The moving out process

Friday was moving out day, officially.

I had spent the previous few days moving boxes and stuff to the new apartment with ‘men with a van' coming 10:30 to do the few furniture items that wouldn't fit in the car.

I was OK, surprisingly calm and collected. X2B had taken our daughter (M) to school and was doing some shopping for me as well so she was out of the way. I had managed to get everything sorted out and prepared before men with a van turned up. Boxes and stuff lined up ready to go, furniture by the front door. X2B came home just before men with a van and brought her shopping in. I started loading up with the guys and X2B's demeanour changed considerably. She was angry etc. I asked if it was something I had done or just the situation and she told me the latter. So I left her to get on with it.

After a while it was obvious that she wasn't coping very well. So I went to talk. She dissolved into tears and I comforted her as best I could.

Then for the most surprising thing. She said through the tears ‘I can't believe it is actually happening. I can't believe it. I mean it's US you know. This doesn't happen to US".

At this point, what I thought to myself was, ‘well, it was your decision so what did you expect, exactly?" What I said was, ‘it's for the best, we both know that'. She regained some composure but was very tearful throughout the process. I carried on doing what needed to be done. I was very composed, more so that I had expected.

We drove to the new place and unloaded. Sorted a few things and then left to pick up M from school. X2B said she couldn't face the other mothers at school so went to look in some shops.

After we collected M we were driving to the local Carrefour when X2B's car snuffed it. Radiator or one of the hoses decided to dump all the coolant onto the road. Top. So we had to wait for the tow truck and taxi to take us back home. This was actually a good thing as it got X2B's mind off the situation.

Eventually we returned home and I started packing up the remaining items into the car. X2B was again, very tearful. M and I left, with M giving mummy a big hug and kisses etc. I said goodbye without a hug, thought that was best. Again, X2B looked shell shocked.

This is the thing that is difficult for me. I would have thought that as it has all been X2B's idea, it's what she wants, she would be happy. Maybe she was sad at M leaving and it was nothing to do with me.

I was very confused about it but have now decided it's her problem.

I'm out and thank god for that.

Maybe I'll be able to make more ‘moving on' progress now.

(More about my first weekend as a ‘single' dad with M later)