It was a tough life for Molly. Her main concern was her son, Tommy. The constant changing of schools and towns wasn’t good for him. He started bullying other kids and starting fights. She never imagined that one call to the principal’s office would restore a part of her life she thought was lost.
Molly sat quietly across the table from her husband, Nigel, as they shared a tense lunch. The clinking of cutlery was the only sound breaking the heavy silence between them.
Nigel’s frustration was evident in the way he poked at his food, barely taking a bite. His brow was furrowed, and his mouth was set in a tight line.
Finally, he muttered under his breath, “This is overcooked,” pushing his plate away with a look of disdain.
Molly felt her heart sink at his words. She had tried her best with the meal, but it seemed nothing she did ever pleased Nigel anymore. His next words cut even deeper.
“And why can’t you get your son to behave? He’s always causing trouble, and it’s making our lives more difficult.”
The way Nigel referred to Tommy as “your son” stung. He never called Tommy “our son,” always distancing himself from the boy.
Despite being together for so many years, Nigel had never fully embraced Tommy as his own.
Tommy wasn’t Nigel’s biological child, but Molly had hoped that, with time, he would come to love him as a father should.
But instead, the constant moving and instability seemed to be tearing their family apart, with Nigel’s impatience growing more pronounced with each passing day.
Nigel had struggled to find stable work, bouncing from one city to another, taking on whatever part-time jobs he could find.
Each time he lost a job, they would uproot their lives again, packing up their belongings and moving to a new place.
Molly had tried to be supportive, taking care of Tommy and doing her best to keep their small family together. But for Tommy, who was only eight, the constant upheaval was taking a toll.
Every time they moved, Tommy had to adjust to a new school, new friends, and new teachers.
It wasn’t surprising that he had started acting out in school. He had changed schools three times in the past year alone, and it was becoming harder and harder for him to keep up.
The frequent relocations meant that he never had a chance to settle in, to feel like he belonged anywhere.
Molly worried about him constantly, knowing how much he was struggling but feeling powerless to help.
The phone rang suddenly, breaking the uncomfortable silence that had settled over the table.
Molly reached for it, dreading what the call might bring.
When she heard the voice on the other end, her heart sank further.
“Mrs. Jones, we need to talk about Tommy,” came the voice of Mrs. Kolinz, the school principal. Her tone was serious, and Molly knew what was coming.
“His behavior has been disruptive, and we’d like you to come to the school tomorrow to speak with his teacher.”
Molly sighed, her heart heavy. This conversation was inevitable. She agreed to meet with the teacher, hoping against hope that this wouldn’t lead to another expulsion.
If Tommy was kicked out of this school, finding another one willing to take him in would be nearly impossible.
The weight of the situation pressed down on her as she hung up the phone, feeling more alone and helpless than ever.
The next day, Molly walked into the school with Tommy’s small hand firmly in hers. The halls were quiet, but her heart pounded with each step they took toward the principal’s office.
The walls seemed to close in on her, amplifying her anxiety. She could feel Tommy’s grip tightening, a reflection of his own unease.
She wished she could comfort him, but her own nerves were too overwhelming.
As they approached the door at the end of the hallway, Molly noticed that it was slightly ajar.
She took a deep breath and peeked inside, seeing the familiar figure of Mrs. Kolinz, the school principal, seated behind her desk.
Standing next to her was a man with his back turned toward the door. Molly’s breath caught in her throat as she realized who it was.
It was him. Christian. Her ex-boyfriend from nearly nine years ago. The man she had once loved deeply and the man who left her.
Christian looked right into her eyes, and she knew he recognized her too. But they both understood it was better to keep it to themselves for now.
Molly quickly pushed her thoughts of Christian aside, forcing herself to focus on the situation at hand. This wasn’t the time to dwell on the past.
Mrs. Kolinz glanced up as Molly and Tommy entered the room.
“Mrs. Jones,” she began, her tone professional and firm, “thank you for coming. Mr Rogers, the boy’s teacher, and I need to talk with you about Tommy’s behavior.”
“It’s been quite concerning lately, and we can’t tolerate any more disruptions in the classroom. If this continues, we may have to ask him to leave the school.”
Molly’s heart sank as she heard those words. She had been dreading this conversation, knowing that Tommy’s behavior had been getting worse with each move they made.
But this school was their last hope, the only place that had agreed to take Tommy in after so many rejections. If he got expelled from here, she didn’t know what they would do.
“Please, Mrs. Kolinz,” Molly pleaded, her voice trembling with emotion. “Tommy just needs more time to adjust.
“We’ve moved so much, and it’s been really hard on him. He’s not a bad kid; he’s just struggling to find his place. This school is our last hope. If he has to leave, I don’t know where we’ll go.”
Mrs. Kolinz softened slightly, her eyes showing a hint of sympathy, but she remained firm in her stance.
“We understand that Tommy has been through a lot, Mrs. Jones. But we have to think about the other students as well. We’ll give him one more chance, but if there’s another incident, it will be his last.”
Molly nodded, her heart heavy with worry. She knew the odds were stacked against them, but she had no choice but to hope that Tommy could turn things around.
As the meeting ended, she gently guided Tommy out of the office and down the hallway toward the car.
Her mind was racing, filled with fears about the future and the challenges that lay ahead.
Just as they reached the car, she heard a voice call out to her, a voice that sent a shiver down her spine.
“Molly, wait.”
She turned around slowly, her heart pounding as she faced Christian.
“Tommy, get in the car and wait for me,” she said softly to her son, who obediently climbed into the backseat.
Molly watched him shut the door before turning back to face the man she never expected to see again.
Christian’s voice was soft, but the weight of his words hit Molly like a ton of bricks.
She could see the genuine concern in his eyes, a concern she hadn’t expected to find after all these years.
He had always been a caring persson, but hearing him now, admitting his regrets, was something she hadn’t prepared for.
“Christian…” Molly began, her voice barely above a whisper. She struggled to keep her emotions in check.
“You made it very clear back then that you didn’t want the responsibility. You walked away without looking back. What’s different now?”
Christian’s expression softened, and he took a deep breath, as if trying to gather the right words.
“I was scared, Molly. I was young and stupid, and I didn’t realize what I was giving up. Not a day has gone by that I haven’t thought about you… about what we could have had.”
He exhaled.
“When I saw Tommy, it all clicked. I see so much of myself in him, and it made me realize what I missed out on. I can’t undo the past, but I want to make things right now.”
“Nigel is Tommy’s father now,” Molly said, though her voice lacked conviction.
“I’ve made a life with him, and I can’t just throw that away.”
“I’m not asking you to throw anything away, Molly. I just want to be there for Tommy. He deserves to know his real father, and I want to help him in any way I can.”
He came closer.
“I’ve seen kids like him before—kids who are acting out because they’re missing something important in their lives. I know I can be that for him, and maybe… maybe we can find a way to make this work.”
Molly’s heart ached with the weight of the decision she faced. She knew Christian was right—Tommy needed more than what Nigel was providing. But admitting that felt like betraying the life she had tried so hard to build.
“Please, just think about it,” Christian said, his voice gentle but pleading.
“I’m not asking for an answer right now. But I want you to know that I’m here, and I’m not going anywhere this time.”
Molly nodded slowly, her mind racing. “I’ll think about it,” she whispered, her voice filled with uncertainty.
Christian gave her a small, hopeful smile. “That’s all I ask. Take your time, Molly. I’ll be here when you’re ready.”
Molly returned home with Tommy later in the evening. She decided to take her son for a ride after school and have dinner out. As she opened the door, the familiar sight of Nigel sprawled on the couch greeted her.
His shirt was rumpled, and a half-empty bottle of whiskey sat on the table beside him. The room was dim, and the air smelled of alcohol and stale air.
Nigel had lost yet another job, and rather than facing his problems, he had chosen to numb himself with drink.
Molly sighed deeply, her heart heavy. This wasn’t the life she had envisioned for herself or her son. She walked him to the bed; he was already sleepy, and as soon as he touched the sheets, he closed his eyes.
She glanced around the small, cluttered apartment, filled with items they had collected over years of moving from one place to another, never really settling.
The decision she had been avoiding for so long suddenly became clear. It was time to leave, to give Tommy a better life, one where he could feel stable and loved.
Quietly, Molly packed a few bags, gathering Tommy’s clothes and his favorite toys. She checked if Nigel woke up, and after seeing that he was still asleep she went for her son.
She moved with a sense of purpose she hadn’t felt in years. When everything was ready, she gently shook Tommy awake.
“Come on, Tommy. We’re leaving,” she said softly.
Tommy rubbed his eyes, still half-asleep. “Where are we going, Mom?”
Molly smiled, her heart swelling with a newfound sense of hope. “We’re going to stay with someone who cares about us. Someone who wants to be part of our lives.”
As they left the apartment, Molly felt an enormous weight lift off her shoulders.
For the first time in a long while, she felt like they were on the right path, heading toward a future that held promise and happiness—a new beginning for both of them.
My Kids Listed My House on Airbnb While I Was in the Hospital — I Found a Way to Teach Them a Lesson
My Kids Listed My House on Airbnb While I Was in the Hospital — I Found a Way to Teach Them a Lesson
Mariah had been feeling less than healthy lately, causing her to admit herself into the hospital so that she could have a check-up. But in her absence, her children decided to rent out her house as an Airbnb, ready to pocket the money for themselves. When Mariah found out, she decided to teach her children a lesson.
“Mariah,” my friend Liz said on the phone, “why on earth is your house listed as an Airbnb?”
A phone opened to an Airbnb app | Source: Pexels
“What?” I asked, completely confused. “What are you talking about?”
“Denise was looking for a house to rent for the weekend because it’s her bachelorette weekend, and she came across your house. Aren’t you still in the hospital?” she asked.
A group of women | Source: Midjourney
“Liz, I truly have no idea what you’re talking about,” I said, looking at the IV drip away into my bloodstream. “Send me the link to the site Denise saw.”
This is how I taught my children a valuable lesson:
Recently, my blood pressure had been all over the place, causing me to faint at odd moments.
A close-up of an IV | Source: Midjourney
“Mom,” my son, Liam, said, “you need to get it checked out. There’s no point in going to the pharmacy and getting medication over the counter just because you think it’s going to help. You need to get everything assessed properly.”
“And you need to start eating better,” Leah, my daughter, said. “Having oats in the morning, toast during the day, and soup at night isn’t a balanced diet. You’re playing with your health. It’s time to take things seriously.”
A counter at a pharmacy | Source: Midjourney
Leah moved around my kitchen, slicing vegetables to make a salad to go along with the grilled chicken she had been marinating.
“And what about your constant headaches? It’s time to get everything checked out. You should go into the hospital and do a full check-up,” Liam said.
A plate of grilled chicken and salad | Source: Midjourney
“But I feel fine, other than the headaches and dizziness; I’m good!” I retorted.
Both my kids snorted and rolled their eyes at me.
“Do it, Mom,” Leah said, pointing her finger at me.
A young woman pointing and smiling | Source: Midjourney
I had to agree with them. I had been downplaying my health lately. I still walked every second day and did as much yoga as my body would allow during the week.
But still, there was a nagging feeling that something could be wrong.
Women at a yoga class | Source: Midjourney
“Just go to silence that feeling,” Liz said when we met for smoothies after our yoga class one day.
“But what if we find something?” I asked, suddenly nervous to be speaking my thoughts out loud.
“Then, we’ll deal with it together. I know that Paul isn’t here anymore, but I’m here,” Liz said. “And anyway, we need you up and running for Denise’s wedding. I don’t know how to do the mother-of-the-bride things.”
A close-up of smoothies | Source: Midjourney
“I’ll go to the GP and take it from there,” I said. “If he thinks that it’s the way to go, then I’ll do just that.”
“Yes, Mariah,” the doctor said. “I think it’s a great idea for you to go for a full-body check-up. There’s nothing wrong with just knowing your health and body. And I’ll recommend a CT scan for your headaches, too.”
A doctor putting on gloves | Source: Pexels
Which is how I ended up at the hospital, and how my children chose to take advantage of the situation.
“I’ll bring your lunch soon,” the nurse said, smiling at me. “You just rest after your CT scan.”
“Thank you,” I said. “I’m just going to call my best friend and catch up with her.”
A smiling nurse holding a clipboard | Source: Midjourney
Catching up with Liz meant that hearing that my children had let my house out as an Airbnb for the week that I was scheduled to be in the hospital.
“So, what are you going to do about it?” Liz asked me when I called her back after I confirmed that it was my house on the site.
A woman talking on the phone | Source: Midjourney
“I don’t know,” I admitted. “But I want to teach them a lesson. Leah and Liam should have known better. But Leah and her husband are always looking for ways to make extra money. I’m sure that Andrew has a gambling problem, too.”
“Tell me what you want me to do,” Liz said, chewing something into my ear.
A couple playing poker | Source: Pexels
“I want you to tell Denise to book it,” I said. “But they’ll recognize that it’s her, so she’s probably going to need to create a new account. Do you think she’ll be okay with that?”
“Of course, she will!” Liz said. “Anything for you. But then what?”
“I’m getting discharged tomorrow,” I said. “But the kids think that I’ll be here until the end of the week. So, let them think that they’re going to make some money off the place.”
A close-up of a woman’s IV and hospital band | Source: Midjourney
“You want Denise to rent the place, but you want to mess it up?” Liz chuckled. “That’s devious.”
“No, my children are devious,” I said.
I hung up the call, and the nurse brought my lunch to me, ready to leave me alone to eat while she did her rounds.
A tray of hospital food | Source: Midjourney
If I was being honest, I didn’t know how I felt about my children’s betrayal. But it hurt me to imagine that while I had been away at the hospital, my children were perfectly fine with having strangers take over my home.
“What were they thinking?” I asked myself.
They hadn’t given a second thought to people using the mugs I had hand-painted, or people sitting in their father’s worn armchair. Paul has been deceased for a few years now, but it still felt like his chair.
An armchair in a living room | Source: Midjourney
“No,” I said to myself. “I’m going to get back at these kids.”
The next morning, I was discharged with a clean bill of health, despite warnings to keep my stress down.
“And keep an eye on your cholesterol, Mariah,” my doctor said. “Eat lots of green leafy vegetables.”
Leafy vegetables on a countertop | Source: Midjourney
I drove myself to Liz’s house, where I was going to wait for Denise to meet me with the keys to my house.
“Are you sure about this?” Liz asked, making me a cup of tea and buttering a lemon and poppy seed muffin.
“Yes,” I said. “And this way, they’ll truly have to feel accountable for their actions.”
A cup of tea with a muffin | Source: Midjourney
I went home a few hours later. There was something different about the house. The smell was different, and I knew for sure that someone else had been staying there.
There was a sweet perfume scent that took over my usual woody-scented house.
I had a long shower, ready to wash away the scent of the hospital that clung to my skin. I was ready for a long sleep in my own bed.
A comfortable bed | Source: Midjourney
For tomorrow, the fun began.
The next morning, I made myself some breakfast and dutifully took the array of vitamins and supplements that the doctor had given me.
Then, I began to pack away all of my appliances.
Appliances in the trunk of a car | Source: Midjourney
“Where are you going to put everything?” Liz asked me when she came over.
“I’m going to put some into the trunk of my car, and we can hide the rest in the garage for now,” I said.
Together, Liz and I emptied out the house, leaving only the old toaster behind.
“Come on,” Liz said, linking her arm in mine. “Let’s get you out of here.”
An old toaster in a kitchen | Source: Midjourney
I waited until Friday, staying with Liz. And then I drove myself home that afternoon.
“Hi Mom!” Leah said excitedly when she saw me pull into the driveway.
“Hi, honey,” I said, taking out my bag from the backseat.
We walked into the house, and there were entirely new appliances all over my kitchen.
A kitchen with new appliances | Source: Midjourney
“What’s all this?” I asked, pretending to be shocked.
“Liam and I thought that you deserved new things!” Leah said, looking at the floor as she spoke.
“No, you didn’t,” I said. “You came back to my home when your guest was supposed to check out and you found everything gone.”
Leah stared at me with her mouth open.
A shocked young woman | Source: Midjourney
“You know?” she said.
“Of course, I do!” I exclaimed. “I took everything! You needed to be taught a lesson. Why would you let my house out?”
Leah blinked slowly.
“Mom,” she said softly. “I’m so sorry. Andrew and I thought that it would be a good idea because it seemed like a great opportunity to make some extra money. Liam said that it was okay as long as nothing was broken.”
A close-up of a young woman | Source: Midjourney
“Darling,” I said, hugging her. “You can’t do this. If you and Andrew need money, you come and talk to me about it. Don’t do things like this. It’s going to ruin our trust.”
My daughter smiled and took my bag from me.
“Come,” she said. “I’ll make you some tea with the new kettle. I’ll return everything else tomorrow. And the money is all yours.”
A fancy kettle on a countertop | Source: Midjourney
What would you have done?
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