Make Yourself At Home
Me and Erica dated for two years and have been engaged for the last four months. After we got engaged, Erica moved into my house. I still pay the mortgage while she pays for utilities, groceries, and household items. After we get married, the plan is to put her on the house so she gets equity as well. Her friend Leah and her have been best friends since high school.
I don’t particularly like Leah but have also been cordial as I know she’s going to be in my life. My issue is, Leah thinks of my home as hers. A couple of examples: She always brings her boyfriend over and he’s a sketchball. She talks to me in a very disrespectful way in my own house, like I’m a guest and she and Erica own it. One day, I went out to my garage and some of my tools were missing.
I checked my camera and Leah and her boyfriend were in my garage with Erica and took some tools with them. I asked Erica and she said they were just borrowing and would return them. I had to reach out multiple times for them to finally return the tools weeks later. Only, then she went from sketchy to stupid. I have a nice wine collection and I was working late one Friday. While working, I heard some clanking of bottles together.
Erica wasn’t home so I went out to see what was up. Leah was behind my bar. I asked what she was doing and she said that Erica told her it was okay to borrow a bottle for her party and that she would pay us back. I told her no, that wasn’t alright, and to leave. I asked Erica about this and she said “I don’t remember telling Leah she could take a bottle but I might have, I don’t remember.”
I told her at this point I wasn’t comfortable with Leah being in my house. Erica sort of understood but also blew me off. Then, the final straw. It came when I wanted to go hit some golf balls and my clubs were missing. I freaked out because I golf regularly and my clubs are my biggest investment. I went to check the camera again and Leah used my garage code and took the clubs.
I blew up, called Erica, and told her to get them back immediately. Erica said Leah had asked for the garage code to grab some clothes from her closet and not my clubs. I threatened to call the authorities but Erica stopped me. Leah kept telling us that her boyfriend needed them for a work thing. I got them back almost four days after they were taken and they were dirty.
At this point, I sat Erica down and told her that if I see Leah in my house again then I’m calling the authorities, no discussion. Erica got upset, saying that it’s her best friend and that wasn’t fair to do to her in our house.
I said it’s a pattern and since Erica’s stuff isn’t affected she doesn’t care. I said she can go over to Leah’s if she wants to see her. She said she can’t do this because Leah doesn’t like her apartment and Leah’s boyfriend is always there which makes Erica uncomfortable. I’m now getting the silent treatment and getting called a jerk but I don’t think I’m doing anything wrong.