I was actually excited when Doreen announced she was coming to stay for a week.

I fluffed the pillows in the guest room, put out fresh towels, and even stocked the bathroom with lavender-scented soap because I was feeling extra generous.

To top it off, I made her a batch of scones and cranberry and chocolate muffins. I was on my A-game.

This was my mother-in-law, after all. I wanted her to feel welcome.

What I didn't realize, though, was that she was planning a hostile takeover.

That afternoon, I came home from work thinking that Doreen would have made us dinner. Secretly, I was hoping for her delicious stew and homemade rolls.

But it turned out that she had something else cooking.

I got into the quiet house, and stepped into my room, wanting to change into sweatpants and a sweater.

But instead of finding my room as it should have been, I found Doreen.

She was standing in the middle of my bedroom, happily unpacking her suitcase...

While tossing my clothes on the floor!

My dresses? Crumpled into a heap.

My shoes? Shoved into laundry baskets.

Her things? Neatly hung up in my closet like she owned the place.

For a moment, my brain refused to process what I was seeing.

This woman hadn't just taken over the room, she had erased me from it.

"Oh! Good. You're back, Phoebe!" she chirped, barely glancing at me. "Be a sweetheart and move your stuff to the guest room, would you? There's hardly any space in here with all my things."

I just stared at her, still trying to understand how we got here.

Then Jake walked in, carrying her second suitcase like some hotel bellhop.

"Hey, Pheebs," he said, like this was all completely normal. "Can you clear out of the room? Mom needs to rest. She's had a long flight. You can set up in the guest room for the week. I'll be in my office because you know my back can't handle the guest room bed."

There was my husband, talking to me like I was the intruder. Like I was someone he could just push around. Like my name wasn't on the mortgage.

"I'm sorry, what?" I blinked. "You were saying?"

Jake sighed deeply. It was like I was being difficult.

"Come on, Phoebe, it's not a big deal, babe."

He set Doreen's suitcase down at the foot of my bed and straightened up.

"Mom is used to better accommodations, and we want her to be comfortable. It's only a week, Phoebe. You'll survive the guest room."

I'd survive the guest room? I couldn't believe that this was coming from Jake. Moments ago, he had complained about the bed in the guest room, and now I was supposed to go in there and sleep like everything was fine?

What about what I was used to? What about... me?

I turned back to Doreen. She had already settled onto my bed, propped up against my pillows, scrolling on her phone like a queen in her palace.

"Honestly, dear," Doreen said, not even looking up from her phone. "It's the least you could do. Family takes care of family, after all."

I felt something hot and bitter rise in my throat.

Family.

Funny how "family" only applies when I'm the one being inconvenienced.

"So let me get this straight," I said. My voice came out calm, steady. "Your solution to having a guest in our home... was to move me out of my own bedroom?"

Jake rubbed the back of his neck.