It was a Sunday afternoon and I got a call from the Ex. He had to rush his girlfriend to the hospital because she was having some serious contractions, and it is two weeks early. Since my two tween-aged boys were there, I went and picked them up. My oldest then said to me, “What about Chewie?” I text the ex, and of course he was busy. My son decided she will be fine for right now and we can always go back tomorrow and check on her.
My Ex-Husband’s Girlfriend’s Dog
For the next half a day I was on edge, not only because their baby was early and the poor girl had to have an emergency C-section, but I was worried about her dog. She was a tiny dog, a lot like mine, and she would be so lonely. I texted the ex again, suggesting I just go get the dog. He said she is fine and has plenty of food, water, and her piddle pads were out.
The baby came just fine, but will have to be in the NICU overnight for monitoring. I was scheduled to bring my boys there to see their new baby brother, and I was weirdly excited. After all, it has been seven years since we separated, and I want my ex to be happy for my children’s sake. I wanted to see if this new baby boy would look like their dad, or the mom.
A few pictures came, which I shared them with the boys, and we toasted them at dinner. The next day, the baby was soon released from the NICU and we planned to head over. I even went to the grocery store to get the new mom some hydrating lip balm. For some reason, this stood out to me as a necessity. I don’t know what C-section moms need, because I squeezed mine out and didn’t have the same issues luckily. I also gathered some hair ties, Swedish chocolate, and some US Weekly magazines. But then I got the text: baby was back in the NICU again, and I should not bring the boys.
I then texted that I was getting the dog. I was not going to drive over there each day, I’ll just bring it home. Very reluctantly he agreed, and he did warn me she would likely make a mess. I had laminate flooring and two boys — there is no mess I can’t handle.
My Weird Post-Divorce Life
My girlfriend called me and said, “I heard the baby has arrived.” I filled her in on the details, and then she asked, “More importantly, how are you handling it?” Hmmm. I have had about eight months to process this information. My children were about to have a little brother that I had nothing to do with. My own husband and I were expecting a new baby in our side of the family, but it was in the form of a grandchild. So “weird” is pretty much the word that sums it up.
Weird is how I would describe getting a divorce and then having to continue having an amicable relationship. We both struggled at first to navigate our new lives. We survived each other’s dating disasters. We even congratulated each other when we settled down. When I remarried, my ex actually said, “Thank you for not marrying a tool.” And the obvious response at the end of my tongue went unsaid.
It took seven years to get to where we are now — me taking care of his girlfriend’s dog because their only nearby family members are my two sons. I didn’t even ask my now-husband if I could bring this little face-licking monster into the house. He just nodded and said “no problem” when I told him about it after the fact. Not to mention he is super allergic to dogs (ours is hypo-allergenic and this one is not).
Today, we will try to head to the hospital again to see the new baby. I hope my sons get to hold him and welcome their new brother. I hope I say nothing that’s inappropriate or embarrassing like “Your dog shit in three different bedrooms in under two minutes flat when no one was looking.” I kinda freaked out and got two different shampoos out while hollering directions to the boys for keeping her off the carpeted areas.
But I won’t tell the ex about the poop, or the fact that she won’t leave my lap. I even sent pics of my oldest son sitting with her on the couch. I guess in a way it is how I show him “proof of life” and that the dog is safe. I know when I had an emergency and had to leave my dog alone in a cabin all night long alone, I freaked out with worry. I just didn’t want my ex’s girlfriend worried about her first baby, the dog. I hope she would feel better knowing her dog was with family.
Weird doesn’t quite explain the dynamics of it all. But weird it is. And I am happy for my weird family. I am happy I can sit next to the girlfriend at all the kids running meets and orchestra concerts. I am happy I can introduce her as my ex’s girlfriend and smile. I like her, and that all may be so weird, but I am so grateful for it as well.
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