I am 38, and for the past two years, I have been living with a man who is five years older than I am. His name is Robert; hes been married before, has two children, and his ex-wife, now jobless, rings up every evening, asking for money or some sort of help.
Ive never been married, nor do I have children of my own. You might suggest I cant possibly understand family life or what its like having children. But I do, truly. And I also understand this: its not quite right to share a home and claim to be committed to someone, only to keep running off to another woman all the time.
Roberts ex-wife seems to want to reel him back in. She calls every single day with yet another mishap or some sort of chaos. The moment he finishes work, he dashes out to her place and doesnt return until late in the evening. Even Christmas isnt ours to enjoyjust the two of us. As soon as we settle in, the phone rings and away he goes once more, summoned by some new disaster. But why is Robert compelled to leave each time?
Hes got a sprawling family, lots of friends, all within a stones throw from us. The reason is obvious, isnt it? She wants my partner back. Ive grown weary of living like this. So what should I dopack my things and leave, seek a split? Conversations lead nowhere; words just swirl and vanish like mist in a field.
