I was thrilled when Lisa, my daughter, accepted the proposal from her boyfriend Ric. Since Ric always showed her love and concern, I naturally encouraged their relationship.
As a graduation gift, my husband David and I bought Lisa a modest home — a reward for her dedication through medical school. A few months later, she called and said Ric would be moving in. While David was hesitant, I believed Lisa was mature enough to make this decision.
Lisa quickly arranged a family dinner to help the two families get to know one another. Before David and our younger daughter Leah returned from the kitchen looking shocked, David said, “We need to go home. Now.” They told me in the car that they had overheard Ric and his parents discussing plans to keep us out of the wedding while expecting us to pay for it. The dinner was a ploy to manipulate me, and I was shocked.
When I went to Lisa’s house the following day, Ric’s parents were there but wouldn’t let me in. Finally, Ric’s mother opened the door and told me bluntly that we weren’t allowed at the wedding because we “influenced Lisa too much.” She said Lisa was “like them now” and that we should just pay our share of the wedding bill. The last straw was when she revealed that they had moved into Lisa’s house, which was still in my name. I called Lisa and gave her ten days to vacate the house, and David and I sold it, causing Ric’s family to lose what they believed to be theirs.
She’s still with Ric but now lives alone in a small apartment near her hospital job. As for Ric’s family? I don’t know where they are — but I do know they learned a valuable lesson. And with the money from the sale? We bought Leah a car