"When Emotions Collide" S01E03 - "Enough is enough?"
When she pulled another "Vanishing Act" on me, I decided that I'd had enough of the games, lies, cheating, and theft.
I ended the relationship by packing up all her things into two heavy-duty, XXL black garbage bags and posted them on the porch.
Upon her return, I didn't let her in the house and said, "Darling, you must leave now. Do not come back. Don't contact me. Hope you have a better life and find whatever you are looking for."
She showed no outward reaction.
I guess she knew that I knew everything now. Without making a scene, she stoically hoisted the black trash bags into a waiting motorcycle taxi (trike).
She never waved goodbye, or even bothered to look back.
And as I watched the trike disappear into the night, I heaved a deep, melancholy sigh.
Even though my mind knew I had done the right thing, my heart was screaming at me to go chase after her.
"Marine! Maintain!" I told myself.
And for once, reason trumped emotion.
I simply kept reminding myself that the whole situation with her was a lost cause.
She wouldn't, or maybe couldn't, change.
From a very early age, she had learned how to easily use men to get whatever she wanted.
She was an expert at manipulating others with her charms.
Feeling no remorse, she never batted an eye when she purposefully, and literally, screwed people over and over again.
I wasn’t going to tolerate another "lie, cheat, and steal cycle" again - ever. Nope. No freakin' way, buddy!
That was over four and a half years ago.
But now, out of the blue and in the worst condition I could ever imagine, she appears on my door step.
Why?
What did she want?
It was obvious she was tired, hungry, dirty, and desperately needed someone to talk to.
Aw shit!
In spite of all the complications that could possibly arise, I knew that I had to do the right thing...
By JaiChai
Excerpted from: ["Suckers and Samaritans. Same Thing?"] (https://steemit.com/love/@jaichai/suckers-and-Samaritans-same-thing) - JaiChai 2017. Revised 12-26-2020. Simultaneous multi-site submissions posted. All rights reserved.
Nothing worse than "Irish Goodby's" from manipulative women. I dated a woman with 5 kids who pulled the same stunts, and split up with her, but her kids were deeply saddened, as they couldnt count on their biological fathers (That right - fathers) to feed, clothe and ensure they made it to school on time. I also supplied them with Christmas gifts, and taught 2 of them networking technology, and they learned that computers were good for more things than playing games and viewing social media. A few years later, I was leaving the hospital with my walker, after radiologial treatment, and I hears a voice crying out- Mr Marco! Mr Marco! I searched the crowd and saw a young man who worked at the hospital, pushing a cart loaded with medical supplies towards the service elevator. I didnt recognise him at first, but after a minute, I remembered him- Cameron. He told me that he appreciated the time and effort I spent on him and his four sisters. He was an adult now and was joining the military to obtain a college degree in the Medical field, and he told me that the computers I bought for them had inspired Natalie and Arlisha to get their College educations on computer science. He thanked me for feeding them and providing support that both of their biological parents either could'nt or would'nt. "You made me realise that there was more to life, and gave me the confidence I needed to start paying attention in school, and now I've got this job at the hospital" he said. Thank you, Cameron, I replied. You just justified that the time and money I invested into you and your sisters and mother werent a waste, and I want you to keep working and make something of yourself, I said to him. "I will!" he replied. We shook hands and he went back to work. As I made my way to the parking lot with my walker, I felt a sense of accomplishment, knowing that even though his mother had left me, and his father was never in his life, the time and effort I had invested for a year and a half were not wasted, and three out of the five kids had taken my advice seriously, and didnt follow the path of the parents. I've never had any children of my own and have lived alone for over 20 years, but dated, always hoping to find a woman who really cared for me, and not just the economic security I provided. A few days later, his mother called me, wanting to meet for dinner or something. I politely declined, and told her that if she truly cared about me, she wouldnt have used me and cheated on me, and snuck off in the dark of night like a thief with my emotions. I wished her kids well in life, and told her I wasnt interested in maintaining either a freindship or relationship with her. "You Forrest Gumped me" I said on the phone. I wont let you do that to me again. Im just glad that your kids are doing well in life, and now they understood I wasnt trying to be an asshole, but trying to prepare them for the future. She hung up the phone, and that was the end of our correspondence. About a year later, Cameron called me from Kuwait, and told me he had joined the military, and thought of me as his father. "Call me anytime you want to, Cam." I said. That was about four years ago.
Your comment made the hairs on the back of my neck and arms stand at attention!
RE: Your Commentary
In a word: Brilliant. It deserves a post of its own.
I can tell we are kindred spirits. I want to read your future posts within the 7 day pay period.
But I am notorious for being too lazy to read all my friends' feeds. So, please tell me whenever and wherever your prose is displayed.
Currently, you can find me on HIVE, Medium, Torum and Uptrennd (although I am not submitting on Uptrennd much, just lurking).
In lak'ech, JaiChai.
A woman I rented a room to passed away unexpectedly last night. She was staying with her half sister at a mobile home park in Mayport Florida. She called me the night before to come pick her up from the hospital, where she had been admitted for a tumor in her stomach. The hospital refused to remove the tumor and gave her a prescription of oxycodone instead. This morning her sister / room mate called me to inform me of her passing away, the police and coroner are there now. I should have taken her to another hospital, but she just wanted to get something to eat and go home, so I stopped by arbys and got her two roastbeef sandwiches and a large sprite, and took her to her sisters place. She had been staying at my place on the island, but couldnt deal with not having a store close by, the closest one is 15 miles away, so she moved in with her sister. Her husband died from an IED explosion in Iraq, her son died a few years later from gang violence in Texas, so she moved to Florida to be with her mother, who passed away last january from diabetic complications. I never thought that I would never look into her eyes again when I dropped her off. Her sister called me early this morning and told me she was gone. So much sadness and loss she experienced. I miss her, even though we werent romantically involved. She used to clean my house for me after I had a stroke and heart attack in 2017. Cant believe that Im still alive and she is gone. It hurts.
So sorry to hear about your loss. And you have no reason whatsoever to feel responsible for her passing or to suffer from survivor's guilt.
Krystyanna, her Mom, and her sons ashes.