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People have varying definitions of whatbeing a familyis.
This storyfocuses on the latter.
A woman struggling with her finances lived with her brother and his wife.
The couple then decided to kick her out to accommodate the birth of their child.
The tables recently turned, urging the family to come to the woman for help.
However, the emotional wounds brought on by hereviction experiencemade her hesitant to take her brother in.
Scroll down for the whole story.
Fast forward about six months.
I finally landed a decent job and was able to contribute more financially.
I was on my way to becoming independent.
Around this time, Karen got pregnant.
The hints soon turned into direct conversations about how they needed the guest room for a nursery.
Tom told me that Karen had decided they needed me out ASAP.
No discussion, no warning.
I ended up couch surfing for a couple of months until I could afford a small studio apartment.
It was a really tough time for me, both emotionally and financially.
Ill never forget the feeling of being thrown out of my own brothers house like that.
Image credits:Ivan Samkov / Pexels (not the actual photo)
Fast forward to now.
Toms life has taken a turn.
His business went under, and theyre having financial issues.
Last week, he called me out of the blue, sounding desperate.
Theyre being evicted from their house and have nowhere to go.
Heres the thing: Im doing much better now.
I have a good job, a nice apartment, and Ive been saving for a house.
But heres the kicker: Karen hasnt apologized once for how they treated me.
She didnt even acknowledge it when we spoke on the phone.
Its like they expect me to just forget about it and welcome them with open arms.
AITA for refusing to let them stay with me after what they did?
Or should I let the past go and help them out in their time of need?
She may also be experiencing betrayal trauma.
Betrayal trauma comes in various forms, including familial betrayal.
Betrayal trauma carries a heavier burden compared to post-traumatic stress because it involves someone close to you.
Such pain may linger for years.
A person suffering from betrayal trauma may show specific signs.
The author seems to have experienced all of the above.
Some may seek professional help through different forms of therapy.
In any case, knowing youre struggling is step one in the right direction.
Meanwhile, trauma psychologistDr.
Remi Cokersuggests seeking help from others around.
This seems to have been the authors course of action.
However, she seems more inclined to stick to her guns and refuse to take in her brothers family.
If she indeed suffered frombetrayaltrauma, it may take a while before her wounds could completely heal.
Whats your opinion, dear readers?
Was the womans decision justified?
Or should she just take the high road?
Check out the results:
