As soon as Nicole receives a phone call from her stepmother informing her that she has a present for her, Nicole rushes over to the house. Nevertheless, when Nicole finds out what the gift is, she is caught between the want to make her father happy and the desire to exact revenge. At long last, she has come to terms with it and is making preparations to change it into something very different. When all is said and done, Nicole is prepared to take advantage of the fruits of her labor.
Have you ever been in a situation when you should have merely paid more attention to your instincts? It was me, standing in the basement of my stepmother’s house, starring at the most disgusting and odorous couch I had ever seen.
I received a phone call from my stepmother, Susan, earlier that morning, celebrating my birthday with a very special gift. Her insistence was that she was in possession of a “priceless” present that was too large for her to move by herself.
The words “You’re going to love it, Nicole!” were spoken by her. “It is without a doubt irreplaceable! We will gladly demonstrate it to you if you come over later today.
It is at this time that I will tell you that Susan and I had never been particularly close to one another. In point of fact, if I am being completely truthful, she hardly noticed my existence at all. Imagine, then, how completely taken aback I was when she presented me with a present.
As I was getting into the car, I thought to myself, “Nic, curiosity can be the death of a cat.”
The only thing I wanted to do was find out what it was, and I hoped that, for once, she would truly be genuine.
When I finally make it to my father’s house, he informs me that Susan is quite busy.
“She’s sorting out the basement, honey,” he said to me. Susan is at long last doing away with all of her clutter. And to tell you the truth, it’s about time. Have a cup of tea with me, will you?
“No, let me check out the gift first, Dad,” I responded to him. “I’m so curious!”
Without taking into account my anxiety, he laughed. Susan has a talent for giving gifts unexpectedly. Socks and water bottles were the gifts that she got me for my birthday the year before. I was curious as to whether or not next year would be any different.
It was fine, he said. I will go and collect Susan, and after that, we can have a cup of tea and a piece of cake together. This morning, Susan baked a fruit cake with lemon.
In the meantime, my father went down to the basement, and I paced about the foyer. After a few moments, I eventually heard them on the stairs.
After that, I became aware of it.
The behemoth that was a couch was being carried out of the basement by my father and Susan as they approached the entrance. In addition to being damaged and torn, the fabric had a stench that was so strong that it could certainly knock out an adult horse! It seems to have been ignored for a considerable amount of time!
“Happy Birthday!” As if she were handing me the keys to a brand new car, Susan gleamed with excitement.
My father gazed at me with eager anticipation, expecting that I would be pleased with the present. But the situation was dreadful! It was obvious to Susan that he would suffer if he turned it down. You could tell just looking at her face.
Despite my aggravation, I forced myself to calm down and contacted my boyfriend to come over with his van.
Derek said, “I’ll be there in about ten minutes, babe,” and he was right.
To which I answered, “Thank you!” “I think they want the couch out today, so I need to take it home.”
He responded by saying, “No problem, Nic.” I am simply playing games online. On the other hand, I’ll be finished very soon.”
It was obvious to me that Susan was utilizing me as a delivery service and a complimentary dumpling service. It was not appropriate for the couch to be in any house. On the other hand, I was resolute in my commitment to maintain peace for the sake of my father.
During the time that I was enjoying my cup of tea, Derek arrived, and together we loaded the couch and headed back to my house. It was agreed that we would have supper together, and he was going to accompany me back to my house.
He commented, “This couch is rough,” and I agree with him. “Looks like it’s been through a storm or two.”
The first thing I intended to do was to throw it away at the curb and let someone else take it, but then something unexpected happened inside of me. Susan was not going to be allowed to triumph.
I made the decision to give the couch a second chance at life by restoring it. This marked the beginning of a project that I had never anticipated would result in unexpected outcomes.
I began by addressing the odor.
The smell emanated from the couch, and it was so strong that it seemed to have a life of its own. In addition, the stink became much more potent as the day progressed.
White vinegar, water, and a few drops of lavender essential oil are the ingredients that make up the do-it-yourself deodorizing solution that I was fortunate enough to discover online. After thoroughly combining the ingredients, I sprayed it all over the couch and then allowed it to sit for a few hours.
Although the smell of vinegar was overwhelming, it eventually subsided, taking the majority of the unpleasant stench with it.
Afterwards, I was tasked with removing the stains.
Due to the fact that the years of spills and negligence had left their mark, I decided to make a cleaning solution consisting of baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, and a small amount of dish detergent. I took a gentle brush in my hand and cleaned the soiled spots with great care, kneading the substance into the fabric as I went.
After allowing it to sit for around fifteen minutes, I used a moist cloth to remove dirt and debris. The appearance of the metamorphosis was already apparent. As the stains began to disappear, I began to feel positive about the restoration job I was working on.
However, after that, I was forced to deal with the tears and rips. The problem could not be solved with a straightforward needle and thread.
“Nic, you need material,” Derek observed to Nic as he was marinating chicken in the kitchen. “There’s no other way than to do a funky patch job.”
When asked, “I agree,” I responded. “Will you be fine here while I do a quick dash into town?”
Derek gave a slight nod.
“But why are you rushing?” Asking was Derek.
“Because if I don’t, it’ll end up as another sidelined project.”
“Go,” he made a chuckle. “I’ll finish dinner in the meantime.”
Because of this, I went to the thrift store in my neighborhood and discovered some fabric that was relatively similar, as well as some random buttons, frills, and even two throw cushions.
I used fabric glue to repair the larger holes, and I used an iron-on fabric mender to repair the tiny tears. Last but not least, in order to give the entire couch a more unified appearance, I added some decorative buttons and tufting in important locations, which gave the impression that it was done almost intentionally.
“Alright, give it a rest, Nic,” Derek called out as he removed the final flatbread from the pan. “It’s been a while.” “You can finish it off in the morning.”
After performing all of the scrubbing, my arms were completely spent, and as a result, I was prepared to listen to Derek and simply sit down and consume all that he had prepared.
Nevertheless, I resumed my work the following morning. The couch was given a thorough steaming with the help of my steam cleaning cleaner. Over the course of several hours, I meticulously examined every square inch of it, bringing the fabric back to life while imagining each and every germ dissipating into thin air.
At the time that I had finished, the couch appeared to be something that had been purchased from a prestigious furniture store.
“Damn, Nic!” “I told myself,” I said. “Well done, girl.”
I made the decision to sell the couch on a social media marketplace for $5,000 since I was feeling very good of the work that I had done. To be honest, I was really curious about whether or not anyone would go for it, so it was almost like a joke.
The restoration of the couch was something that I really enjoyed doing, but I also wanted to see if I could earn some money off of my do-it-yourself effort.
“What on earth?!” As soon as my phone buzzed with a notification, I let out an exclamation. Someone by the name of Maggie was prepared to buy my furniture immediately!
I was taken aback when, within a single day, I received an offer from a person who lived in the more upscale area of town. Despite the fact that I couldn’t believe my good fortune, I decided to take the offer.
Maggie remarked, “Honestly, this is quite wonderful.”
In the instant that I gave my consent to the transaction, she made a beeline for my residence in order to examine the couch.
For my art studio, this couch is going to be the ideal piece of furniture! The question that she posed was, “Why would you ever want to get rid of it?”
“I’m just redecorating,” I answered in an embarrassed manner. “But look, it’s yours to love and enjoy.”
After a few days had passed, Susan had arrived at my doorway, seething with anger. The fact that the couch had been acquired for $5,000 was something that she was aware of after seeing the post.
The ungrateful little brat that you are! You have the audacity to sell my gift. She let out a scream.
Susan, you have provided me with a piece of garbage. Simply put, garbage. In order to restore it, I invested both time and work. Simply put, the only reason it was worth anything at all now was because of the job that I had done.
Despite this, she did not retreat.
It was my couch!” she exclaimed. Since you sold it, I anticipate receiving fifty percent of the money. The total is $2,500!
Her nerve was beyond my comprehension.
“No, Susan,” she replied. In the event that you desired to sell the couch, you need to have done so on your own. My ownership includes both the transformation and the profit.
As she stormed off, she yelled as she left, “You’ll regret this!”
Due to the fact that she has not returned, I am unsure of what she has in mind. However, I am aware that my father will be calling me in the near future.
On what basis would you have acted?
If you found this tale to be enjoyable, here is another one for you to read:
After we paid for renovations, our in-laws kicked us out of the house that they had given us as a gift, and things got even worse from there.
When Mike’s parents make the offer to provide him and his family with a place to live, they are overjoyed. It is necessary for Mike and Maria to have additional room because their family is expanding. As a result, they decide to make the property into a home by undergoing renovations. On the other hand, Mike’s parents called one day and expressed their desire to regain possession of their home.
As soon as my husband’s parents made us an offer on a house, we felt it was a dream come true. Any assistance was a blessing for us because we had three children and a limited budget.
To be quite honest with you, however, the house was not even close to being ideal.
“It’s in the middle of nowhere, Mike,” I informed my husband as we were sitting on the couch discussing the prospect of moving into the house. “It’s in the middle of nowhere.”
“It is a great distance from both the school where the children attend and our places of employment! “In order for us to arrive on time, we will need to leave a great deal earlier,” I remarked with a sigh.
“I know, Maria,” Maria’s husband responded to her. “The fact that the closest grocery store is twenty minutes away is something that infuriates me. In spite of this, I do not like to appear ungrateful.
I was able to comprehend. The timing of their gift couldn’t have been better. Because of the congestion in our little house with two bedrooms, our three children were forced to share one of the bedrooms.
I took his hand and said, “We’ll do it for the kids,” as I took his hand. “Whatever happens, we’ll make it work for them.”
One of the things that Mike’s mother said to us when we went to their house for supper was, “Think of it as a fresh start, kids.” “The kids will have a lot of area to run around in, and you will enjoy the peace and quiet that has been provided for them. It is going to be beneficial for you to do this.
“Yes, Mom,” Mike asserted her. “We firmly concur with you. Our family is excited to embark on this new journey together as a unit, and we are looking forward to this fresh beginning.
