A father made a bizarre decision for an unusually good reason. He decided not to attend his son’s wedding in lieu of spending the evening with his son’s ex-wife. While this may sound strange to many of us and even a bit evil, it’s not. At least not for the reason that this father gives.
This father took to Reddit to explain the whole story in a post that went viral. It appears that this son was only recently divorced from the mother of his two children when he decided to get remarried.
The couple separated soon after their second child was born. Only three days after their split, the son announced on social media that he had a new girlfriend! Before the divorce was even finalized, this son was sending out wedding invitations for his marriage to his new fiancée.
This enraged this father, who made it very clear that he did not approve. His son had a responsibility to his children and their mother. The father would not give his blessing for this new marriage.
More, he said he would not be attending the wedding celebration.
He didn't, and the following morning after the wedding, the son called to tell his dad that he was a horrible father. When a few days later, the son heard that his father had spent the evening with his ex-wife instead, he was even more furious. He claimed that was the “ultimate betrayal.”
His father remains steadfast in his belief that he did the right thing though.
To add some backstory to this whole debacle, it appears that the father who wrote this post never wanted his son to marry his now ex-daughter-in-law in the first place. This isn’t because he didn’t like her but because he believed his son was too immature.
The son met his first wife while at college in another state. He dropped out of school and moved back home with her. They soon married at only 19 years old!
They live in a small town where she has no family or friends. The son and wife immediately started a family. At 20 years old, they already had their first child! Then, only 16 months later, they welcomed a new baby boy.
Unfortunately, this is when things went south between them. Just after the second baby was born, the son and his wife separated.
It seems she wasn’t happy at all in their marriage. Apparently, she was suffering from postpartum depression to boot.
The father tried to talk some sense into his son. However, the son refused to take responsibility for the breakdown of his marriage. The father thought his son should have been pouring himself into his responsibilities as a new dad. He was probably already cheating while still married, seeing that he already had a new girlfriend only three days after splitting with his wife.
The now ex-wife is really suffering as a result. She had been a stay-home mom during the marriage and suddenly had to set up a new life in a town where she has no family. This father even secretly helped his ex-daughter-in-law get an apartment.
And so when it came down to attending his son’s wedding, this father said no to that, too. What’s more, this father spent the evening with his son’s ex-wife instead. The son’s sister went along, also refusing to attend the wedding.
The father and sister took their ex-in-law out so as to distract her from thinking about the wedding. (Her two children were in attendance!) During that meeting, the sister told her brother’s ex-wife that they were now like blood sisters.
This single mom was tearfully grateful for the attention and care. It was then the father knew he’d done the right thing.
But of course, the son isn’t happy about any of it. What’s worse, the son saw his father’s viral post on Reddit. After that, he declared his father is dead to him.
How did this father react? He states in his post:
I’m positively certain the second he needs another cash loan I won’t be dead anymore.
I think it’s commendable that this father remained so loyal to his son’s vulnerable ex-wife, especially seeing she’s the mother to his two grandchildren.
And yet, I think it’s also important to recognize the hurt and disappointment that this decision may have caused his son. Perhaps this father needs to listen a little more actively to his son's feelings and be open to his son's perspective. There are always two sides to every story. Who knows what being married to his ex-wife was like.
But the fact that he had a new girlfriend so soon after the separation and was engaged to be married only days after the divorce was finalized does seem suspect. This father clearly has a good reason for taking the actions he has.
The son should have worked a little harder to fix his marriage before he left, seeing he has two young children. And yet, it's difficult to know if this father and son will ever see eye to eye on the subject. Will they ever make up?
And now that the sister has sided with the ex-wife too, it’s not clear if this family will ever heal.
Do you think this family has any hope of mending this rift? Who do you think is in the right: the father or the son?
Let me know in the comments.
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