Daddy Got Himself a Girlfriend

My dad is recovering. It was touch and go for a while. He was in the hospital for eight days. The first hospital he was brought to by ambulance evaluated him and had us say our final goodbyes to him. They didn’t expect him to survive the transport to a better hospital. He did survive though and after a few alarming setbacks is now at home to continue his recovery. I won't go into medical details (I’m an HR professional, HIPAA rules are too deeply ingrained in me). 

The most disturbing part of my dad’s illness was speaking to him in the hospital room and he didn't know who I was; he didn't remember having a daughter and kept calling me ‘that girl’. He’s at home now though and that’s all that matters. I’m not especially religious but I did do a lot of praying and said a 'Thank You God' when he started to make some progress. 

Back to our normally scheduled program of being a bitter betrayed ex-wife…. Just kidding, although I expect a wave of that to surface this weekend. My ex-husband told the kids a few weeks ago that he has a girlfriend. I knew he was going to do it, and I actually wasn't too concerned over how the kids would handle it. They seem to take everything in stride. Maybe that’s an act but I’ll just let myself believe it’s for real.

When the kids got home from their father’s place a few weekends ago, I asked, ‘Did Daddy talk to you about anything this weekend?’ My son looked at his sister and said, ‘You tell her.’ ‘No, you tell her,’ my daughter responded. This went back and forth for several exchanges and then my son finally said, ‘You tell her, you’re older.’

I know the kids were trying to protect me, and it was very sweet (although a little sad that they think they need to filter what they say to me). ‘I already know what you’re going to say,’ I said, ‘so just say it.’  

‘Daddy got himself a girlfriend, Mommy,’ my daughter said. 

I was just about to burst out laughing from the way she worded it when my son spoke up, ‘Mommy, are you going to cry now?’

I did laugh then and said no, most certainly not, we are divorced and we lead our own lives. (Yes, I did bite my tongue from saying that Daddy got a jump start on his new life by two years.)

‘What else did Daddy say?’ I asked.

Again they fought over who was going to be the bearer of bad news. 'I already know', I said, 'just say it.' 

‘Daddy is moving in with her; we're going to meet her the next time we see him.'

'Do you think you're going to like her?' I asked.

'No, probably not, but I like her dog already,' my son said.

'Well, that's all that matters anyway,' I joked. (LOL. Sorry but what can I say? I like animals better than most people.) 

‘Are you going to have your own rooms there?’

 ‘We don’t know, Daddy didn't say.’

‘Do you want to talk about it?’

Shrugging of the shoulders was the only response.

‘You can tell me anything you want, don’t be afraid to hurt my feelings, I’m your mom and I want to know how you’re doing.’

More shrugging of shoulders.

The subject has been on the shelf for a few weeks, they haven’t mentioned anything more about it. This weekend they are scheduled to be with their father. In my deepest most bitterest of places, I want them to despise the skanky whore and be total brats. But they are my babies so I also want them to be happy. And I can't imagine that happy kids hate the people in their lives. 

So, instead, I will stifle my anger and disgust and I will hope that they like her and she is good to them. I’m betting skanky whore is a semi-nice person. After all, my ex husband has very good taste in women, he picked me almost two decades ago. ;)