While I was away on a work trip, my Mother-in-law changed our house into two parts. She asked me to pay $100k for the changes. I said, ‘Huh? But I’m not married.’ She replied, ‘Huh?’ The surprising truth came out, and her face went pale.

When my ride from the airport pulled into the driveway four days later, nothing looked unusual from the outside. The lawn was trimmed, the porch light was on, and the windows glowed warmly in the late afternoon sun. I unlocked the front door, rolled my suitcase inside, and stopped so abruptly that the wheels bumped against my heels.

A wall stood where open space used to be.

The once wide living room had been split down the center by fresh drywall that ran from floor to ceiling, cutting the room into two narrow compartments. The hallway leading toward the bedrooms had been constricted into a tight passage. The dining area had been halved, and instead of a single open archway there were now two solid doors facing each other, each fitted with its own brand new lock. The air smelled of paint and sawdust. For a moment I honestly thought I had entered the wrong house.

Derek stepped out from what used to be the kitchen, chewing gum casually. “Surprise,” he said, as if he had hung a new picture frame.

I dropped my suitcase. “Derek, what is this?”