One Door Opens, And A Million Errands Follow

(It’s December 19th, a Monday. My mum has instructed me to move out of my room and into the guest room the following day, as my brother and his girlfriend are coming for Christmas, and my room has a double bed.)

Mum: “I need Tuesday to get the room ready for them.”

Me: “They’re not coming until Thursday; can’t you get the room ready on Wednesday?”

Mum: “No, I have a plan.” *in a conspiring way* “I have a plan, you see.”

(The next morning I take a long time to get out of bed, as I usually do on days off, and don’t leave my room until it’s almost noon. I go to the bathroom, and when I come back I sit down in the bed with the covers over my legs and my laptop in my lap. I have barely powered the laptop up when my mum enters. She picks up the end of my covers and tugs lightly at them.)

Me: “Now? I have to move now?”

Mum: “I’ve been sitting downstairs, waiting to hear movement from up here for a long time. What time is it, actually?”

Me: “It’s ten to noon.”

(I get up, and Mum starts changing the covers.)

Mum: “Almost noon? I’ve been waiting for hours!”

Me: “Wait, so when you don’t need anything from me, you wake me up, but when you do need something, you let me sleep? I don’t follow.”

(After I’ve moved the essentials into the smaller, single-bed guestroom, I close the door, only to have Mum open it again.)

Mum: “You should let this be open, so you can be aware of what’s happening in the house.”

Me: “I have to sit here and watch you vacuum?”

(A few minutes later:)

Mum: “[My Name], will you come and help me? My back aches.”

(I get up and help her put new sheets on my bed.)

Me: “This is why you really wanted my door open, wasn’t it?”

Mum: “Nooo…”