Having my husband’s odd and unnerving brother staying at our place is making me very uncomfortable, and I’m unsure of the best way to deal with this. From the moment he arrived, his presence has shifted the atmosphere in our home. He’s quiet, almost too quiet, but when he does speak, his words often carry a strange intensity that leaves me uneasy.

He has this habit of showing up unexpectedly—standing silently in the kitchen while I’m making coffee or sitting in the darkened living room late at night. It’s as though he thrives on catching me off guard, and I can’t decide if it’s intentional or just a product of his peculiar nature. Either way, it’s unnerving.

The other day, I caught him staring at the photos on our mantle for an uncomfortably long time. When I asked if he was okay, he just smiled—a slow, unsettling smile—and walked away without saying a word. Little moments like this are piling up, and I’m finding it harder and harder to ignore the unease that seems to follow him like a shadow.

I’ve tried talking to my husband, but he brushes it off, saying his brother has “always been a bit eccentric” and that I shouldn’t take it personally. But this isn’t just about eccentricity—it feels deeper than that, like a tension I can’t quite put into words.

I want to be supportive of my husband, but at what cost? How do I balance being a gracious host with protecting my own sense of comfort and safety in my own home?