Im thirtyseven, and Ive been divorced for ten years now. My exhusband, Mark, cheated on me long ago and I never forgave him. Hes living with his new wife, Poppy, in Manchester. They got pregnant, had a baby, and Mark married her. Since then Ive kept my distance and havent heard a word about whats happening in their lives.
My salary is solid, and Ive recently sold the cottage I inherited from my grandmother, so I have a tidy sum in the bank. Last week Mark turns up at my flat in London, looking halfshattered. We havent spoken in years, so Im genuinely surprised to see him. He launches straight into the news: his son has been diagnosed with cancer, and the treatment will cost a fortune. He and Poppy are short on cash, so hes come to me for help.
I have the money, but I was planning to use it for a new car I still need driving lessons, and time is tight. Still, the amount is decent, and Im not in any rush to spend it. I wonder whether Id hand it over if I were the one falling ill, and Im not convinced I would.
You have no idea how desperate we are, he says, as if hes ever considered my feelings. He never thought about me or about Poppy when he swapped me out for her without a second thought. In the divorce we split everything down the middle; he claimed the money would go to his new family and even tried to make me return the flat I bought before we married. That saved me. He looks miserable now, begging for cash and talking about his emotions.
He offers to show me all the medical documents if Im skeptical, but Im not interested in his promises. I tell him flatout, Why dont you go to the bank? He shouts, then tries to get me to grovel, but I refuse to humiliate myself. I have no desire to see him again; he betrayed me, and Id rather he go jump in a lake. He threatens to come back once Ive thought it over, but theres nothing to think about.
You could say I have no conscience, but I simply want to control my own money and not share it with anyone who has treated me like this. After the encounter I feel a pang of guilt, yet Im determined not to help. Let him face the consequences of his choices; its a lesson hell have to pay for, in more ways than one.
