Buckle up, my fabulous readers. Roger is here to dish out the tea hotter than a summer’s day in the Sahara. This juicy tale of sibling drama comes straight from the wild west of Reddit’s Am I The A**hole forum. Now, pass me the popcorn, because this story has more twists and turns than a soap opera marathon.
The Plot Twist That No One Saw Coming
So, we’ve got our main character, a 27-year-old sister (let’s call her the Heroine), and her 25-year-old brother, James (who seems to have a few screws loose, bless his heart). Raised by their single dad after Mrs. Mom decided kids weren’t her thing, these two siblings were supposed to be thick as thieves. But as we all know, real life isn’t one of those saccharine family sitcoms.
Our story plunges into the deep end when their father is diagnosed with schizophrenia. While most families would band together to face such a challenge, our Heroine ends up being the sole caretaker. Why, you ask? Because James was too busy being a human version of “not my problem.” Bravo, James. Standing ovation.
More Drama Than a Season Finale
Dad’s health takes another nosedive when he’s diagnosed with heart failure. Yet, our valiant Heroine never wavers. She shoulders the weight, sacrificing her own mental peace until she finally has to move out of state. James, good old dependable James, promises to step up. Spoiler alert: He doesn’t.
Fast forward to the dark month of September 2022. Our Heroine senses something is wrong with Dad. But, when she reaches out to James, he waves her off like an annoying fly. Tragic foreshadowing at its finest.
By November, the scene turns morbid—our Heroine can’t get ahold of her dad and requests a welfare check, leading to the gut-wrenching discovery that he had passed away. And if you think that’s rock bottom, think again. James, in a drunken stupor, confesses he saw Dad before his death—describing him in an appalling state and… wait for it… left him with energy drinks because, “if it was that bad, he’s an adult and would’ve asked to go to the doctor.” Are you kidding me, James? The level of incompetence is dazzling.
The Bitter Confrontation
Understandably stunned and seething, our Heroine unleashes her wrath, telling James she hates him and probably will never forgive him. But in true dysfunctional family fashion, James counters by calling her a heartless b-word, and the rest of the family jumps in with their pitchforks and torches, backing up the assailant. It’s like a Shakespearean tragedy, but with poorer judgment and fewer soliloquies.
Reality Hits Hard
The worst part? Our Heroine wasn’t even granted the final, bittersweet moments to bid her father farewell, thanks to her brother’s gross negligence. She was robbed of those precious minutes to tell him just how much he meant to her, to express gratitude for soldiering on as a single dad, and to let him know he was a hero in her eyes. Instead, she’s left with resentment and endless ‘what-ifs’. Oh, the humanity!
Legal Injustice
Oh, but there’s more. The Heroine even goes the extra mile, confiding her story to the police. Alas, in our world of bureaucratic red tape, she’s told she’s essentially out of luck. No proof, no justice. You can almost hear the sad trombone playing in the background.
Despite the deluge of emotion and anger directed at her for daring to speak out, our brave Heroine takes a step toward healing by seeing a therapist specializing in grief. And honey, if anyone needs a giant spa day for the soul, it’s her. To the critics who throw shade her way—I’m saving a seat for you on the Train to Oblivion.
Roger’s Grand Finale
Alright, let’s wrap this up before I need a tissue. Here’s Roger’s two cents, which, let’s be honest, is worth at least a dollar:
The Heroine is unquestionably NOT the a**hole in this cacophony of bad decisions. She stepped up when no one else did, and when her moment of respite came, James dropped the ball harder than a wrecking ball on a sandcastle. His cavalier attitude and negligence would test the patience of a saint, let alone someone who’s already gone through hell and back.
And to the family siding with James: I’d like you all to take a step back, put on your empathy goggles, and maybe cut the Heroine some slack. Unless you fancy switching places with her, hold back your sanctimonious judgments. Maybe then you’ll see who the real villain is in this chapter of familial drama.
Hold your heads high, stand by your convictions, and never let anyone gaslight you into thinking your pain isn’t valid. And on that note, it’s time for Roger to sign off. Keep fighting the good fight, folks. Until next time!
Original story
AITA for telling my brother I hate him and I’ll probably never be able to forgive him
Background I 27f and brother 25m were raised by a single dad our mom left we didn’t really have family so we only had each other. I’ll refer to my dad as dad and brother as James.
Fast forward to 18 year old me my dad was diagnosed with schizophrenia that took a lot on me mentally because my brother refused to help. My dad accepted help and was put on medication fast forward to 23 year old me my dad had a stroke and was diagnosed with heart failure.
I was the sole care taker and it was breaking me. He still worked and could fully function unless he had an episode which was rare with the meds.
Fast forward I move out of the state for my peace and a break my brother James promised to step up. September of 22 I could tell my dad was going off the deep end so I called James to advise of POA rights James told me I was being dramatic and didn’t need to worry about it cause I was selfish and left.
Fast forward November 2 days go by I didn’t hear from my dad. I called a welfare check and they found him deceased believed heart attack.
I immediately flew back home that day. When I get there james drunkenly confesses to me he seen him the day before and describe him as “unrecognizable, sick, couldn’t eat, move or anything.
” James brought him some energy drinks and left quoting “if it was that bad he’s an adult and would’ve asked to go to the doctor.” I stood there stunned.
No words. My brother kept pushing me to say something when finally I snapped and said “I hate you, I’ll probably never forgive you for this.
The one time you had to be an adult you couldn’t and had you did there’s a possibility he could still be alive today.” He called me a heartless b* and now all of my family is saying the same but I feel my feelings are valid so AITA?
Edit to add: I understand eventually I would have had to come to terms with him dying, but the part I’m angriest about is my brother robbed me of his final moments, I didn’t get to say goodbye. I didn’t get to tell him how much he meant to me.
I didn’t get to tell him how he was my hero. I didn’t get to say thank you for still loving me everyday when my birth mom left us cause we were a burden.
I feel like I was robbed of so many things.
Edit 2: I did explain to the police the next week what happened and exactly what my brother had told me when the autopsy on my father was performed. When I spoke to the detective they said basically I was SOL because I had no proof other than his confession that I also had no proof of.
An because I couldn’t concretely prove my dad was in a manic state at the time of the incident that nothing really could be done especially giving the heart failure diagnosis that was given 2 years prior. I also want to say thank you so much for all of the support even the non supportive ones.
I understand that me leaving the state did make me responsible and I take accountability for that and regret that everyday. But I have taken up seeing a therapist who specializes in grief.
Ive been very angry for a long time. My dad had living brother and sisters and a dad who lived in the same state who knew everything and also did nothing.
I guess while my main focused anger has been at my brother for a long time I’m angry at everyone who I begged to help who promised they would and didn’t. Either way there’s a lot of comments and I can’t really keep up through the tears.
But I again want to say thank you. This is the first time my anger and pain has felt seen in a while and I appreciate that.