The First Betrayal (Part VI)

MammaDawg at 9:19 PM

From the “thank you card” – or lack of – incident, you can probably guess what type of character my SIL is. Though we had our suspicions even before the drama surrounding “thank you’s” even started...

My mom was NOT excited about this girl my brother took a sudden interest in. A young, single mom, trying to make it on her own.

We had our similarities… but I think it ended there.

I had my own reservations, but I was determined to give her a chance. Mama, on the other hand, didn’t want it to go any further. Remember what I told you about her read on people?

Knowing how young minds are attracted to anything remotely forbidden, I asked her not to share her thoughts with my naïve little brother.

No, I begged her.

But after looooong deliberations, she explained that if she sees her son is in trouble, or about to step into it, she wouldn’t feel like she’d be doing her job as a mother not to warn him.

They had barely started talking, my bro and this new girl at church with her charming, lively daughter. There was no commitment, no relationship, no obligation.

So what in the HELL made him think it’d be honorable to break his mother’s confidence and actually tell the girl, “Uh… you know what? My mom doesn’t really like you.”

Oh yeah. We were doomed from the beginning.

If they were married, I could understand the need/want to tell a spouse. Or even engaged. Serious couples need to talk about this kind of shit, I get that. If my MIL was displeased with me, I'd want to know so that I could address it. Easy? No. Awkward? Yes.

But my brother? He hardly knew this girl?!!

I mean, how is she supposed to react to that? Given, she was already a princess, even before the betrayal. But I think he just gave her more ammo.

Honestly, though… I think he must’ve really, really liked her, and thought that if he could show her how loyal he could be, she might appreciate that.

So it became a competition. Not one my mother played into, of course, but you should’ve seen how this girl would GOAD when it came to my brother. Once, we were at the Naval Base for a special ceremony inducting the new ship my brother had been assigned to. We had to park our car and take a shuttle to the site, so afterwards, he offered to give us a lift back to our car.

Princess stole the front passenger seat before anyone had even started walking to the car. My mom and I casually sat in the back while she gloated up front. Smug. She’d turn around to say something to us, and you could see the arrogant laughter in her eyes.

If her soul could talk, it would’ve sung out:

“Ha-ha – I'm sitting shotgun and you're not.”

Trivial, I know. But still irritating. I mean, who does that, anyway? I always give the front passenger seat to the elders… but that might just be me.

I already told you how she hogged him three Christmas’s in a row. Of course, she couldn’t do it on her own. My brother made the decision to skip Christmas with us so he could be with her side of the family. Again.

It was always little side jabs, subtly directed at my mother – and with me living 5 hours away from them, I only witnessed a percentage of them. But the little I did see, confirmed everything I didn’t.

With me, personally, she was always pleasant. Friendly. Eager to play with my youngest, who was still a baby back then. Not quite an infant, not yet a toddler. How she could be so engaged with my son and so disengaged with her own daughter still baffles me.

But like I said, I didn’t see them as often, and when I did – we’d have a pleasant visit. Even if she never helped with meals or clean up, or watched over the kids – I let it go. I’d never dream of asking a guest to help clean up, even when our guests always seemed to insist on it.

Princess? She’d quietly excuse herself whenever any type of work presented itself. Long after it was clear she was becoming more than just a “guest.” I think it embarrassed my brother at times. He'd walk in and see her sprawled out on the couch while my Mom and I would be putting the kitchen back together.

He'd call out to her: "If you're so tired, why don't you go lie down?"

*sigh*

I think my mother’s disapproval pushed him towards her. And by response, I think her knowledge of this caused her to dig her claws into him.

And all of this made me want to give her the benefit of the doubt.

I was always the one in school that befriended the not-so-popular kids. People judged me and hated me, never even having met me or spoken to me. I was determined not to treat others that way.

But one day... her disengagement as a mother caused a huge blow up between her daughter and my son. And you already know how I am when it comes to my family.