Mila and Andrew are exhausted by constant arguments with their elderly neighbor, Karen. Determined to find peace, they decide to mend the relationship. But when Andrew steps into Karen’s house, he uncovers a disturbing secret that changes everything.
Mila and Andrew were sitting in their cozy kitchen, sipping coffee and discussing their crazy neighbor, Karen. She was probably over 70 years old but always had the energy for arguments.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
Mila sighed, “Can you believe Karen called the police on us again last night? She said we were making too much noise. We were just watching TV!”
Andrew shook his head, frustrated. “I know, and this isn’t the first time. Since we moved in, she hasn’t given us any peace. Remember when she broke our tree because it slightly encroached on her territory?”
Mila nodded. “Yes, and she always complains about the smell of smoke from our grill, even when we barely use it. But the worst part is how she criticizes our kids. She actually said we should give them up!”
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Andrew’s eyes darkened with anger. “How can she say that? She’s always so kind to Tommy and Derek when they’re around. It’s confusing.”
Mila sighed again. “I regret telling her we adopted the children. We thought she was just a nice old lady, but now we know better.”
Andrew put his arm around Mila’s shoulders. “We couldn’t have known. At first, she seemed harmless. But now, it feels like she’s always watching us, waiting for any little mistake to pounce on.”
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Earlier in the day, Mila decided to decorate the house with string lights to make it feel cozier. She and Andrew already expected that Karen would come to complain about it.
And so it happened—they heard a loud knock at the door. Mila opened it and saw Karen standing there, looking angry.
“Take down those string lights!” Karen shouted, her face red with anger. “They’re disturbing my sleep!”
Mila took a deep breath and tried to stay calm. “We’re not going to do that, Karen. The children love the string lights.”
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Karen crossed her arms and sneered. “It’s nice that the children like them, but they deserve better than some cheap string lights. They certainly deserve better parents.”
Andrew, who had moved closer to listen to the conversation, couldn’t stay silent anymore. He stepped forward, his voice rising. “You have no right to insult my wife!”
Karen shot back, “If you hadn’t hung those string lights, this conversation wouldn’t be happening.”
Andrew’s face flushed with frustration. “You would have found another reason to argue because that’s what you always do, Karen.”
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Just then, Tommy and Derek, their two children, ran up to see what was happening. Karen immediately changed her behavior. Her face softened, and she smiled warmly at the kids.
“Oh, there you are! I made some homemade cookies especially for you,” she said, pulling a bag of cookies from her purse.
Andrew quickly snatched the cookies from her hands. “My children won’t eat these. Knowing you, they’re probably poisoned.”
Karen gasped, looking genuinely hurt. “How dare you say such a thing?”
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Without another word, Andrew slammed the door in her face. Mila turned to him, her eyes full of concern. “Why were you so harsh? She’s always kind to the children, that’s the only good thing about her.”
Andrew’s jaw tightened. “She deserved it, Mila. She can’t keep treating us like this and expect us to be okay with it.”
Mila sighed, knowing Andrew was right but still feeling uneasy.
The next day, Mila was in the kitchen, her hands busy preparing a pie. The delicious aroma filled the house. Andrew walked in, drawn by the smell, and reached for a piece.
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“Hold on,” Mila said, gently moving his hand away. “This pie is for Karen.”
Andrew looked surprised. “For Karen? After what happened yesterday?”
Mila nodded, her face showing concern. “I feel bad about what you said to her. I think we should try to make peace.”
Andrew frowned. “Karen is crazy, Mila. That’s how she needs to be dealt with.”
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Mila shook her head. “If Karen is mean, we shouldn’t stoop to her level. We need to show her that we’re better than that.”
Andrew sighed, knowing he was outmatched. Mila handed him the pie. “Take this to Karen and apologize.”
“I don’t want to apologize,” Andrew grumbled.
Mila’s eyes were firm. “Andrew, please. For the sake of the kids. We need to try.”
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With a reluctant sigh, Andrew took the pie and left the house. He walked up to Karen’s door and knocked loudly. There was no answer. He knocked again, louder this time, but still, there was only silence.
Andrew glanced back and saw Mila watching him intently from their doorstep. He didn’t want to disappoint her, so he turned back and tried the door handle. To his surprise, it was unlocked.
Okay, I’ll just leave the pie and go, he thought.
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He stepped inside, intending to leave the pie by the entrance, but curiosity got the better of him. He wanted to see what kind of house Karen lived in.
As he walked further into the house, he found himself in the living room. What he saw left him in complete shock.
The walls were covered with numerous photographs of children. His children. Pictures of Tommy and Derek were everywhere, and in the photos, they were at different ages.
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Some were recent, but others were from before Mila and Andrew had adopted them.
Andrew felt a mix of anger and fear. He quickly left the house, leaving the pie on the doorstep. He got into his car, not wanting to talk to Mila just yet. He needed to figure things out first.
Starting the car, Andrew drove away, his mind reeling. Mila watched him go, concern etched on her face. A few minutes later, Andrew’s phone rang. It was Mila, but he ignored the call. He needed time to process what he had just seen.
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Andrew arrived at the child services office, feeling a mix of anxiety and determination. He needed answers. Walking into the social worker’s office, he introduced himself and explained his situation.
“I need to talk to you about our neighbor, Karen Walker. I found photographs of my children, Tommy and Derek, in her house. Do you know how she’s connected to them?”
The social worker, a kind-looking woman with glasses, furrowed her brow. “Let me check our records,” she said, standing up and moving to a filing cabinet. She spent a few minutes flipping through files before returning to her desk with a folder.
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She adjusted her glasses and opened the folder. “Ah, yes, here it is. Karen Walker. She did come to us some time ago.”
Andrew leaned forward, anxious to hear more. “What did she want?”
The social worker looked through the notes. “Karen came claiming to be the children’s grandmother. She wanted to take custody of Tommy and Derek, but by the time she contacted us, the children had already been adopted by you and Mila.”
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Andrew’s eyes widened in surprise. “So, Karen is their grandmother?”
The social worker continued, “Yes, that’s correct. However, due to her age and some other factors, it was unlikely she would have been granted custody. The children didn’t know her because their biological parents had cut off all contact with her. From what we understand, Karen’s daughter-in-law didn’t like her and made her son stop communicating with her. Then they got into an accident, and what happened after that, you already know.”
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Andrew felt a wave of sympathy for Karen, despite his anger and confusion. “I see. Thank you for explaining this to me.”
He left the office, deep in thought. When he arrived home, he found Mila in the bedroom, folding laundry. She looked up. “Andrew, where have you been? I’ve been so worried.”
Andrew sat down on the bed and took a deep breath. “Mila, I went to the child services office. I found out that Karen is actually the children’s grandmother.”
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Mila’s eyes widened. “What? How is that possible?”
Andrew explained everything the social worker had told him. “Karen came to see the children after we adopted them, but she wasn’t allowed to take custody because of her age. That’s why she’s been coming over so often and causing trouble. She just wants to see the kids.”
Mila nodded slowly, understanding dawning on her face. “So, all this time, she’s been trying to get close to them.”
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Mila sighed. “We can’t just leave it like this. We have to talk to Karen and figure out a way to make this work.”
Andrew agreed. “You’re right. We need to sort this out, for the kids’ sake.”
That evening, Andrew and Mila took a deep breath and walked over to Karen’s house.
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Andrew knocked on the door, and when Karen answered, he spoke firmly. “Karen, we know about the photographs. We know you’re the children’s grandmother.”
Karen’s eyes flashed with anger. “You had no right to enter my home!”
Mila stepped forward, her voice calm and gentle. “Karen, we don’t want to fight. We just want to talk.”
After a tense moment, Karen grudgingly stepped aside and let them in. They walked into the kitchen and sat down at the table, the atmosphere thick with tension.
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Karen broke the silence first. “I’m not as bad as you think. I just want to see my grandchildren. I want to take care of them myself.”
Andrew shook his head. “That’s impossible, Karen. We love Tommy and Derek very much. We’re their parents now, and we’re not going to give them up.”
Karen’s face hardened. “Then we have nothing to talk about.”
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Andrew leaned forward, his tone softening. “We don’t want to keep the children from you. But you need to stop causing trouble and arguing with us. If you do that, we’d be happy to have you visit our house and spend time with the kids.”
Karen looked at him, skepticism in her eyes. “Are you serious?”
Andrew nodded. “Yes, we are. After all, we’re now one family. The kids deserve to know their grandmother, but it has to be in a peaceful way.”
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Mila added, “We can make this work, Karen. But we all need to try. The kids need love from all of us.”
Karen’s expression softened slightly, and she sighed. “I’ve been so lonely. I just didn’t know any other way.”
Andrew smiled gently. “Then let’s start fresh. Come over tomorrow, and we can have a family dinner together.”
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Karen nodded slowly. “Okay. I’d like that.”
As they left Karen’s house, Andrew and Mila felt a sense of relief. They knew it wouldn’t be easy, but they were determined to make it work for the sake of their children and their newfound family.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
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