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Siwsan

(27,672 posts)
Thu Sep 11, 2025, 02:04 PM Thursday

My upcoming dilemma

My nephew's wife, AKA my niece, is having a baby shower in about 3 weeks. Important to note that we don't consider each and other 'in-laws'. You marry in to my family, you BECOME my family. Thus says the Family Matriarch. My brother's ex wife will be here (they are best of friends) and she's been invited, too. Last year her current husband was here, twice, to visit and HE is also considered family.

My dilemma has to do with another individua I suspect will be invited. My former brother in law's girlfriend. She was his girlfriend before he met my sister. My sister really didn't like her OR her family. Not a jealousy dislike, but a dislike based on the face that this female is just not a good person. She's done her best to alienate my former brother in law from both his kids AND extended family. She also erased every trace of my sister from the house. I can't even go there, anymore.

The last time I saw here was in 2018, at my niece's wedding. I was pretty emotion, feeing extreme guilt about doing everything my sister should have been doing.. This female came up to me and said God took my sister so that I could be there for her kids. OK, I was already DEEP in survivor guilt (still am) and the only thing I wanted to do was to knock her off of her feet. Preferably in to a mud puddle. From that point on, I have excluded her from al family celebrations, resulting in y former brother in law not attending. Fitting because she once pressured my FBIL to disinvite my brother from a party.

They broke up for a while and thing were almost back to normal. Everyone was happy and nobody worried about the 'mother superior' admonishing them for having fun. My family does have a great time when we get together. Now that she's back, we're back to alienation.

Anyway, as to the shower. I just don't know how I will handle being in the same room with her. My bestie and my niece have promised to intercept her. Honestly, I don't even want to see her face. I might take a double dose of 'chill pill' before I leave for the house.

I am SO EXCITED about the prospect of being a grand auntie to a beautiful little boy. I have a grand niece but rarely see her. (I've been disowned by her other. Not sure how because I have zero connection to her family.) The idea that there will be a little soul for me to sing to and tell stories about Dragons and Knights is so exciting.

ANYWHOO, any suggestions as to how to react should this female approach me? She's been so disrespectful and caused so much damage to my family, I might just respond to her in Welsh, French or Spanish and then escape her presence.

Sorry this is so long but it's really driving my anxiety.

5 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
My upcoming dilemma (Original Post) Siwsan Thursday OP
Per Miss Manners Pucks mom Thursday #1
Why not ask that she not be invited? SheltieLover Thursday #2
That is my thought as well. ShazzieB Thursday #3
Do you know for sure she has been invited? SheltieLover Thursday #4
This is such a complicated situation Siwsan Thursday #5

ShazzieB

(21,582 posts)
3. That is my thought as well.
Thu Sep 11, 2025, 04:19 PM
Thursday

If she tried to alienate the ex bil from the rest of the family in the past, I'm at a loss as to why anyone in the family would want to invite her. I feel like I must be missing something!

SheltieLover

(73,597 posts)
4. Do you know for sure she has been invited?
Thu Sep 11, 2025, 04:20 PM
Thursday

Personally, if I were hosting & you asked me to, I would disinvite her. And I'd have no prob telling her why!

Siwsan

(27,672 posts)
5. This is such a complicated situation
Thu Sep 11, 2025, 04:57 PM
Thursday

For a while they broke up and everything pretty much returned to semi-normal. I never felt the same about him after he started thinking it ok to disrespect me and let me know my place in his priorities, which was non existent, compared to her. Even his own daughter distanced herself. I remained open to healing the rift.

He KNOWS that nobody in the family can stand this female but she pulls the strings. If she isn't invited, he's the one who will pay the price and then that will fall back on to his daughter and daughter-in-law, the mom to be. He's VERY defensive about this female.

He has flat out told me that my feelings are irrelevant. He wants here there even if it makes everyone else uncomfortable.

During their brief parting, he stopped by my house several times an even came by for Christmas Eve dinner, which is a huge family event.

On the bright side, my BFF will be there with me and she's pretty protective. I'm going to drive so I figure if things get tense, my friend and I will just make a quiet exit.

I keep hoping that my FBIL will come to his senses, again. With the holidays coming up and the baby expected at the end of December, stress will be a bit high, anyway.

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