07/01/2025
MY WIFE SAID “IT’S HER OR ME”—AND I HONESTLY DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO
When I told my wife I was thinking about asking my mom to move in with us, she gave me this tight smile and said, “We’ll talk about it.” That should’ve been my first clue.
My mom’s health’s been going downhill for a while—arthritis, heart meds, just a bunch of things piling up. She’s still sharp, still sarcastic as ever, but her body’s not keeping up. After her fall last month, it just felt wrong leaving her in that apartment alone.
I didn’t expect fireworks, but I didn’t think it’d blow up the way it did.
My wife, Salome, sat me down and said she “can’t live under the same roof” as my mother. Too much history, too many snide comments over the years. She swears my mom never liked her, never accepted her. Honestly, there has been tension—I won’t pretend otherwise. But it’s not like I’m asking her to be best friends.
“She needs help,” I said. “She’s my mother.”
And Salome just stared at me and said, “And I’m your wife.”
The thing is, my mom’s not asking for luxury. She just needs a small room and someone nearby in case she has trouble. I told Salome it might only be for a few months while we figure out a better setup. But she wasn’t having it.
Last night, she packed a bag. Not all her stuff—just enough to say she’s serious.
I haven’t told my mom yet. She’s supposed to move in tomorrow.
I’m standing in the hallway with her spare key in one hand and my wedding ring in the other.⬇️