my husband had a similar story, he had never seen my son (15 now). I cant believe I felt pity for the man, we were all at a family wedding. My husband's cousin, his father's niece. As my husband's mother, had kept in touch and exchanged presents over the years this was the first time that the two were due to meet face to face. His father walked into the reception, no one invited him to sit on their table so he turned an left. My husband's mother the women scorned had a table of close family. She might have been left poor - she did have years of misery but to me as the observer of the years of hurt - this was a satisfactory conclusion. Was he really a winner?