Thought family would use you last, right? I thought so until my cousin Talia started treating me like her maid. Things changed once my dad devised a cunning scheme.<\/p>\n
Everyone has that annoying cousin, right? That\u2019s Talia for me. Brynn, 25, just graduated from graduate school and trying to figure out my next move.<\/p>\n
I work part-time at a bookshop to pay the bills while looking for a better job. Books, coffee, and occasional walks make up my quiet life. I\u2019m happy with my little group of buddies.<\/p>\n
Everyone in my large family is in each other\u2019s business. My older cousin Talia is at the center. Her intensity is almost exhausting.<\/p>\n
She should have calmed down by now, being married to Declan and having Jett, their 2-and-a-half-year-old kid. Not Talia. Their modest basement apartment is under her parents\u2019 house. The space is small, yet home.<\/p>\n
My few family gatherings there always made me feel out of place. In the family, I\u2019ve always been a listener, content to observe others\u2019 drama.<\/p>\n
I wasn\u2019t surprised when Talia called me one afternoon, sounding anxious.<\/p>\n
\u201cBrynn, I need a big favor. How about watching Jett with me? Something happened, therefore I must leave now!\u201d Her voice was higher than normal, indicating a haste.<\/p>\n
Looked at the clock. Nothing was planned. \u201cSure, Talia. I\u2019ll be there in 10.\u201d<\/p>\n
Well, why not? Since Jett is attractive, I thought it would be a good variation from my routine.<\/p>\n
I knocked briefly before the door swung open. Declan and Talia tripped over each other to depart.<\/p>\n
Brynn, thank you so much! Talia shouted halfway out the door.<\/p>\n
Declan waved, \u201cWe owe you one!\u201d Just like that, they left.<\/p>\n
In contrast, Jett smiled and hugged. \u201cHi, buddy!\u201d I grinned, lifting him up. Talia and Declan\u2019s quick departure didn\u2019t bother me.<\/p>\n
I was too concentrated on Jett, his little chuckle, and his wide eyes staring at me like I was his favorite person.<\/p>\n
But then he yanked my sleeve and murmured, \u201cHungry, Bibi.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOkay, let\u2019s see what we can find,\u201d I remarked happily, taking him to the kitchen.<\/p>\n
I saw the mess then. It appeared like a storm hit. I saw dirty dishes, crusted old food, trash spilling out of the bin, and a foul smell. Heart plummeted.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat happened?\u201d I mumbled primarily to myself. Jett pointed at the fridge, confused.<\/p>\n
\u201cOkay, Jett, let\u2019s, uh, find something to eat,\u201d I remarked, trying to be optimistic. I knew I couldn\u2019t cook in this mess. I rolled up my sleeves and worked.<\/p>\n
I washed pots, rinsed dishes, wiped countertops, threw out boxes, and cleaned till I could see the counter.<\/p>\n
\u201cWow, they weren\u2019t kidding about needing help,\u201d I mumbled. Jett laughed, thinking I was joking, but I wonder what I consented to.<\/p>\n
Talia phoned again the weekend after. \u201cCan Brynn come over? Just a couple hours?<\/p>\n
I hesitated but responded, \u201cSure, I\u2019ll be there.\u201d<\/p>\n
When I arrived, it was like reliving the same day. The mess may worsen. Dishes, trash, and stove-sticky food.<\/p>\n
I groaned and cleaned enough to feed Jett, thinking, They must be struggling. Soon, it will improve. No, it didn\u2019t.<\/p>\n
Talia called every week, and I arrived to discover turmoil. Talia left with a brief \u201cThank you!\u201d and left me to clean up.<\/p>\n
One Saturday, the sink was full of dishes and the fridge was nearly sealed with filth.<\/p>\n
It took nearly two hours to clear up a spot to cook Jett anything basic. I became angry while scrubbing. I stopped babysitting. I realized I was their personal cleaner.<\/p>\n
I was upset when I went home that night. My dad noticed immediately. \u201cRough day?\u201d he inquired, raising an eyebrow as I dropped my suitcase and sat on the couch.<\/p>\n
Inhaled deeply. Father, you wouldn\u2019t believe it. Talia constantly asking me to watch Jett, but the place is always a mess. I spend more time cleaning than caring for Jett. Like she\u2019s using me for free cleaning!\u201d<\/p>\n
Slowly nodding, Dad listened. \u201cHow long have you been doing this?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMonths!\u201d I raised my hands. I didn\u2019t want to leave Jett in that mess, but I\u2019m exhausted.\u201d<\/p>\n
Why haven\u2019t you advised her to tidy before you arrive? He asked, frowning.<\/p>\n
I am unsure\u2026 I didn\u2019t want to seem mean,\u201d I muttered. \u201cTalia always talks about being stressed, so I didn\u2019t want to add to it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dad crossed his arms and reclined. Brynn, you\u2019re assisting Jett, not cleaning. You shouldn\u2019t feel bad about avoiding their mess.\u201d<\/p>\n
I nodded, understanding my folly for not seeing it sooner. Then I saw Dad\u2019s plans light in his eyes. I felt his plan would be good but didn\u2019t know what it was.<\/p>\n
Dad leaned close, his mischievous eyes shining. \u201cHere\u2019s what we\u2019re going to do,\u201d he said, revealing a strategy. Next time Talia asks you to babysit, agree. When it\u2019s time to make dinner, I\u2019ll contact her mother-in-law and tell her there\u2019s an emergency and you must leave.\u201d<\/p>\n
I blinked to follow his notion. \u201cAnd you want me to leave her kitchen like that?\u201d<\/p>\n
He smiled wider. Not exactly. I\u2019ll tell her mother-in-law to bring a pot and plates without explaining why. Watch how Talia manages that situation on her own.\u201d<\/p>\n
My fury subsided as I laughed. \u201cYou\u2019re cunning, Dad. I like it. But will it work?<\/p>\n
Dad shrugged. We won\u2019t know till we try. Sometimes folks need a new perspective.\u201d<\/p>\n
The following Saturday, Talia called again, frantic. \u201cBrynn, rewatch Jett? This is last minute, but\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSure, no problem,\u201d I said, attempting to seem nonchalant despite my beating heart. I arrived at her house smiling, played with Jett, and watched the clock for Dad.<\/p>\n
Dad finally texted, \u201cTime to go.\u201d at suppertime.<\/p>\n
I breathed deeply and faced Jett. \u201cHey, buddy, I need to leave, okay?\u201d<\/p>\n
He glanced up at me with huge eyes. \u201cYou goin\u2019, Bibi?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cJust for a little while,\u201d I comforted him, feeling guilty. I texted Talia that I had to leave immediately due to an emergency. I brought my stuff to the door. Maris, Talia\u2019s mother-in-law, drove up as I exited.<\/p>\n
Maris left with a large pot and plates, unhappy. \u201cBrynn? What\u2019s happening? She remarked, \u201cTalia didn\u2019t mention needing a meal,\u201d looking confused.<\/p>\n
I tried not to giggle while smiling politely. I\u2019m sorry, Maris, but I must leave. Thanks for visiting! I fled before she could ask additional questions.<\/p>\n
I could image Maris coming in and finding the kitchen in disarray and Talia explaining why it looked like a hurricane had hit. I skipped home to await the aftermath.<\/p>\n
I got home and my phone buzzed within 10 minutes. Talia sent frantic texts.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat happened, Brynn? Why didn\u2019t you clean? one read.<\/p>\n
And another. \u201cMom is angry. What should I do?<\/p>\n
I let her worry. Dad received a thumbs up as I put my phone down. \u201cMission accomplished.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dad chuckled. \u201cI bet she\u2019s panicking now.\u201d<\/p>\n
I delayed responding to Talia\u2019s texts. I thought she should clean up the mess for a time. Finally, my phone rang, and I answered, sounding innocent. \u201cHi, Talia! Everything okay?<\/p>\n
She spoke shakily, panicked and frustrated. Brynn, why did you leave like that? Why didn\u2019t you clean the kitchen?<\/p>\n
I breathed deeply and spoke calmly but firmly. \u201cI\u2019m not your cleaner, Talia. It\u2019s the same wreck every time I come over for weeks. I\u2019ll babysit, not clean your house. I left, and I believed you should handle it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Her silence was followed by a heavy sigh. \u201cI didn\u2019t realize its severity\u2026 I just\u2026 I was overwhelmed and may have taken you for granted. Brynn, I\u2019m sorry.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hearing her genuine regret, I softened. I understand, Talia. Please realize, this is unfair to me. I love Jett, but I can\u2019t always clean up.\u201d<\/p>\n
Talia became more serious. \u201cI know. You\u2019re right. Promise not to repeat. So sorry.\u201d<\/p>\n
We continued talking, and she apologized again, sounding ashamed. I forgive her but made it clear: \u201cIf you need help in the future, the place must be clean before I come over.\u201d Otherwise, find another Jett watcher.\u201d<\/p>\n
She nodded immediately, \u201cYes, Brynn. I pledge to clean everything.\u201d<\/p>\n
I smiled at Dad after hanging up. \u201cWell, I think that worked.\u201d<\/p>\n
Smiled back, twinkle in eye. People sometimes need a nudge to see things properly.<\/p>\n
You know what? It works. Next time Talia asked me to babysit, the apartment was practically clean. No filthy dishes or overflowing trash. She prepared dinner beforehand.<\/p>\n
Things have improved subsequently. Talia now manages her time and respects mine. And Jett? He\u2019s still a sweet boy, but he plays in a cleaner, happier area when I\u2019m there.<\/p>\n
Dad\u2019s plan was brilliant. Talia learnt that family isn\u2019t free labor and that sometimes the greatest way to teach is to let someone pay the price.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Thought family would use you last, right? I thought so until my cousin Talia started treating me like her maid. Things changed once my dad devised a cunning scheme. Everyone has that annoying cousin, right? That\u2019s Talia for me. Brynn, 25, just graduated from graduate school and trying to figure out my next move. I […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-32231","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newzdiscover.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32231","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newzdiscover.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newzdiscover.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newzdiscover.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newzdiscover.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=32231"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/newzdiscover.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32231\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":32232,"href":"https:\/\/newzdiscover.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32231\/revisions\/32232"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newzdiscover.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=32231"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newzdiscover.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=32231"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newzdiscover.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=32231"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}