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The Sins Of The Father
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After disclosing the costliest indiscretion of his philandering behavior, Melvin saw that Bette truly understood how deeply he’d hurt her mother and why he couldn’t fight to keep her from leaving. She berated his carelessness for having unprotected sex but didn’t judge him for falling prey to his own weakness. They found commonality in that neither set out to hurt the women they loved, but their actions were every bit as destructive to the sanctity of their commitments.
Cheating was a symptom of their inability to cope with stress and the pressures of family conflicts. Finding themselves in situations where they were seduced played into their need for temporary escape from their troubles. Bette’s was an affair; Melvin’s was a one-night stand but both sexual infidelities risked everything that meant anything to their spouses.
Knowing that Melvin abhorred weakness and how much of his identity was tied to virility becoming infertile had to result in a lot of emotional baggage that he had not dealt with. Bette was mostly playing armchair psychology but thought perhaps this gave her some insight into why Melvin had reacted so vehemently against her and Tina’s news that they were expecting a baby as a couple. Imagine the feelings of inadequacies hearing that your daughter has impregnated her wife, although biologically impossible when he couldn’t. Adding insult to injury they used an African American male as the sperm donor so the baby would share his heritage. Lastly, they were having a boy who would partially carry his name. If he’d had a son with Maxine, the Porter name wouldn’t die with his generation.
Everything considered resentment and what he perceived as punishment likely played a role in why he lashed out as he did. This long-overdue talk with her father gave Bette what she needed to arm herself from making the same mistakes in her marriage. She knew that whatever obstacles she and Tina would face in the future, she would never again break her promise of monogamy. She would talk to Tina about renewing their vows to express not only intent but the promise and this time in front of her father so he could bear witness that their union is sanctified.
***
The following morning Melvin woke up with a heavy heart. Both his wives had forgiven him for cheating, but it was his sins as a father that he had to contend with now.
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I am glad Melvin finally admits his faults and behaviour to his daughters and is trying to make amends with them.
Good that he will go to another oncologist to see if his cancer is treatable.
His children deserve to know a changed father who will love them.
Thanks for a great chapter and the insight of Melvin’s life and thoughts.
Bibi28 – thank you for commenting. Yes Melvin is certainly at a turning point in his life. I guess it’s never too late to make amends. Hopefully his cancer treatment will not only prolong his life but make the time he has left with his family more fulfilling with love and gratitude.
You are quite right, I don’t like him any more than I did and I hope you do not write him off before he changes his Will to include Tina and child!
Thanks for posting this BAT, like it that you have given David a nice Character.
Looking forwarded to future posts, nice to have you back, missed you!
SG
Hi SassyGran – You are one of the reasons I wanted to come back to finish this story as I really appreciate loyal readers that stick with us, even when we stay away for a while. I was thinking of you when I wrote this chapter and knew that Melvin wasn’t going to earn any points with his behavior but hopefully he will make good on his ambitions for the future.
Thank you for the new chapter!
About Melvin – i always think that although he almost all his life he was against his daugher sexual preference – he had excuse. He grew up in different times were almost everyone not tolerant homosexuality. He just was man his era. For me Bette’s behaviour against Tina when they had meetings with him was much worse. Especially at those dinner in s1.
Zhenya, thank you for commenting. I agree totally that Bette’s treatment of Tina when her father was around was much worse. I was very disappointed in that entire episode when he came to visit and they told him about the baby. I can understand some of Melvin’s societal views because of his age but there is no excuse for being an ignorant sob. His treatment of his daughters and Tina was inexcusable. I’m trying to make him accountable in this story, but also giving him a chance to make amends.
You have written a Melvin.I could begin to like now that he has come clean with both of them and Tina. Hopefully, his change of heart will go a long way in helping him have a better life for as long as you give him. Maybe he will have those treatments that will prolong his life for a time and give him some quality time with his family before his death. It would be wonderful fr him to see Angelica grown up a few years and to see how smart and lovely she would become and that And that Bette and Tina could have a wonderful life as well as Kit and David. How I wish we could have seen these revelations on the show, how wonderful that would have been. Thank you for making him a better man. Can hardly wait for the next chapter to see where you take us. Wonderful writing. Thanks again.
Hi Dainty, so nice to hear from you. Thank you for going back and reading previous chapters and commenting. I know the Melvin on the show was impossible to like, but I think he had real regrets on his death-bed. Had he lived perhaps he would have changed, at least that’s what I hope to convey in this story. Next chapter should be ready soon.