Some people learn by listening. Others have to feel the consequences for themselves. My neighbor Owen was definitely the latter—so I made sure he got the lesson he deserved. The very first thing I do every morning is brew coffee. The second thing is to glance out the kitchen window to see if a certain… CONTINUE READING »
It all began the week Owen Saunders moved back in with his parents. I’m thirty-two, and I’ve had my fair share of bad luck in love. Three serious boyfriends so far, each relationship ending with me changing my Netflix password, buying new sheets, and wondering how I’d missed the warning signs. The last one, Eric,… CONTINUE READING »
The plan was simple: work hard, save money, and next year, take myself on a solo trip to New Zealand. That plan was going just fine—until Owen’s car became a daily roadblock. On the morning in question, I peeked through the blinds and, sure enough, there it was: his silver hatchback sitting squarely in front… CONTINUE READING »
He winced. “Sorry. I’ll move it right now.” I stood there, arms crossed, while he rummaged around for his keys. At twenty-eight, Owen should have been starting the prime of his life. Instead, he was wearing plaid pajama bottoms and a shirt from a band I’d never heard of. Word around the neighborhood—thanks to Mrs…. CONTINUE READING »
“That’s not my problem,” I cut in. “Figure it out.” But the very next morning, there it was again—like an unwelcome déjà vu. That evening, I spotted him outside washing his father’s car. I walked over. “Owen, we need to talk about the parking situation.” He turned off the hose. “I know, I know. I’m… CONTINUE READING »
When my in-laws offered us a house, we thought it was a dream come true. With three kids and a tight budget, we needed the extra space. So, we jumped into fixing it up, turning it into our home. But one day, my in-laws called, demanding their house back. When my in-laws offered us a… CONTINUE READING »
“It’s so far out, Cal,” I told my husband as we sat on the couch, talking about moving in. “It’s miles from the kids’ school and our jobs! We’ll have to leave way earlier to get anywhere on time,” I said, sighing. “I know, Kalia,” Cal said. “It bugs me that the nearest store is… CONTINUE READING »
“We’ll do it for the kids,” I said, taking his hand. “No matter what, we’ll make it work for them.” “Think of it as a new beginning,” Cal’s mom said when we went to their place for dinner. “You’ll love the quiet, and the kids will have tons of space to play. This is good… CONTINUE READING »
We knew it’d be a big job, but Cal and I wanted this house to be the home our kids grew up in. “The yard’s huge, honey,” Cal told me. “Imagine all the birthday parties and maybe even our kids getting married here. I love it.” We put all our savings into fixing it up,… CONTINUE READING »
Our family felt tighter than ever. Then, last month, my in-laws dropped a bomb. They wanted to sell their house and buy a lakeside cabin. To pay for it, they wanted our house back. What? How? This was our home now. We were shocked. They insisted that even though they gave it to us, they… CONTINUE READING »