Reddit Stories - RELATIVE REQUESTED that I create a PERMANENT design on his skin during his

Episode Date: January 29, 2026

#redditstories #askreddit #aita #tattoo #design #family #permanent #skinartSummary: A relative approached me with a request for a permanent tattoo design on their skin. They expressed a strong desire for a meaningful symbol that represents our bond. I felt honored yet pressured, as I wanted to create something special while ensuring it aligns with their vision and expectations.Tags: redditstories, askreddit, reddit, aita, tifu, tattoo, design, family, skinart, permanent, symbolism, creativity, art, personalexpression, inked, bodyart, relationships, requests, meaningful, bondingBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/reddit-stories--6816713/support.This episode includes AI-generated content.

Episode with two stories, first part. I hope you enjoy this story. Relative requested that I create a permanent design on his skin during his marriage celebration on short notice, only to discover that he desired his former partner's birthday commemorated instead. To provide some context about myself, I am familiar with the situation. A tattoo artist. I've done an apprenticeship the first year of tattooing.

I work as a tattoo artist for four years now and I opened a student. recently. Me and my family are invited to a wedding that is taking place in another state. My cousin is marrying and we got the invitation a few months ago. Time has moved forward and now the wedding is in a week already. Out of the blue my cousin, let's call him Matt, texted me with something along the lines of you're going to tattoo me on my wedding day. I was a bit confused as I never even thought of bringing my equipment since I also didn't plan a guest spot or anything. guest spot is a tattoo artist working at another studio for a few days or weeks, mostly in a different area to grow the clientele. I jokingly asked if he has a machine, as I still hope that he wasn't

serious. He then just asked if I don't have one, and that one machine wouldn't take up that much space to take with. I replied that I didn't plan on bringing my equipment, that in fact contains more than just a machine, color, hygiene stuff, stencil that's the purple stuff you put on the skin to then trace the tattoo with actual needles, etc. And that I'm not prepared to tattoo at a wedding of which I don't know anything about, lay out of the location, is it inside slash outside and so on. He then said that he had planned on this and that it would mean a lot to him to both get a tattoo on his wedding day and that I'd be the one to tattoo him.

Remember that this is the first time I'm hearing this. I again tried to explain that I don't feel comfortable with that and that it's quite short notice as I work until me and my brother fly over to attend the wedding and a tattoo needs to be designed first, right? He saw my message but didn't reply anymore. This morning my mother called and she was furious. She asked why I couldn't pull my shit together and just tattoo Matt. I told her what I've previously told Matt as well, but she didn't want to hear it. She just said it would mean a lot to her and Matt's family if I'd do that and that it could be my wedding gift then she hung up. I talked to my brother about it and he just shrugged it off and said it would be nice of you though I'm unsure what to do now.

As I said I'm not really comfortable with the whole situation, especially because I've never been guest spotting, so I never had to travel let alone get on a plane with my equipment. But is that just selfish? I mean it would mean a lot to apparently everyone and I'm just saying no. Edit. I do have an actual wedding gift already as they send out a wish list with their invitations. There was a point that said artwork. because they recently moved into a bigger house and apparently they want random artwork to decorate.

I oil painted them a painting I spent several days on, so I also don't plan to give him a voucher as a gift. Two, Maddie doesn't have any tattoos as far as I know. Three, I don't know what my mom's problem is with all of this. I think she just wants to keep the piece. Comments Boop expands on why it's such a bad idea. Oop, I especially don't understand why I should tattoo at a wedding since you can't, or shouldn't. Combine getting tattooed with drinking alcohol and knowing Matt, there will be plenty of alcohol at this wedding.

Commenter, really, and does that mean you can't drink as well? This would be a hard no from me. Oop, yeah, I wouldn't be able to drink either, but up until now I haven't even thought of that. Commenter, it's inappropriate of him to expect you to work for free at an event to which you're a guest. Are you even licensed to tattoo in the other state? The entire thing sounds ludicrous. Tell your cousin your hourly rate, build in the peer rate for hauling your equipment,

and he needs to cover your flights and hotel. After all, flying in a trained professional to perform a service costs money. Oh, and he needs to pay up front since this is a special service. Boop, I am actually licensed. And I mean I would ask for money but apparently they planned this as a wedding gift. like my mom suggested. I can't imagine what they are even thinking. Commenter, they plan this as a wedding gift from you? Because that's pretty presumptuous and against some kind of, like, wedding etiquette. I always thought any mention of gifts by the wedding couple was some kind of faux pa.

NTA. Oop, especially since they have an actual list of things they want to be gifted. I mean there was a point that said artwork, but if they wanted me to tattoo Matt as a gift they could and should have out as they sent out their list. Commenter, and is there a honeymoon happening right after the wedding? If they're going anywhere where swimming is involved, he won't be able to swim with a fresh tattoo. Oop, I thought of that too, they are going to Bali. I doubt that he had considered not being able to go swim or being in the sun at all. Commenter, they're being unreasonable and making things weird for no reason. NTA and I just wouldn't go if they keep being like this.

Oop, I did think about not attending. It would be sad not to, but this is also very uncomfortable and I don't think everyone has let go of it by then, commenter. NTA, but disclaimer I'm petty, I would find out who the bride is and tell her. This would hijack the wedding. Explain to her or her emo or mom that you would need several hours to set up, clean, do the actual tattoo that this would take over her whole wedding, then sit back and watch the shit fest. Oop, I'm actually not sure if the bride is in on this or not. I'm not close with her at all. Commenter, does he have any other tattoos so that he understands how long it could end up taking?

He could theoretically want anything at this point. This is such a ridiculous request. Oop, I don't think he has any tattoos and with that no concept on how tattooing actually works. Popular underscore Document 1399, NTA. What is really wrong with your mother? Honestly, while I am not a tattoo artist, I think it's unethical and unprofessional to engage in tattoo services at a wedding or other place other than your studio. If Matt wants to have a tattoo done, tell him to come to your studio and you can do it for him before or after the wedding as a wedding gift, not during the ceremony. Jeez, this is so ridiculous.

Update 1, so the last hours have been a lot. First of I called my mom and wow she asked me again, this time very friendly, if I want to tattoo Maddie at his wedding and again I said no, with all the reasons I've previously given her plus some of the very good points you guys had. Before she could say anything else, I added that I felt like she wouldn't take me in tattooing seriously. She didn't say anything for a bit until she tried to explain that she really thought it wasn't a big deal. I told her again that it is and that my mom of all the people should know how my job works. She agreed and apologized profusely. I then asked her if she'd like to attend and watch me work on a client's appointment and to my surprise she said yes. Mom is tagging along tomorrow, now to Maddie or rather his bride.

I finally got hold of the bride, let's say her name is Becky, and asked her about the request her fiancé confronted me with. She seemed surprised as she apparently had heard from my aunt that I made them something for their new house. She assumed it would be a painting since I'm the artist of the family and it's known that I also paint. I confirmed that, but that Maddie has come forward with this out of the blue and that it's not a good idea for many reasons. She agreed with me immediately, I think she does have tattoos. She thanked me for telling her as no one else did. Becky seemed really mad but she seemed to pull herself together. I would have lost it, I'm assuming Becky confronted mad after our call because only three to four hours later I checked the family.

family group chat and there was a message from Becky, there will be no ceremony on the 13th as Matt and I decided we aren't getting married. Matt and I have things to figure out so please text or call us tomorrow if you have questions, for the rest of the day will be on flight mode after dinner Becky called me and apologized for Matt again. She said it was a stupid idea of his and that he just thought it would be cool. She then informed me that she still wants me to fly over for the wedding day as she will be hosting a party instead of a wedding. Everything is paid for anyways and she doesn't want anything to go to waste. I asked if they broke up not yet, but I'm going to stay at my sister's place until next week. I'm assuming Mad hasn't been too great, but I'm sure I'll

hear about it. Apparently my brother and my mom aren't invited, LOL. My call must have been the last straw, but as far as I am concerned, Becky is handling it gracefully and Mad will be okay too, I'm sure. So I'm going to a party, but did I just make a new friend? Thanks y'all for having my back. Update 2, Welcome Back, I'm finally done writing this. Thanks to everyone coming back and reading this, I appreciate y'all and love that you are enjoying the tea. So because a lot of you wanted to know how the Bring Your Mom to Work Day was, I picked her up in the morning and we headed to the studio. I showed her around, told her a few background stories about some of the artworks and photos

that are hanging on our walls and explained her my routine as I prepared everything. My client arrived and I handled it like I usually would, just with my mom sitting there, L-O-L. I explained every step of the process and she also asked me questions about my ink, needles, technique, etc. It was a lot of fun having her around and she really did surprise me with her openness and interest. When I was done with tattooing my mother had to leave for work, but thanked and hugged me for bringing her along, as she not only enjoyed spending time with me but also loved seeing me doing my job so professionally and said that she sees my work and efforts now. To the wedding slash party, the party started at 1,400 hours as the ceremony was canceled.

I arrived and was immediately welcomed by Becky's sister. She hugged me and helped me with my painting. Everyone was outside, drinking and having a small bite already. I went to say hi to Becky and she hugged me warmly. She seemed tired but otherwise fine. Becky was also smiling a lot, which surprised me. I went to mingle as I didn't want to start off with questioning her, LOL. I met a lot of her friends and apparently the most of them weren't too fond of Matt.

I heard a few things of how he tried to change Becky to be more like his ex and stuff like that, not a great look Maddie, speaking of, not a single friend or relative of Matt was around. Besides me and one other cousin, later as we sat down to eat, I asked if could join Becky's table. They said yes, so I was sitting with Becky, her sister, and three of her friends. I introduced myself to one of them, haven't talked to him before, and Becky added that I'm Matt's cousin, the one who was supposed to tattoo. A simultaneous O came from everyone. And with that, the conversation was about Matt from the get-go. I asked what happened. The sister just rolled her

eyes and was like what didn't. Becky and friends told me, a while ago Matt has apparently started to pick on Becky for being herself in various ways. It started small like asking her to change her sports routine from workouts to only running. Then he criticized her cooking as he prefers to eat more meat and more traditionally. They discussed these topics and it always seemed fine, but he didn't stop. He asked her if she couldn't let her hair grow or get extensions and speaking of hair. If she couldn't get them bright, Becky has shoulder-long black hair. More and more seemed to pile up until he also started to make comments along the line of can't you be more like my ex. As I understand it, he didn't say it specifically, but it was clear

he meant it like that. His ex is from Texas, I was shocked, I asked why she didn't break up because of that, but Becky explained that in the situations it didn't seem as bad as when you list those reasons. She had also made a few changes to make Maddie happy but continued to do what she wanted most of the time. Time went on and the issues resurfaced again and again in different ways. The last big fight was only a few weeks ago, when Maddie called Becky by his ex's name, they somehow settled this so let's skip forward to when I called Becky about the tattoo idea. After our call she went up to Matt and asked him why he didn't talk to her about it and why he would just decide doing something like that on their wedding day he explained that he wanted

to surprise her and stuff like that. Becky went on telling him this wasn't happening and that she wanted to be able to enjoy the wedding and their honeymoon. Again they seemed to agree in the end and he apologized. But later, this almost threw me, as Becky was starting to cook dinner and Matt was sitting at the counter they talked about tattoos again, apparently really chill discussion about tattoos in general, and Becky asked him playfully what he intended on getting tattooed. He gestured across his chest and said, I want my birth date, our wedding date and your birth date, so, insert as BD, June 13th, 2024, insert BD. Becky said she went blind for a millisecond.

That third date was in fact not her birthday. She asked him again and he repeated the same dates. She then said that this isn't her birth date, he persisted that it was and that she should stop trying to fool him. She said she started to cry and ran to get her purse to show him her driver's license. That's when his face slipped. He tried to get out of it by making excuses that he isn't good with dates, etc. But Becky just went straight to her phone and checked Facebook.

She found his ex's profile showing her birthday. It was the date he would have gotten tattooed on his chest if I hadn't said no and also called Becky. My dumb-ass cousin would have ended up with the birthday of his ex-girlfriend next to his wedding date. Becky said he more or less told him it was over and that this is enough. She started to immediately reorganize the whole wedding and honeymoon while kicking him out of the house. A bit later she called me back. She also mentioned that she didn't want to say what happened on the phone as she thought I might

tell my family and she really didn't want to hear about it. Fair, I get that. Becky changed the honeymoon booking and is now taking her best friend. Also, if you're wondering, Becky's dad is currently the owner of their house as they agreed to slowly pay him back, due to his financial wealth and stability that made more sense this way. As far as I know Becky is going to stay there. Anyways, that's the T folks. This was truly a wild ride and I am pretty sure Becky and I are going to be good friends,

we really hit it off. I don't have much dignity left for Matt so I'm not sure I'll keep the contact at all. Comments, ran 1101. Thanks for the update. What a wild ending. Becky certainly put up with a lot of lot before the tipping point. I was wondering if you know how long Becky and Matt dated before the wedding day. It seems crazy that he would be so sure of the wrong birthday, like have they

celebrated Becky's birthday before? Has he ever said happy birthday to her on the wrong day? Either way I'm glad it came out and y'all are living your best lives now without Matt's Duchess clouding the way. Suspicious Fruit 243 op. They have been together for about three years, I think. Yosara underscore Hervey, I've got a feeling that Maddie isn't over his ex yet. I assume she's the one who left, because if he's the one who left her he's very dumb but from what you told us, I wouldn't put this past him. The end of that relationship is a very good thing for Becky, and in some way for Matt too. Now he's free to pursue his ex again, L.O.L.

Thank you for the update, glad your relationship with your mom improved, and now you can distance yourself from the toxic people and your family. Maddie, I'm looking at you. Good luck to you friend. Update 3, hi everyone. Not sure if anyone still cares, but I thought I'd give a tiny update on how everything went. First of all, since that question came up a few times, I'm a woman, well Becky and her bestie went to Bali as they, re-planned. During her vacation we texted quite a bit. Then they came back and we were still texting. First it was all very superficial and polite as she thanked me for telling her about the whole tattoo thing. That I showed up to the party

anyways and that I still gifted her my painting, etc. We got into other stuff like music, movies, and hobbies, we have a lot in common. Turns out she is just as nerdy as me, so we could connect over anime and different games. I never had a female friend to share these interests. She's also coming over for a few days next week, I'm super excited. Anyways, I am super happy how everything went and to see that Becky is doing very good without my cousin, L.O.L. I think she's truly relieved and is beautifully blooming. Thanks guys for all your messages and comments. I really appreciate it. Comments, Noctoila 88, that's great. By the way, have you heard of Maddie? Suspicious Fruit 243 op, nothing direct. I've talked to his mother though. Apparently he actually did

try to reach out to his ex, but I have no idea what's going on there, L.O.L. Becky asked me out? Update 4. Hi. Ah, I'm very excited, Becky asked me out on a date. It's only in October as she wants to take it slow and needs more time since the wedding isn't that long ago, but she wanted to make her current feelings clear to me. Comments, Sunflower and Dream, Oop traded in her loser cousin for a new friend, not a bad trade so far.

Lucy Aria Rose, honestly things seem to have turned out well for Oop. New friend. her mom understands what she does better, and she didn't have to tattoo her jerk of a relative L-O-L. Rattice, Radis, I still can't get over the shit bird thinking he's going to get a chest piece at his wedding and just keep rocking. It's a fucking wound, it oozes and bleeds and hurts. The wrong birthday was just the shit cherry atop the shit Sunday. Chucklin 5. Yeah, I've gone to work after a hip and wrist tattoo. While not unbearable I was able to uncover the hip for periods of time while we were.

working due to having a hutch thing on my desk so you can't see below my head. It still wasn't an enjoyable workday. Expecting to dance and honeymoon after a fresh piece, what an idiot. Coffee and punk records, I am very heavily tattooed. I recently got my stomach done. I work from home and for about a week I was taking calls in gym shorts and a button-down shirt with the bottom few buttons undone. This guy is a moron even before the whole birthday thing is taken into consideration. Michaela, it sounds like the cousin was basically using Becky as a placeholder slash stand-in for his ex since he's clearly not over her. Trying to change her to be more like the ex, calling her by the ex's name, and then the birthday tattoos? They've been together for three years and he's

never bothered to learn what her birthday was because he doubled down on swearing that was her birthday. Yeah, he didn't care about Becky. She was just a doll where he exerted his imagery of the ex-on to her because the surety of believing that date was her birthday is definitely. definitely giving that he was looking at her trough tinted glasses and never saw her for her. Glad she got out. Weird pink hair. People being shocked about the birthday thing after them being together three years. My ex asked me to call this solicitor when we divorced and she asked me, very embarrassed tone to her voice, what my date of birth was. After 15 years together, he still couldn't be awes to remember. So yeah, douches like this really exist. That's the end of the first story.

Let's begin the second one. I hope you enjoy this story. My guardians disappeared from my life half a decade ago following my marriage and have recently made contact. How should I handle this situation? Share it on our subreddit for guidance on relationships. Initial post on October 20th, 2021. I'm at a loss. Married to my former boss.

Parents did not take the marriage as well as I'd hoped and ignored me for five years. only to reach out when they saw a fifth anniversary Facebook post that mentioned our kids, do I let them back in, or do I ignore them? My husband used to be my boss. About nine years ago I started working as his assistant. We spent about 2.5 years ignoring our mutual attraction until we gave in. We then went to HR, who reassigned me, and the whole thing was strictly above board from the time we began dating. I got pregnant about a year later, and my husband and I decided to just get married.

While we'd only really been dating for about 1.5 years, we knew each other completely, loved each other, lived together, and there was a baby on the way. We knew how it would look, but I had to leave the company anyway due to problems with my new boss, so we didn't anticipate this causing any issues, except with my parents. They, 62M-57F, have always been overprotective, so I knew they wouldn't like me dating my boss, and hadn't told them, but I had to tell them if I wanted them at my wedding. We decided to be mostly honest with them, about how it was strictly professional until it wasn't, how the second it got unprofessional we went to HR, how he had never taken advantage of me, but now we wanted to get married and we wanted them there. We did not mention

the baby, because I felt that giving them that information in addition to the rest all at once would just break them. I was only about four months along when the wedding happened, so the bump was easily hidden by a flowy dress. The wedding itself went off without a hitch, and a part from my mother pulling me into the bathroom shortly before the ceremony to ask if I was sure about this, which I said I was, my parents seemed to take it well. The ceremony and reception were at two different venues, and we had to travel from one to the other, and my parents never arrived at the reception. I called them and got ignored, and then my brother called them and they told them that they were going home. I don't remember the exact reason they gave, but it amounted to them

being tired and uncomfortable. I tried contacting them after the wedding, but found out of the wedding, that I was blocked on everything except email, which I used to send them a long letter essentially saying that I'm an adult who made an adult choice and I hope they can respect that. Five years later, I have not heard from my parents since my wedding. My husband and I are not big on social media in general, but I recently posted something for our fifth anniversary in which I mentioned our two kids and third on the way. Within a month of making this post, my parents left a voicemail saying they saw the post, and, having had no idea that they had grandchildren previously, now want to meet them.

I haven't responded and there have been a few follow-ups since then asking why I haven't. I don't know what to do, but my gut instinct is that five years is too long, and it's about the kids, not about them respecting my choices or relationship. However, I can't help but feel that I'm being unfair, and my brother agrees, because I told them in my email that if they could learn to respect my choice and my marriage eventually, then we could talk, and now I'm retroactively applying a time limit. Edit, can't find a way to work this in organically but my husband is not white. I am, as are my parents. I don't think this is a race thing or that my parents are racist,

and neither does my husband, and we don't understand why they would want to meet our mixed-race children if they were racist, but this element is still gnawing at me. Should I reach out to them? If I did, how would we go about rebuilding the relationship? Update October 22nd, 2021. I asked to talk yesterday. We were on Zoom within an hour. It was my, parents and me and my husband. They asked to see the kids, and I said they could see them eventually,

dependent on them earning our trust and convincing us they were going to be positive additions to the kids' lives. They asked to start by reading me a letter that they claimed to have written on my wedding day. It said that they were uncomfortable with me marrying my former boss as they thought thought he took advantage of me, so they left between the wedding and reception to avoid a scene, but they wanted me to know they were here for me despite their issues with him. They added that they would have sent this to me the morning after my wedding, but then I sent my email about them needing to respect my choices, and they were so ashamed they couldn't bring themselves to send theirs. Seeing my anniversary post made them realize how much they've

missed in five years and they really don't want to miss anymore. I had some questions, like what the big deal was with me marrying my former boss, and they said that it just wasn't what they had in mind for my wedding day and my future spouse. I asked why they even came to the wedding at all if they didn't support the marriage, and my dad responded that he wanted to walk his daughter down the aisle as it was the only chance he'd get.

The way it was phrased implied that they had intentionally only come to the wedding so he could give me away, and always planned to leave halfway, and because he said my daughter, and didn't talk to me directly, it was pretty clear he was thinking about my older sister, who passed away. My husband caught that, too, and said that if they were talking about me, they should address me directly, then added that if they had planned to leave they should have told us as we wouldn't have invited them, and the fact they waited five years to reach out was going to take more reasons than Seamus. As a father, he didn't understand how they could ignore their daughter

for years, or only get back in touch when we had kids. My dad snapped that he wasn't going to take this from Akushi, a slur meaning dark-skinned. My mother immediately tried to run damage control, but I ended the call. They have since messaged me several times trying to explain that calling my husband a racial slur wasn't indicative of a racist attitude, and he wouldn't have said that in front of the kids, so they should still get to meet them. I've spent five years wondering how they were so offended by me marrying my boss that had earned no contact for half a decade.

Turns out they're just racist. It's almost nice to find out. If it was just the boss thing I would have simply. for them and we might even be able to reconcile. But with this, it's now just a question of if I'm going to knowingly expose my mixed-race children to a couple of racists, which I am obviously not going to do. These are people who knew the pain of losing a child, and still chose to throw away another child, just because she fell in love with someone she truly loves. I'm glad OP protected her kids from the racist grandparents. It has to be hard to find out your

parents don't have the character you assumed. Now on to the next story. We aren't invited to my stepdaughter's wedding and I feel sad for my husband. My husband is a great man and a wonderful father. I have known him for 17 years and have been in a relationship with him for eight years. He has two children by his first wife. They were really young when they got pregnant. He was 20 and I think she was 19.

Both raised in Catholic homes and both sets of parents pressured them to get married. This was in 1990. His son was born in 1991 and his daughter in 1993. Both being young and stupid and immature, their marriage ended in 1996. It was a typical custody arrangement. She has primary and he has every other weekend. She came from a family with significant money. When it came time to file for child support, her parents supported her financially so she could cut back all of her working hours to about 15 hours a week. They paid for one of the best lawyers in our area and he had no lawyer. This resulted in my husband paying an astronomical amount of money for child support in 1996. $800 for two kids. He ended up having to work three minimum wage jobs just to support himself

and pay child support, but he made it work and still made time for the kids. His ex remarried, someone who also had money, and over the years her and her new husband would take the kids on expensive trips. Multiple trips to Disney. Cruises all the time. Fancy vacations halfway across the country. The kids got name brand everything and the latest electrics. My husband couldn't afford any of that so as the kids got into their teen years, they kind of drifted away from my husband. It didn't help that their mom constantly bad mouthed my husband to the kids either. If there were ever a picture of parental alienation in Webster's dictionary, her face would be it. Even now when we run into her, she is nasty. One of the last functions we ran into her,

my husband asked her how she and her family were doing. Her response was fuck off. Her parents enable her. Her one sister is just like her, but the rest of the family barely tolerates her. I have met her and her whole family. I say this from first-hand knowledge and not hearsay. So my husband has a somewhat distant but okay relationship with his son. We see them once in a while. My husband calls him at least once a week to check in and he hears back maybe two X a month. His daughter only speaks to him as she runs into him, us, at the grocery store. She will not answer any calls or texts.

She does not visit. She literally refuses to have anything to do with my husband. Last December we ran into her at the grocery store. T-BH, I didn't want to talk to her. I tried to avoid her, but she saw me. She rushed over to me to show me her new engagement ring. The engagement had just happened so the encounter had nothing to do with me. She just was excited to show off her ring.

My husband was with me and she started talking about the wedding. It was set for November of this year. She then proceeds to tell my husband that she wants him to walk her down the aisle. I'm sorry. What? I am simultaneously thrilled for my husband and baffled by her request. She literally never wants anything to do with her father. My husband has lamented for years about his lack of relationship with his daughter. He has tried over and over and over to reach out to her, but he has ignored every single time. It was in the last five years I really saw him stop trying. So when she was gushing about him walking her down the aisle, all of his hopes of a

relationship with her were rekindled. So from last December to now, I have reached out to her 3x asking her how the planning was going. I was ignored and left on Reed 3x. He has reached out to her. He was ignored. Now we are about nine weeks before the wedding and we have not heard from or seen his daughter since December. There was no bridal shower invite. There has been no wedding invitation. I ran into her fiancé a few weeks ago and asked about the wedding and how it was going and he immediately looked uncomfortable and changed the subject. I told my husband this week that I am confident we aren't invited despite his daughter's initial claim. He pretends to everyone that he doesn't care but I'm the one behind the scenes who sees

the sadness and the herd in his eyes. I'm the one listening to him lament how much he misses his kids, how much he wants to see them and spend time with them. For the record, my husband also has a 16-year-old son with his second wife. He learned from his mistakes the first time and insisted on 50 to 50 custody when they split. He still maintains 50 to 50 and he has a very active role in his youngest son's life. I also have three pre-teen slash teenage boys from my previous marriage. Their dad abandoned them in 2016 and my husband has stepped in and been a wonderful father figure for my kids. I've known my husband for nearly two decades. I know what kind of man he is. I know what kind of father he is. He doesn't deserve to be treated like this and it makes

me sad for him. I know it's not anything I can ever get involved with, not my kids, not my previous relationship, but I can still be sad for my husband. I wish I had a way to make it hurt a little less for him. Edit to add, I am a professional photographer. When she gushed about the wedding and my husband walking her down the aisle, I saw this as an opportunity for me to help mend the bridge. I offered to photograph her wedding as a wedding gift. She declined and said she wanted me to be able to enjoy the wedding as a guest. We know for a fact we were initially invited.