I didn’t realize “for better or worse” included being a live-in servant for my husband’s irresponsible friend. When Alex became our surprise roommate, I became the unpaid help – cooking, cleaning, and biting my tongue until it bled.
The breaking point wasn’t the overflowing ashtray of weed roaches (Alex “only smokes outside!”). It wasn’t even the mysterious stains appearing on our new sofa. It was Jake shrugging and saying, “He’s just messy” when I begged for help. That’s when I became the queen of petty revenge.
Operation Relocate the Filth commenced at dawn. Every dirty dish, every crusty sock, every empty beer can found a new home – in Jake’s precious home office. The shocked silence when they discovered it? Music to my ears.
When the mess inevitably returned, so did my independence – in the form of a weekend getaway. Two days of playing single dad apparently gave Jake a new perspective. I returned to find Alex moving out and my husband finally understanding that our home wasn’t his bachelor pad. Sometimes you have to leave to be seen. And sometimes, you have to make a big mess to clean up a bigger problem.
Each version maintains the key story elements while offering unique phrasing and perspectives suitable for different publications. All stay within the original length and avoid subheadings as requested.