Mariah had been feeling ill lately, so she admitted herself to the hospital for a check-up.
However, while her absence, her daughters decided to rent out her house as an Airbnb, intending to pocket the proceeds. When Mariah found out, she resolved to teach her children a lesson. “Mariah,” my friend Liz asked over the phone, “why on earth is your house listed as an Airbnb?” “What?” I inquired, completely perplexed. “What are you talking about?”
“Denise was looking for a place to rent for the weekend because it was her bachelorette weekend, and she came across yours. “Aren’t you still in the hospital?” she inquired. “Liz, I truly have no idea what you’re talking about,” I murmured, staring at the IV dripping into my bloodstream. “Send me the link to the site Denise saw.”Here’s how I taught my children an important lesson:
Recently, my blood pressure had been all over the place, leading me to faint at unexpected times. “Mom,” my son, Liam, remarked, “you should have it checked out.” There is no purpose in going to the pharmacy and purchasing medication over the counter just because you believe it will help. You should have everything carefully assessed.””And you need to start eating better,” my daughter, Leah, advised.
“Eating oatmeal in the morning, toast in the afternoon, and soup at night is not a balanced diet. You’re playing with your health. “It’s time to get serious.”Leah went around my kitchen, slicing veggies for a salad to accompany the grilled chicken she had marinated.
“And how about your frequent headaches? It’s time to check everything out. “You should go to the hospital and get a full checkup,” Liam said. “But I feel fine, other than the headaches and dizziness; I’m good!” I replied.
Both of my children snorted and rolled their eyes at me. “Do it, Mom,” she urged, pointing at me. I had to agree with them. I’d been downplaying my health recently. I still walked every other day and practiced as much yoga as my body would allow during the week.
Still, there was a nagging suspicion that something was awry. “Just go to silence that feeling,” Liz remarked when we met for smoothies after our yoga lesson one day. “But what if we find something?” I inquired, feeling frightened to be expressing my ideas aloud. “Then we’ll handle it together. “I know Paul isn’t here anymore, but I am,” Liz explained.
“Anyway, we need you up and running for Denise’s wedding. I’m not sure how to perform the mother-of-the-bride things.
“I’ll go to the GP and take it from there,” I informed him. “If he thinks that it’s the way to go, then I’ll do just that.”
“Yes, Mariah,” the doctor answered. “I think it’s a good idea for you to get a full-body checkup. There is nothing wrong with simply knowing your health and body. “I’ll also recommend a CT scan for your headaches.”
This is how I ended up in the hospital, and my children took advantage of the situation. “I’ll bring your lunch soon,” the nurse promised, smiling at me. “You just rest after your CT scan.”
“Thank you,” I replied. “I’m just going to call my best friend and catch up with her.” Catching up with Liz meant learning that my children had rented out my house as an Airbnb for the week I was due to be in the hospital.
“So, what are you going to do about it?” Liz questioned when I contacted her back after confirming that it was my residence on the site. “I don’t know,” I admitted. “However, I intend to teach them a lesson. Leah and Liam should’ve known better. However, Leah and her husband are constantly seeking for new ways to supplement their income. I’m sure Andrew has a gambling issue, too.”
“Tell me what you want me to do,” Liz murmured, nibbling something in my ear. “I want you to tell Denise to book it,” I explained. “But they’ll recognize her, so she’ll probably have to create a new account.” “Do you think she will 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 believe I’ll be here till the end of the week. So, let them believe that they are going to make some money from the place.”
“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.
If I’m honest, I’m not sure how I felt about my children’s betrayal. But it saddened me to think that while I was at the hospital, my children were completely OK with strangers taking over my home. “What were they thinking?” I questioned myself.
They hadn’t given a second thought to others drinking from the cups I had hand-painted, or sitting in their father’s ancient recliner. Paul had been dead for several years, but it still felt like his chair. “No,” I replied to myself. “I’m going to get back at these kids.”
Despite being concerned to keep my stress under control, I was discharged the next morning with a clear bill of health. “And keep an eye on your cholesterol, Mariah,” my doctor said. “Eat lots of green leafy vegetables.” I drove myself to Liz’s place, where I planned to wait for Denise to arrive with my house keys.
“Are you sure about this?” Liz inquired, pouring me a cup of tea and buttering a lemon and poppy seed muffin. “Yes,” I answered. “And this way, they’ll truly have to feel accountable for their actions.” I headed home a couple hours later. There was something unique about the house.
The smell was different, and I was certain that someone else had been residing there. A pleasant perfume aroma permeated my normally woody-scented home. I took a long shower, hoping to get rid of the hospital smell that clung to my skin. I was prepared for a long snooze in my own bed.
For tomorrow, the fun begins. The next morning, I fixed myself some breakfast and took the vitamins and supplements that the doctor had prescribed. Then I started packing up all of my appliances. “Where are you going to put everything?” Liz asked me when she was coming 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.”
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.
“What’s all this?” I asked, appearing to be astonished. “Liam and I thought that you deserved new things!” Leah spoke while looking at the floor. “No, you didn’t,” I replied. “You came back to my home when your guest was supposed to check out and you found everything gone.”
Leah glanced at me, jaw open. “You know?” she inquired. “Of course, I do!” I exclaimed. “I took everything!” You needed to learn a lesson. “Why would you let my house out?” Leah blinks slowly. “Mom,” she spoke softly. “I’m very sorry.
Andrew and I felt it was a wonderful idea because it sounded like a terrific way to earn some additional money. Liam replied that was fine as long as nothing was broken. “Darling,” I hugged her. “You cannot do this. If you and Andrew need money, please come and talk to me. Do not do anything like this. It’s going to destroy our trust.”
My daughter grinned as she took my luggage from me. “Come,” she instructed. “I will make you some tea with the new kettle. I will return everything else tomorrow. “And the money is entirely yours.” What would you have done?