My Parents Moved My Brother’s Things Into My New House While I Was on Vacation – It Was High Time I Brought Them Back to Earth

When Jeremy and his wife, Nina, get home from a vacation, they are horrified to find Ted, Jeremy’s slob of a brother, in their home. After a confrontation which leads to angry parents and Nina moving out, Jeremy forces Ted’s hand, making him move out…

When I came home from vacation, I was expecting to relax, maybe pop open a bottle of wine with my wife, and enjoy the peace of our home. Instead, we walked into a living room that looked like a complete frat house after a party from Hell.

A couple on vacation | Source: Midjourney

There were beer cans everywhere, dirty clothes tossed in random piles, and the smell, my goodness, the smell. And there, sprawled out on my couch like he owned the place, was my older brother, Theodore, or Ted, as everyone called him.

“Ted, what the hell? What is this? Why are you in my house?” I asked, trying to stay calm, though my blood pressure was rising by the second.

Nina, my wife, looked around our living room and rolled her eyes. In that moment, I knew that I had to fix it or I’d have to deal with a very upset wife.

A messy living room | Source: Midjourney

My brother looked up, casually, like I hadn’t just caught him red-handed.

“Oh, hey, Jeremy,” he said. “Mom and Dad figured that it would be easier if I just moved in while you were gone. You’ve got all this space, and it’s not like you’re using it, you know? You and Nina are either working or on vacation.”

I blinked, trying to process the audacity of his words.

A man sitting on a couch | Source: Midjourney

“You moved in? You moved into my house? Without asking? Ted, are you insane?”

He rolled his eyes, lifting his feet onto the couch and crossing them like he was about to watch a movie.

“Yeah, so what?” he said. “I needed a place to stay, and it’s not like you’d say yes. So, we decided to skip that part. Quit being so uptight, Jeremy. Just help a brother out.”

A man sitting on a couch | Source: Midjourney

It was like a switch flipped inside me, the years of watching him leech off my parents, his life one big excuse after another, and somehow, he was the victim here.

Now, he’d taken over my house. Really?

Just as I opened my mouth to speak, my phone rang. Mom. Of course.

I answered, trying to keep my voice as calm as possible.

A man holding his phone | Source: Midjourney

“Mom, did you and Dad seriously let Theodore move into my house while I was away?”

“Why are you using my full name?” Ted chimed in from the background.

I ignored him.

“Jeremy, don’t be so dramatic,” my mother said, not even a hint of apology in her voice. “Ted needed a place to stay, and you’ve got all that room. You don’t even have kids yet. So what’s the harm in helping out your brother?”

An annoyed woman | Source: Midjourney

I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath.

“Mom, he is 42 years old. He isn’t a kid. You’ve let him mooch off you for years, and you want to dump him on me? Are you being serious? Why do you want to treat him like he’s a kid just out of college?”

My mother’s tone shifted, and she immediately went on the defense.

“Oh, mooching, huh?” she said. “I’m disappointed in you, Jeremy. He’s been through a lot. You don’t understand what it’s like to be him. You’ve always had everything together. Ted needs a little more help. And as family, you owe it to him.”

A frowning man | Source: Midjourney

Been through a lot? My brother had two children under the age of five, with two different women. And he didn’t bother to support either of them. How was I supposed to feel sorry for this man?

Before I could respond, my father took the phone, his voice taking over my ear, sounding even more irritated.

“Jeremy, stop being selfish. You’ve got the money, the house, the wife. What’s the big deal? It’s your job to take care of your family. Ted is your brother. He is staying.”

Two young children | Source: Midjourney

I almost lost my mind. I almost let my anger take over me. But then I remembered that it just wasn’t my style. Ted might’ve thought that he had won this time, but I had a plan.

“It’s not about the space, Dad,” I said. “It’s about respect. Ted can’t just live here without my permission. Nina and I have worked hard for our home. And what’s even worse? My wife just has to deal with this, too.”

From the couch, Ted snorted.

A man sitting on a couch | Source: Midjourney

“Oh, come on. Don’t act like you’re all high and mighty. It’s just a house,” he said.

“But you’ve been freeloading off Mom and Dad for years. Why should I trust that you’d do anything differently here? Why can’t you stay with one of your kids and their mom?”

I thought that was the card that would have frustrated him. But he didn’t even flinch.

A frowning man | Source: Midjourney

“Because I’m family, that’s why. Why do you always act like I’m a stranger? It’s my right to stay here. Mom and Dad said that you’d be like this, but I didn’t think you’d be this bad.”

I was done.

“Fine, Ted,” I said. “You want to stay? Sure. Let’s see how that works out.”

I was fine with being horrible to my brother, I mean, someone had to teach him a lesson. But when I went upstairs to tell Nina about everything that had happened on the phone, she was highly frustrated.

A disgruntled man | Source: Midjourney

“Jer, you can’t be serious,” she said as I sat down on the bed across her.

“I’m going to fix it. I promise you, Nina. I’ll make this right. But I’m going to teach him a lesson first.”

“Well, I don’t want to be here for it. You have a week. Get him out, or I’ll stay gone,” she said.

“What do you mean by that?” I asked.

An annoyed woman | Source: Midjourney

“I’m going to my sister’s house, Jeremy. I can’t stand your brother, and I will not stay here while he’s here,” she said, packing a suitcase as she spoke.

“I’ll make this right, my love,” I promised her.

For the next week, I made Ted’s life a waking nightmare without ever raising my voice. And with Nina gone, I had a bigger incentive to get him out.

A woman packing a suitcase | Source: Midjourney

The first thing I did was disconnect the Wi-Fi. Ted, who spent most of his days glued to his phone or binge-watching shows on the TV, was completely lost.

He complained, but I just smiled.

“Oh, the internet? Yeah, it’s been spotty.”

Next, I shut off the hot water. Ted loved his long, lazy showers, but now he was greeted with ice-cold water every morning.

Water running in a shower | Source: Midjourney

“Must be something wrong with the plumbing,” I’d say innocently when he whined about it.

Then, there was the food.

I stocked the fridge with nothing but tofu, vegetables, and the healthiest food I could find. Ted hated anything that wasn’t greasy or fried. And now, every time he opened the fridge, he groaned like I was starving him.

“You’re family, right?” I’d say. “I’m sure you can deal with a little inconvenience. But it’s for my health, so you’ll be fine.”

An array of healthy food | Source: Midjourney

To top it all off, I started blasting music at 6 a.m. every day while I had my treadmill session in the gym room. I figured if Ted wasn’t going to contribute to the household, the least he could do was get up early.

He hated it all, of course. And by day five, he looked like he was on the verge of losing his mind.

“Jeremy, man, this is BS,” Ted said one morning, his voice filled with frustration. “I can’t stay here. How do you live like this? No Wi-Fi, no hot water, and no food I enjoy. This is torture.”

A man on a treadmill | Source: Midjourney

I raised an eyebrow.

“I thought you’d be grateful to stay, Ted. It’s not like you’re paying rent or contributing anything. What’s the problem?”

He grumbled something under his breath, clearly fuming.

“Forget it, I’m going back to Mom and Dad’s.”

An annoyed man | Source: Midjourney

As he stormed out, dragging his junk with him, I couldn’t help but smile.

But I wasn’t done yet. I cleaned the house top to bottom, went out to get proper groceries, and cooked Nina a good meal. I had already called her during the day and told her that Ted was gone.

“Come home, honey,” I said.

“I’ll see you later,” she said, and I could hear the smile in her voice.

A smiling woman | Source: Midjourney

While waiting for Nina to shower, I knew that there was just one more thing to do.

“Mom, Dad,” I said on the phone. “Ted’s out of my house. And he won’t be coming back again. He’s your problem again.”

My mother was furious.

“Jeremy, you can’t just kick him out! Where will he go?”

“That’s up to Ted, Mom. He’s 42. If you guys want to keep coddling him, go ahead. But I’m done.”

A man talking on the phone | Source: Midjourney

After that, I heard that Ted moved back into my parents’ house, but they demanded that he transform the garage into his own space. They forced him to get a job.

Ted was upset, of course, so they blamed it all on me. But I was fine with that. Nina and I had our home back, and we were at peace.

A garage converted into a bedroom | Source: Midjourney

What would you have done?

If you enjoyed this story, here’s another one for you |

My Husband ‘Accidentally’ Locked Me in the Basement to Watch Basketball with His Friends at Our House

Dani cannot stand her husband’s friends. So when Ethan brings up the possibility of having them over to watch a basketball game, she shuts down the idea. On the evening of the game, Dani finds herself going into the basement to get a pack of beer, but before she knows it, she’s locked inside. What happens next?…

I should have just said no from the start. Not just when Ethan brought up the idea of his friends coming over for dinner. I mean way before that, like when I first realized how awful they were. I never outright said that I didn’t hate them, but let me be honest with you: I think I made it pretty clear.

An annoyed woman | Source: Midjourney

But my husband, Ethan?

He’s so different from these guys. At 35, he’s a successful manager at a tech company, and for reasons that I will never understand, he’s still friends with the same guys he went to high school with.

They’re loud, rude, and completely unlike Ethan. They’re everything he left behind when he made something of himself.

Except, apparently, his loyalty to them.

A man sitting in his office | Source: Midjourney

“Dani, it’s just one game,” he said that night, sitting in the kitchen with a hopeful grin. “The guys really want to watch the game here. They’re dying to see our new TV setup. It’ll be fun!”

I sighed, trying to stay calm. I could almost see the dreadful evening unfolding. I knew that Ethan’s friends would take over the house, inappropriate comments getting into every conversation.

“Ethan, you know how I feel about them. Every single time they come over, it’s like our house gets turned into a frat house. I’m not cleaning up after them again. It’s not happening.”

A man sitting at a kitchen counter | Source: Midjourney

My husband’s face dropped, a look of wounded pride flashing in his eyes.

This work is inspired by real events and people, but it has been fictionalized for creative purposes. Names, characters, and details have been changed to protect privacy and enhance the narrative. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.

The author and publisher make no claims to the accuracy of events or the portrayal of characters and are not liable for any misinterpretation. This story is provided “as is,” and any opinions expressed are those of the characters and do not reflect the views of the author or publisher.

My Four Kids Objected at My Wedding – When I Found Out Why, My Heart Sank

Margaret has found love again ten years after her first husband’s passing. But it seems like her problems are far from over. When the officiant at her wedding asks if anyone objects, her four children stand up and say they do. Margaret’s heart sinks as she wonders what went wrong and why her once supportive children are now objecting. What happened?

The late afternoon sunlight streamed through the windows as I sat in my favorite armchair. “Oh, James, I miss you every day,” I murmured, my fingers tracing the edges of the old photograph.

A woman sitting and looking at photos | Source: Midjourney

The photo album lay open on my lap, filled with memories of a life that once was.

I looked at the picture of James, his smile so vivid, almost as if he was still here with me. Oh dear! We met in college, young and full of dreams.

Our first date was at a small café near campus, where we talked for hours about everything and nothing. He had this way of making me feel special as if I was the only person in the world who mattered.

A couple kissing | Source: Pexels

As I flipped through the pages, each photo brought back a flood of memories. There was our wedding day, a beautiful sunny afternoon in June.

I could still hear the laughter of our friends and family, see the joy in James’ eyes as we said our vows. We were so happy, so full of hope for the future.

An older woman smiling at her wedding | Source: Midjourney

We had our share of adventures, traveling to places we’d always dreamed of. There was the trip to Italy, where we got lost in the winding streets of Rome and ended up having the best pizza we’d ever tasted.

Or the time we went camping in the Rockies, and James insisted on making a campfire despite the pouring rain. We laughed so much that night, huddled together under a makeshift tent, feeling like nothing could ever go wrong.

A tent and mountains | Source: Pexels

But then life happened.

When I was 42, James fell ill, and despite our hopes and prayers, he passed away. The day I lost him was the hardest day of my life. The house felt empty, and my heart ached with a loneliness I couldn’t escape.

A sad woman at a funeral | Source: Pexels

For years, I believed that kind of love was a once-in-a-lifetime thing. I went through the motions, keeping busy with hobbies and spending time with friends, but something was always missing.

That’s when Michael came into my life. Two years ago.

An older couple embracing | Source: Pexels

Michael was different from James in many ways, but he brought a light back into my life. We met at a friend’s dinner party, and his kindness and sense of humor drew me in.

Slowly, he became an important part of my life. I felt that warmth of love again, something I thought was gone forever. So when he proposed six months ago, I immediately said yes.

Hands showing couple rings | Source: Pexels

I closed the photo album, holding it close to my chest.

“James, you’ll always be my first love,” I whispered, feeling a tear slip down my cheek. “But I think you’d be happy for me. I found someone who makes me smile again.”

An older woman hugging an album | Source: Midjourney

I looked around the cozy living room, the place that held so many memories. Today, my house buzzed with excitement as we prepared for Michael and my wedding.

My children were all here, making everything perfect.

“Mom, can you help me with this banner?” Jackson called from the living room.

Wedding arrangements | Source: Pexels

He was adjusting the decorations, making sure every detail was just right. Jackson always had an eye for these things.

“Of course, dear,” I said, walking over to give him a hand.

As I helped him, I glanced around the room and felt a wave of happiness wash over me. Harry was coordinating with the caterers on the phone.

Food at a wedding | Source: Pexels

“Make sure they know about the vegetarian options,” I reminded him. He nodded, giving me a thumbs-up.

Oliver was in the corner, arranging flowers with such care. “These lilies look beautiful, Oliver,” I said.

“Thanks, Mom. I just want everything to be perfect for you and Michael,” he replied, his eyes shining with love and excitement.

A man holding flowers | Source: Freepik

Benjamin, my youngest, was moving around, making sure everything was running smoothly. “Mom, I’ve checked the sound system. It’s all set for the music and speeches,” he said, giving me a quick hug.

“Thank you, Ben. You’re all doing such a great job,” I said, feeling a lump in my throat.

My children were truly a blessing.

Four men | Source: Freepik

Michael was in the living room, reviewing his vows. He looked up and smiled as I walked over.

“How are you holding up?” he asked, taking my hand.

“I’m doing great, thanks to all of you,” I said, squeezing his hand. “I’m so lucky to have such wonderful children and to have you in my life.”

A happy older couple at home | Source: Freepik

“We’re all here for you, Mom,” Jackson said, joining us. “We want your day to be perfect.”

“And it will be because of all your hard work,” I said, my heart swelling with pride and love.

As the day went on, the house was filled with laughter and chatter. It was chaotic but in the best possible way.

A happy family | Source: Pexels

As the sun set that evening, we gathered in the backyard for a small rehearsal dinner.

The space was adorned with twinkling lights and flowers.

Everything seemed breathtaking.

Chair and tables arranged in the backyard | Source: Pexels

“Mom, do you like everything?” Jackson asked, taking a seat beside me.

“I do, honey,” I replied with a smile.

Michael came over and wrapped his arm around me. “Are you ready for tomorrow, love?” he asked with a smile.

“I think so,” I replied, leaning into him. “It’s hard to believe it’s almost here.”

A happy couple | Source: Pexels

Oliver raised his glass. “A toast to Mom and Michael. May your love be as bright and lasting as these lights,” he said, and everyone clinked their glasses together.

“To Mom and Michael!” they all echoed, their faces full of joy and support.

Glasses clinking | Source: Pexels

I looked around at my children, feeling overwhelmed with gratitude. “Thank you all for being here and for everything you’ve done. I couldn’t have asked for a better family,” I said, my voice trembling with emotion.

“Mom, we wouldn’t miss it for the world,” Benjamin said, smiling warmly.

A smiling man at dinner table | Source: Pexels

Oliver nodded. “Yeah, we’re so glad to see you happy again.”

But despite the laughter and love surrounding me, a part of my heart ached for Emily, my estranged daughter.

I couldn’t help but wonder if she would ever forgive me. Her absence was a constant reminder of the pain that still lingered.

A sad woman | Source: Midjourney

“Emily would have loved this,” I said quietly, more to myself than anyone else.

Michael squeezed my hand. “She still might come around, Margaret. Give it time.”

“I hope so,” I replied, trying to push the sadness away.

Happy man capturing photos | Source: Pexels

The next day, my heart raced as I stood beside Michael, facing the officiant at our picturesque outdoor venue.

The flowers and twinkling lights created a magical atmosphere, but nothing could prepare me for what happened next.

A dinner table at a wedding | Source: Pexels

“If anyone objects to this union, speak now or forever hold your peace,” the officiant said. My four children stood together, their faces serious.

“We do!” they said in unison.

My heart sank. Everything had been so perfect until yesterday.

A shocked woman | Source: Midjourney

Before I could ask, Jackson spoke up. “You can’t get married, Mom, at least not without one person.”

The children moved aside, creating a path. And there she was. Emily. I couldn’t believe my eyes!

A pretty woman | Source: Unsplash

She walked towards us with tears streaming down her face.

My emotions swirled within me, almost overwhelming.

“Mom, I’m so sorry,” she said, her voice trembling.

A sad woman | Source: Midjourney

Tears welled up in my eyes as I rushed to embrace her.

“I’m sorry, Ma. I blamed you for Dad’s death, but over the years, I realized how unfair that was,” she added, pulling away. “He made a choice, and you honored his wishes. I was too hurt to see that.”

Back when James was suffering from his illness, he made me sign a document.

A man singing a document | Source: Pexels

It said that if his heart stopped, we wouldn’t resuscitate him. I honored his wishes, and it broke my heart.

Emily was devastated and said I killed him.

She disappeared from my life, and I feared I would never see her again.

An angry woman yelling | Source: Freepik

“I’ve missed you so much, honey,” I told her. “I’ve tried to reach out, to explain, but I understand why you couldn’t hear me then.”

Emily again wrapped me in a hug, both of us crying as we reconciled.

“I don’t want you to start this new chapter of your life without knowing that I support you. Michael seems wonderful, and I want to be a part of your life again. Thanks to my brothers who called me here,” she said.

Two women embracing | Source: Midjourney

Michael stepped forward, gently taking Emily’s hand. “Emily, I’ve heard so much about you. Your mother loves you deeply. This means everything to her.”

With tears in my eyes and my heart full, I turned back to the officiant. “Let’s continue,” I said.

Michael and I shared our vows, and when the officiant pronounced us husband and wife, we shared our first kiss as a married couple. The reception was even better.

People at a wedding reception | Source: Unsplash

My five children were together and happy.

Emily raised her glass for a toast and looked at Michael and me. “To new beginnings, to love, and to family. Here’s to Mom and Michael and to all of us being together again.”

The room echoed with cheers and clinking glasses. I looked around, my heart swelling with gratitude and completeness. My family was whole again, and I was stepping into a new chapter with everyone I loved by my side.