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Louise Thomas
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A teenager was defended online after avoiding his father’s second wife during a family gathering.
In a post shared to the Am I the A**hole forum on Reddit, a 19-year-old explained how his father had destroyed his family when he had an affair with his coworker, who is now his second wife. When the affair first came to light, the father lied to them and said it was a one-night stand, but shortly after revealed that the other woman was pregnant.
Although the other woman ended up losing the baby and the father tried to repair things with his estranged wife and son, the wife ultimately divorced him and the son wrote he cut him out of his life.
“He told me mom was the one breaking up our family and not him,” the son explained. “Then when he gave up and accepted mom wouldn’t take him back, which is when the other woman lost the baby, he tried to get me on board with things. I ignored all calls and texts from him. I couldn’t block him while still a minor. But I didn’t reply and I didn’t see my dad face to face during this. I knew I wanted him out of my life for good.”
“He tried to make me see him but he failed. And once I turned 18 it was over for him,” he continued. “He ended up marrying the other woman and now they’re expecting a kid together. I don’t want anything to do with any of that, including the baby, and yes even if I don’t have to see them I have zero interest in knowing that child and any future children.”
However, the son still hangs out with their extended family, which is ultimately how he ended up having a run-in with his father and his second wife. At a recent family gathering, the couple - although uninvited - showed up for the festivities.
“During the party dad’s wife approached me and told me she wanted to talk, I said no and walked away,” the son wrote. “I walked away from her again. The third time she spoke before I could move and said she wants her baby to know their brother and she wants me to be a part of their family.”
He continued to write: “She wants to know me and have me for dinner and maybe I could spend some time with them. She tried the whole ‘we’re family now’ crap and I left early because I did not want to deal with it. I thanked the hosts who were already annoyed that she and dad were there.”
Some of his family members were mad at the son for causing drama, but others noted that he was enforcing his boundaries. In the comment section, people defended the son, saying they would have done the same in his situation.
“You were clear you wanted nothing to do with a parent that cheated,” one person commented. “She is only “family” because she was one of two people who blew up your family and now she wants you to play big brother to half-siblings that are 18+ years your junior.”
“You peacefully left instead of causing a scene. The only ones causing family disharmony are the cheaters and their enablers,” another added.
