When Jeremy and his wife, Nina, returned home from a vacation, they had no idea that their peaceful home would be turned upside down. They were expecting to relax, maybe share a bottle of wine, and bask in the quiet comfort of their space.
Instead, they were greeted by a living room that looked like a war zone. Beer cans littered the floor, dirty clothes were carelessly tossed around, and the smell—oh, the smell!—was unbearable. And there, sprawled across the couch like he owned the place, was Jeremy’s older brother, Ted.
“What the hell is this?” Jeremy asked, his heart racing. “Ted, what are you doing in my house?”
Nina, Jeremy’s wife, walked in behind him and immediately rolled her eyes. She could see the mess, the chaos, and the problem before Jeremy even said a word. Jeremy knew he had to act fast if he didn’t want to deal with a very upset wife.
Ted lazily lifted his head, barely acknowledging the scene. “Oh, hey, Jeremy,” he said, acting as if nothing was wrong. “Mom and Dad thought it’d be easier if I moved in while you were gone. You’ve got all this space, and it’s not like you’re home that much anyway.”
Jeremy’s jaw dropped. “You moved in? Without asking? Into MY house?”
Ted shrugged as if it was no big deal. “Yeah, what’s the big deal? I needed a place to stay. I figured it’s better here than anywhere else. You and Nina are never home anyway.”
The audacity of his words made Jeremy’s blood boil. How could his parents think it was okay to let Ted just move into their home without even asking?
Just as Jeremy opened his mouth to respond, his phone rang. It was his mother. Of course.
“Mom,” Jeremy answered, trying to stay calm. “Did you and Dad seriously let Ted move into my house without asking me first?”
From the background, Ted’s voice interrupted, “Why are you using my full name?”
Jeremy ignored him, keeping his cool as best as he could.
“Jeremy, don’t be so dramatic,” his mother said in her usual dismissive tone. “Ted needed somewhere to stay, and you’ve got all that room. You don’t even have kids yet, so what’s the harm in helping him out?”
Jeremy’s frustration was growing. “Mom, he’s 42 years old. He’s not a kid anymore! Why do you keep treating him like he’s 18? Why don’t you ask him to take responsibility for his life?”
His mother sighed heavily, a defensive tone creeping into her voice. “Oh, I see. Now I’m a bad mother for helping my son out? Ted’s been through a lot. You’ve always had your life together, Jeremy. Ted just needs a little extra help. As family, you should be there for him.”
Jeremy’s eyes narrowed in disbelief. Ted had two kids with different women and refused to support either of them. He had no sympathy left for his brother.
Before Jeremy could say anything else, his father’s voice took over the phone. “Jeremy, stop being selfish. You’ve got the house, the money, the wife. What’s the big deal? Ted is your brother. He’s staying. End of story.”
Jeremy’s patience was wearing thin, but he kept his voice steady. “It’s not about the space, Dad. It’s about respect. Ted can’t just live here without my permission. Nina and I have worked hard for everything we have. It’s not his to take.”
Ted snorted from the couch, “Oh, come on, don’t act like this is some huge deal. It’s just a house.”
“No, Ted,” Jeremy replied, his voice firm. “It’s not just a house. You’ve been freeloading off Mom and Dad for years. Why would I trust you to do anything different here?”
Ted didn’t seem to care. “I’m family. That’s why I should be here. Why do you treat me like a stranger? Mom and Dad said you’d act like this, but I didn’t think it’d be this bad.”
Jeremy was done. “Fine. You want to stay? Let’s see how that works out for you.”
He had a plan. It wasn’t about shouting at Ted or losing his temper. No, Jeremy was going to teach him a lesson the only way he knew how—by making his life as uncomfortable as possible.
That night, when he went upstairs to talk to Nina, she was already packing a suitcase. Her face was hard with frustration.
“Jeremy, you can’t be serious,” she said, shaking her head. “I’m not staying here with him. I can’t stand him, and you know that.”
“Don’t worry, Nina. I’ll fix this. I promise you. Just give me a little time,” Jeremy said, trying to reassure her.
“I’m going to stay at my sister’s,” she said, zipping up her suitcase. “You have one week. If he’s not out by then, I’m gone.”
Jeremy’s stomach churned, but he knew he had to make it right—his marriage depended on it.
Over the next week, Jeremy set to work making Ted’s stay a nightmare. First, he disconnected the Wi-Fi. Ted, who was glued to his phone all day, immediately noticed. He complained, but Jeremy just shrugged. “Oh, the Wi-Fi’s been spotty lately. Sorry about that.”
Next, Jeremy turned off the hot water. Ted loved his long, hot showers, but now every morning he was greeted with ice-cold water. When Ted whined about it, Jeremy feigned innocence. “Must be something wrong with the plumbing,” he said, with a fake look of concern.
Then, the fridge. Jeremy stocked it with nothing but tofu, vegetables, and the healthiest food he could find. Ted hated anything healthy. Every time he opened the fridge, he groaned. “You’re family, right?” Jeremy would say with a smile. “I’m sure you can deal with it. It’s for my health, so you’ll be fine.”
Finally, to really get under Ted’s skin, Jeremy started blasting music at 6 a.m. every morning while he worked out on the treadmill. Ted hated it all, of course. By day five, he was barely holding it together.
“Jeremy, man, this is BS,” Ted said, his voice filled with frustration. “How do you live like this? No Wi-Fi, no hot water, and no food I like? This is torture.”
Jeremy raised an eyebrow. “I thought you’d be grateful, Ted. After all, you’re not paying rent, and you’re not contributing anything. What’s the problem?”
Ted mumbled under his breath, clearly furious. “Forget it, I’m going back to Mom and Dad’s.”
Jeremy smiled to himself as Ted stormed out, dragging his stuff behind him.
But Jeremy wasn’t done yet. He cleaned the house from top to bottom, bought proper groceries, and cooked a nice meal for Nina. He called her to let her know that Ted was gone.
“Come home, honey,” Jeremy said.
“I’ll see you soon,” Nina replied, and Jeremy could hear the relief in her voice.
Later that day, as Nina took a shower, Jeremy made one last call—this time to his parents.
“Mom, Dad,” he said, his voice steady. “Ted’s out of my house. He’s not coming back. He’s your problem again.”
His mother was furious. “Jeremy, you can’t just kick him out! Where will he go?”
“Mom, he’s 42 years old,” Jeremy replied calmly. “If you want to keep coddling him, that’s your choice. But I’m done.”
The next thing Jeremy heard was that Ted had moved back into their parents’ house. This time, they insisted he convert the garage into his living space and get a job. Ted wasn’t happy, but Jeremy didn’t care anymore. He and Nina had their home back. It was peaceful again.
The moral of the story? Sometimes you have to put your foot down. Jeremy had spent years watching his brother mooch off their parents, and finally, he did something about it. In the end, it wasn’t just about getting Ted out of his house—it was about standing up for what was right.
What do you think of the story? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!
