A rant

BitterButSlowlyUntwisting's picture

It has taken many many years to see that I have a real problem. So I'm owning this right offf the bat. 

There are HUGE mini wife issues, which SO passes off as me being "jealous". At some stage I'll put some of those issues down on "paper"... this would be cathartic... but, for now, please trust me that the mini wife stuff is there and has been for more than 10 years.

 

So now SD is an adult (apparently). She's away at University. SO and I are living in different countries for the next three years. This was a necessary move for my work. 

I'm about to sell my house (that SO is living in and that we lived in together for 8 years). He'll rent an apartment and move all of our stuff into it. And then when I'm done working abroad, we'll thinking about buying a place together. 
 

In the meantime, I literally have panic attacks every time it gets close to Summer holidays because I know that SD will try to move in with SO. 

She pretty much refuses to come to the house when I am there. So my view has always been, until you show me and my home some respect, you don't get to move in when I'm away. 

That has always been acceptable to SO because he's embarrassed about SD's behaviour towards me. But now it's not going to be my house. 95% of the contents are mine... stuff I had before SO and I lived together. But the place he rents will be his and I feel like SO and SD will use that to silence me on whether or not she can come live there for extended periods.

I am aware there are really deep-seated resentments there, on my part, for occasions where SO has placed SD's wants over our needs as a couple. And I know a lot of my fears might be irrational. 

But I'm eaten up with the idea of her moving in. Our relationship nosedives whenever she is around. They have no boundaries.I know she's around even before he tells me because his attitude is suddenly hostile where it is usually so loving and demonstrative. It often feels as though, because he's got her there, I become someone who gets in the way and is surplus to requirements. And this is because of their lack of boundaries. 

I can't sleep. I am so full of hate. It's not healthy. I sometimes wonder whether this relationship even has a future when there is so much resentment there. It is a beautiful relationship when his daughter is not around. My relationship with his son is great. My kids get along with SO and SS but they can't stand SD because she has stolen from them and lied about them to SO and causes trouble every time she spends time with us. 

I need to have a conversation with SO about SD moving in. He has agreed with me in the past but I have a feeling that he is going to throw out a big "it's not your house anymore" card. And I don't feel as though I have any objective reasons or rights to even raise the question of his daughter being there other than the house being full of my stuff. Conversations about SD tend to get shut down very aggressively. I get scared to even broach the subject. 

 

Comments

tog redux's picture

Well - I think if I didn't trust my SO to discuss this issue and be honest with me, then I'd consider ending the relationship. (Though I'd have probably ended it long ago if he had continually called me "jealous" of his daughter).

Store away anything you really value before you leave in case you decide not to return to live with him.

BitterButSlowlyUntwisting's picture

You're so right. Deep down I know that a dynamic where any person feels silenced is so unhealthy. I've done so much soul searching about the whole "jealousy" issue. I'm genuinely open to considering my own hang-ups and what I bring to the dynamic but I just don't feel that I'm jealous in the way that he refers to it. To be honest, even him wanting to view it as jealousy suggests to me that on some level he likes the thought of two females vying for his affections. 

Wicked stepmo.'s picture

I would take everything you own and keep it in a storage unit. Then see what decisions SO makes. If he makes a decision you can't live with them it's easier for you to go your seperate way.

BitterButSlowlyUntwisting's picture

Thank you for taking the time to think about my situation.  Pretty sure you're right about this. The trouble is that I don't know how to justify leaving him without basic furniture and appliances while they sit in storage. On the other hand I think it's absolutely the right move in terms of my personal stuff. He's almost pushing for that. It's arrived at a point where he's cherry-picking what he's like to have the use of (TV, appliances, bed, sofa, beds for his kids) and the things he'd rather not "clutter the place" (basically everything else that me and my kids own) that he'd rather we put in storage. Wow. How did I let life get so messy???

Sparkl3s's picture

I'd speak to a lawyer about best placement of the proceeds from the sale of the house just to protect yourself and your money. You should speak to a therapist my dear just because they have always treated you like this doesn't make it right. Your feelings matter and no, their relationships isn't normal. 
 

Your peace of mind should be a valid enough reason. 

BitterButSlowlyUntwisting's picture

The house belongs to me and my ex. It has taken us ten years to sell. Legally, there is no claim from SO. He still owns his kids' house with his ex and refuses point blank to sell it so us buying a place together relies on me accepting a significant ... and by significant I mean pretty extreme... "downsize" so that he can keep up two mortgages. I think we will rent for the rest of our lives and I will invest the proceeds of the house sale in my children's futures. There are battles I don't have the energy to fight anymore!

Stepdrama2020's picture

He still owns a house with his ex? Why? How long ago did he divorce. That would bother me more than the mini wife. Trust me mini wifes are baaaad but dang who owns a house with an ex? They are divorced right? 

Doesnt sound like this relationship is healthy. You can do better