So H finally called today to talk settlement. He wants to come out next week and get his things. He refuses to take any of the furniture or electronics or to let me pay him for those items. He also refuses to accept any of his interest in the house when it sells. I told him to keep an open mind about it. There are some practical reasons why he might not want the furniture and stuff, but he ought to at least let me make an equitable settlement. He could use the money.
Oh, and I can add to my list of crazy stories he tells me. This one is that the house was almost condemned. Never happened. The house wasn’t in the greatest shape, but even the problems that might have given an inspector pause would not have condemned the place. I know it makes him feel better to believe this, but I dread how it’s going to get all wrapped up into the mythology of how he did everything for me and I left him with nothing, even though he won’t let me give him anything.
He said the only thing he wanted from the house was to let me let him finish the renovation before I sell it. I told him that I would let him finish it, but he’d have to keep paying the mortgage, because I can’t pay both mortgage and rent on my place – I left out the word “indefinitely” even though this is exactly the problem with allowing him to finish the house. As much as I know I won’t hear the end of it, I’d like him to have the satisfaction of finishing the house. I don’t believe that it will be as satisfying as he thinks it will be, but he’s made it the most important thing in his life and I don’t need to take that away from him. I don’t care so much that he has a point to prove in finishing the house, but it stung a little that he cares more about making that point then he did about our marriage.
