It was out of the blue when he declared he would shoulder the bulk of the wedding expenses, leaving me to fund the whole honeymoon on my own.
Six months ago my dear friend Blythe tied the knot, and I was there to witness the ceremony. Not long after, word reached me that she had already filed for divorce. They had seemed such a pictureperfect couple; something must have gone terribly wrong. I rang Blythe that weekend and arranged to meet.
She arrived, a few minutes late, at our favourite tea room in Bath, breathing as though shed been sprinting. I teased her about the tardiness, but she looked weary and oddly listless. Blythe was usually a brilliant raconteur, so I sensed a deeper trouble.
Blythe, I wont beat around the bush. Why are you seeking a divorce? Did he cheat, or did something else happen? I asked.
No, he didnt cheat, nor did he lay a hand on me. Hes simply greedy, thats all. Thats why were parting.
Greedy enough to end a marriage?
Well, you know how it started. From day one he insisted we split every expense down the middle. At first I thought he only meant the wedding costs. Of course he couldnt cover them alone, so I chipped in. Soon he began demanding that I match his contribution on everything else. My salary is three times his, and Id expected a little generosity now and then, but he was never that way. He started lecturing me on how to save a penny.
Each day we began tallying the previous days outgoings. He even asked for receipts! At first I assumed it was about trimming the wedding budget, that he was merely trying to tighten our finances. When we organised the ceremony we paid for everything ourselves; our parents offered no assistance. Yet his demands grew worse. He kept a meticulous ledger in which I was required to record every expense and justify it.
Did he ever ask you to file a claim for groceries? I prompted.
One time he lost his temper over a pair of shoes I bought without consulting him. He told me I must ask permission before purchasing anything pricey and report the purchase to him afterwards.
Why didnt you walk away sooner?
I cant say. The worst episode, however, was the collapsed honeymoon plan to Spain. We had booked it before the wedding, intending it as our honeymoon. I had saved for years and even borrowed a few pounds from friends, counting on him to contribute as well. Then, without warning, he announced he had taken care of the main wedding costs, so the entire holiday fell to me. He accused me of being unable to save money. That was nothing compared with the day two days ago when he suddenly declared he would travel to Spain himself and sort out the cash for the trip. I was nearly knocked senseless by the absurdity. That evening he left with a suitcase, never looking back. I didnt see him off; I simply began packing my own bags. Yesterday I filed the divorce papers.
I gave my all to that marriage, but no one needs a man whose greed knows no bounds. Its a pity Blythe didnt see the warning signs before saying I do, yet its far better to end it now than to endure years of misery. A man like that would never spare his own children.
