He’s Feeling Confused That His Older Stepbrothers Finally Started Being Really Nice To Him After Their Parents Announced Their Divorce
If you have a step-sibling, you know how complex the relationship can be. Some kids find ways to instantly connect with their stepbrother or stepsister, while others need time to adjust to having that new relationship in their life.
One teenager is feeling confused after his older stepbrothers decided to finally show him some kindness and support after their parents announced they were getting a divorce.
He’s 19 and has two stepbrothers – Andrew, who’s 25, and Josh, who’s 23. His mom started dating their dad when he was 6, and they married five years later.
“My stepdad was cheating on Andrew and Josh’s mom with my mother, and that’s why my stepbrothers’ parents broke up,” he explained.
“I have never asked about the affair or what my mom knew, but my mother and stepdad eventually got married, so I guess some assumptions can be made.”
Over the years, Andrew and Josh struggled to have a good relationship with their dad and spent most of their time at their mom’s house. Meanwhile, he lived with his mom and stepdad full-time throughout his teenage years until he graduated high school and started college two years ago.
Because of their living situation and his stepbrothers’ rocky history with their dad, he never got to bond with his stepbrothers. This was disappointing, considering he always wanted them to get along.
However, a major announcement from his parents recently changed their relationship dynamic drastically.
After finishing exam season, his mom and stepdad revealed they were getting a divorce.
Koegelenberg/peopleimages.com – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purposes only, not the actual people
“It was a shock, and I am sad about it,” he said.
“As soon as Andrew and Josh found out, I knew they called me to check in and offer support, and both told me to call them if I need to talk.”
As if his stepbrothers’ sudden change of heart wasn’t surprising enough, they took things one step further and traveled to his college town five days later to visit and spend time with him.
He moved to college two years ago, and his stepbrothers had never bothered to visit before.
During their visit, Andrew and Josh said to him all the things he would’ve loved to have heard from them years ago when they first became step-siblings.
They said they’d always be there for him and that no matter what happens to their parents, it won’t impact their relationship.
Andrew and Josh also finally referred to him as their brother and told him they loved him, which was rare in the past.
It’s been over a month since his stepbrothers visited him, and they’re still diligently checking in.
When he recently told them he was going through a hard time having to live at home for the summer while their parents were still sorting out their divorce, Andrew offered to buy him a plane ticket to stay with him at his place for a few weeks.
As touching as Andrew and Josh’s sentiments were, he couldn’t help but feel confused about why they never acted this way while their parents were still happily together.
“These are the brothers I always wanted, but I don’t understand why they didn’t show up until the divorce,” he added.
“We just started a brother’s group chat last week, for example. I feel unsure if I can even trust them right now because it doesn’t make sense we’d grow closer post-divorce.”
He wonders if Andrew and Josh are being genuine or if they’re doing this to somehow mess with their parents.
He worries that this affection from his stepbrothers will only be temporary, and one day, they’ll stop this constant communication.
He’s unsure if he should speak to Andrew and Josh and doesn’t know how to confront them about their sudden change.
Should he speak to Andrew and Josh about his feelings or just let it go and enjoy his time with them?
You can read the original post on Reddit here.
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