Being honest with the in-laws
SUNDAY, October 17 – It isn’t an accusation or a reproach. Just something I have to get off my chest. So I write to my brothers-in-law who’ve been receiving a weekly email from me with an account of all our doings. In this case it’s a bit more touchy and I need to establish that I’m not angry, just a bit disappointed.
‘I understand that you all have arranged for your parents to spend a couple of days in San Francisco this week. What a great present for their 49th wedding anniversary. I would gladly have contributed to the cost of the trip, on behalf of the three of us, had I been asked. Gestures like this mean a great deal to me and to the boys. They make us feel like we’re really part of the family and in this regard, I have to say that the contact between us is becoming a bit one-sided. With some exceptions, we seldom hear from you, aside from a few sentences in response to the emails I send.
‘I sincerely hope that Sander and Eamonn will always remain close to you and your children. They’re Nolans. That’s why it’s so important that we hear from you on a regular basis. Shall we all make more of an effort to keep in touch this coming year, even though Jennifer is no longer among us?’
Diary of a Widower 