Useless Loyalty

I had let my sister live with my because she had a son and I felt obligated since we came out of the same womb. It was nice and pleasant having company anyway. I loved my nephew and he was very mature to be just 8. My sister, Annie, said she wouldn't be long before finding her new home. I was glad to accept her in since we agreed on monthly payments of $600. She was paying on the regular or even before at times. I was happy and felt I can really count on her. She made me proud since she was a bit on the wild side.

She started asking me to babysit far too often when I didn't have to work. It was getting annoying even though she was paying me for it. One day out of the 6 months she been living with me, I decided to speak the ugly truth.

"I never agreed to be babysitting your son back to back, if ever. I was being nice and you ran with it. You're going to have to find someone else because I need a break."

She looked baffled. (How dare she!)

"You sure picked a good time to tell me this. I don't know if Ma or anyone else would be available." Annie said with an unconvincing and neutral face expression.

"You don't even know if I was available. You just assume." I said with my arms folded.

"You're not even doing anything special." Annie said annoyed.

"Do I have to be?! I deserve peace and rest. I let you stay here, but that don't make me an automatic Nanny!" I screamed since she had the nerve to have such a preconceived notion.

"Ok. Nevermind!" Annie slammed the door.

2 weeks pass.

Annie didn't call at all and she didn't have to pay rent for another 20 days. Honestly, she didn't have a reason to call. Surprisingly I wasn't even worried. I just decided she was safe and continued on about my business.

It was time for work and I started getting all these random private calls. Oh boyy..

Me and Annie were both 29 years old. I would hope she didn't revert to any immature tactics.

3 weeks passed. Annie had been trying to come home less, but it came a time when wherever she was going wasn't being done as often. She was home and would give me the silent treatment. I would talk to my Nephew as if nothing was wrong. He seemed to not pay attention to the weirdness between me and his mom.

I started noticing the trash not being taken out and Annie was purposely causing the house to look and smell unkept. She must wanted a reason to argue.

"Annie could you be an adult and clean up after yourself?" I asked while standing at her door.

"Girl I will do it when I get ready." We argued like crazy. This little situation happen a little more than a few times for the next 2 months. I really tried to be as nice and hospitable for the sake of my adorable nephew, but now it was time to make the best decision for my mental health. I noticed I was becoming more tense and having headaches more than usual.

I called my mother and told her how me and Annie's sisterhood has become unhappy due to her pettiness. My mother explained that is the exact reason she couldn't stay with her. 

"The moment something is against her liking, she's a demon." My mother said. She hadn't really warned me. Maybe I would have not believed it. I was in deep now. She gave me a few different ways I could handle the situation and told me that Annie would probably have to end up getting hurt physically since she like to get physical. Oh, now that was something shocking, but I know I could hurt Annie because I know me.

It was a Monday and I had an Ok day at work and got off at 7. I got home around 8 something at night and Annie wasn't there. Guess what was? Trash and the bathroom was mildly vandalized. She had cleaned all the food that I had cooked 2 nights before. She purposely didn't care to save me any. She usually would be home by now and she wasn't a dirty person. I had it with her. I decided I was going to slap her in her face to remind her. I was in disbelief for a quick second.

Annie got home, but my nephew wasn't with her around 10pm. Good. The perfect timing to get slapped. She walked in, I looked at her. She did a mean mug. She had no clue what was coming. She walked to the fridge as I was by the sink. Not far at all. Before she could open the fridge, I slapped her and followed up with a second slap. Once that hand go, it don't stop. She tried to fight back and then I punched her in her right cheek and slap her again before kicking her to the floor. I felt like I was slapping up my grown daughter or something.

Annie looked in disbelief with tears in her eyes. I could see that her face would swell. 

"You know exactly what that was for. Now clean this ___ up!" I demanded. I was fired up and I wasn't playing no games with her anymore. I was really trying to spare her though. I had to do what was really going to make it obvious that things must change around here. She started cleaning up.

I ended up going to bed feeling tense. Room door locked. 

I woke up ready to say what needed to be said.

Annie was at the kitchen counter top table eating cereal.

I walked over.

"Aye, I clearly love my nephew and all and would always be there for him, but you got to go. It's plenty of temporary rooms and stuff you can rent or whatever. I can't live around you nomore. You totally messed up my vibe and my mind hasn't been the same since you started your little mess." I said not caring that it was morning. It was 10am.

"Ok. I can't argue with you about that." 

I didn't have to go to work until later and was hoping she would be scooting her stuff out before then.

She did.

I was pleased and relieved.

I had her keys before I went to work and she had put the stuff she had in her car.

At work, I got a text from Annie saying: "Sis I honestly don't know why I behaved that way and I can't really say why or how, but thank you for letting me stay there. You could've said no. You said Yes and I am not going to act like you didn't do me a huge favor. I have a gift for you."

I immediately got a Cashapp notification of a $800 deposit. It was from Annie. Wow.

I texted her a dry "Thank you." because no explanation was needed.