Ami serial by Riva Pomerantz Take 2

chestnut

Sat, Oct 01 2022, 10:48 pm

I'm trying to figure out Aryeh's mother. It looks like his father is abusive, Aryeh has been helping her and his siblings emotionally and doing things for them, also helping in her bakery.
Her demanding text at the end, though, isn't one of an abused woman. She most definitely has some major emotional or mental issues.
Poor Miri Sad

amother

Apple

Sat, Oct 01 2022, 11:21 pm

chestnut wrote:

Did she write explicitly in any point of the story that it’s the father who is the abusive one? Maybe it really is the mother who has issues and she manipulates her son into believing that his father is the bad guy. Like she wrote this week that the walls that heard all the screaming just moments before, or something like that. Maybe it’s the mother who said some terrible words? Same with the phone call Miri’s mother overheard, she never mentions who said those awful words, only that they were words that should never be said.

Genius

Sat, Oct 01 2022, 11:33 pm

The crazy part is that Miri is not just an afterthought to her husband. She is a nice accessory he will go to when he has extra time. At least the hidden envelope says as much.
I hope the birth is the slap in the face that will make him take a good long look at his marriage, and perhaps consider therapy.

chestnut

Sat, Oct 01 2022, 11:56 pm

amother Apple wrote:

Hm, anything is possible. That would be an interesting twist, actually. I understood from this week that Aryeh witnessed the fight, but it didn't explicitly say so.
I don't recall, Miri's mother didn't mention the father saying those words?
Aryeh mentioned to his friend how he can't get an advice from his rebbi or anyone because his father is very influential or what it'll do to his image or something like that.

amother

Moccasin

Sun, Oct 02 2022, 1:16 am

amother Aster wrote:

Being needy to this extent that you are ruining your sons life and marriage Chas v shalom is not a “just” thing
The codependent person is probably aryeh
And someone should straighten him out fast because if he thinks anyone can do this to a wife and get away with it the answer is no way no how

This. I believe Aryeh has a need to be the saviour for his mother and family. He needs the feeling that only he can save the day, and therefore his personal needs, including his new wife, needs to be put on hold.

We don’t know what came first, the chicken or the egg…is he like this because his family situation, or is he this way because he needs to be the knight in shining armour.

That said, I’m really enjoying this story.

Classicookie

Sun, Oct 02 2022, 12:57 pm

This weeks was so crazy this will be a wake up call or Miri’s last straw . I like that we don’t totally know what’s going on at his parents it kind of makes you understand Miri more this was the first kinda glimpse of it . Also I think this story Unfortunately is realistic but shutting off the phone for hours missing the birth of his baby and only had gone home to be there for a little bit bec his wife is going to be in a mood he’s just missing something. Or so busy with his parents he’s not even working on his marriage .

amother

Nemesia

Sun, Oct 02 2022, 1:13 pm

Personally, I think the title being "Take 2" implies they're going to separate and then eventually get back together when he realizes how unhealthy his relationship with his mother is. Also - I don't think his mother is abusive, just very needy and unable to cope with a busy household as well as a business coupled with an extremely demanding and difficult/abusive husband. She needs the help Aryeh provides so desperately, that she isn't able to think rationally about the fact that he has a life too. Even without him being married, he is unable to be in yeshiva because she is so dependent upon him.
Also my HS daughter thinks Mrs Teighman may be related somehow (Aryehs father's mother who doesn't have a relationship with her kids so they don't know her) That would be a cool plot twist!!

amother

Aster

Sun, Oct 02 2022, 4:39 pm

maybe they don't have a relationship with her because she is also like bpd personality disordered and that could explain why aryeh's father married someone like her...but really who knows...I do know I would be freaking out if any of my kids married into such a dysfunctional mess R"L.

amother

Nemesia

Sun, Oct 02 2022, 4:55 pm

Quote:

maybe they don't have a relationship with her because she is also like bpd personality disordered and that could explain why aryeh's father married someone like her.

Mrs Teighman definitely doesn't have bpd. She just has a sad life, was married to an abusive or difficult man and for some reason does not have a relationship with her children. It sounds like her ex-husband is the one with BPD because he convinced the children to not have a relationship with their mother. Being raised in a home like that would inevitably cause Aryeh's father (if he's Mrs Teighman's son) to be abusive as well. It was mentioned at some point that Aryeh's father grew up in a difficult home. That's where my daughter got the idea that may be Mrs Teighman is Aryeh's father's mother. But who knows

Cookies n Cake

Fri, Oct 07 2022, 12:06 am

amother Nemesia wrote:

So what did ppl think of this week's installment?

What happened this week? I didn’t get a chance to buy ami this week

amother

Quince

Fri, Oct 07 2022, 12:29 am

Cookies n Cake wrote:

What happened this week? I didn’t get a chance to buy ami this week

While Aryeh is at his mom's, Miri goes in to early labor but can't reach her husband. Her mother takes her to the hospital, she has an emergency c section, baby is 3 months early. Aryeh opened his phone after leaving his mom's, to many missed calls and texts from his wife and MIL. He missed the birth.

amother

Nemesia

Fri, Oct 07 2022, 12:38 am

amother Quince wrote:

That was last week. This week Miri and Aryeh have an intense conversation and she basically threatens him that she will leave him if he doesn't come to therapy. He says that they are both tired and that they should make a final decision tomorrow but he doesn't really believe in therapy.

amother

Quince

Fri, Oct 07 2022, 12:40 am

amother Nemesia wrote:

Oh, I didn't read the sukkos issue yet, don't spoil it!

amother

Nemesia

Fri, Oct 07 2022, 12:41 am

amother Quince wrote:

Oh, I didn't read the sukkos issue yet, don't spoil it!

Sorry!! I was trying to be deliberately vague.
Should I delete my post?

Super2020

Sat, Oct 08 2022, 4:03 pm

What did he respond to his mother???
(I’m in Israel for succos and hopefully will pick up the ami tomorrow. Seriously ran around town for it but apparently it’s coming in tomorrow….)