Uninvited Guests: How One Trip Changed Everything
Emily and James settled on the sofa—a favourite series, a cosy blanket, the evening perfectly serene. All was quiet, peaceful… until someone knocked at the door.
Emily rose, opened it, and froze. There stood Olivia—James’s sister, furious, her eyes sharp with anger.
“How could you?!” she burst out.
“What do you mean?” Emily asked, baffled.
“You ruined everything! And you, Emily—I know this was your doing! I’ll never forgive you!”
“Liv, explain properly! What’s going on?”
One month earlier.
“Em, where d’you fancy for the holiday?” James asked, idly scrolling through the news.
“When?”
“Next month. Can you sort it with work?”
“Course. It’s no bother. Why?”
“Fancied a getaway. Just us. Brighton sound good?”
“Definitely! Let’s pick a hotel, dates…”
James just nodded. He’d already sorted it—flights, hotel, everything. He just hadn’t mentioned that it wouldn’t be just the two of them. His mum was coming. And so was Olivia, with her two kids—ages six and three. A surprise.
Emily had no idea. She hadn’t even asked—tickets booked for two, the reservation the same. The last disastrous trip with them, two years ago, she’d forced herself to forget.
Back then, it had been hell. Olivia and the kids, James’s mum—all well-rested, sightseeing, enjoying themselves. Meanwhile, Emily had trailed after the children, listened to complaints, hunted down food, beaches, bottled water, pleaded, endured. James had helped at first, but soon slipped away to “accompany” his mum and sister. He’d paid for everything, too. Emily had been livid. After that trip, they’d had words, and he’d promised—never again.
And now, a month later, they boarded the train. Emily spotted a familiar figure on the platform—was that his mum? No, just her imagination. James sat calmly, smiling.
They arrived. Stood at the hotel entrance. Then—
“Oh, look who’s here!” came a voice behind them.
Emily turned—Olivia. With the kids. And James’s mum.
“Fancy bumping into you! Been ages since we holidayed together!”
Emily stiffened.
“James, what is this? You knew?”
“Well… Mum wanted a family trip. I thought—”
“You promised.”
“Sorry.”
“That’s it? Not even a warning?”
“What would’ve changed?”
Emily bit her tongue.
“Fine. Big beach—they stay at one end, we’re at the other. Evenings, just us. Deal?”
“Course. But—”
“No buts.”
The first evening was lovely. Dinner, a stroll, whispered conversations.
Then morning came. The beach. And who did they see? The relatives, already sprawled by the water. Everywhere—kids, noise, chaos.
Emily clenched her jaw. Her rules now.
James’s phone “went missing.” An hour later, they found it—the nephews had been playing with it. Without blinking, Emily locked it in the safe. Only she knew the code.
“How am I supposed to pay? All my cards are in there!”
“I’ve got you. Two cards between us. We’re family, aren’t we?”
He nodded, lips tight.
“Tomorrow—day trip. Just us. Not a word to your mum or Liv.”
“What if they—”
“Their problem.”
And so it went.
One day—Emily and James off sightseeing. Olivia stuck with the kids on the beach. Next day—the reverse. Then separate again. Exploring town—Emily steered James the other way. Quiet, deliberate, methodical.
“We didn’t buy a thing!” Olivia moaned.
“But the kids had ice cream. Lovely day!”
Yet she seethed. Then one evening—she stormed into their room.
“You ruined it! I’m exhausted! The kids might as well have stayed in nursery!”
“You chose to come. We’re here as a couple.”
“You could’ve helped!”
“We’re not babysitters.”
“I didn’t even get souvenirs!”
“We’ll give you a postcard.”
“I knew it, Emily—you planned this!”
“Like you did two years ago?”
At the station, they crossed paths briefly. Different carriages. Different directions.
“Y’know,” Emily said, settling by the window, “I almost enjoyed it. Them—that way. Us—this way. Like a game. Fun. Again sometime?”
“Maybe just us next time,” James sighed, smiling weakly.
And under his breath: this time—for certain.