When Jeremy and his wife, Nina, get home from a vacation, they are horrified to find Ted, Jeremys slob of a brother, in their home. After a confrontation which leads to angry parents and Nina moving out, Jeremy forces Teds 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 Id have to deal with a very upset wife.
A messy living room | Source: Midjourney
My brother looked up, casually, like I hadnt 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. Youve got all this space, and its not like youre 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 its not like youd 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, hed 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, dont be so dramatic,” my mother said, not even a hint of apology in her voice. “Ted needed a place to stay, and youve got all that room. You dont even have kids yet. So whats 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 isnt a kid. Youve 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 hes a kid just out of college?”
My mothers tone shifted, and she immediately went on the defense.
“Oh, mooching, huh?” she said. “Im disappointed in you, Jeremy. Hes been through a lot. You dont understand what its like to be him. Youve 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 didnt 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. Youve got the money, the house, the wife. Whats the big deal? Its 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 wasnt my style. Ted mightve thought that he had won this time, but I had a plan.
“Its not about the space, Dad,” I said. “Its about respect. Ted cant just live here without my permission. Nina and I have worked hard for our home. And whats 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. Dont act like youre all high and mighty. Its just a house,” he said.
“But youve been freeloading off Mom and Dad for years. Why should I trust that youd do anything differently here? Why cant you stay with one of your kids and their mom?”
I thought that was the card that would have frustrated him. But he didnt even flinch.
A frowning man | Source: Midjourney
“Because Im family, thats why. Why do you always act like Im a stranger? Its my right to stay here. Mom and Dad said that youd be like this, but I didnt think youd be this bad.”
I was done.
“Fine, Ted,” I said. “You want to stay? Sure. Lets 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 cant be serious,” she said as I sat down on the bed across her.
“Im going to fix it. I promise you, Nina. Ill make this right. But Im going to teach him a lesson first.”
“Well, I dont want to be here for it. You have a week. Get him out, or Ill stay gone,” she said.
“What do you mean by that?” I asked.
An annoyed woman | Source: Midjourney
“Im going to my sisters house, Jeremy. I cant stand your brother, and I will not stay here while hes here,” she said, packing a suitcase as she spoke.
“Ill make this right, my love,” I promised her.
For the next week, I made Teds 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, its 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,” Id 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 wasnt greasy or fried. And now, every time he opened the fridge, he groaned like I was starving him.
“Youre family, right?” Id say. “Im sure you can deal with a little inconvenience. But its for my health, so youll 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 wasnt 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 cant 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 youd be grateful to stay, Ted. Its not like youre paying rent or contributing anything. Whats the problem?”
He grumbled something under his breath, clearly fuming.
“Forget it, Im going back to Mom and Dads.”
An annoyed man | Source: Midjourney
As he stormed out, dragging his junk with him, I couldnt help but smile.
But I wasnt 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.
“Ill 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. “Teds out of my house. And he wont be coming back again. Hes your problem again.”
My mother was furious.
“Jeremy, you cant just kick him out! Where will he go?”
“Thats up to Ted, Mom. Hes 42. If you guys want to keep coddling him, go ahead. But Im 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.
My Parents Moved My Brothers Things Into My New House While I Was on Vacation – It Was High Time I Brought Them Back to Earth
Husband Abandons Family After 16 Years, Son Blames It on Mom and Refuses to Live With Her — Story of the Day
Woman Kicks Poor Old Man Out of 5-Star Hotel, Next Day Gives Him Presidential Suite for Free — Story of the Day
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, heres 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 husbands 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, shes 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 didnt 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?
Hes so different from these guys. At 35, hes a successful manager at a tech company, and for reasons that I will never understand, hes still friends with the same guys he went to high school with.
Theyre loud, rude, and completely unlike Ethan. Theyre 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, its just one game,” he said that night, sitting in the kitchen with a hopeful grin. “The guys really want to watch the game here. Theyre dying to see our new TV setup. Itll be fun!”
I sighed, trying to stay calm. I could almost see the dreadful evening unfolding. I knew that Ethans 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, its like our house gets turned into a frat house. Im not cleaning up after them again. Its not happening.”
A man sitting at a kitchen counter | Source: Midjourney
My husbands face dropped, a look of wounded pride flashing in his eyes.
Read the full story here.
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.
