A guy took to Reddit to ask if he was being a bad guy by refusing to associate with his brother-in-law, who demanded they repay him for the money he’d gifted them to spend on their son’s funeral!
A Sad Start
Meet our storyteller, a man (OP) who has been dealing with a family drama that has been ongoing for almost two decades.
It all started when his toddler son was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer.
They Fought as Hard as They Could
OP and his wife went through the heart-wrenching journey of watching their son fight for his life for three and a half years, but unfortunately, he passed away on the same day he would have started kindergarten.
They Were Left Struggling
Their son’s last two years were full of drama, complexity, hope, lost hope, and disappointment.
The couple had to deal with financial setbacks and had no idea how they would afford a funeral for their son.
The Brothers Were Their Angels
Thankfully, OP’s wife’s three older brothers stepped up to offer to pay for their nephew’s funeral.
They were doing well in their respective businesses at that time, so it wasn’t much of a sacrifice for them.
A Loving Gift
They even told OP and his wife that this was a gift from them to the couple, and they were beyond grateful and expressed that on numerous occasions.
Thanksgiving Drama
Fast forward to Thanksgiving 2021, and things took a turn for the worse.
His wife’s youngest brother, who is the most contentious of the siblings, got into an argument with OP’s wife that soon escalated into a full-blown argument!
He Said What?!
He threw out that they “never paid him back for his part that he paid for (their son’s) funeral.”
This was a shock to everyone in earshot, and his wife was surprised. She asked if he always felt he was supposed to get repaid.
He Claimed to Have Been Forced Into It
He belligerently told her that was exactly what he was saying, claiming he had never intended to help pay for the funeral and felt forced into it by the older two brothers.
He Was Angry
Well, OP had had enough and told his brother-in-law, “You know what…since you feel so strongly you have been wronged, as soon as we get home, I’m going to write you a check for $5K so you can consider yourself paid in full, and with interest.”
His Brother-In-Law Got Defensive
His brother-in-law got defensive, claiming that they were “blowing it out of proportion.” But his words had already caused the damage, and OP and his wife gathered up their brood and left Thanksgiving early!
So He Sent Him the Money and Interest
OP sent the check via certified mail the following Monday and wondered when his brother-in-law would cash it.
He received it Tuesday and cashed it in in the afternoon!
Her Brother Needed Cash
It turns out that while her brother may have intended it as a gift at the time, a messy divorce and COVID decimating his businesses meant he was hurting for cash.
OP knows that he will have been too prideful to ask for a loan and had to make it about them owing him money.
He’s Cut off All Ties With His Brother-In-Law
Since then, OP has refused to associate with his brother-in-law. He has avoided him for years, but it has never been an issue until this week.
Easter Weekend Party
Her family is doing a big Easter event this weekend with around 20-30 people invited, and his brother-in-law will be there.
OP has no desire to be around him and has refused to go, which has caused tension between him and his wife.
She Thinks He Needs to Let It Go
His wife believes that OP is being a bad guy and ruining the weekend by refusing to attend the event. She thinks he needs to let it go for the sake of the kids.
He Is Not Backing Down
However, OP is not backing down, stating that he flat-out refuses to associate with his brother-in-law. He has even gone as far as preparing to let his wife and kids go to the event without him!
He Wanted Advice
At this point, OP is not sure what to do. He’s torn between his loyalty to his family and his need to stand up for what he believes is right.
He’s in a Tough Spot
He knows that if he goes to the Easter celebration, it will be uncomfortable and awkward, and he might have to interact with the youngest brother.
On the other hand, if he doesn’t go, he’ll be seen as the bad guy, and his wife will be upset with him.
Money Can Easily Cause Problems
He feels bad that money has caused a rift between him and his wife. Her giving and caring nature are one of the qualities that made OP fall in love with her, but he thinks she’s been a doormat for her brother far too often.
He’s setting a hard boundary, and he thinks she’s uncomfortable with that.
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The post Family Rift Erupts as Brother-In-Law Insists on Repayment for the Gifted Money Used for Their Son’s Funeral Costs! first appeared on Fistful of Dollars.
Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock / Krakenimages.com. The people shown in the images are for illustrative purposes only, not the actual people featured in the story.
Source: Reddit