Thanks to My Mother, Our Flat Became the Village’s Unofficial Hotel

It was always my husbands and my dream to live by the seaside. We spent a decade chasing after it, feeling lost in the process and saving every penny we could to finally buy a flat close to the coast. We werent aiming for anything grand or luxuriousjust a simple, two or three bedroom flat, nothing extravagant. We really werent fussy about how wed decorate it, so long as it was ours.

Finally, our dream became reality. Granted, we were still paying off a couple of loans, but our goal was reached at last: the sea, our own flat just a stones throw from the beacheverything wed hoped for.

For the first couple of months, we could finally breathe and relax, the weight off our shoulders. Then, my mum came for a visit. Proudly showing her around our cosy little place, she matter-of-factly asked for a set of keys, just so I can pop round anytime and not bother you with arrangements. My husband and I gave her a spare key, thinking nothing of itnever imagining the set would multiply tenfold.

One morning, while we were still in bed, we heard the lock turn and someone knocking on the door. My husband, not thrilled but assuming it was dear mum, quickly got dressed to greet our early visitor. To his astonishment, he found a family with two children standing in the hall. When I joined him for the welcoming ritual, I realised it was my cousins family.

Caught off guard, we did what anyone would doput on happy faces and feigned joy at the unexpected reunion. My cousin, not sensing any discomfort, cheerily explained shed made a copy of our mums keys, and mum had told her wed be absolutely delighted by the surprise.

These holidaymakers stayed with us for a week. Theyd brought most of their own food from their village, so meals werent the issue. But having another entire family share our flatfully in holiday mode, while my husband and I were nothardly added to our peace of mind.

Once we had bade them farewell, I phoned my mum and asked her kindly to refrain from orchestrating any more surprise visits from relatives. Mum seemed baffled by my request, insisting there was nothing wrong, and that my cousin had been positively thrilled with our hospitality. She even mentioned how more family would be expecting free accommodation by the sea in future summers.

Sure enough, an avalanche of guests followed, all inspired by mums generosity. Uncles, aunts, nephews, nieces, all manner of close kin appeared at our doorstep out of nowhere. Sometimes, more than one group arrived together, mingling merrily and proclaiming, What better place to meet than Samanthas house!

Samanthathats mewas barely acknowledged, nor was my husband. As if we were merely local caretakers, not the owners ourselves!

After two seasons of such visits, I finally asked mum to return the keys. She took offence, accusing me of pride and distancing myself from the family. When I relayed the conversation to my husband, he hugged me gently and said:

You realise there are so many keys now, taking mums back wont solve anything. If youre okay with it, tomorrow well get a brand new door with new locks.

I agreed. A week later, we lay low for an hour, quietly listening as our new door resisted old keys tried by other aliens. Soon, phone calls flooded in, but we stood firm and didnt answer.

That evening, another dramatic exchange unfolded with mum. She was furious, shouting that my third cousin had to spend the night at the train station waiting for his connection. When I asked mum who, exactly, it was, all I heard was a series of short beeps.

There were two more unsuccessful attempts to occupy our flat after that. The new door held firm, and my husband and I finally felt we ownednot just a property, but our own private space.

Now, mum visits no longer, standing in solidarity with her relatives. I try to keep things civil between us, but Im determined not to let anyone else into our flat. This is our domainwon through our own efforts.

Strangely, none of our family has ever considered repeating our journey to buy their own place by the sea. They all seemed far happier arriving ready-made, taking advantage of what we worked so hard to achieve.