So 2.5yrs I called time on my EA marriage.
Am in the family home. My name on the deeds. He pays maintenance. Divorce plodding because he struggles to actually fill in forms and follow instructions but sort of happening and I've just received the draft consent order.
I work in a rewarding career I trained hard (harder than most given zero support) for but I work EOW and on call 2-3 times overnight per month.
He has a relationship with the dc which is great. But never bothers with them of his own volition. Can't make them a packed lunch. Can't be arsed with parents eve/concerts or to be involved with their lives as an Actual Parent. Having the dc is all part of fluffing up his Narc image. Everyone says what a great guy he is (all front I might add, there is literally nothing of any depth beneath - my therapist refers to him as 'very emotionally damaged') and he has gone off and re-invented himself, given himself a ridiculous hipster makeover, has an new/extensive circle of mates and a girlfriend. And a fucking stupid moustache. He now turns up at my house wearing dungarees which for a fat 45 year old is frankly hilarious.
He is about to move into a swanky new house up the road with the new gf more fool her the new house is nearer the school that dd1 attends and that dd2 will soon go to.
To date he has had the dc while I work. I've started a slightly different job meaning I'm now down to 2 on calls a month both being on a weekend due to new work pattern. So atm he sees them for one night EOW and that's it (while I'm working and on call). I literally either work or have the dc. He never thinks or wants to have the dc on any particular occasion. If I want him to have the dc the Fri before a work weekend I have to ask and he is often busy, like this week when he said he had other plans. This week was the first time he'd had them since 25th Oct except for Thurs I was desparate to go out (had OLD planned) so instructed him to take the dc to the fireworks.
I've done counselling for a year and psychoanalytic therapy since Jul. Last week's session left me feeling very vulnerable and dejected. I've been feeling strung out and left with absolutely fuck all opportunity to have a life and really look after mySELF unless I pull out all the stops and get babysitters to snatch the odd few hours where I can get out. I long to just get out an let my hair down! At the moment I feel desperate inside. My bestie lives in this town, I used to see her every week, we've seen each other through thick and thin. But lately she doesn't have so much time for me. I felt down this week (has brief chat to bestie about this). I messaged her during my working day yest. to see if she was in for a cuppa. No reply (unheard of).
Another friend invited me for coffee yesterday morning. We used to have loads in common, do lots together. She left her EA STBXH 6 yrs ago. Since meeting someone online she is now happily coupled up (am happy for her, obv) but while I was there she and her husband kept play-bickering with each other about how 'hard the other one is to live with' (in that annoying smug way) it was actually all quite tense with no girly catchup time and I left with a sigh of relief rather than feeling 'how nice to catch up with X'.
This evening my kids came home full of the joys of having lunch with my bestie, her kids and other mutual friends (one of whom is having a 40th b'day this weekend which I WAS looking forward to). I cried and cried alone in the bathroom while running dd2's bath.
STBXH asked yesterday if he would mind if we all (him, me, his gf) go to mutual friend's b'day (so he can fluff his Narc image a bit more) and be happy mates. Fuck that for a laugh. I wouldn't mind but I have no respect for me ex as his is a joke of a parent and takes Zero responsibility. I mean - Zero. He will be feign surprise when I tell him the kids are off school at Xmas and need childcare - no joke. For the first time I feel broken and rejected and like fucking them all off.
No time to myself and friends drifting off and I get to watch EA STBXH go off into the sunshine with his new beard and look like the sun shines out of his arse and carry on being on coupley with mutual friends while I get the dregs - work. or kids.
Have told ex I want to have a convo with him in the pub (so I can broach the idea of him stepping the fuck up) but I'm fearful he'll just be his usual nasty self and just refuse to do any more.
I'm a fecking Divorce Cliché. What next - purchase lots and lots of cats???????
Oh lord. That was So lonnnnnnnng. Someone, AF, anyone, slap me round the face and Help me to Man up and get Outa This Hole.