I took DD to a doctor's appointment and left the boys with XWH, the Owife, and her kids. The understanding was that I'd take DD to her doctor's appointment, and then I'd drop her for their regular Wednesday visitation when we were done.
So, we get back from the appointment, and I pull in the driveway. One of the cars is there, and the door to the house is wide open. DD runs inside, and then she runs back out to wave to me. I asked her, "Is there somebody home?" (since XWH didn't come out to greet her, which he usually does). She said yes, so I waved and left.
I come back to this email message (note that I was never contacted in any way as to his whereabouts while DD and I were at the appointment or on our way back):
"Was DD's appointment at 2 PM? I didn't know what time she was supposed to get here --we went to pick up SS from camp and went to [the grocery store] --and were gone about 20 minutes. DD was here crying when we got back. I should have asked you what time to expect her. Anyway, in the future, we both need to make sure that someone is home at dropoffs."
"We both need"? Um, okay. I guess that I'm supposed to go into his house and yell, "Is anybody home?" when I drop the kids off now. I guess that I should call him every time I pull in the driveway because I shouldn't expect him to be there when he says he's going to be there. I am livid and so upset that my DD was left like that, frightened and alone. If he had taken the time to:
1. text or call me to say, hey, we're stepping out for a few minutes
2. shut and locked his door so that I knew she was locked out and no one was home or
3. Gee.... friggin' stayed home and made Owife go by herself to run errands... she needs a GD escort!?!?
then this wouldn't have happened.
She's fine and safe, but this is now incident number two where he has made me completely question his ability to parent. The last, you will remember, is when he let DD walk to the bus stop with her brothers, and then the kindly neighbor helped her cross the street to walk home by herself when the boys got on the bus.
I can't believe that I have to parallel parent (because that's what it's becoming now) with this douchebag for the next 13 years. Lord, give me strength!
ETA: If you're reading this for the first time, please note that I wrote this when I was extremely upset. I take full responsibility for my half of this screw-up. However, considering that I am ALWAYS the responsible parent, and he seems to be lacking in common sense more and more these days, I feel that he is also to blame. He was supposed to be there. He left his front door wide open. This has never happened before. It would have taken him 30 seconds to text me. But, again-- I am not blameless in this, so please don't think that's my attitude.
[This message edited by tryingagain74 at 10:45 AM, August 1st (Thursday)]