How do I stop a neighbour spreading pregnancy news that isn't true?
NeighboursA neighbour congratulated me in the lift. When I looked puzzled, she said, “I heard about the baby.”
There is no pregnancy. A cot was delivered for my sister's visit with her baby, and another neighbour saw the box outside our door. She assumed it was ours and told people before asking.
When I corrected her, she said, “Well, it's lovely news whenever it happens.” That made me more uncomfortable than the original mistake. I don't want to discuss whether or when it might happen.
She offered to tell everyone “not yet,” which still isn't the correction I want. I would prefer, “I made an assumption about a delivery and was wrong.”
How do I ask for that without explaining my family plans? I don't want the false congratulations to continue, but I also don't want correcting a rumour to produce a second round of questions about my body and future.