No More Waiting on a Husband Who Never Chose Me

Damian Weiss had a severe germophobia.

The first time my mother visited our home, he stood in the doorway and sprayed disinfectant three times.

She asked, carefully, whether she might use the bathroom.

Instead he pulled me aside.

"Old people have bad hygiene habits. Don't push me to put up with it."

That day I walked two kilometers with my mother before we found a public restroom.

The whole way back, she kept saying it was fine.

But I saw her wipe her eyes when she thought I wasn't looking.

After that, she wouldn't even step into our complex.