Kelly was frustrated, "She just won't leave. I mean, I appreciate her help but that doesn't mean I want her moving in with me!"
Sara listened to her sister Kelly as she vented about the frustration of dealing with their mother, Carol. The two of them were quite close and obviously sisters when you looked at them. 5'6" tall, dark naturally wavy hair, green eyes, bodies that would could have been models for an old style pin up. Curves and soft contours rather than the under-developed look of modern "beauties".
The issue today was that while Carol was certainly helpful, but she was controlling beyond reason. She loved her daughters deeply, but their father had died very young and raising the two of them as a single widowed mother had left its mark on her personality. In this case, following Kelly's divorce she needed help caring for her own daughter June while working full time. In swooped Carol, who watched the little one during the week but then attempted to run Kelly's house as if it were her own. She even went so far sometimes to try and "overrule" Kelly when it came to raising her daughter. And now, Carol had stated she intended to start spending weeknights in the guest bedroom of Kelly's house.
She was driving Kelly insane.
"I don't know how to get it through to her that I don't want her staying without causing a huge fight. She will say that she isn't welcome at all, which isn't true, I just don't want her moving in," she told Sara.
Just then Sara's husband came in the room.
"Complaining about Carol again?" he asked with a smile.
Kelly had always enjoyed his company, and beamed back at him. He was an attractive man, muscular and dark though she wished he would shave his beard. She thought it made him look much older than he was.
"Is there anything else to do?" she asked.
David had his own issues with Carol. Since he didn't grow up with her, his patience for her controlling attitude was much lower. He joked that he always ended up being the "designated hitter" for the two sisters, since he would call Carol out much earlier than they would. It might save their sanity, but it always made him feel like the bad guy. Still, his wife's happiness came first. Besides, he had always had a soft spot for Kelly too, so all in all it was a role he was willing to play.
"Did she move herself in yet?" he asked.
Kelly didn't want to go through the whole story a second time, but quickly brought David up to speed anyway. Not that it took long, everyone knew Carol well enough that he could fill in any blanks in the story on his own. When she had explained enough, she got to the reason she had brought it up at all.
"So, do you remember that guy at work I was talking about? He asked me out for this Friday. I'd love to go, but if I ask mom to babysit she will stay the night and won't mind her own business if I am out late. God help me if I wanted to have him stay the night," she said, exasperated.
Sara and David looked at one another. It had been almost three years since Kelly's divorce, they had often wondered if she were planning to remain celibate until her daughter left home. Without saying a word, the two made up their minds together to help.
"Ok sis," said Sara, "we've got you covered. Don't say anything to mom or she will insist on coming over, but we will come down and watch June for the evening. It will be fun; the twins have wanted to have a sleepover with their cousin anyway."
Kelly was relieved. Also, the two of them hadn't really had an opportunity to see the new house Kelly had bought. It was more house than she and her daughter really needed, with 4 bedrooms, a study, an upstairs and downstairs kitchen and bar, a pool, and the best part a Jacuzzi in the master bath. Really, it was more of a party house than that of a single mother, but she had a great job and the whole idea was to make it easier for people to visit. It would work great; she would just have to make sure she remembered to hide the tote bag she kept next to the Jacuzzi. The contents wouldn't shock her very open-minded sister and brother-in-law, but it would still be embarrassing if they saw exactly why Kelly enjoyed her baths so thoroughly.
"That's great, thank you. You two can soak in the Jacuzzi and stay in the guest room if you want, so you won't have to drive back late. I'm planning to leave around 6, if you don't mind picking up June from her after-school program that will give me plenty of time to get ready," she said.
Sara made sure to remind her sister, "Don't say anything to mom. We all know if you are gone and she is there she will act like it's her house and try to order everyone around, and there is no way in hell she would stay away. David has enough trouble dealing with her politely when she comes to our house, much less yours with you gone".
