I’ve been giving my coworker Emily a ride to work for about a year since she used to live close by. Now, with my maternity leave approaching, she had no clue how she’d get to work, as she can’t drive and has no car.

When I told her I couldn’t keep driving her once the baby arrived, she casually suggested that my husband, Mark, could take over. I laughed it off, thinking she was joking, but her face remained serious. “He needs his sleep and has his own job to get to,” I reminded her. Emily got visibly upset and made a sn

Fast forward to my first day of maternity leave. At 5:45 am, the doorbell rang. Half asleep, I hoped it wasn’t who I feared it would be. But, of course, it was Emily, expecting her ride. “I told you, Emily, I can’t drive you anymore,” I said firmly. She stormed off, clearly offended.
Days went by, and I was getting used to life with the baby. One morning, I woke up early to get some baby formula, leaving Mark at home with our newborn. As I approached the front door, my heart sank. Standing there was Emily, again, but this time she wasn’t alone. She had a small suitcase with her.
“What are you doing here?” I asked, shocked.

“I have no place to stay. My landlord kicked me out, and I thought…well, you owe me since you can’t drive me to work anymore,” she said, with an audaciously expectant look.

“Emily, you can’t just show up here like this. We have a newborn, and we need our space,” I said, trying to keep calm.

She broke into tears, “Please, just for a few days. I promise I’ll find somewhere else soon.”

Reluctantly, I let her in. Mark was equally shocked but agreed to let her stay for a few days. However, Emily’s presence quickly became unbearable. She would demand our attention, interfere with baby care, and even suggest that Mark should drive her to work because “he’s up anyway.”

The final straw came a few days later. I woke up early again to find Emily and Mark having breakfast. Emily was dressed in one of my robes, acting as if she owned the place.

“Emily, what do you think you’re doing?” I asked, my voice trembling with anger.

“What? Mark offered me breakfast, and I needed something to wear,” she said nonchalantly.

That was it. “Emily, you need to leave. Now. I’ve tried to be kind, but you’ve crossed the line too many times.”

She looked at Mark for support, but he stood by me, “She’s right, Emily. You need to find another place to stay.”

Emily left in a huff, muttering about how we were “so ungrateful.” I felt a mix of relief and anger, but mostly, I was glad to have our home back.

A few weeks later, I found out through the grapevine that Emily had managed to secure a place with another coworker. However, the drama wasn’t over. She had spread rumors about how “inhospitable” we were and how we had “abandoned” her in her time of need.

In the end, though, I learned a valuable lesson: sometimes, even those you try to help can overstep boundaries, and it’s important to stand your ground for the sake of your family’s peace and well-being. Emily’s audacity was a wake-up call, and I was grateful to have the support of my husband as we navigated this chaotic chapter of our lives.