Two months. That’s how long I’d been away, caring for my mom after her surgery. Two endless, draining months of bland hospital food, uncomfortable naps in stiff chairs, and a constant knot of worry in my stomach. The only thing that kept me going was the thought of finally returning to my own apartment, my own bed—and of course, Michael, my husband.
I’d been home barely an hour, fresh out of the shower, wrapped in a towel and still in my bathrobe, when I heard the front door unlock. My first thought was that Michael had stepped out and forgotten something. Then, confusion—why hadn’t I heard his car pull up?
Peeking down the hallway, I froze. There she was.
A young, striking woman stood there like she owned the place, fingers perfectly manicured as she held a set of keys. Her face was a mixture of surprise and irritation.
“Who the hell are YOU?” she demanded.
I blinked, astonished. “Excuse me? Who am I? I live here! Who are YOU?”
She frowned. “I’ve never seen you before.”
“Well, I was away for a few months. Who gave you a key to my apartment?”
“Michael,” she said casually. “He told me I could come by whenever I wanted.”
Michael. My husband.
A cold wave washed over me, swiftly replaced by a burning fury.
“Oh really?” I said, my voice low and dangerously calm. “Because I—his wife—am back, and this is news to me.”
Her expression faltered, realization dawning, and she took a small step back. “Wait… He told me he was single.”
I folded my arms. “Oh, did he?”
Her frown deepened. “I guess I should go.”
I wasn’t about to let her leave without answers. “No, wait. Come with me.”
She hesitated but followed me into the kitchen, where Michael sat at the counter, casually eating cereal, utterly unaware of the confrontation about to unfold.
She glanced at him, then back at me. “Who’s that?”
Michael looked up mid-spoonful, frozen. “Uh… what’s happening?”
“That’s Michael,” I said flatly. “My husband.”
Her eyebrows shot up. “That’s not Michael.”
I stared at her, confused. “What?”
Michael, still looking lost, put down his spoon. “I feel like I should be part of this conversation, but I have no clue what’s going on.”
She pulled out her phone and began scrolling through a dating app. After a moment, she held up a picture.
It wasn’t Michael.
It was Nick.
Michael’s younger brother. The troublemaker. The one who borrowed money and never paid back. The one who’d apparently been using Michael’s name—and our apartment—to impress women.
Michael groaned. “Oh man, now it all clicks! Nick kept asking about my schedule these last few months. I thought he was just nosy.”
The woman stared at Nick’s profile like she’d unearthed a hidden treasure. “Let me guess—he never let you come over when I was home?”
She shook her head, stunned. “Yeah. He always said his ‘roommate’ was around.”
“Unbelievable,” I muttered.
Michael ran a hand through his hair. “I swear, I’m gonna kill him.”
The woman—who by now deserved a name—exhaled deeply. “I can’t believe I fell for this. I knew something was off, but I ignored the signs.” She sighed and held out her hand. “I’m Sonya, by the way.”
I shook it. “Nice to meet you. Well, aside from breaking into my apartment.”
“Technically, I was invited,” she joked weakly. Then straightened. “You know what? I want payback.”
Michael grinned. “Oh, we can make that happen.”
Fifteen minutes later, Michael texted Nick.
Michael: Hey bro. We’re making lasagna tonight. You should come.
Nick’s reply was instant.
Nick: Hell yeah, I’ll be there in 20.
Sonya rubbed her hands together like a mischievous mastermind. “This is going to be good.”
Twenty minutes later, Nick swaggered in, confident as ever.
“Smells amazing,” he said. “Where’s the—”
Then his eyes locked with Sonya’s.
“Hey babe!” Nick stammered. “What a coincidence—you’re here!”
Sonya crossed her arms. “No coincidence, Nick.”
His smile faded. “Uh… what do you mean?”
Michael leaned forward. “She means we all know what you’ve been up to, ‘Michael.’”
Nick went pale. “Oh.”
With dramatic flair worthy of a movie, Sonya grabbed a glass of water and splashed it in Nick’s face.
Gasps filled the room. Water dripped.
Nick blinked. “Okay. I deserved that.”
Michael nodded. “Yeah. You did.”
I couldn’t help it—I laughed. “You’ve got ten seconds to explain before we lock you out for good.”
Nick wiped his face, groaning. “Look, I didn’t think it was a big deal! Dating’s expensive, okay? I couldn’t bring her to my place, so I figured, what’s the harm? You guys were never home!”
Michael crossed his arms. “You’re paying our rent this month.”
Nick’s jaw dropped. “What?!”
“And you’re giving back any gifts Sonya gave you.”
Nick winced. “Even the AirPods?”
Sonya shot him a look cold enough to freeze fire. “Especially the AirPods.”
Nick sighed. “Fine.”
As he sulked out the door, Sonya grinned at me. “That was fun.”
Michael chuckled. “Dinner’s still on if you want to stay.”
She thought for a moment. “You know what? Why not? Just promise me there aren’t any more secret brothers hiding around.”
I smiled. “Just a cat that likes to judge people.”
“Well, that’s fair.”
And that’s how I made a new friend, got sweet revenge on my lying brother-in-law, and finally enjoyed a home-cooked meal after two months away. Not a bad day at all.