It’s never been a secret that Jill Duggar and Derick Dillard haven’t been on good terms with her dad Jim Bob Duggar for a very long time. Between their docuseries Shiny Happy People and her book, Counting the Cost, Jill has been very open about the things that have gone wrong in her relationship with her parents, and that means she hasn’t spent nearly as much time around her dad as she once did. But after a photo shared on Christmas made it appear everything was good between her, Derick, and Jim Bob, Derick is setting the record straight.
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It all started with an Instagram post from Jill's younger brother, James.
While sharing photos from their family’s Christmas celebration, fans spotted Jill and Derick in the background, sitting on a couch and seemingly engaged in conversation with Jim Bob. Some took it to mean that things were improving in their relationship with Jill’s dad, but according to Derick, the photo doesn’t tell the whole story.
Derick shared a lengthy response to the speculation on Instagram.
In a comment on a post from People magazine that said Jill and Derick were “seen mingling” with Jim Bob, Derick let loose.
“I don’t think being ambushed, by being unknowingly photographed with someone youâre at odds with and do not respect, is considered âmingling,'” he wrote. âThe truth is that Jim Bob approached me while we were there on Christmas Day, and that is when the photo was taken.”
It sounds like Derick believes that he and Jill were set up.
âI have spoken to Jim Bob less than 10 minutes since the last time I was at that house over a year ago (and I happened to be photographed, unbeknownst to me, by the same person then as well),” he continued.
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The person Derick's talking about is James.
Not only did he post the photo that showed Jim Bob, Jill, and Derick chatting in the background this year, but last Christmas, he also shared a photo of the couple standing in Jim Bob and Michelle’s kitchen, chatting with Jedediah. From what Derick’s saying, it sounds like they would have preferred to have been left out of these posts.
âThere were over 100 people, the house is 8000 square feet, and Santa Clause was there, so this isnât your typical intimate family gathering,â Derick wrote in his comment.
Derick doesn't want people to get the wrong idea about where they stand with Jill's parents.
âWeâre trying to be civil for the sake of our family, but that doesnât mean everything is all hunky dorey, and it sure doesnât mean that Iâm not going to comment when people try to warp reality for their own purposes,â he concluded.
If they’re going to repair their relationship, it seems Jim Bob, Jill, and Derick still have a long way to go. Maybe James should leave them out of the Christmas Instagram post next time …
