The house used to be my sanctuary—clean, organized, peaceful. That was before my husband, Jake, decided to extend a very generous (and very unsolicited) invitation to his best friend, Alex. With zero input from me, he told Alex he could move in while his house underwent renovations.
From the moment Alex arrived, duffel bag slung over one shoulder and video games in hand, everything shifted. Our previously quiet home turned into a bachelor pad overnight. I tried to be understanding. Really, I did. Jake was apologetic at first.
“Sorry, love. I wasn’t thinking straight. I was just excited,”
he said. And he seemed so genuine, so I gave in. That was my first mistake.
It was only supposed to be for a short while. But as the weeks stretched into months, our home slowly unraveled. Alex and Jake stayed up late gaming, guzzling beers, and treating the living room like a frat house. Snack wrappers, dirty laundry, and beer bottles became part of the decor. Alex’s bedroom looked like a tornado had touched down—don’t even get me started on the smell.
Jake had promised it wouldn’t affect me.
Read More: