Living with your parent’s new partner can often feel complicated.

In this story, a woman moved back in with her father and stepmother after losing her place.

She was hoping to keep things civil, so she made sure to be polite and responsible inside the house.

However, things didn’t go as planned when a petty issue about unwashed dishes came to light.

Read the full story below for all the details.

AITA for asking my step-mom why she left my dishes in the sink?

My stepmother and I have had a fraught relationship ever since I reconnected with my father.

We hadn’t spoken for 13 years, and then we reconnected. I moved in with them for a year.

During my initial stay with them, there were multiple instances in which I neglected to keep the cleanliness of the house to her standards.

This brought a lot of resentment.

This woman noticed how her stepmom treated her differently.

She started treating me differently.

She would address my dad instead of me when she wanted to tell me something.

She would somewhat act like I’m not there.

We had multiple conversations on the subject.

I believed that we had reached a point of understanding and civility.

She stayed with them again and made sure to act more politely and responsibly.

However, I recently lost my place and had to temporarily stay with them again.

During this stay, I have done the dishes and said thank you for all her meals.

I have done all the stuff I could to keep things civil.

One day, I noticed that she did dishes and left all of what I had used in the sink.

This struck me as odd. I always do all the dishes regardless of whose they are.

She confronted her stepmom about her dishes being left in the sink.

So I asked her why she left all mine in the sink. She then understandably exploded.

She said that she’s not my maid and that she didn’t have to do my dishes.

I recognize that I shouldn’t have asked since I knew the answer. It just came out.

I also messed up by asking if my brother was visiting, she wouldn’t have left them there.

Her dad defended her, but also asked her to apologize to her stepmom.

Anyway, my dad kind of defended me because she reacted very aggressively.

He is now saying I had no need to stir the pot like that and I should apologize.

I think I should. I also think I’m justified in feeling like crap because of how she treats me.

Am I the jerk?

Let’s see how others reacted to this story.

This user shares their personal thoughts.

She’s not your maid, says this one.

Here’s another honest opinion.

People are saying the same thing.

Finally, short and simple.

Looks like the real conflict isn’t about the dishes at all.

If you thought that was an interesting story, check out what happened when a family gave their in-laws a free place to stay in exchange for babysitting, but things changed when they don’t hold up their end of the bargain.