Source: Reddit
My husband’s brother (my BIL) and his two kids (13/m and 8/m) were staying with us for christmas. They’ve had a rough year because his wife died in March. The kids are a handful because of it, but I’ve been trying to be gracious. Yesterday was my last straw, and I need a gut check for if I overreacted.
I got home from work yesterday and discovered the ground floor toilet is cracked and leaking water. It’s a mess and after shutting off the water, I ran upstairs to get extra towels and discovered the upstairs toilet is cracked and leaking too. At this point I’m pissed. I go to the basement and, yup, the basement toilet is even worse.
I ran into the kids on my way up with extra towels and asked wtf they did to the toilets. The oldest said “maybe it was the boiling water bandits.” I said that makes no sense and we got into an argument. BIL came along to ask what was wrong. He was taking a nap. The kids start saying the boiling water bandits did it. As we’re arguing, it comes out the kids were trying to do a prank because of home alone. They dumped boiling water in all the toilets and tried to blame it on burglars who go around breaking toilets.
At this point I’m saying that’s ridiculous and they’re old enough to know the difference between a stupid movie and real life. BIL gets upset at this because the kids have imprinted on home alone because it’s about a mother and her kid being reunited at Christmas. At this point, both kids start crying about missing their mom.
I told them they need to leave because I need to fix my house. BIL says “you’re throwing us out?” I explain there’s no functioning toilets in the house and if anything they threw me out of my own home because I’m going to have to stay in a hotel.
Husband is not speaking with me because the kids’ feelings are upset. He’s staying with BIL and I’m at a hotel alone while trying to find a plumber who can fix all of this. Am I Overreacting?
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