Some of you may recall my story, where XWW threatened suicide to DD's face, thus exempting XWW as DD's anger target, as XWW encouraged DD's anger redirected at safe parent (yours truly). This caused a huge strain between DD and me, but I've hung in there in the four years since and things have gotten much better.
Yesterday DD and I had some deep discussions (prompted by her) in which she expressed: great relief that I kept the house, mild positivity about my GF moving in, curiosity about meeting my GF's daughter (mutual curiosity) and strong approval of all the upgrades in the house my GF and I have made in anticipation of cohab.
But most encouraging was DD reinforcing her appreciation for me not badmouthing her Mom, or fishing for info about her Mom through her (DD). She contrasted this with Mom's behavior, who is often haranguing DD about DD's get togethers with me and my family. "What did they say about me?" "Did Cheatee ask about our family? And what did he specifically ask?" is the gist of her desperate curiosity. Of course, my family is going to be gracious around my DD.
XWW also storms around the house a lot, cursing me and blaming me for her jumping on a junkie's dick repeatedly while we were married. Nevertheless, DD is becoming quite introspective (a good bit of therapy helps a lot) and noted that one of the reasons she stays with her Mom when she's home from college is that Mom needs her emotionally and that in contrast, I've handled things well. DD understands this is not a healthy dynamic, so she resists the role reversal her mom seems to want. Nevertheless, she indulges Mom a bit. And of course, I can't help but feel more than a little perturbed that XWW's punishment for being a shitty parent is getting the majority of DD's time, while my reward for being emotionally stable about it, is less.
Overall, it was clear that DD has done a whole lot of processing, that she is well beyond fantasies of Mom and Dad reuniting and is figuring out a healthy view of family complexities going forward.
She graduates this May and hopes to parlay her yearlong internship in fashion marketing in NYC into a permanent job (if such a thing exists anymore for millenials).
I'm very, very proud of her for succeeding in sorting through the mess she's had to deal with and emerging with emotional competence and peace.
Of course, XWW wants to view herself as the real victim of the family implosion she created. In a weird turn of events, I think she is right.