Son kicks out father for refusing to pay rent to live in his home

I hadn’t seen my father in years, and then, one day, he showed up at my door, asking to move in with me and my wife. My response? “No way. You either pay rent or leave.” But things didn’t stay that way.

When my mom passed away, I was still a teenager. My dad tried to fill both roles as a parent, and for a while, it worked. But when I turned 18, he told me I had to find a job and pay rent if I wanted to keep living in his house.

Hearing those words crushed me. I didn’t want to pay rent to my own dad. “I’d rather live in a dorm when I start university,” I said. But then he told me another thing that shook me—he couldn’t afford to pay for my tuition. If I wanted to attend college, I had to either work or take out a loan.

Neither option sounded good, so I decided to leave and never look back.

Years later, my father was suddenly at my doorstep.

“What are you doing here?” I asked.

“I need help, son. I don’t have anywhere to stay,” he said.

“You can stay here, but only if you pay rent,” I replied without thinking. The words came out as if they’d been stuck in my chest for years.

“I don’t have any money,” my dad said. “Then you’re not welcome,” I told him and shut the door.

My wife was stunned. “What’s wrong with you?” she asked. I explained everything, but she told me there had to be more to the story. Then she admitted she had contacted my dad to try to help us reconnect.

I left the house, upset, but when I went to the park, I saw my dad sleeping on a bench. My heart sank.

We talked, and he explained his actions. He asked me to pay rent back then because he wanted me to rebuild my life after losing my mom. He never wanted me to leave.

I brought him home that day. At the end of it all, family is about forgiveness, understanding, and being there for each other.

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