Jenna thought her day couldn’t get much worse when she spotted her sister and her family moving into her house without asking. But just when it seemed like all hope was lost, an unexpected knock at the door brought about a delicious dose of karma right away.
My sister and I used to be quite close. But things were different after she got married. What happened recently? That will always be with me.
My name is Jenna, and I’m 31 years old. I have a little house with three bedrooms. It’s not fancy, but it’s mine. For the past ten years, I’ve been paying the mortgage and scraping by on long shifts and tight budgets.
Of course, I wish I had an apartment with a pool on the roof like my friends do. But in the end, I don’t have to deal with strangers, a landlord, or my housemates fighting over dirty dishes. This is my space.
My sister Mara is also here. She is married to Dylan, her high school sweetheart, and they have two kids. We were quite close as kids, but things changed after she got married. I didn’t mind that she got caught up in her new life. I believed she was doing what was best for her family.
I was wrong about a number of things, it turns out.
Dylan and Mara have always been the kind of people who are free-spirited. Always saying they want to quit their job, go traveling in Europe, and “chase experiences over paychecks.”
“Jenna, why waste your life in a cubicle?” Mara would say this at family dinners. “There’s a lot of world out there.”
I would laugh and roll my eyes. “Someone has to pay for that world, Mara.”
Dylan would say the same dumb things he always does. “We can always make more money, but what about time? That’s the real money.
It’s easy to say when you’re wasting my time.
I told them. They couldn’t keep up with their spending habits, like going on last-minute trips and buying pricey strollers while raising two kids.
When they told me they had sold their house to “travel the world for a year,” I was surprised.
“Yes, we did it!” Mara yelled on the phone one day. “We sold the house!”
“Hold on… what? What do the kids have to say? “Your jobs?”
“We’ll teach our kids at home while we travel.” The kids will learn as they go!
I attempted to talk her out of it, but they were determined to do it. “We know what we’re doing,” she responded, and she didn’t care about my misgivings. “We’ll help out in exchange for a place to stay and stay in hostels.” It will be great.
Spoiler alert: it wasn’t.
At first, their social media was filled with stunning sunsets and sophisticated eateries.
After that, the photographs stopped coming. The last one showed them sleeping in a muddy field with a bizarre message that said “returning to simplicity.”
Then, nothing else.
They didn’t get back to me for weeks.
I arrived home from work one night eager to relax, but there were shoes from people I didn’t know in my doorway. There were also some luggage in my foyer. There was a child’s jacket on the banister.
My heart stopped. I carefully walked in… And there they were.
It was like an Airbnb for Mara, Dylan, and their two kids to dump their things in my living room.
“Hey, Mara?” I was astonished when I asked. “What are you doing here?”
She smiled. “Surprise!” “We’re back!”
“Back in my house?”
Dylan grinned. “Yeah, we ended the trip early.” Traveling with kids is a lot of work.
“Mom also gave us your extra key,” Mara remarked. “That one you left her in case of an emergency?” We decided it would be best to stay here for a while. “Just until we can stand up again.”
I blinked. “A few months?!” Mara, you can’t just show up and move into my house!
“But Jenna, we’re family,” she pleaded over and over. “I thought you would understand.”
I couldn’t say anything.
Dylan then fearlessly said, “You aren’t even using all of this space.”
That was the most important moment.
“You have to leave. Now.
They said no.
Dylan even tried to terrify me. “Jenna, don’t do this.” We can’t go anywhere else.
I didn’t want the kids to get into trouble with the law, and calling the police seemed like too much. But I wasn’t going to let them treat me like a doormat.
I needed a plan.
That’s when I got a text from Cal, a college acquaintance who has always been a jokester and a drama queen.
Hi Jen! I’m in town right now for work. Do you want to drink tonight?
I quickly replied:
Please help me. A big favor. And don’t forget how to act.
Someone rang my doorbell an hour later.
Cal was dressed like a police officer because he had donned the outfit for a prank night with his friends.
As I walked outside, I said to myself, “Perfect timing.” “Let’s scare the free riders away.”
He shook his head. I told Mara and Dylan to come back inside and added, “Someone is here to talk to you.”
They came into the hallway, curious, until they saw Cal with his arms crossed and a lot of “officer energy.”
“I’m Officer Thomas,” he remarked in a stern voice. “We got a call about someone who was breaking the law.”
Mara and Dylan’s faces became white.
“Officer, there’s no break-in,” Dylan stated with a stammer. “You’re part of the family.” “Everything is fine.”
“Did the person who owns the house let you stay here?” Cal asked, narrowing his eyes.
Mara answered, “Well… no.”
Cal pulled out some fake handcuffs. “I need you to leave the property right now.” If not, we’ll have to call this trespassing and illegal occupancy.
Their faces were worth a lot. Dylan’s pride fell away. Mara soon started to apologize.
“We’re getting ready!” We’re leaving now! “I’m so sorry, Jenna.”
They threw their bags in the car and pushed the kids out like the house was on fire.
I laughed out loud and turned to Cal as soon as they drove off in their SUV.
“You are a legend.”
He shrugged. “What are friends for?” “Coffee?”
After I prepared us some coffee, we fell asleep on the couch.
Cal shook his head and said, “I still can’t believe they did that.”
I sighed and added, “Me neither.” “Part of me feels bad, but I’ve worked so hard for this place.” I couldn’t allow them come in and take over.
He said, “That was the right thing to do.” “Boundaries are important, no matter who they are.”
I thought about it for a while.
Would Mara and I ever be able to move on? I don’t know. But that night, I discovered something much more important:
I have the right to protect my peace.
I can say no.
And I can keep the key to my house in my pocket.