The door to my apartment was hard to open, as the wood the jamb was made of was warped. Seasonal humidity took its toll while I spent cool days by the sea. It had been a lovely year abroad that unfortunately was now past.

I looked up at the ceiling then the walls of my living room in dismay. The cobwebs shrouded the room like a blanket. No one had even bothered to clean my place even after I asked my sister to do it while I was away.

I hoped the fridge was empty and it was, thank God. But the kitchen floor was grimey and the sink was filled with dishes. My sister hated washing dishes.

Speaking of my sister, I found her asleep in the guest room, which was cluttered by food trash and empty wine bottles.