The Brazen Aunt
“Is it really so hard to help out family? Just kick out whoever’s there and you’ll have space in a jiffy!” the woman insisted, determined to stay for free in the big city. “Katie’s always wanted to see London! By the way, we’ve already got the train tickets and we arrive tomorrow! Make sure the flat is ready, understood?”
“Yeah, sure,” chuckled the student, eager to end the call. “Want a red carpet too? I’ve said my piece, sort it out yourself.”
It was a lovely June day. Chris was on his way back from university, delighted to have finished all his exams. Now he could finally relax. He stopped by the shop to grab some junk food for a TV series binge. Once he got back to the apartment he shared with his classmates, Alex and James, he planned to spend the day alone. Then, his phone rang. The screen read: “Mum.”
“Hi, Mum!” the student said with a grin. “How are you? Not getting too bored?”
His mother’s tired but soothing voice came through the line:
“Hello, darling,” replied Mary Thompson, listening intently to her son. “We’re alright, plenty to keep us busy. And you? How’s university? How did the exams go?”
“Finished them up, Mum,” Chris said, crunching on some crisps. “Now I’m hunting for a summer job.”
“Thank goodness,” Mary sighed in relief. “Listen, I have a favour to ask…”
“What is it?” Chris asked curiously.
“Remember Aunt Jane, my cousin?”
Chris racked his brains, trying to recall this Aunt Jane among all his relatives, but he couldn’t place her.
“Really? You don’t remember?” Mary was a bit surprised. “She visited ten years ago for your birthday. She has a daughter, Katie.”
Ah, Chris remembered now. Aunt Jane had indeed come to the party, but his memories of her weren’t the best.
Chris slowly pieced together that day: how Aunt Jane had given him an ugly sweater, went through his room while his parents were busy in the kitchen, criticizing the mess.
“In my Katie’s room, everything is spotless,” Jane had declared, eyeing every shelf critically, “Not a speck of dust! What’s this? Your parents don’t raise you properly, and you’re turning into a real little pig.”
Back then, Chris didn’t quite understand the adult’s comments. And what was so wrong about some toys or mugs out of place?
Oh, and then there was Katie… She was about two years younger than Chris. In someone else’s home, she did whatever she pleased—clearly, her mother wasn’t doing much parenting. When Chris asked her to leave his room, she just giggled, stuck out her tongue, and rummaged through his drawers, looking for something interesting. Upon finding his beloved colouring book, she tore it up right in front of him with a wicked smirk. Unable to bear it, he fought to snatch what was left and forcefully pushed Katie out of the door. He heard her cry, quickly turning into a wail, followed by the booming footsteps of the hefty woman who appeared in the doorway within moments.
“You little brute!” the auntie shouted, glaring at Chris. “Hitting my baby, are you?”
“I didn’t hit her…” Chris tried to explain, pointing to the scattered bits of paper. But the woman wouldn’t listen. Instead, she slapped him, grabbed him by the shoulders, and shook him furiously. “I’ll show you how to treat my girl!”
Chris could only stare at her in fear. His feet dangled in mid-air, tears streaming down his face. In his peripheral vision, he saw his parents in shock. Finally, his dad managed to rescue him, practically dragging Jane out by her hair and throwing her out with her crying daughter. Chris hadn’t seen them since.
Reminding his mother about that “celebration,” Chris heard her heavy sigh in response:
“We need to leave that in the past, son. It’s been years, no need to hold a grudge. I think Jane might have changed over time…”
“Not so sure,” Chris doubted his aunt’s transformation. “But Mum, why bring her up?”
Mary hesitated a bit before responding.
“Well, here’s the thing… Jane and her daughter are planning to visit London. They’d like to crash at your place for a week. And it would be great if you could show them around, take them to the sights.”
“Oh, that’s the reason,” Chris thought, listening to his mum. “That explains why she suddenly popped up.”
“Mum, I can’t host them, sorry,” Chris replied. “There’s no room. Plus, Alex and James share the rent; they’re tenants too. If the family wants to visit, they should book a hotel.”
“You’re right,” Mary agreed. “I’ll let her know. Take care, dear.”
They said their goodbyes, and Chris decided to tidy up a bit. He turned on the vacuum and didn’t notice his phone ringing incessantly. When he finally checked, he was shocked—twenty missed calls, all from an unknown number. He decided to call back, and a furious woman answered almost immediately.
“Chris!” Jane shouted without any greetings. “Why aren’t you letting us stay at your flat? Don’t you get that hotels in London are expensive?”
“I explained everything to Mum,” the shrill voice instantly brought back unpleasant memories. “I live with two other people…”
“And what, now it’s hard to help out family? Just kick them out and make room for us!” she persisted. “Katie’s been dreaming of visiting London! We’ve got our tickets and we’re coming tomorrow! Get that flat ready!”
“Right, sure,” Chris laughed, intending to end the call. “Want a red carpet too? I’ve said all I need to, figure it out yourselves.”
Feeling relieved, Chris continued cleaning. When Alex and James returned home, he shared the story, and they laughed at the absurdity.
“Your aunt’s a bit off, just ignore it,” James chuckled, twirling a finger by his temple. “I’ve got plenty of folks like that; you get used to it.”
Spending time with his friends, Chris truly forgot the ordeal. The next morning, in high spirits, he decided to stay home. Just as he was getting into his computer game, an unexpected call came in—again, from Aunt Jane.
Wondering what she could possibly want, Chris answered.
“Hello.”
“Where are you?” Jane barked. “We’re at the station waiting for you to pick us up!”
“What do you mean, pick you up?” Chris asked, puzzled, glancing at his screen.
“To the flat, where else?” she yelled. “Or have you lost your mind? Forgotten yesterday’s chat?”
The student was stunned by her audacity and shouted back:
“Maybe you’re the one lacking sense! Didn’t get it the first time? I’m not offering free lodging! Want to see London? Walk around and enjoy the air!”
Chris abruptly hung up and blocked her number. The fiasco dampened his spirits for the rest of the day. He wandered the flat in silence, ignoring his roommates, and thought:
“Wow, I wouldn’t wish this family on anyone… At least they don’t know the address…”
Meanwhile, Jane pestered Mary, complaining about her plight:
“That big city’s gone and spoiled your Chris! The family’s in need, and he… Well, let him know he shouldn’t expect any help from us! He can forget that!”
Mary Thompson threw up her hands as she listened to her cousin’s tirade.
The End.
