Chapter 9 - I Thought the Lake House Was Proof I Had Saved the Family
My therapist asked:
“Why did you buy the house?”
I answered:
“Because otherwise they lost it.”
“That’s what happened.”
“Why did you decide it was your job to prevent that?”
I hated the question.
Because:
I could.
Good credit.
Savings.
Risk knowledge.
Daniel loved:
the place.
Richard was grieving.
Carol had died.
Family.
Then another answer.
I liked being:
the person who solved things.
That pattern predated:
Mercers.
My mother had bipolar disorder.
Managed well for years.
When I was fourteen, she had a severe episode.
My father worked:
nights.
I became:
schedule person,
medication reminder,
younger-sister protector,
quiet child.
Useful.
Dependable.
No drama.
Later, career in:
risk management.
Of course.
Identify problems.
Prevent losses.
Control uncertainty.
The Mercer lake crisis fit me perfectly.
I could save:
house,
father-in-law,
husband’s memories.
Then everyone would:
settle.
They didn’t.
Instead, saving the house became:
evidence I would save everything.
I resented them for using:
me.
But part of me had introduced myself to the family as:
the person who can fix this.
That did not make Richard’s entitlement acceptable.
May you like
It made my own pattern visible.
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