I adopted my stepchildren after their biological father abandoned them but now they're teenagers and they romanticize him and act like I'm the villain for taking his place.
More people experience this than they realize.
The human need to make meaning from abandonment can transform the person who stayed into the obstacle to the fantasy of who might return.
“Where Are You with Stepparenting and blended family dynamics?”
If this sounds familiar, the Library can help you find the bigger picture.