Mistakes We Never Made (Mistakes We Never Made, #1)

by Hannah Brown

My voice is low with anger. “Mom wanted to work it out, and you still left. What the fuck is wrong with you?” It’s a nuclear response, but I can’t believe he was so self-centered. “I was never a good husband—” Dad starts to give another excuse. “You were a good dad!” The words leave my mouth in a hiss. “Your kids didn’t just disappear when you crossed the state line. We were still there. We still needed a father. You abandoned us.” My tone finally seems to register with him, but he doesn’t look over at me. I don’t know what I expected from him. An apology? Some regrets? At the very least an acknowledgment of the pain he caused. But I’m getting none of those. He’s sitting there, just as silent as he was back in our kitchen all those years ago when Mom was pleading with him. His hands tighten on the steering wheel, and he keeps his eyes trained on the road. “It wasn’t working out. So, I made the decision for us. I removed myself from the situation. It seems like y’all came out okay without me.” He nods decisively as if the conversation is over. “I knew what was best for everyone.” A sick recognition twists in my stomach at his words. My anger shifts into something else. Shame. I knew what was best for everyone. We sit in silence for the rest of the drive home.

Fuck this angers me to no end. Literal definition of weaponized incompetence!! His literal logic is 'oh I can't work things out with my wife so I'm going to leave the entire responsibility, both financially and mentally, of our 2 kids and just peace the fuck out'. Don't care what he thinks about the situation. The fact that he can't even admit that he fucked up and made a mistake is so pathetic.