Anna, a single mother of three, receives a raise at last, but her shady landlord raises the rent because he can. However, he will soon discover the hard way that the biggest mistake of all is to misread a weary woman who has nothing left to lose. Anna is done being nice this time.
Normally, I’m not a trivial person. Petty has never fit into my schedule because I have a full-time job and three children to raise.
My name is Anna. I’m a 36-year-old single mother of three. Liam, who is eleven years old, is the type of boy who makes my world. Loud, fearless, and always asking the questions no one else will, Maya is seven. Atlas, my four-year-old, comes next.
I recently obtained the title of Operations Manager, but I still work full-time as a team lead at a logistics company.
For five years, we had been renting a small two-bedroom apartment. My back was a road map of stress and exhausting days as I slept on the pull-out couch.
But we owned it.
Clean, safe, and only a fifteen-minute drive from work and school. Although it wasn’t much, it was home.
At one point, our landlord, Frank, told me, “With all those kids, you should be grateful you’ve got a place at all.” He also ignored texts and put off repairs.
Preschool educational toys
Frank had the amusing habit of behaving as though I were a squatter who had somehow managed to secure a lease.
Instead of a tenant, he saw a woman who was just one late payment away from being thrown out.
Requests for maintenance were met with silence, then grudging, slow responses. December’s broken heater?
Before he finally replied, “Layer up, Anna,” I texted him three times. You and the children. It isn’t that chilly.
“If it’s really urgent, I can stop by next Thursday.”
But the worst part?
“With all those kids, you should be thankful that you have a place at all.”
My kids were treated like luggage. As if our house were a gift.
I continued to pay, though. Every month, on schedule. Since it was costly to start over and the rent was still lower than elsewhere that felt secure, even as it gradually increased.
The promotion followed.
It was mine, but there was no fanfare or confetti. A hard-earned, quiet victory. I made changes to my LinkedIn profile.
“I am pleased to announce that I have been promoted to Operations Manager after years of balancing work and motherhood. Hard work is rewarded!
I was surprised by the applause. However, I received nice messages from coworkers, former classmates, and even a daycare mother I hardly knew.
She had remarked, “You make the impossible look easy.”
That one I read three times.
Gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==
In the break room, I sobbed. Only a few tears were shed.
I received an email from Frank two days later.
My rent was going up by $500 because of him. No improvements. No explanation.
“I saw your brief post about your promotion. Well done! decided that this is the ideal moment to extract a little more from you.
I put the phone to my ear and called him right away, my hand shaking.
I tried to maintain my composure as I said, “Frank, that’s a massive increase.” I’ve never been late with my rent. We are under a lease.
He interrupted me with a laugh and said, “Look.” “You desired a career and a large family, which entails expenses. Don’t expect charity because you are no longer in need. A person can pay more if they are earning more. Anna, it’s easy math. This isn’t a daycare, honey, this is business.
Without saying anything more, I hung up. For a long time, I stood there.
There, Liam discovered me. Gentle, silent, and barefoot.
“Are you okay?” he inquired.
I tried to smile and said, “Just tired.”
With his eyes on the ground, he said, “We’ll be alright.” “You figure it out every time.”
I had something to teach him.
I picked up my phone that same evening and posted in all of the local housing and parenting groups to which I belonged. Nothing ostentatious. Just the facts.
Are you looking for a rental that is family-friendly? Stay away from [insert address of Frank]. Because I was promoted, the landlord recently increased the rent by $500. Punishing working mothers for their achievements? Ladies and men, not today.
I kept his name a secret. I didn’t have to.
Overnight, the post blasted.
Mothers began posting their own terrifying tales in their comments. According to one, because “women are flakey,” Frank forced her to pay six months in advance. He refused to fix the mold because “it’s just a cosmetic issue, Jane,” according to screenshots that another person shared.
The post garnered attention two days later. It was magnificent.
What do you know after that? I got a text from Old Frank.
“Hi, Anna. I’ve been contemplating. Perhaps the increase came too quickly. Shall we maintain the same rent?
I took a while to respond.
I didn’t respond until they were tucked in and I sat on the edge of my pull-out couch and looked at the wall’s chipped paint.
“Thank you, Frank. However, I’ve already agreed to a lease elsewhere. However, be sure to note that the establishment is “pet-free.” The new tenant’s cat might not get along with the rats under the sink.
He made no attempt to reply. I also thought he had taken my last warning.
At the end of the month, we moved out. When I shut the door, I wasn’t crying. I didn’t turn around.
And Mrs. Calder, our new landlord?
She brought over a welcome basket with mini muffins and a handwritten card. She remembered all their names the next week. When I teared up, she pretended not to notice.
A week later, Frank’s listing popped up online. The rent was slashed by $300. Still no takers.
Sometimes, I still get DMs.
“I saw your post, thank you. I needed a push to get out.”
“He tried the same thing with me. Not this time!”
And respect? That costs nothing.
A few weeks after the move, once the boxes were prepared and the air finally smelled like us instead of dust and cardboard, I invited Mrs. Calder over for dinner.
When Mrs. Calder arrived, she brought a peach cobbler and a bouquet of sunflowers.
“I haven’t had a home-cooked meal with kids running around in years,” she said as she stepped inside. “This is already my favorite dinner.”
Dinner was filled with laughter and seconds and gravy on everything.
“You’ve made this house feel like a home, Anna,” Mrs. Calder said. “Not many people can do that in just a few weeks.”
So, I was very happy.
