I hesitated. John had always been good to me,
but caring for one person in a coma was
exhausting, let alone two. “It’s okay,” he
insisted, his eyes welling up. “They’re my sister
and brother–in–law. Besides, who can you trust more than family?”
A woman in the next hospital room told me horror stories about neglectful nurses, so after
much deliberation, I agreed. I paid John and
Mary three times the going rate for their
services.
They were truly dedicated to my parents‘ care. Every time I visited, they were clean and
comfortable. After a year and a half, my parents
passed away.
I went away to college. People advised me to
sell the house, but I couldn’t. It was my parents‘
dream home, every detail designed by my mom.
The house needed upkeep, and I needed
someone to look after it. John volunteered. He
and Mary moved in, and that’s how things
stayed for years. They even convinced me to
come back for grad school, saying they could
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11:37
look after me.
Now, thanks to Jessica’s outburst, I understood
why she’d been so cold.
After Mark and Jessica left, I asked John, “Does
Jessica not know about the house?”
Mary forced a smile. “It’s my fault, dear. I told
Jessica and Mark that the house was ours.
Before they got married, Jessica’s family made
–
it clear no house, no wedding. John and I…..
well, you know we didn’t have the money. We
had to tell them it was ours.”
That made sense. John had never been much of
a worker. My parents had helped him out with several jobs, but he’d lost them all due to laziness. He’d always relied on their support. “You can’t hide it forever,” I said gently. “It’s
better to tell Jessica the truth. If she insists on
having a house, I have another property they
can live in.”
John shook his head. “Sarah, you’ve done
enough for us. I promise, I’m not taking
advantage of you.”
Tears pricked my eyes. “Uncle John, don’t say
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11:38
that. We’re family.” Without John and Mary, I
would have been truly alone.
I let it go, trusting John to handle it. For the next few days, Jessica was either icy towards me or made snide remarks under her breath while watching TV. Things like, “Some people have no shame, living in someone else’s house like they own the place. Think they’re some kind of princess, but everyone secretly can’t stand
them.”
I ignored her, figuring John and Mary would sort it out. My new job was demanding. I worked late every night. One evening, I got home earlier than usual, but it was still dark. Everyone was asleep. I crept upstairs, wanting to rest, but the moment I lay down, I heard a shriek.
I bolted upright, flipping on the light. Jessica, in her pajamas, was lying in my bed, staring at me
in terror. John and Mary rushed in.
“What happened?” John asked.
My heart pounding, I said, “Jessica? What are
you doing in my bed?”
Her face hardened. “This is my house. I can
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11:38
sleep wherever I want.”
I frowned. Mary pulled me aside. “Sarah, I
forgot to tell you. Jessica moved into your
room.”
“When?”
“This afternoon. She said she wanted to
sunbathe in front of the window.”
This room had been specially designed for me by my mother. It had a huge bay window that bathed the room in sunlight. In winter, it was
the warmest room in the house. I felt a surge of anger. They’d moved my things without even
asking.
Mary saw my displeasure and softened her tone. “I’m sorry, Sarah. We should have asked.
But Jessica’s pregnant, and she’s got terrible
morning sickness. She said being in the sun
makes her feel better.”
I had friends who were pregnant. I knew
hormones could cause strange cravings and
behaviors.
John, looking angry, said, “What is this?
Everyone gets pregnant! It’s no excuse. Get her
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11:38
out of Sarah’s room! This is ridiculous!”
“No, it’s okay, Uncle John,” I said quickly, not wanting them to fight. “I’ll sleep somewhere else. It’s fine. Jessica needs the room.”
John looked conflicted. “But it’s not fair to you,
Sarah.”
I forced a smile. “We’re family. It’s not a big deal. Where did you put my things?”
Mary said, “In the small room at the end of the
hall.”
That was the smallest room on the floor, with only one small window and no sunlight. It was originally intended for the housekeeper. Going from the best room to the worst stung, but I let
it go for John’s sake.
A few days later, I closed a major deal at work. I stopped home that afternoon to grab some
files and ask Mary if she wanted to celebrate
with dinner. As I neared her room, I overheard
her talking to John.
“What are we going to do? Jessica said if we
don’t get Sarah out of the house, she won’t let
us see our grandchild.”
