“The Unsettling House Guest”

My husband’s cousin, Frank, has been staying with us for a couple of weeks now, and to be honest, I don’t know what to do. When my husband first mentioned that Frank needed a place to stay while he looked for a new job in our city, I didn’t think twice about it. Family helps family, right? But ever since Frank arrived, I’ve been feeling increasingly uncomfortable in my own home.

There’s something about him that just doesn’t sit right with me. Maybe it’s the way he lingers too long in the kitchen when I’m making coffee, or how he stares at me in a way that makes my skin crawl. I’ve caught him peeking through the crack of my slightly open bedroom door a few times, and I swear I saw him going through my laundry basket once. It’s as if he doesn’t understand boundaries, or worse, doesn’t care about them.

I’ve tried to talk to my husband about it, but he brushes it off, saying Frank is just awkward and doesn’t mean any harm. He’s known Frank his whole life and sees him as harmless, but I can’t shake the feeling that something is off. I’m starting to dread coming home from work, knowing that Frank will be there, lurking around.

It’s not just his behavior that’s bothering me—it’s how it’s affecting me mentally and emotionally. I feel like I’m constantly on edge, my nerves fraying with every passing day. I’ve stopped wearing my usual comfortable clothes around the house, opting instead for things that cover more skin. I avoid the living room when he’s there, making up excuses to stay in my room or go out.

I don’t want to make my husband feel like he has to choose between his family and me, but I also don’t want to live in a situation where I feel unsafe in my own home. I’m not sure how much longer I can keep this up without saying something more direct, but I’m afraid of causing a rift.

I just wish I knew what to do—how to handle this without making things worse. Should I confront Frank myself? Should I push my husband harder to see things from my perspective? Every option feels like it comes with risks, and I’m scared of making the wrong move. All I know is that I can’t keep living like this. Something has to change.