Parents: help me parenting while separated (2)

[Ripe]

(T-8)
Today, at the end of the day, I am going with my two kids for a long weekend by the seaside.
It's a GAL activity because I decided I would go anyway without the wife, but it is one that shows I am not as detached as I would imagine. In fact, it's one that brings some hate for this woman.
For the last three years my family has done this trip, as a Goodbye Summer/Hello Autumn Trip.
This will be the first trip where the Ripe family is no more. S7 summarized it perfectly: "A special person is not going in this trip."
Sometimes I really hate this special person.

Especially after events like the one from yesterday.
S7 hosted a show he called "Live the life". Taking turns, each one of us performs in front of the others, the jury, who then evaluates the performance.
W and I gave each other good grades. All of us laughed and enjoyed the moment. It's a pity these family moments end in 8 days.

And then, after the kids went to sleep, I asked STBXW if she had already told her parents about the divorce.
She said she had talked to her mother and that the mother was really upset and not supportive (surprise, surprise).
STBXW asked why was I interested in that and I told her I was waiting for the announcement in order to have a talk with MIL. STBXW asked what about and I told it was a private conversation, but basically I wanted to tell her I would not be visiting her for Christmas as usual. STBXW told me she had not spoken again to my mother after coming back so why would I talk to hers.
STBXW does not understand I deeply respect and love my MIL and that the feeling is mutual. I need to tell MIL divorce is not my decision.
Then the best part came, when STBXW told: "When I married you I thought it would be forever, but people change."
This made me sick but I was able to control myself.
Of course, when you are all dressed in white, you are surrounded by your relatives and close friends and have a big smile in your face it is easy to promise eternal love in good and bad times.
But then the bad times arrive and you immediately jump out. And it's perfectly all right because people change.
And this is the person that some time ago said, when I was still in the pleading and begging stage, that there was no use in trying any longer because people do not change.