A marriage in trouble

Deb is shocked, and speechless. She mumbled out “There’s nothing wrong with me, it’s him, his att…”

“I SAID SHUT UP AND SIT DOWN.” In a softer voice, “This is you and me. I’m gonna tell you your future. First off, Jack already has Terry’s spare bedroom. All he has to do now is walk out of here and you’ll all alone. Do I have your fucking attention now?”

This was a slap in the face to Deb, a bucket of cold water. She’d been so angry that she never even considered that he’d have the balls to leave. He loved his kids and always interceded on their behalf. Drove her fucking nuts. He always took what she dished out. Only now was she putting together the little changes in behavior in the past several months. He was more independent, he confronted her more. She hated that. The last couple of weeks when she saw the money start to disappear from the checking account, she thought it was for alcohol, gambling or lately, a piece of ass. Never considered that it would be for therapy?

“You’ve seen me in the past year since Terry left. Yea, you and I soothed each other’s egos saying what a shit he was. He ain’t the shit, we are. I’ve never really told you about what it’s like without him around. I’ve got two kids who know that I was the one that made his life hell. Just like you’ve been doing to Jack, making his life hell. Want to know what it’s like to see their faces day after day? They know, they know all too well. But then again, I’m a little luckier. We’ve just started to go to family sessions. That’s the only time the only time we’re together. And I get righteous shit from them from what I’ve done. Nobody gets a pass. It’s painful, but we’ve only begun thinking like a family, and it’s been a year.