I thought I was giving my parents a nice Easter surprise with flowers and chocolate. But when I got there, I found out they were living in the garage—my sister Cassandra had taken over their house.
My mom always told me on the phone that everything was okay, and I believed her. But when I showed up without warning, the house didn’t feel like theirs anymore—it felt cold and empty. Then I heard Cassandra’s voice coming from inside.
She was laughing with her boyfriend like they owned the house. I found my parents out in the garage—my dad was fixing something, and my mom was wearing a coat, trying to stay warm.
They were using a camping stove and sitting on folding chairs. They told me it was “just for now,” but I knew that wasn’t true. That same night, I took them to a warm hotel. Then I started taking action.
I work with contracts, so I looked up the house papers—it was still legally my parents’ home. As for Cassandra?
Legally, she was just a guest. So I asked her to lunch, recorded everything she said, and gave her and her boyfriend eviction papers. A week later, my parents were back in their home, where they belonged. The house felt warm and happy again, with laughter and Easter steaks on the grill.
As for Cassandra? She’s crashing on other people’s couches now, telling everyone we “turned on her.” But the truth is simple: family isn’t about using each other—it’s about being there and standing up for what’s right.