Partner (M31) goes to family birthday tomorrow, the sister I actually like a lot. I’m (F40) happy for him and also just realized that I am after almost a year of no contact. I love it! I saw her once around Easter last year, but no texts or visits for months before that.

We zoomed on Christmas because I was pregnant, didn’t want to risk covid. We lost the baby during the second trimester, and they were less than supportive. When I visited on Easter they didn’t acknowledge when I brought up Larkin RIP and got weird. After the meal they passed around baby pictures! I was sobbing, they ignored it and kept looking at baby pictures, SIL saying things like “That’s when she was pregnant with you!” while I was audibly sobbing. I left the room to cry alone. My partner found me and when he went to the living room, they were all still there - every last woman in his family, passing around and looking at baby/pregnancy pictures together. He had to ask them to put them away.

A year prior, when I shared with MIL 1:1 that we had been trying for kids, had already had a couple losses, and were in infertility treatments — she told me that her son and myself shouldn’t have children. She never worked a day in her life and has no degree, but we both have post graduate work, and have worked our asses off. Looks like she’s never having grandchildren, despite being a former SAHM of three who desperately wants them.

I am so glad I took my space. My partner is 100% behind me, understanding, and barely wants to go there himself, but his sister is kickass - so he will do it for her.

Tl;dr Coming at you from the other side of no contact and it’s phenomenal.