplace thing ever.
“Yes,” he answered, “we made the decision to shorten the trip.” “It turns out that traveling full-time with children is more difficult than we anticipated!”
Holly said, “And Mom gave us your spare key—the one you gave her for emergencies.” “I assumed you wouldn’t object if we temporarily stayed here while we worked things out. Only a few months will pass.
“A few months?” I objected. “Are you serious, Holly? You must ask me before you move into my house.
However, we are family. I assumed you would be glad to assist us.
“Happy?” I could feel the rage burning in my cheeks. “This is my home, Holly. My personal area. You ought to have discussed this with me.
“Phoebe, now, now,” Nicholas cut in. “Let’s avoid becoming overconfident here. Family is family, isn’t it? You’re not really using all of this room anyhow.
What I was hearing was unbelievable. What was the origin of this entitlement? Why did they act as though their actions were acceptable?
I crossed my arms over my chest and yelled, “You guys have to go.” “Now.”
Holly, however, declined.
Nicholas began quietly threatening me in the meantime.
He loomed over me and said, “Come on, Phoebe.” “Avoid making this challenging. There is nowhere else for us to go.
I was enraged. I didn’t want their little children to be involved if I called the police.
I went straight to my bedroom and locked the door behind me, knowing that I had to think of something to do.
I genuinely wanted to cry at that moment. It wasn’t until my phone buzzed that I knew what to do. Alex, a friend from college, texted me.
Pheebs, hello! where you work. Tonight, any drinks?
In our circle of friends, Alex was always the one pulling practical jokes and coming up with crazy plans. He was the one person who could get me out of this predicament.
I texted him back right away.
Well, are you able to visit? I need your assistance with a situation. Bring your acting prowess.
An hour later, the doorbell rang, and I hurried to answer it before Nicholas or Holly could. A policeman was standing at my porch when I opened the door.
“Alex, my god!” I gave him a wide-eyed stare. “You look fantastic in this costume!”
I hurried out the door and shut it after myself.
He said, “What happened, Pheebs?”
Still enamored with his fictitious police suit, I informed him, “I need your help getting rid of my relatives.” “My house is totally overrun by them.”
Alex agreed to assist after I gave him a brief explanation of the circumstances. I then yelled out to Holly and Nicholas as I opened the door.
“Please, Holly and Nicholas, could you come here? Someone from the police department needs to talk to us.
When they first entered the corridor, they were grinning, but as soon as they spotted Alex in his uniform, their faces instantly altered.
“Good night,” Alex said. “My name is Officer Johnson. Reports of a break-in at this address have reached us. Could you explain what’s happening here?
Nicholas narrowed his eyes as he gazed at me. He then went gently in Alex’s direction, puffing up his chest.
Nicholas stated gravely, “Officer, there hasn’t been a break-in here.” “We are related. Everything is good.
I said, “Officer, these people broke into my house.” “I never allowed them to be here.”
After giving a nod, Alex turned to face Holly and Nicholas.
“How were you able to enter this house?” Alex inquired.
Holly stumbled and said, “We, uh, we used a key.” I got it from Mom. It was a backup key in case of an emergency.
I stepped in and said, “But no one asked my permission.” In a sense, you broke in. Who can tell what might be absent?
Alex looked around the house and remarked, “I see.” “And did you comply with the homeowner’s request to vacate?”
Nicholas responded, his voice wavering a little, “Now, wait a minute.” “We did—”
Alex interrupted him and took out a set of handcuffs, saying, “I’m afraid I’m going to have to ask you to leave the premises immediately.” “Failing to do so may result in trespassing and breaking and entering charges.”
Seeing Nicholas pose as a police officer made me want to laugh so hard. He was simply incredible. Holly and Nicholas were sufficiently alarmed by his final statement.
“We apologize.” Holly started. “We’re going to pack.”
They started packing their belongings into their suitcases right away.
“I won’t file charges if you leave now,” Alex stated firmly. But you promise to never transgress again and return the key.
They didn’t require two reminders. Silently, Alex and I watched as they gathered their children and belongings and hurried out of the house.
After their car drove off, I finally started laughing.
I shook my head in shock and replied, “Alex, you’re a lifesaver.” “Coffee?”
He responded, “Of course!” as he entered and shut the door.
My living room was now quiet, so I hurriedly made two cups of coffee before we sat down.
Alex shook his head and remarked, “It’s unbelievable that they just thought they could live here.”
“I understand,” I sighed. You know, I feel guilty sometimes. After all, they are family. However, I simply couldn’t allow them to take advantage of me in that way.
“Phoebe, you made the right decision,” Alex informed me. “They can’t simply exploit you because their ill-conceived plan didn’t work out.”
I glanced at my phone and remarked, “Alex, I’m so happy you messaged me at the right time.” “Without you, I’m not sure what I would have done. However, why did you arrive dressed as a police officer?
“Oh, that,” Alex said with a laugh. “I was simply having fun with my mates, playing tricks and everything. I didn’t think my costume would be useful here. Isn’t that a coincidence?
“Yes,” I said, nodding. “What a coincidence.”
I couldn’t help but consider the repercussions of my conduct as we conversed. Had I made the correct decision? Would my sister and I become irreparably estranged as a result of this?
After that, though, I surveyed my living room. I had put a lot of effort into earning my space. I recognized I couldn’t allow Holly and Nicholas take over everything after reflecting on all the long hours and sacrifices I’d made to purchase a home.
I also understood that prioritizing oneself was OK. Standing up for myself and refusing to allow others walk all over me was acceptable.
If you were in my position, how would you have responded?
