How many times can you let someone you love break your heart?

When that person is your father, there is no magical number.

My siblings and I recently found out (not by our father, mind you) that the woman he cheated on my mother with and who has been living with him since before my parents' divorce has moved out. I can't say that we are upset about this development, but we don't want to see our father hurt either. Well, that is our truth...

My sister called me a couple nights ago to discuss some things that had been shared with her by one of my aunts. It seems that my dad had stopped by my aunt's house for one reason or another and had a bit of a break down. He told her that P. had moved out and how upset he was about it. After discussing things for a while he went on to say that he blamed us kids for the demise of his relationship. As the relationship between my father and my aunt has also become strained since the divorce of my parents, she didn't say much, only listened. She did however call my sister to tell her what my father had said and say that we really needed to talk to him.

When P. left, she told our father that the reason she was leaving was because his kids had never given her a chance and that she had never felt welcome. Wow. Excuse me for not rolling out the red carpet for a woman who so blatantly disrespected my mother, us kids, my family, and my parents' marriage vows.

Now, while I will not pretend that we ever cared for the woman, I can honestly say that we never showed her any disrespect. We were cordial, friendly and respectful every time we were around her. I bought Christmas gifts and sent cards to her and my father, and my brother went as far as buying gifts for her children. Oddly enough, I don't remember once being invited to the Thanksgiving or Christmas dinners she hosted at our family farm. I do, however, remember having to schedule around all her holiday plans to visit our father. So, who wasn't made to feel welcome?

I am pissed at this woman's sick attempt to ruin our relationships with our father because she is too much of a coward to just admit that she has moved on to someone else or something she considers better (this isn't the first time she's done this). It seems to be her last ditch effort to drive a wedge between my father and his family. I have no idea what pleasure she takes from this destruction, but I will have a few choice words ready if I ever happen to run in to her.

I am pissed and devastated that my father would even consider these statements. I want to scream and yell at him..."Are you fucking kidding me?! I live a hundred and twenty miles away and see you maybe once every few months, yet I am the cause of your failed relationship?!"

It's time for my father to start thinking with the organ that sits between his ears and seriously consider what he is in jeopardy of losing. I hope that I am a strong enough person to not walk away, but eventually even the cup of unconditional love runs dry.