Maybe not too complicated to understand

[Michael Mc C]

So my wife has finally responded to my comments regarding the custody of the children and how I wouldn't lie to the court to benefit her. Although we spoke face to face two days ago, she just sent this to me in email:

I will be staying here after the new year. I can not leave with you threatening to take the kids away from me. You have trapped me here with that as you knew you would.

I want the next few weeks to continue having contact with OM if possible. I will tell him my decision after the new year.

Understand that I do not stay here willingly and I do not stay here for you or for me, I will not risk losing the kids permanently. I can not fight you with a lawyer and risk losing the house, so you leave me no option.

A couple of things:

• I have no clue how to respond. I'm pretty good with words but I honestly don't know what to say at this point. Too many things to address in such a short mail. 48 hours, is that the rule?
• The comment about losing the house is something we've discussed in the past. She means that she doesn't want me to lose the house, although it may not seem like that.
• Why continue contact with OM through the new year? So her holidays aren't ruined? Is it a far enough date that she doesn't have to face the reality of it at this point?
• As for me trapping her here intentionally, she obviously has not been paying attention to me. I think as a gift I will print out my posts and show her who I am once again. Probably a bad idea...
• She can do whatever she wants. If she wants to move out that's fine with me. I will not hold her children hostage. I will not keep her from seeing them. The point was that if she commits adultery I will not shield her from that. I thought it was simple enough.

So she's going to take 2008 and smother it with bitterness and resentment because I have been so unreasonably bold as to tell her that she needs to be accountable for her actions.

I am checking with my C on this because it suddenly seems like a brand-new pile of crap to deal with AND it appears that it's becoming a fairly delicate situation. Any thoughts, however, would be appreciated.

Thanks