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It Doesn’t Seem Right That Your Children Will Have Homes and My Son Won’t—Let’s Get Him a Flat with a Mortgage!
It doesnt look right that your children will have flats, and my son wont. Lets sort out a mortgage for him!
Lately, my husband Edward has been going on about how my children will each have their own flat, but his son wont. He thinks we need to come up with something to ensure his son has a place to live too. Let me explain: my two boys are both mine and Edwards, while Edwards son, Oliver, is from his first marriage.
Why should I be the one worrying about where his son will live? I knew, of course, when I met Edward that hed been married before and had a child. Thats partly why I wasnt in a hurry to get married myself.
We lived together for three years before we tied the knot. I wanted to be sure of his feelings towards his ex-wife and his son. About a year after wed married, I had our first son, and another two years later, we welcomed our second. I honestly have no complaints about Edward hes a loving husband and father, good at his job, and he spends real time with us. Sure, we argue now and then thats just life but I genuinely feel were happy.
We lived in a flat I inherited from my father. Mum and Dad divorced when I was just in nursery, and my mum later remarried but didnt have any more children. Edward and his first wife always rented. Theyd tried and failed to save up for a mortgage for years. Once they split, she moved back in with her own family, while Edward went on renting.
When Edward moved in with me, I never made a big deal about the ownership of my flat. We both worked on renovations and bought new furniture together. Still, about a year and a half ago, both my grandmothers passed away one after the other. Theyd each left me a flat in their wills.
Since our boys are still little, I decided Id let the extra flats out for now. When theyre old enough, each boy will get one. The rent from one flat goes to my mum, to supplement her pension, while the rent from the other tops up my own earnings. Lets be honest, extra cash always comes in handy.
Edwards never interfered in my property affairs; hes had nothing to do with them, after all. From the start, I told him that, when our sons are grown, each will get a flat. He agreed, and that was that. I thought the matter was closed.
But suddenly, Edward comes to me the other week and says, My son will be finishing sixth form in a few years. Hell be an adult, he should start thinking about his future!
I didnt quite see where he was going. He carried on: Your sons will each get a flat, but Oliver wont. Lets get him one with a mortgage! I was completely taken aback. I had so many questions. Why are our boys suddenly just my children? He told me not to nitpick over words.
He said, But my son will never inherit anything! I want him to have his own home!
Well, its good youre thinking about it. But Oliver has a mother and a father. Thats your responsibility. Why isnt your ex-wife sorting it out?
Edward explained his ex doesnt earn much, her parents help out a lot, and he himself cant afford mortgage repayments on his own. But if I pitched in, we could manage that was his logic. Turned out, what he really wanted was for us to take out a mortgage in Olivers name and both pay it off. The flat would then belong to Oliver.
Weve got good jobs and youve got rental income! We can do it! Edward said.
Maybe we could somehow manage, but only if we made big sacrifices. Edward also pays maintenance for Oliver, and hell keep supporting him when he goes off to uni, as his mum doesnt have spare cash. It boils down to my kids and I having to skip holidays and days out at the seaside scrimping and saving on everything just so Edward can feel like a model dad?
I could understand Edward wanting all his children to have the same if he was the one providing flats for everyone. But its me whos set up the flats for our boys alone. Edwards never contributed a penny to any of it. So why should I pay for a mortgage for his son?
I told Edward straight: if youre that worried about Oliver, suggest your ex-wife takes out a mortgage and pays it off using your maintenance payments. I want no part.
Now Edwards furious with me; he hasnt spoken to me for a week. I wish he could see things from my side. Sometimes, I wonder if he ever will.
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