Dear Caroline
I thought that English was your first language; you are so good, so there is no need for any apology.
I am so very sorry I kept getting disconnected this evening – it has never been like that for me before – very frustrating. I will hopefully make it up next Tuesday with double cyber wine and extra cyber cake.
I did note before I was disconnected that the others were saying they thought you ought to tell your in-laws that your partner is still gambling – having had time to read your post a few times I am strongly inclined to think they are right. I fully appreciate that there could be tears and recriminations but the reason I feel they should be told is that your father-in-law is not helping by giving his son cash. Maybe you could gently explain to him that giving cash to a CG it is the same as giving a drink to an alcoholic.
Whatever you do decide to do I think it is so important that you don’t lie for your partner if you are asked again about the £300.
As his parents ‘want to know’ but ‘don’t know what to do’, maybe you could explain to them that giving their son cash is feeding his addiction and that if they didn’t do it there would be less need for the shouting and tears when he lets them down. Perhaps you could ask them not to make a big issue of it this time but to help you and their son in a different way.
It is not fair that you are in the middle, so I suggest that maybe you could tell them that this is the last time you want to be caught in this way.
Keep posting – not only is your English amazing, you are doing so well understanding your partner, his family and your children – they are all lucky to have you in their lives but please take care of yourself because ‘you’ really matter.
V
