My ex girlfriend Heather and I are both teachers. I’m 48 she’s 34. We got together when I was 44 and she was 30. I’ve known her son since he was 11. I have no biological children. Just getting the facts out of the way.
I’ve had a polite relationship with her son for the four years I’ve known him. He is a good kid and I think he will be a good man. His biological father Dan is a waste of skin. He is 35. He was also a student of mine. This is important. Dan met Heather when they were away at college. In a different city from where I have spent my entire career.
Dan Jr wasn’t really a problem for most of our relationship. His dad was and is a jerk but not more than most. Then Heather and I started talking about getting married. All of a sudden he started mouthing off and misbehaving. Saying stuff like that I couldn’t replace his dad. He was confrontational. I’m a teacher. I’ve seen many of my kids go through this. I talked to Heather about getting him some therapy. I also suggested family therapy. She has seen this in her students too. She should know what he needs.
Just after Christmas break he started calling me a pedophile. That’s the kind of thing that could end my career. I talked to Heather about it but she said he was just working through his emotions. I said I understood that he was angry and confused but that some words could lead to severe consequences. She refused to see my position. I brought it up in counseling and she still defended Dan Jr. That kid said it again in therapy. He said I could have been her teacher when she was in elementary school. While that is technically true I never met her until she was 30. She was a whole damn adult with a child.
I can’t take any chances with my job. I broke up with her and moved out. She thinks I’m overreacting. Her folks think we just need to slow down and give her kid a chance to catch up.
I miss her. But like I said, I can’t have that word around me. And she couldn’t control her kid. Am I being an asshole?
