My Bully's Father

“How did I do that? When? Did I choose her over you, or is this you being upset that I want to have a life?”

“But what about mom?”

“What about her?”

“She was your wife for almost twenty years; you were college sweethearts? How can you just watch her suffer like that? Don’t you care?”

“Actually, no, I don’t. I stopped caring when she cheated on me or did you forget? And while we’re at it, who ordered the closetful of clothes upstairs?” She looked guilty, and her eyes shifted in that way they do when she’s about to deceive me or at least try.

“I, what does it matter? She’s your wife.”

“Right, I’ve canceled your credit card, the one that I gave to you when you first went away to college. “How can you do that? How will I live?”

“You have a trust fund; use it.”

“But I’ve never had to before; this isn’t fair. It’s all her fault. How could you do this? How could you choose that slut over your own daughter?”

“And we’re done. I told you I wouldn’t accept any derogatory remarks about Jenna. You’re my daughter, and I love you, but it’s time you grow up. I don’t want to hear anything from you until you apologize.” I cut her off when she started to speak and walked away to tell the medics they were free to go.

My daughter threw a tantrum on my driveway until I got frustrated and left her there. I stepped inside, and she screamed bloody murder, but when I looked back, she was just staring up at the side of the house, screaming at nothing.

I closed and locked the door feeling as if a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. It was high time I’d got my house in order, and though Jenna was the catalyst that caused me to make a move at this time, I wouldn’t say that it was all because of her. I never liked the idea of having my ex living under my roof, but like I said, I did it for my daughter.

I’d spent the afternoon with Susan’s parents letting them know that I was ready to move on with my life and their daughter was either going into a care facility which they could pay for, or she could come live with them. I also suggested they let their granddaughter move in with them if she wasn’t ready to live on her own, which she’d done her whole college life.

They had no face to throw shade or cast blame my way, so they humbly agreed to bring their daughter home and have their granddaughter move in to help with her care. Little do they know that that’s not about to happen. Darla may bitch and moan at me about her mom, but she herself has no time and barely even looks in on her when she’s home.

Whatever, it was out of my hands now. I’d left their place and come right home to start packing up her shit to get her the hell out of my house. I hadn’t even looked at her on the bed in her vegetative state, even when she tried moving her head to see me. I’d asked her caretaker to help pack up what she needed and then walked into the closet, where I saw all the designer clothes hanging with the price tag still on.

It didn’t make sense, and something Jenna had said got me to thinking. My ex can barely move her head, she’s nonverbal, and although she uses her tablet to type, she no longer has the fortitude to do online shopping.

I checked to make sure that it wasn’t the caretaker in some roundabout scheme, and then I looked into my own finances. That’s how I learned that my daughter had used the card I’d got her when she went away to school and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on clothes and accessories for her and her mother.

Her, I don’t mind, but what would make her think it was okay to spend my money on the woman I divorced? I’d left that closet and gone to hers where I removed all her stuff and had them thrown in boxes and bags and sent to her grandparents’ house, but Susan’s I’d left behind. No way was I gonna have Jenna wear them, but I’d rather give them to charity.

Now the house was clear, and it was just me and my woman alone here. I found her in the bedroom, just turning away from the window. “You doing okay?”

“Yes, I’m fine. What was all of that?”

“I sent Susan and Darla to her parents.”

“Oh!” She looked uncomfortable.

“It’s nothing for you to worry about; you did nothing wrong.”

“But I’ve come between you and your daughter. She always said how close you were, how much you spoil her.”