"Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all"
Tennyson
My name is Laura George and I grow up in Marfa, a small town in Texas I use to believe the saying that love is a beautiful thing cause I had a family where love was defined and practiced until things began to change.
My Parents where Christians and trained I and my younger sister Kenisha In the most appropriate way they could, dad worked at a construction company as a civil engineer while mum managed a store in the neighborhood. Growing up I use to think that my family was perfect because I barely saw my parents argue, even when they do they adjust immediately at the sight of either I or my sister Kenny. We barely saw them quarrel so I could come to a conclusion that they we're happy. My dad was usually out of town for contracts and business meetings, most times he could be away for months. My mum would take up the responsibility of both parents whenever Dad was absent and I was only home during holidays so I didn't know much about what happens in my absence.
Things changed when Dad started acting strangely, he had started keeping late night and caring about no one else but himself, he had even stopped sending money to me in college . Mum would say " your father loves you, his just having a hard time" little did i know that Dad had a mistress and that was why he no longer showed concern, he got distracted.
One day the pain was too much for mum to bear and she called me and opened up to me
I could feel the the pain in her tune as she finally let it out, apparently she had gotten information and traced Dad to a small hide out where he sneaks in and out with his mistress. When I heard this I felt so disappointed because even in a thousand years I would never imagine dad doing a thing like that cause I knew how much mum loved and respected him . In a twinkle of an eye a home that used to be happy and filled with love was drifting apart because Of a situation that Dad referred to as a mistake, one we clearly didn't see him coming out from.
Things changed as my parents were always heard arguing aloud, mum would cry, shout, at that time nothing was hidden anymore her emotions had bursted out like an excessively blown balloon and indeed I felt her pain. Kenny was sent to Canada to stay with mum's younger Sister Aunt Mia.
The turn out of things between my parents had a great effect on me it had changed my mentality in general. I clearly saw what I once believed to be love crumble for a reason I couldn't point out. Dad on the other hand wasn't making moves to change and at some point I had confronted him about his sudden change and as expected he pretended and with series of excuses he was able to convince me that he made a mistake and things would get back to normal or probably better than it use to be.
Don't think he changed cause he didn't, mum would go through his phone and still see chats with not just one but various women. She had changed she started observing his every move, going through his phone with she barely does, they would have arguments and she would boldly challenge him. I was back for summer break and one night at about 1am my mum woke me up from sleep she said she wanted to have a serious conversation that couldn't wait till the next day apparently she couldn't sleep.
"I want a divorce", she said.
I can no longer continue this, your father doesn't want to change.
Change? I thought to myself change is constant why is it different with Dad?
I tried to talk her out of it, I told her it wasn't an option I decided I was gonna ask dad why he doesn't want to stop seeing other women I mean his wife is beautiful, I know my mum is hardworking, respectful and more I mean what else could a man possibly want? I often get to hear that men are polygamous in nature, could this be it?
Oh no why does it have to be my Dad?
He use to be a very principled man, what changed him?
All this questions and more kept hitting inside of me, I was no longer comfortable with always being the middle man whenever they had an issues. I loved my parents but they had to stop making me choose sides. Dad started this, he left us, he found comfort in another woman's arms, he forgot his doctrines, he was no longer the father I used to know, one who was always setting the right example for I and Kenisha. Could it be because mum had not birth a son yet? I mean Dad has never seen that as a problem so what could be the root of this? Could it be peer pressure of negative influence? We always made him proud, we got the best grades in school, we never disappointed, we tried so hard to be appropriate children but yet it wasn't enough for him.
Mum had changed too she started using abusive words on dad, I could defend and say she acted out of bitterness although it was wrong. Things escalated and became worse mum had lost everything that kept her calm and there was no day that went by peacefully, I could no longer recognize my mother, she was scorned and like they say "a scorned woman has no limit" there was always an issue, one complain or the other, dad started staying out late with the excuse that mum talks down on him and it was affecting him, forgetting that he started this and according to mum he had refused to stop it. I wonder if they sleep because mum will talk although the night, pouring out insults and curses. At this time it was so much for just me to bear so I had to put a call across to mums younger sister Aunt Mia someone had to talk to them, they needed serious counsel as things had already gone beyond control, I already starting seeing divorce as an option this time but my parents were in love that's why they got married and I believe a lot of homes go through issues and resolve them, why is ours different? I asked myself.