The following weekend, as Josh and I were out, I got an alert on my phone. Diane was at our front door, struggling to unlock it. I smiled and told her the key was to Josh’s old bedroom at her house, not ours. No more unannounced visits. Later, Josh texted her that visits would now be by invitation only.

After a few days of silence, Diane called Josh and apologized, admitting she had overstepped. When she visited for dinner, she brought a chocolate cake and, for the first time, knocked on my door before entering. It was a small victory, but it felt huge.That night, Josh admitted the key switch was brilliant, and I felt relieved. Diane had finally learned about boundaries.