W wanted to take her son (StepS 13) on a weekend trip by herself and so she drove down to the beach last Friday and came back on Monday. They took one of StepS's friends with them. W said that they (boys) got bored going to the beach after 2 days and didn't want to go out in the sun anymore. Plus she said the place they stayed at was a little "shady". I hadn't talked to her the whole time they were gone. Normally she'll call every couple of days at least. This time, we talked Thursday night and I didn't talk to her until Monday night. The whole weekend I was thinking that it would have been nice to know they got there safely, and I could have called StepS's cell, but I decided that I should just let it go. She calls Monday night and said they just got back and she forgot the cord to charge her cell and so after it was dead on sat morning, she had no way of calling. I just told her that it was all fine, that I figured they were busy. She then asked what I did this weekend and I told her (visited my friend that she knows well also, they just had a baby). She then said that she brought back a lot of brochures and maybe we can all go sometime and prepare it a bit better that time. After that, she tells me that she wants to talk about something and get my opinion and maybe we can talk tomorrow night (last night) when she picks up the boys. I say that's fine and then she tells me that she's considering closing her store because it is stressing her out and that she can't keep supporting it financially when it's not making money. How it's taking time away from our 3 boys (WOW! Really?? Have been saying that since day 1!!). That she's constantly in a bad mood because of it not being successfull even though she's killing herself. She said she's talked about it with the guy in town that is overseeing the rental buildings (including hers) and of course he wants to keep businesses in town so he wants her to stay, etc... So she couldn't wait until the next day and asked me that over the phone. I told her that I agree with that and that she can't keep putting the interest of the town ahead of the interest of herself and our kids. In my mind I wanted to ask her why is she asking ME about this?
Then yesterday, she msged me online telling me she had her hair cut short, tired of long hair. Then she wrote that she was pulled over for speeding and got a $171 ticket and how it was bullshit, because the cop was tailgating her and didn't pull her over until she sped up to get away from him (unmarked cop car). Then he told her how her tires were too big and that's why she thought she wasn't speeding when she really was, etc... I caught the msgs as I was leaving so I read them and didn't respond because I was in a hurry to pick up the boys from school. I figured I would talk to her later on the phone during the boys' swim lesson, but then my phone was dead. She called the house just as I was getting home and asked if I had seen her msgs and I said yes, but I had to hurry and phone was dead, so we'll just talk later.
When she gets to the house she asks how her hair looks and I say it looks good. She says that she can tell I don't like it. Now, I have been trying to really be less available and detaching more, so the small talk was just not helping that, which made me sound and look more indifferent I guess. I told her that I like long hair better but that this does look good on her, it's just different from what I have seen on her in a long time.
She then asks about what I think about her store and I basically tell her the same thing again. Then the ticket: I tell her I think it is all BULLSHIT of course! The tires are the standard tires!! The cop was just trying to come up with a reason for writing the ticket. She then tells me she's got her art stuff set up and if I have taken some pics of my (our) dog (she wanted to make me a painting of the dog for Father's Day). I said yes and that I will email them and I did.
Later that night I get a text from her that one of the twins beat her at a board game. (Why do I need to know that?) I little bit later, a text saying that the photos of the dog are awesome. I was watching a movie and responded after an hour.
WOW! That got pretty long! Anyways, I shouldn't read into it, but the general feeling is that she does have a "need" for me. I'm just leaving it at that...
