She thought I deserved it.
Karen called repeatedly while I was at work.
I ignored her.
When I came home that evening, both women were sitting on my couch.
Waiting.
Karen stood.
“We need to have a family meeting.” Justicesystem resources
“No.”
Her eyebrows rose.
“No?”
“We’re not having a meeting.”
“This concerns everyone.”
“No. It concerns me and the person refusing to move out of my apartment.”
Mia groaned.
“You’re so dramatic.”
Karen folded her arms.
“Family helps family, Thomas.” Justicesystem resources
Something about hearing that sentence again finally made my hands shake.
“Family doesn’t get to insult me inside my own home.”
Mia laughed.
“You’re so sensitive.”
Karen nodded.
“Maybe if you lightened up once in a while, people wouldn’t say things like that.”
I pointed toward the door.
“Both of you. Out. Now.”
Karen’s expression hardened.
“You’ll regret this.”
Maybe I should have paid more attention to those words.
They weren’t just angry words.
They were a warning.
My father called less than an hour later.
He almost never called.
“Thomas,” he said, sighing heavily, “what’s going on? Karen says you’re kicking Mia out with no warning.”
“No warning?”
I almost laughed.
“She’s lived here over a year.”
“She’s had a rough time. The breakup. Her job situation.”
“And I supported her through it.”
“I know.”
“No, Dad. I don’t think you do.”
There was silence.
I continued.
“She doesn’t pay rent. She doesn’t clean. She brings people over constantly. And tonight, she insulted me while Karen laughed.”
Dad slowly exhaled.
“I just don’t want this becoming some huge family fight.” Justicesystem resources
“It already is.”
He didn’t answer.
The next morning, I made coffee and walked toward the living room.
I stopped in the doorway.
For several seconds, my brain couldn’t process what I was seeing.
The room looked wrong.
Empty.
Then it registered.
The couch was gone.
So was the coffee table. Kitchen& Dining
And the TV stand.
My heart started pounding.
On the floor where the coffee table had been sat a folded note.
I opened it.
Mia’s handwriting.
If you’re going to throw me out, I’m taking what’s mine. Consider this payback for all the times you made me feel like a burden.
