Grants Neglect Toward Vivian

     As we know, Vivian and Grant have this relationship going throughout the story. Even though Vivian is married she is waiting on her divorce and so they kind of have to be careful where they are seen together, even though everyone knows, because she doesn't want to get the kids taken away. As much as they love each other, you can see through various actions that Grant is neglectful to Vivian throughout their relationship.
     In chapters 3-6, you can start to see that Grant does not to care for other peoples problems and/or concerns.  Grant has these spontaneous moments where he tries to get Vivian and the kids to go off somewhere with him. He fails to realize that there is more to it than just packing up ones bags and leaving. Vivian has a life of her own which she needs to resolve before she can start a new page of her life. She also has a career and two children that have a father that wants to stay in contact with them. She can't just up and go with all of them. Grant fails to realize these things because he is blinded by his ideas and what he wants to do. In chapter 15, after Vivian's surprise visit to the house, you can really feel the tension and the neglect from Grant. He doesn't seem to treat her as an equal. When they were in the kitchen at his Aunts house, he basically told her what to do and to not question him. Not only that, after Tante Lou's questions, when they go out on the porch he is insensitive to Vivian's comments about both of their families. Sometimes I even wonder if he thinks before speaking with Vivian. He says that his family's reaction is "far from being the same thing" as the situation between her and her husbands issues. Didn't he realize that after he said that she became very quiet? Silence usually means that something is wrong due to what you said or did! Come on Grant, I didn't think he was that insensitive. Grant needs to realize the things he says and does affect her just as much as him. He needs to let her in and not shut her out because their problems are "different".
     We don't know much about Vivian besides that she loves Grant. When it comes down to it, how much can Vivian take from Grant before she says something about the way he treats her sometimes? I think she should just tell him straight how things are and how he can't just decide to pack and go when things get though. Grant's self-centered qualities not only inhibit but even prevent him from appreciating the people who surround him.