Oh, darlings! Gather round as I, your sassy and sagacious narrator, Roger, delve into a tale that has more twists and turns than a daytime soap opera. This story hails directly from the heartfelt (and sometimes heart-wrenching) corridors of Reddit, where real people spill their most private beans for us to gobble up. Today’s menu features a generous serving of family drama, with a side of juicy moral dilemmas, and, of course, my very own Hot Take to spice things up. Ready your forks, my loves; we’re about to dig in.
Our protagonist, a young man of 19 (let’s call him ‘Hero’ for drama’s sake), finds himself entwined in a Shakespearean quandary. His stepdad, Kenny, who’s basically been dad-of-the-year since Hero was but a lad, is ill. Not just a sniffle, mind you, but hospital-level sick. Enter Lara, the elder stepsister with a heart so cold it could freeze your latte. Lara views our Hero as the usurper to her familial throne, the Hamlet to her Claudius, if you will.
Kenny, in his infinite wisdom and with the specter of illness looming, decides to arrange his affairs. Being the sentimental sort, he wishes to leave Hero some deeply personal mementos. Cue the villain’s entrance: Lara, wielding her phone like a scepter, commands our Hero to renounce his inheritance. Her reasoning? A blend of bitterness and the timeless classic, ‘You’re not his real kid.’
Now, here’s where it gets juicy, my delectable readers. Hero, in a display of defiance worthy of a standing ovation, refuses. Why, you ask? Because one does not simply barter with the wishes of a sick man, especially over matters of the heart. Lara, in response, dubs him the villain of our play, accusing him of heartlessness amidst their father’s health crisis.
So, the million-dollar question: Is our Hero the antagonist in this familial drama for wanting to keep his promised inheritance? Or is he merely a loyal son, standing by his father’s wishes against the tempest of stepsisterly wrath?
**Roger’s Hot Take:** My loves, the drama is real, and so is the pain. But let us not be swayed by the siren call of familial guilt-tripping. Hero is not the villain for honoring his stepdad’s wishes. In the labyrinth of grief and fear, people often cling to material things as life rafts to their emotions. Kenny’s gifts are not just trinkets; they are beacons of his love and legacy. To deny Hero these keepsakes would be to undermine the very relationships that define us.
Lara’s grief is valid, but her actions? As questionable as my aunt’s ‘famous’ casserole. You don’t heal wounds by inflicting them on others, especially not in the already tumultuous sea of illness and mortality. Hero stands not as a greedy usurper, but as a beacon of respect for his stepdad’s wishes.
In conclusion, my darlings, this tale isn’t just about who gets what. It’s a testament to love’s enduring presence, even in the face of adversity. Hero’s adherence to Kenny’s wishes amidst Lara’s fury is the true essence of familial fidelity. So, let’s raise our glasses (or teacups, for those so inclined) to respecting last wishes and navigating the choppy waters of family drama with grace.
Until next time, keep those forks ready and your wit sharper. This has been Roger, serving you the hottest of takes, where the tea is always scalding, and the tales? Utterly delicious.
Original story
So I, 19M, have a stepdad, Kenny. Kenny has been my ‘dad’ figure since I was 5, and been my only parent since I was 8. I have an elder stepsister, Lara 23F who dislikes me greatly. She has always felt like I replaced her and Kenny has done his best with her (from my pov, obviously I don’t know everything) but she has in general made it her mission in life to make me miserable. I avoid her most of the time.
Kenny is sick, he’s most likely gonna recover. But he’s in the hospital. I’m scared, so is Lara so everyone’s on edge.
Kenny is trying to sort out who to give what to, he’s fairly well-off and has always been a very well organised man, so he just wants to be prepared, just in case. I think he’ll be fine and he promises he’ll be fine but he still wants to be prepared.
Some of the more sentimental things like rings (male rings), my mum’s stuff and pictures are going to me because he thought I’d appreciate them more since Lara is a little less for the sentimental things. This is not to say Lara would be getting no sentimental things just less than me.
Lara called e a few days ago and told me I had to tell Kenny I didn’t want that stuff. I was confused, 1) This is not a conversation you have with a sick man, especially since he isn’t actually dying. 2) I do want that stuff, I’m a pretty sentimental person, unlike Lara.
She told me to stop being argumentative and that I shouldn’t even be getting anything because I’m not his real kid. I’m getting progressively angrier by this point. It’s not even like he’s actually going to die, she’s acting like this is a life-or-death situation. I told her no, I will not be haranguing a sick man about who he wants what to go to and hung up.
She called me again and said that I’m being an absolute asshole, its her dad who’s sick and this is not the time to be creating a fuss, just do what she says. But I don’t want to.
I know I’m being stubborn but this isn’t easy for me either. I really don’t think I’m the asshole but she is right. Its her dad. This isn’t even that big of a deal. Am I being an asshole for not just keeping the peace?