OK, focus on me, here. Damn, I wish I had gotten your email even 10 minutes ago...
H called to see if kids wanted to drive down and back to the Island, about 2 hours each way. They were supposed to go out to dinner with him tonight. They both declined (I had no input on that, but yay, kids!).
I asked for the phone before he hung up, and made some polite chit-chat about today's visit with his brother, plans for the kids this weekend, very brief.
Then I said that I needed to lay something out on the table. I want him to live up to his word on the original agreement. The kids and I need the money for the house, and if we agree to have him pay me directly, I won't be calling the sheriff one week if there is an emergency (the reason he cited lowering the payments). I have to think with my head right now, for the best interest of the kids--there is no track record left to go on. He said that I have to know that he has the kids at the top of all this (yeah, right...)
I also said that I need the other no-contact provision reinstated. He said we would talk about it on Monday. I said fine, but I hope that I don't have to get a lawyer involved (that is where I messed up--crap!). He said, now you are giving me an ultimatim? I said no, that is just where my thoughts have gone since yesterday's court date, and I want you to think about it. I have to think of the kids. We will talk about it Monday. Then I asked him to wish his brother well (I could actually hear him in the background, which was good), have a safe drive, and hung up.
So, showed a bit of my hand. But rather than a lawyer, I think FIL will end up being more effective, if he feels comfortable coming along.
I hate this game-playing sh!t. Really.
On the intervention...what if it came just from his parents/family, and I wasn't involved at all? MIL had said she was considering it even before I said anything...
