Two years ago, my husband and I bought a small vacation house outside the city. The construction was modest and needed repairs, but the place was a dream: fresh air, a wonderful view, and a plot of land perfect for vegetables and greens.
For a year and a half, we invested money, work, and energy to turn it into a welcoming home. Until we had everything in order, we didn’t invite any relatives or friends; we wanted to show them the final result, not a construction site.
The first guest was my cousin, who came with her family. We felt great, chatted, and everything seemed perfect. They liked it so much that it never crossed my mind how the evening would end. Here’s how it happened.
In conversation, I casually mentioned that our neighbor intends to sell his land. I said the phrase and forgot about it. My cousin, however, immediately caught on to the idea.
The next day, just before we left for the city, she asked me for the neighbor’s number: she wanted a vacation house like ours. I was taken by surprise; nevertheless, I dictated it to her.
Since then, I regret it. My cousin talks only about her future purchase and, more seriously, she explained why it suits her perfectly: she plans to go to the cabin with us because her husband has a luxury car and doesn’t want to subject it to the country road. Moreover, she says she would save fuel—after all, “I’m going there anyway.”
To top it all off, she considers it reasonable to receive a copy of our keys so she can stay with us until she renovates her own house. Basically, after working for over a year to set up a refuge that is just ours, we should now share it with her. I cannot accept that!
I’m already thinking about talking to the neighbor and convincing him to find other buyers. But I don’t know where this lie will lead me and how this whole story will end.
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 real persons, living or dead, or to real events is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.
The author and publisher do not assume responsibility for the accuracy of events or for how characters are portrayed and are not liable for any misinterpretations. This story is provided “as is,” and any opinions expressed belong to the characters and do not reflect the views of the author or publisher.
