When she left for a routine medical appointment, she expected to come home to the quiet condo she had shared for years with her late husband. Instead, the first thing she noticed was the smell of food cooking, then the sound of strangers talking, laughing, and opening her cabinets as if they belonged there.
By the time she stepped through the door, it was clear this was not a simple visit. Shoes were stacked near the entrance. Suitcases sat against the walls. Her living room, kitchen, and dining area were full of people who seemed far too comfortable in a home where they had never been invited by her.
In the kitchen stood Lorraine, the mother of Jenna, her son Alex’s fiancée. Lorraine was wearing her apron and cooking with her utensils. Jenna appeared moments later with orange juice from the refrigerator and greeted her casually, saying the family had arrived a little early.
But this was not early arrival. It looked like a move-in.