SS15’s parent info. night was last week. DH asked me to go with him because BM was working. We walk through the door and who’s standing there waiting? BM. She says she was canceled. This always magically happens when she has an opportunity to be a MOTY. Fine. Whatever.

The itinerary was set up to mimic SS15’s school day. So DH and I were stuck meeting all the teachers with BM. This wasn’t that bad, except that BM likes to make it as awkward as possible for me.

First, BM walked next to DH and inched closer to him whenever I tried to walk next to him. I’d have had to of pushed BM out of the way in order to walk next to my husband. I just gave up and walked behind them. I mean-pardon the expression-it’s so high school.

Second, when we got to a classroom BM would walk ahead of DH and right up to each teacher and introduce herself as “SS15’s MOM, blah blah” Then DH would address the teacher, “I’m SS15’s Dad, blah blah.” DH then introduced me, “and this is my wife, SS15’s Stepmom, BettyRay.” But a couple of times DH didn’t introduce himself or me and the teachers would give me an odd look.

So we get to the car to drive home and DH busts out with, “Why were you walking so slow?” “I had to give up and walk ahead with BM.”

To which I responded, “Every time I tried to walk with you BM would step closer to you so I would have had to push her out of the way to walk next to you. And I’m not going to give BM the satisfaction of causing a scene. I know you’re coming home with me so why bother creating drama.”

DH’s response: “Well what am I supposed to do?”
My response: “You could have waited for me and then reached out and took my hand, a physical gesture, by you, that would have shown BM that we’re together. And you could have done that every time we had to change classrooms.”
DH: “oh”…..silence…..”I guess BM was doing that to you.”
ME: “She does this every time the 3 of us are together.”
DH: “What do you mean?”
ME: “She always sits next to you or walks next to you leaving me the 3rd wheel. I end up having to walk behind the 2 of you and at school concerts she’ll save seats and then conveniently sits next to you. You in the middle and BM and I on either side. She just wants people to think you 2 are together and I’m odd girl out.”
DH: “Well it would be weird for you to sit next to BM, wouldn’t it?”
ME: “Yes, but why do we even have to sit with her at all? We could sit in the row behind her or on the other side of the room. You’re not together anymore and the boys know it. I’ve come to realize over the years that BM sets the situation up so that your attention is on her. She saves the seats. We sit with her. You 2 end up having a conversation that doesn’t include me. I’m just left off to the side, ignored. Anyway we’re there to support the boys so I’ve just come to accept it and focus on the kids.”

DH didn’t say anything but the look on his face was priceless - a total light bulb moment.

~BettyRay