Step-family can be a very confusing and fraught situation to navigate sometimes.

Especially when there’s some residual bitterness to deal with.

AITA for not checking on my dad’s pregnant girlfriend when she was in the hospital while he was out of town?

My dad and I (17M) don’t have the greatest relationship and never really had.

It was one of the reasons my parents divorced and he was always very emotionally distant with me.

That hasn’t really changed.

He started dating Mona two years ago and they’re expecting a baby together.

Her pregnancy has been really complicated so she was hospitalized several weeks ago and she hasn’t come out of the hospital since.

I don’t know any details other than that.

That is, no doubt, an incredibly stressful and frightening situation.

My dad had to work out of town for two weeks last month, which isn’t unusual for him.

He’s done it almost my whole life.

He wanted me to check on Mona and visit her while he was gone.

I told him upfront I wasn’t doing that but he told me it was important and I should want to check on the baby at least.

But this kid just wants no part of any of it.

But I didn’t want to check on Mona or the baby so I didn’t check on her.

After two days dad called to yell at me and I hung up on him.

He ended up cutting his work trip short because Mona went into premature labor.

Dad expected me to go be with her until he got there and I refused.

He got there and they stopped it but then my dad turned his attention to me.

Suddenly, dad is VERY involved in his life.

The last three or four weeks are the most he’s ever contacted me. Like ever.

And it’s all to berate me for not checking in on her and going to her when he asked me to.

He asked me what kind of son I was and I told him I’m a good son to the mom who was a real parent to me and a disinterested son to the disinterested dad in my life.

Gonna have to check back into the hospital – burn unit this time.

I think Mona had the baby since because she went into labor again.

I’m not 100% sure of that but I think so and he’s still trying to scream at me for not visiting.

AITA?

Let’s see what the comments make of this:

The roles are clearly off here.

I mean, the audacity.

What would the point even be?

Dad needs to get a few things straight.

If you enjoyed that story, read this one about a mom who was forced to bring her three kids with her to apply for government benefits, but ended up getting the job of her dreams.