Everything Isn’t Fun —If He Didn’t Grow Up

“You didn’t finish raising him. So, I am returning him, so you can finish your damn job!”

In teary frustration, Lily, with the help of the U-Haul delivery guy, packed twenty-six years of marriage with all of her husband’s belongings in the U-Haul she rented. She examined each item, rethought her emotional attachment to them, then released herself from everything. Some were more painful than others and took a bit longer. But he would be home in a few hours, so time was her enemy.

She was raised not to let the enemy win. After more than two and a half decades of marriage, the pain of being married to someone as immature as Marlon had damaged her emotionally, physically, spiritually, psychologically, and mentally. She found herself unable to function without regret and pain. She didn’t plan her life this way when she fell in love with him as a teenager.

He was raised by a mother that loved him. She had to raise herself. He had security and everything he wanted in life handed to him on a gold platter. She learned early to rely on herself. Being forced to be her own mother and father, her awareness was built into her instincts.
She was losing herself because so many things had slipped by her over the years that shouldn’t have.

Weaken by the pain of what the reality of life forced upon her because she lost some of her awareness ability. She grabbed control, shoving herself back, then stepping back deeper and deeper into herself to find the stronger, wiser Lily. The Lily who knew what she wanted. The Lily who could fight Satan, life, living, cruelty, hatred, and everything else life decided to send her way with one hand.

After self-renewal, she was ready to be happy again because she knew who she was.
She could finally identify the things in her life that contributed to the sadness she just refused to let go of. She now possesses the strength to release the sorrow and let happiness in.
Removing the things that took her strength away was the first one.

Marlon.

In this marriage, she was the brains. She was the male. She was the father. She was the provider.

She was the planner. She was the only responsible person in this marriage.
The kids are grown. Now it was time to live and be happy. She did everything a man should do for this family while doing her motherly duties and responsibilities. He did what teenagers do. It was time he grew up.

Packing everything that belonged to him, she gave the U-Haul driver the address.

One and a half hours later, they arrived. She noticed a U-Haul pulling away from the yard. What grabbed her attention was the garage door was opened, and the inside was empty. This was a good sign. Lily thought.
She instructed the young man to start unpacking. Marlon’s Mom wasn’t home.
“Good,” Lily thought to herself.

A black Lexus SUV pulled up after they were finished.
His mother stepped out, “Hey Lily,” she greeted her, then turned to the U-Haul guy. “I thought you guys emptied the garage already?”He glanced at her with furled brows, then at Lily, who said, “they did. I refilled it with your son’s belongings. You didn’t finish raising him. So, I bought him back so you can finish your damn job!”

She walked away, and the U-Haul driver followed her.

It was dark when Lily opened her eyes. Soft and light breathing on the opposite side of her bed alerts her that she isn’t alone.
“Dammit!” she said softly. “It was a dream.”
She slowly got up and walked towards the door when a voice said, “you are up.”
Pausing at the door, she switched the light on, turning around to see her daughter.

In seconds, Shelly, her oldest child, rushed over to her, hugging her and crying, “Oh, mom, thank you for doing what you did.”

Easing backward, Lily asked, “What did I do?”

“Sending Dad back to his mother to finish raising him!”

Lily’s eyes popped, and her instincts alerted, “It wasn’t a dream! You did it!”
Lily broke down in tears for the first time in more than twenty years, her daughter hugging her.

One hour later, as Lily and Shelly enjoyed breakfast, Shelly shared, “Oh, Mom, when Dad and Grandma called me and told me what you did, I realized that I was about to marry a man like my dad. I packed my stuff and left.”

“How did you get in?” Lily asked, remembering that she had reprogrammed the alarms.

“I use your frustration Code. You use to use it when you and Dad fought,” Shelly revealed.

“Damn!” Lily said, realizing that one slipped by her, but she recovered when her instincts reminded her that Marlon didn’t know it.

“I came in and you were so tired and relieved you slept too soundly for hours. I lay beside you to keep you safe.”
Reaching over and taking both of Lily’s hands, staring into her eyes, Shelly shared, “thank you Mom, for saving me years of unhappiness.”Both women hugged as tears freed them from the pain billions of females walk around with.

Many females complain about how their boyfriends or husbands behave like children. Some would return the package if they could. The mothers are blamed. Oops, I have sons, and I pray they give no females reasons to do what Lily and Shelly had to do.

Thank you for reading this piece. I hope you enjoy it.