Divorce Chaos: The Fallout from Gift Giving

After sending the cosmetic surgery card, when my sister-in-law was in confinement, I gave her a private cosmetic surgery card in front of the whole family. I said, "This is a good thing, it will help with a harmonious married life later on."

My husband lost face and immediately threw the card away.

Not long after, my sister-in-law got divorced. My husband blamed me for giving the inappropriate gift, "Whitney, what were you thinking when you gave her that thing?!"

I had already warned him that not listening to his wife would bring trouble and now karma had come around.

***

My husband, Brandon Perry and I had the most serious argument in our ten years of marriage. Before this, he didn't even bother to argue with me, a housewife.

Brandon said, "Whitney, what were you thinking back then? Giving my sister that kind of thing—aren't you embarrassed? I am!"

I retorted, "What's there for you to be embarrassed about? Don't all men like these things? Your phone is full of suggestive photos of female streamers. Isn't your mind filled with dirty thoughts?"

Brandon didn't expect me to look at his phone and felt a bit guilty, so he changed the subject, "You deliberately drove a wedge between my sister and her husband. Now that they're divorced, are you happy?"

I replied, "I was just thinking of your sister's best interest. After all, I speak from experience."

When I gave birth, I had a difficult delivery that turned into a cesarean section, leaving a long, ugly scar on my stomach.

My mother-in-law, Brenda Doherty, doted on her grandson and insisted I keep breastfeeding, so I lost my job and spent all day juggling housework and childcare.

Just as I managed to find some balance, Brandon used my scar as an excuse, saying it scared him and my smell disgusted him and he wanted to sleep in separate rooms. I almost suffered from postpartum depression. From that point on, our marital life completely disappeared.

Brandon didn't believe a word I said, "Come on, you just can't stand the Perry Family doing well. You're still hung up on those past issues."

I admitted, "Yes, I hold grudges. But it's all because of your inaction!"

Brandon wanted to continue arguing when my mother-in-law returned with my son, Bryan, who had just come home from school.

"What are you arguing about again? You don't even cook at home, all you do is argue with Dad and stir up trouble between Aunt and Uncle. It's so annoying!" Bryan complained with a frown, while my mother-in-law had a cryptic smile on her face. It seemed like she was behind this again.