Walking away from the hospital I was aware of my ex watching me the whole way. Standing there looking as though he was pained, yearning, sad to say good bye. I had seen that stance so many times before, an act for the audience, anyone watching would describe a man in love. 

Knowing what he is doing, knowing what he has done, it is remarkable he feels no embarrassment to play a part he burnt so long ago.

Just how, the weeks before he left, he repeated lines word for word from movies to me as though they were his own, here he was playing a part he seemed to forget I had seen before.

His request for me to remain his next of kin swirled around in my mind, it failed to wash away with the suds in the shower the following morning as I realised it was a burden he had placed on me for the duration of his illness.

Leaving the children at school, childcare with friends arranged, dinner cooked ahead of time, beds ready made I made my way back to the place I could not breath. I had no desire to see him vulnerable, playing another part in another plot line. I also had no desire to receive a phone call from surgeons, an emergency decision none of his family making it there to help. As he told me the day before, who knows who would make it, and if it would be the ones he wanted to be there. I had to be able to look our children in the eyes and let them know I did more than I wanted, but all that I could. I had not let his monstrous ways remove my humanity.

On arrival to the hospital I was shown to the family room in the recovery bay, a room filled with silence and memories of the many times I had waited whilst he held our lives in his hands. How would I feel if the person who created so much of our pain ceased to be? How would I feel if I never had to answer a call from the person who had me wishing I never had to breath again? An expanse of solitude stretched in front of me and engulfed me as the hours went by waiting for news of the surgery. Conversations with the children playing in my mind, what would I be having to tell them at the end of it all?

Texts and calls began to arrive on my phone. His sister, no contact for years, no concern for the children as though they were no longer family now her brother had disposed of us. So utterly telling from a woman who claimed she feared him, who he over heard telling me that he was the child no parent in the family cared for. There was was, feeling she now had a reason to ask of me, get information from me of what was happening, claiming it was because she was considering my feelings.

Although when they all arrived in the family room, her considerations towards me did not extend to a civil hello. The woman who sat and expected to be waited on every visit to my home, who sat and critiqued my child rearing despite having no children of her own, who sat and told me repeatedly of how her brothers had all married women who wanted to dupe the family. All except me that is, I was her favourite, until his abuse was too obvious, too exposed to hide.

In a family of a sizable nature it is likely more than one manipulator exists.


A surprise turn of events was his oldest brother. The one they called dangerous, the one they said hated my very being, the one he did not want near our children as he had controlled him and silenced him all his life. Who was then the only one to greet me and thank me for being there despite everything. To behave with what seemed to be a genuine respect that left me dumbfounded. This is the brother my abuser blamed for being how he was, the brother he fought hard to keep me away from.

Sitting in the same room as people who bore witness, who watched as my abuser grew from misunderstood to calculating. People who watched as he went from supposedly shy, to controlling and judgmental. Moments in hospitals years before flooded into my mind. Helping his grandfather with a cramp moments before he passed to then be accused of having done so in case I could inherit something. Standing at the funeral with a new baby acutely aware that my abuser and his siblings were not known to that side of the family, were not truly welcome. The night of his grandfather's death in our B&B room another side to my loving husband unleashed itself, one I spent months recovering from, months where I listened to him and his family accuse me of everything they could.

Sitting in that room I had memories of sitting in a hospital corridor for hours. His father lay dying in a room deep within the walls I was told to sit outside of. Only family were to be in his room, I could not stay at home with the children, my ex was too distraught to drive on his own, too worried to be alone among his siblings, scared of facing this loss without me. Yet leaving our children at home I made my way to the hospital in another part of the country to sit on my own for hours as I was not family. To have his sister scream at me for not crying when she walked out of the room with the news, despite me having heard it hours before, despite the fact I sat thinking of my ex father in laws hands. The hands my then  husband used to hold our children, the hands I saw my son splay out as he went to stroke my face.


Sitting there in a room of these people who in the most acute moments had ripped at me, stabbed at me, spat all the venom they could, and here we were several of them behaving as though somehow they were the injured party. Across from me sat a woman, a few years older than my eldest child. Groomed as though on her way to a date, nails and mouth fresh as blood, tapping away at her phone. I had thought she sat waiting for a parent, someone she knew in surgery. Only to be introduced to her by one of the brothers. She put her phone down momentarily and flicked her head at me to then go back to tapping away at her screen. I went back to my thoughts, breathing my way through the waves of lava that washed over my skin. It was not until she left the room and I asked that I was told she was "his girlfriend, or ex- girlfriend or something that did not matter". 


Until then I had thought nothing of it, but thinking back it made sense, her utter lack of eye contact, complete disregard, fiddling constantly with a band on her ring finger. So close in age to my daughter I had not recognised the potential for her being the next one to fall pray to him. Telling though was his sister's regard for her, not once did she insist that it was only family as legally I was the only one to fall into that bracket. 

What followed was a confusing few hours, little information, a very long time in recovery, and the medical information being intercepted by the new woman in his life. Siblings asking if I had heard anything, a lot of pacing, and me siting breathing thinking of doing nothing without running the children through my head first. I was there for them, to be able to help them process what was to come. The rest, I did not want it, it was nothing to do with me.

As his sister rambled on about his laundry, his upkeep and care I looked her in the eye. Did she really think she could stand there in front of the woman he abused for years, the mother of his children and instruct me with the list of what had to happen? My response was simple " He has her, and he has you, I am for the children". Why did she or his latest squeeze feel I would fight for his colostomy bag? That dear women is all yours.

It did hit me watching them sob over him when he came out, laughing with him about what he had put everyone through as he apologised profusely to everyone, stretching his arm out towards me to hold my hand whilst his other hand remained in his fiancees, another finding during the wait. It hit me how not one of these people, including the father of my son was there as I sat on my own in a room as our son slid into an MRI machine. When his father emailed me to ask the percentage chance it was of any real concern, yet here they all were sobbing over a grown man who would not do the same for his child. Who did not show or believe me when our youngest was in A&E with septicemia. He called days later to ask my son if she had needed any medicine or was it something small.

I had done my duty, to every one and to myself. He was alive, he was as devious as ever, and he had a host of enablers around him. As I stood there his young fiancee rubbing his bare chest, both of them attached by the mouth repeatedly as we all watched I found myself thinking how I had ever seen anything where this shell of a person lay. He asked in front of everyone how the kids were, how their progress at school was, mocked how our son could not possibly being doing well. Laughed at the description of how fast he was growing and the pairs of shoes I was having to purchase. Not once did anyone consider how does this man know nothing about his children.

His fiancee schooled me on my own experience of birthing my children. My body, my children, my labour's, had been something he discussed with her to the point she felt she could correct me on how they were. He sat an laughed. I could describe what I felt only as disgust. At every person who stood there listening, at him for stripping me repeatedly of everything that was mine, re-framing it for his new story, to engage in the next set of lies. 

She lent over him adjusting his pillow, looking up at me as she pointed remarked "you look after everyone else, care about others too much, when we get home no more. Now it is about you."

Tears choked me as I could no longer speak, the only thing I wanted was to be home, with my children, to hold them tight, to be far away from the horrid putrid air surrounding him.

As she stepped away looking to watch I did not get to close to him, he looked over at me." I am sorry" he floundered " was there communication issues? I have no idea, I get a feeling something went wrong and it shouldn't have. I have no idea why she is here, I dumped her. I have no idea why she feels she can be here". So strange considering how willingly he was responding to her physically.

As I stepped away from his bedside after telling him his behaviour even in illness was lacking in any respect I was pulled aside by his medical team. For this act I will be forever grateful. Until now every person in authority has always been swayed by the privileged White male act he portrays, the charm, the bumbling ineptitude. 

Yet here I was having spent two days in his vicinity, emerged in the quagmire of what he brings with him, and they saw him. They saw the game with next of kin details, they saw the young woman child beside him who was intercepting important medical information, they saw the cold sister. 

"You are young, you are intelligent and you are free, go, and don't look back". Those words sent me reeling, someone had seen, the patterns had become clearer to others, and I knew then I no longer had to worry about feeling guilt, wondering if I should be doing more, placing myself in a position of undoing so many years of work.


Those words, "Go, don't look back" helped me as I sped home, not once looking back. Home to the children where I sat and explained the events of the past few days, as I held them for fear of them feeling lost. Knowing then that we were solid, he will pull out his stunts, he will throw grenades at us whenever possible, but we had inner peace. 

We are far away from him and the pain he brings, within our walls and in our sleep, he can no longer seep into us.

I spent several days unable to sleep or eat, several days back in a place I hoped never to occupy again. 

Memories of all the dreams I once had with this man, visions of all the life events that were manipulated and the pain inflicted on me. I remembered how much I had wished he no longer existed, and found myself plagued with guilt, as if I had bought it all about. 

Then I remembered how ill he became whenever I tried to leave him, whenever he felt his grasp on me loosening, and how little he cared when I became ill, the disappearances that occurred in those times, leaving me alone with the children. So grateful when he returned, vowing to not make such a fuss again.

It did not take long to find my focus, to see how the children would feel if they were exposed to what was to come. He asked to see them, started saying we all had to do counselling together, it was what the Macmillan people has insisted had to happen, the very thing the courts had agreed, the domestic violence groups had advised against - was the thing he was now trying to put in place. Getting me into a room, a situation similar to the marriage counselling we underwent for him to work on me, the counsellor, and create a new set of patterns.

It took several conversations with coercive control experts before I went breathing deeply and slowly across town, with a bag full of chocolates and drawings from our youngest to the hospital he stated he was at. Preparing my self to deal with any eventuality, to speak with the medical team and gauge how safe this was for the mental well being of the children. I cannot remember much of the journey, the people and places I passed by blurred by the noise in my head. The closer I drew to the hospital the heavier the air around me became. On entering the hospital I could not fathom why there were not more windows, the air had the quality of wet sand.

Arriving on the ward it took little time to locate the ward nurse who was confused as to why I was under the impression that he was seriously unwell. "He has surgery tomorrow, but he is fine" she snapped when I quietly told her I did not want to see him, I was there to purely decipher if this was a situation that would be emotionally manipulative for the children. Unfortunately the nurse was impatient and unable to spend the time to comprehend what was being asked, she strode off calling my ex/abuser to notify him I was there to see him.

The heat of the room, the stifling nature of the air around me increased as slowly, I made my way to his bed, aware I could not walk away from the situation. I found him eagerly tidying things away, pushing things into a cupboard and a tray of food away, exclaiming he had not been eating there was no good food to be had. As he limped towards me for a hug I stepped back suggesting he should not be up and about. He sat down exclaiming how happy he was to see me, how thankful he was I came. The entire time every inch of my body felt as though it was on fire. If there were other patients in the ward I cannot recall, I was aware of the man in front of me who was due for surgery, who accused me of abusing him, who put me and our children through years of pain. The man who had put little thought into the lives of the children since he walked out with a bin bag telling me I was an awful ugly being. Who now sat smiling, chattering away about the room he was in before, how useless the nurses were, how he was so happy I was there. 

 

Emotional abuse creates a cognitive dissonance, a situation where you cannot trust your instincts, a situation where the person who tried to break you then behaves as though you are the center of their universe. Leaving you to feel at odds with the reality of what happened, and if it had happened at all.

There we were, the same pattern unfolding, the same manipulative game being played. A coy smile on his face, softly spoken words, a sudden concern for what I must be going through.

I stood holding myself, a distance away, the whole time watching as though I were above us both looking down as it all unfolded. As I asked for the details, the prognosis so far, the medical words used he began to look around the room, "I haven't been able to get any air today can you walk with me? We can grab a coffee and discuss it all". I did not want to break bread with this man, I could not imagine sitting at a table with him anywhere, my stomach churned as we walked, becoming aware of the people around watching.

Entering the lift a panic set in, I had to remind myself we are in a hospital, cameras all around, witnesses everywhere, and he is not as mobile as usual. Slowly the periphery of my vision cleared and came into focus, in time to see the coffee shop  behind us. "I would like some air, the hospital one is awful" he laughed as he caught the expression on my face. Crossing the road outside the hospital, I expressed concern about him being away from medical staff,he assured me he had his phone and they were used to it. Which became obvious as soon as we entered the cafe as he was on first name basis with the women in their. Of course, why would I assume anything different? "You know what I am like" he said finishing of his exchange with them.

Sitting down at a table with him was probably something I thought I would never do again, I am clear it was something I wished to never do again. Looking at him I saw a shell, a thief, someone who took who I was, who stole my dreams and moulded a life around it all, reflecting it back to convince me he was someone when all he was, all he is is a shell.

I looked across the road at the hospital sign unable to look back at the mask across from me. "I am so glad this has bought us back together like this, sad it took this though" he sighed smiling, bending forward to hold my gaze.

Recovering from years of coercive control is a long process, one littered with set backs and days of sheer exhaustion. As time goes by, the deeper you work, you find longer periods of time of feeling at peace. The ground does not shift so often, the walls around you do not suddenly disappear without warning. Slowly, hesitantly each day turns to months, and dare I say the future becomes a concept worthy of dabbling in.

After our terrifying months of family court, of going over the past and remembering just how often and to what extent the person we loved had manipulated us, deceived us, created falsehoods everywhere we turned. After starting the year this way we reached summer gasping for breath, aching for a place to lay down for a little while. For months we slowed down our plans and I ploughed love into the children, with every act I tried to instill  a certainty in them that our unit our world was immovable where ever we lived, however our surroundings may change, I will remain the constant against the storm that whipped itself around us. 

As the weeks drifted by we all slept, ate well, enjoyed the air and sun offered to us all this summer. Friends visited, we laughed, we began to exhale as it dawned slowly that he could not put us through the family courts again, that now he had to adjust his behaviour if he were ever to repair anything with the children. Slowly the visits reduced, the calls were waited for and never happened, the children stopped asking, when they spoke of him, the divulged they preferred it this way. 

Silence.


Then the calls began, the texts, always a Dr, always looking for him, for him to get in touch, to get his results.

Repeated requests to him to change his details, asking why my number would be in his files. Always an excuse, the Dr's fault, the receptionist, someone, anyone but him.


Considering this has happened in clusters a few times over the years, including the time I left him and a GP was in touch to say he was suicidal, leading me to fear I was to blame, and letting me back into the family home; I did all I could to keep the kids shored, and myself guarded.

Again a silence.

Until a message to tell me he had lost the ability to walk, had cancer in his spine and was about to be operated on. He said he needed me to bring the children to the hospital, wanted to see them.

​ 

The sleepless night's that followed I had hoped would never come back, naively I had thought whatever else that he would bring would be a hurdle placed before me before, one that may be painful but one I had over come. But then I was faced with his mortality, the person I had had children with, had once believed I would grow old with was with little warning in a place where his existence was in question.

This same person had devastated our lives, had hurt us so deeply at our core, and had not stopped doing so, without ever acknowledging fault whilst feeding everyone else stories woven from yet more lies. 

How do you deal with that stage in recovery? When that moment is a time you believe to be decades away , what is a person meant to do when the person who shreds their being spins the world again to become the weaker one?

We have all noticed when lighting candles, the moment we tip the original flame towards the new to be lit wick, the wax pooling to one side, the flame burns brighter than it did before.


Saying this in a discussion a while back to someone speaking about sharing their talent, sharing their experiences, I was struck by how often we as humans, fear losing what we have gained in offering to share it with others.


However if we cannot be hurt by someone without their being a hook within us for them to hold onto, lighting someone's darkness for a small moment can hurt very little, but illuminate and guide in a way we cannot fathom.

Gradually I have been learning how to take care of myself, to heal, and see my experiences instead of running from them. This year I have finally begun, with the courage to say no - without explanation. A lesson that has taken year's to make it's mark. So much damage, but the realisation has dawned, I do not and am not obliged to make others feel good about themselves at my expense.

It has been a devastating and exhausting few year's, untangling so much.

This year I hope in learning to put my self worth into practice I can also let that flame when present to light someone else's way, even if it for a small part of their way.

Burn bright, and thank you for all your kind messages.

 

It has has been a traumatic, tumultuous few years.

An enormous education in resilience, friendship, understanding.


I have not been posting as regularly as I set out, however those of you who email, and follow me on FaceBook will know, I have been actively writing, and advocating in the field of domestic violence and gender politics this whole while.


Your communication, and support has been invaluable to me.


After several illnesses with my children, and my own PTSD, I kept writing under various guises, and spent a large time learning, reading, supporting whilst I held my family tight.



In order to help other's I felt it was important for me to truly understand what had happened to me, the nature of cluster B personalities, how I did not see it, and what the gaps were in the support for survivors everywhere.


I am ready to launch what I began, and to those who have been there, whispering encouragement, sitting with me in conversation, and in silence, my love and compassion is with you.


It will take some adjustment, I will be re-launching with the format, and ideas intended. No more shadows, no more hiding, the me that has been emerging is here for all to see.



​I hope you will stick with me.

I love you. I have loved you since the moments I laid my eyes on you. I left you alone for years thinking you would never have me, thinking you would never look at me. I tried my best to make a life, but your very being haunted my soul. I love you totally, with my very being.
​




I cannot believe we are finally together. You are so beautiful. No one has ever made me feel this way. You are the very reason my heart beats. When I close my eyes your face is emblazoned behind my lids. When I heard this song over the years all I saw was you.

Everyone knows how much I love you, how I have pined for you, longed for you. I wish words could express the way I feel for you, but words fall short. I love you, I am yours always.

Last night my brother and I spent two hours talking about how amazing you are. My feelings never faded for you, and never will. Your eyes haunt my every waking hour.

I miss you. I dreamt about you. Since I left your city many years ago my life has been missing a light. Now you are mine my life is whole. I love you. My life is empty without you.
I know you are going through a lot, just know I love you, and will be there if you will have me or not.
The world is a blur, all I can see, think, feel is you.


You are above everything else in my life. Wish you were here. Each day I am apart from you gets harder, and hurts. My life will never be complete until I am with you. I will try to make you happy for the rest of your life. I love you always. I miss you every single moment. I am consumed by my love for you. I will love you always the way I love you right now.There will always be apart of me missing until I can be with you forever.

My heart is empty when you are not here. I promise I will spend the rest of my life trying to make you happy. With my entire soul I love you. I love you without question, and I will continue to do so forever. I never told you Barefoot and broken was written about you.

You obsess my every thought. I love your replies to me, keep them coming. Thanks for listening today, you really cheered me up. I will spend my whole life trying to make you happy.
I am at home watching crap on TV and missing you like crazy. Good morning Babe. My friends all say congratulations. Everyone thinks you are amazing.

I love you more than my existence. Hoping you're having a good night out, haven't been able to reach you.
I miss you, your fiance.
You fill me with so much happiness where I had none. You are all I think about, I cannot even work. I find words redundant, they never express how I feel for you. I am eternally grateful to you for showing me what it feels like to be loved.

De profundis amore. I exist for you. Of all the millions of people I have met in the world, none have lit up my soul like you. You are the love of my life. Give a kiss to your baby for me.

I cannot exist without you.

You never have to say sorry to me, you could never do anything to upset me. No day feels right without you by my side. Everything that is happening here, I can only think of you. Only you make me truly happy.
I love you for eternity.

If I asked you to marry me would you say yes?

Help, I am besieged by ya-ya's and toffs. Hope you are enjoying the party. Thinking of you all the time.
I exist only for you.

You are always in my dreams. The happiness you make me feel is immeasurable. I will try to make you happy forever. You light up my soul. Having a baby with you would be the most amazing thing that could happen to me. Our baby would be the most beautiful baby ever born.

I could spend every night not sleeping and just talking this way. My heart beats for you. No one ever cared for me the way you do. You look after me so well. When I lived with them I never said anything, as they had their child to look after, but there was no food for me unless I ate at work.
Don't ever apologise, you only do what is right for us. I am a doofus............................ You show me compassion that no one has ever shown me.....

​I love you. You are an amazing mother. How do you do that? How do you so easily show love and emotion to her? You have no fear or hesitation to bare your feelings to her. We never showed emotions growing up. No one in my family would ever say I love you. Thank you for loving me, for looking after me, for showing me care I have never experienced. ...................................................................


​I find it hard to find words. I am not good at expressing my true emotions. I am feeling immense love right now but I am obviously not showing it very well.

It is not disrespect to come home at this time. You know I went to work, then we all went for drinks,where else would I be.You never listen.You are so difficult.I can't stand this..........I love you.

I am sorry, I get frustrated. I don't know how to process how badly I behaved, then feel ashamed at treating you badly when all you do is treat me so well. I will think carefully before I speak the next time there is an issue.

I can't wait to grow old together. Can you imagine the both of us old and crinkly madly in love and horny as hell? You are so beautiful. I have never met someone who looks so perfect as you. It is as if you were drawn. Everywhere you go people look at you. No one looks at me, do they?

You are so talented, you can do anything you want to. You are so clever, I have never been so clever, I am just a bumbling little boy from a land across the water where we know little about nothing. You are so elegant, you make everything look easy. When can we get married? I just want you to be my wife now. I love you so much. I can't imagine my life without you. ...........................................................

I just can't make you happy can I? Am I supposed to spend my whole life trying? I did do that, you just didn't see it or want to believe it.

It was no one, a wrong number. No,I wasn't on the line for so long, stop being so suspicious, I hung up straight away. I wasn't speaking to anyone you must have imagined it. You are tired got to bed. You haven't been feeling well for a long time , I think it is taking it out of you.

What would I do without you? If something happened to you my life would end. Without you I don't exist..........................

I told you I had to go for this work thing. I am sure I did. Well it is just some place in the country. What would happen? You look after them both when I am at work. Are you going to make me feel guilty now by pretending you didn't know? You are unbelievable, nothing ever makes you happy. I work so hard, do nothing for myself, and the moment I want to you try to stop me...............

Where did I go? I spent days roaming around thinking about taking a rope from the boot of the car and hanging myself. You are driving me crazy. Nothing I do is good enough.
.......................................................................................................................................................

Lie down here baby. Don't worry I will look after you. Look at you, you are so unwell, you work so hard for us all, looking after the house, the kids, work, let me take some of that off you, and you just sit down. I will do everything you don't have to think about a thing.

No, why would I need new clothes? You're always looking after us all, treat yourself, buy something nice for you.

My brother told me I should do this, it is the best move for my career. So I should listen to you about it? He has known me my whole life, and my industry, this new guy is from my land, he will look after me like no one else would. He appreciates family, will give us the best balance we could have...............

I am sorry but they just need me to do doubles all this week. I know you are in the hospital but they don't care about that, we can't open if I come away. He is not happy about the time at appointments, thank you, that would be great. If anything serious happens just call me. ......................................................................................................................................................................................

I had to go, you gave me no choice, you want answers and I have no answers to what you ask. You are so difficult to love. You can't just be nice can you? Just polite, agreeable? Everyone else finds it easy, but no you always have to have something.

Some. Little. Thing. Always.

I am an easy guy, don't want much in life, don't need anything......................You are amazing. I can't take my eyes off you wherever you are in the room. Every man in this room envies me. I am the luckiest man in the world.

You don't have to do that job, do whatever you want to do.

What will we do for childcare then? No I don't want my children to be in full time care either. At boarding school I ate toothpaste because I was so hungry. Sometimes they left me there at the weekend and just picked up the others.

You are the most intelligent person I know, You can be whatever you wanted to be when you are ready....................................

Missing you. Everyone at work gets so bored because all I do is talk about you all day. You could do everyone's work here hands down. Actually please do. Some of the women who work here are so thick. It's ya-ya and Jimmy Choos. They wouldn't know a spreadsheet if it slapped them across the face. Tell me you'll come and work for me instead?

Well there is a company policy, no spouses. One day, one day you will show them all............................................

It will be huge, will be so boring though. Listening to all these people I can't stand drivel on about their stupid opinions, and arse wipe ideas when I could be at home with you?

If only you could have seen it, it was beautiful, you would love it, I will take you there. It was such a painful night, every minute I just thought of you, and how I wish we were wrapped up together. If I won the lottery tomorrow I would blow them all away. .....................
I missed you I thought I would pick you up. No worries you can go for drinks if you want I don't mind, I just wanted to say Hi because I  missed you, I'll take the kids and head back and get some dinner. You go on, have fun, stay out as late as you like. No no I'll put them to bed, you get out there, I just thought I would get the kids together and say hi................................................................................

What do you want to know? They are just people I work with, all really boring. I could take you in and show you around if you want. But you won't be impressed, it's a boring bunch, and you will be surprised I work there. I would feel ashamed for you to see me with people not so clever or glamorous as you would work with................................

They loved you. Everyone kept telling me how beautiful you are. You are so clever, I told you, everyone was going on about how clever my wife was, and how they couldn't believe you had children, and together we both look so young.............................

Oh no I would never hang out with these people out of work. I would prefer to be with you, I don't need anyone else. I don't want to do a sport, I am too tired, and never get to see you. Yes we went to school together, but we don't have anything in common anymore. They just want to blow money in toff places, daddy this daddy that, no one has done anything for themselves. They don't know what real life is...............................................

I only took everyone's number for you babe. I wanted them all to like you at your new job, so if I came and kept up with them I could tell them all how amazing you are..................................................I don't want you working there, it worries me, you are not safe there.......................

If I take this job I get to make up for all the other ones I messed up. I now know the mistakes I made, I can stay focused, and not mess up again. We will have the life we always wanted.....................

They love you, everyone raved about how beautiful you are. They couldn't believe how young you look, and that you had children. You could easily run rings around these people. You are amazing. He is a tyrant, he doesn't know much, just how to walk around like he does. He won't let me take the time off. ......................

You never. Never. You never know how to deal with things.

You just swipe it under the carpet. Well done you.Thought you went six months without arguing with me and now you are a saint? Oh look everyone, she managed to keep quiet and now that means she can deal with things. That's right just stay quiet, you never know how to deal with anything.........


I didn't do anything. I just tapped you. You do not walk away from me when I am speaking to you. Go on cause a drama, sit there acting like you are hurt. Me? Me? Call the police then. Everyone knows what I am like, I am an easy guy, don't know how to say things properly, I am sure the neighbours would agree you were the one shouting. ...................Get up. Get up and get yourself together, how dare you ruin Christmas for the children. They are heart broken and scared................I will get on with dinner...................it is probably ruined now.
The kids.
I take you out for a simple meal, it is so beautiful and you just can't be grateful can you? I did not throw the pen at you. You were being ungrateful. You just ruined it all for us.

I had to get it for you, I know how much you loved it. It is ok, don't worry about that, you deserve everything in the world. I wish I could get you more, shower you with everything you should have. You are just perfect, you do not have a single flaw. You should never apologise. I am really bad at admitting fault, then I project it back. I am ashamed later I see it. You need to remember that, whatever I do you should always just think the best intentions are there, and it is not a reflection on you. You could never do anything wrong. I don't know anyone like you.

You have made me the happiest man in the world. I want for nothing. I have everything. My heart is so full it could burst.

She is no one, nothing, no idea who she is.......................................I love you.......................I could never. Never. Ever be with anyone else. Ever. It is a disgusting thought.

It is not mine, it was for a guy at work, he is a player, it was to wind him up. Why would I need one? I have you. Of course, you are beautiful. ............You are too clever anyway, if I ever did anything you would know straight away. I would be more stupid than we know I am if I thought I would get away with it.

I tried to get in touch with them. Unless they can apologise for their behaviour, and change I don't want to have anything to do with my family. Thank you, but there is no point in flying her here,we still have to face the rest of them some time.

You are amazing. All the kids, the little one crying, still you have all of this ready for me, still looking after us all. Thank you for being so understanding. You are the most amazing person I know. I don't deserve you.

I love her. I don't know. I need to figure out what I feel.

Can I come home? I miss you all.

She is beautiful, full of life, intelligent, just took me by surprise, it was a mistake. I didn't mean it , I got carried away.

She was pretty enough, not my type really, self absorbed, thought everyone wanted her, really thick, no one hung out with her, but she really fancied herself. Made me angry, I wanted to show her. Show her she wasn't what she thought.

Maybe people aren't as good as you always think. People don't just do these things out of love, you just don't want to see it.
She was nothing, it was a game, I was angry and I just wanted to play with her, but to a lesser extent to the other one. 

I did not do anything. I did not create any of those accounts to do anything.

It was a lie.

I was just playing with them.....taunting them.

Everyone always controlled me when I was growing up, no one ever listened to me, my feelings didn't count. Now it was my turn. I wanted to be the one that hurt people, I just wanted to control people instead.

I will sleep outside the house until you let me back again. I will trawl the streets and be homeless. I will stop doing anything else as my life is nothing without you. Please don't give up on me. You are the only person that understands me. The only one who really knows me, sees me. The only one that cares. Forgive me. I am ashamed. No I cannot stay with friends, they would not understand. They are not my real friends, you are. I don't want anyone else. 

You are never going to forgive me are you? It will always be there haunting me. I have no chance. I can see it already. I will send the rest of my life making it up to you. I will forever be your slave. Hit me. Slap me. Throw something. Go mad. Rage at me. I deserve it. Please do something to me, just stop crying.

I went to the Dr. I told him about my dreams filled with raging winged women.......I told him how Tortured I felt.

I broke you.

For that I will always be sorry. I was the person to break you. You were such a happy, loving person, with such a zest for life, you had so many dreams, and I have taken it all away. For that I want to die. If you cannot forgive me or take me back. I will kill myself, I have nothing else to live for.

He tricked me. They have been emailing each other and have framed me for something I didn't do. If I wasn't so distracted trying to fix things with you I might have noticed but I missed the signs. Where would I go? I have no money to look after you all and myself if I go now.

No no you are struggling. You can barely walk, you are in so much pain, you can't also go back to work. Not after what I have put you through. You do not deserve to be broken anymore than you are. I don't like the way they treat you.

I love you. I will find something new. I will look after you, and our beautiful children. I am the luckiest man alive. No one in his right mind would have this beautiful life and family and let it go.

You look after her, stay however long you need in the hospital, and I will look after the others.Don't worry I will look after you all.

Where can I go? She cannot walk you can hardly deal with this on your own. I am stuck, there is little choice. I know, I can see it is the work I do. I get arrogant. I start wanting to walk with the big boys. I want to sit at the big table. I want them to see me. I begin to treat people badly. I need to step away from that. You and the kids are all that matters. I will get a job away from that. I agree. Yes, we can live a simpler life. We can just enjoy our family and work to pay the bills and not chase all the bright lights. I have learnt my lesson.

It is the job of a lifetime. It is what I have always wanted. If I walk away I will always wonder if I could have done it, I will always remember I almost made it to the level I wanted. I don't want to resent you. I wouldn't . If you think I shouldn't. It is enormous, could be the thing that changes our lives. I could make us secure for life.

Sorry it was a really busy day.

Hi just calling to sing the little one to sleep, I miss you so much, I don't know if I have made the right decision.

Sorry I didn't have reception all day.

My battery died.

Did we? I don't remember us booking that?

I love you so much.I remember it is one of your favourites, and you always smell so good.

He annoys the life out of me, but he's my boss what can I do? I know, just because he's going through a divorce and has no children he thinks we are all here to do as he does.

Who?    
Don't know what you are talking about? I don't know her.
Why would they email you to blackmail you?

You are never happy. You are an awful person, you cannot see how horrible you can be. How was I to know you would be worried. I was not hurt, I was sleeping. In a hotel. How was I supposed to know you would contact work? Ok fine I'll come home, but I am not happy with you at all. I have had enough.

I love you. You are so amazing. All the girls at work think you are beautiful. He's intimidated by you. He doesn't hate you, he just doesn't understand women if they are not fawning over him with a certain look or super successful................Like her.

You always misconstrue what I say I am not saying you are not attractive or intelligent. I appreciate what you do. He just doesn't get you.

Can't wait till the holidays. Driving me mad. They are all so stupid. The ideas and how they do things is so stupid. I wish you worked with me. You would sort them all out...............You would. The girls all think they are something, but can't even put make up on. They just sit around on twitter thinking that is all it takes.

I love you so much.

I can't I have too many people relying on me......................I can't get off earlier....If I am not there what impression do I give people?

It is a school concert.............................................Are they doing something different? A big production?

I did not realise you were meant to be out, if you had told me I would always make sure I was back in time.

How was I supposed to know you were really struggling? You used an emoticon, no one serious ever uses one. Yes I am angry. I decided to come home despite your tone, I resent you expecting me to read your mind. People only use emoticons for fun, it doesn't matter if it was a sad or wincing face.

I have not been avoiding you I have had a busy few days at work. Of course I care about you, just because I was swamped doesn't mean I did not think about how you were coping if it hurt to walk.


No I don't say mean things about you at work or complain. I would never say anything to anyone about you, what happens at home is our business. You know that. We are not some trashy couple who airs things to everyone. It is just life, everyone has ups and downs, I wouldn't bore people with it, it is not that interesting.

What did you say to them? Why were they calling? How are they doing at the moment? You don't have to go out, you girls are welcome to hang out in the house, and I promise to stay out of your way. Stay at home where it is cosier.I love you. I want you to have fun.

I did not know you were going out.

Do you like your champagne? Good, drink it up quietly. I have ordered you a taxi and you are going to leave this building. You are disgusting, how dare you turn your back on me.

Why is your nose bleeding? Who else was there?

Ok ok I admit it I stayed at a hotel because I was mugged. These men held me at knife point and walked me from cashpoint to cashpoint drawing out money. They kicked me repeatedly on the ground. Thank you very much for humiliating me. For bringing it up, and making me relive it.

I don't know why they didn't take the laptop, or the tablet or the blackberry. My watch? Who knows? How do I know how muggers think?

I know I bruise easily.I don't know why I didn't have any after they beat me up. I can't believe you are doing this to me.

I have to you all heard him I have to go in. We can decorate the tree another day.What was I supposed to do? I know he was crying and it was because of me, that's why I couldn't do anything.

I have to go he would be really upset after organising this if I don't. It is crazily busy, I can't afford to go, it is crazy, but how do I know how his brain works? It is so busy I cannot leave work for long periods so it is mad he thinks we can spend an entire day away at a vineyard. but he's my boss I have to.

It has nothing to do with the tree, that was different he said I had to work last minute. I can't say ok but my son wants to decorate the tree!I can't believe you can't be happy for me , now I won't be able to enjoy myself the whole time.You never think about what I want.

I didn't know that was the time you were going out. So sorry babe I would've been back if I realsied. Don't worry Ill dash back now, get ready, and you can hop on a train when I am back and catch up with them all in town.

I don't want to call them. The last Christmas I did they were not happy to hear from me, and were so frosty, and reluctant to speak to you. They controlled me, and still cannot see what they did.

I don't know why my friend's partner would say that. You and I both know she is psycho.Forget her, he is only going along with her because he has to.

I love you. You are amazing.

I have no idea why my manageress would say you were drunk the last time she saw you. I know you weren't. I have not idea why she would think I would apologise for your behaviour. You and I both know you weren't That is ridiculous. I will speak to her later.

I don't know why they never responded about the gifts you sent their kids. Frankly I am trying to figure out what I feel about him. If his mother is so racist online, and heavily supporting political parties where he lives that are dubious, what are his attitudes? He is not the person I remember.

I love you. There are few people I can trust.

I am so sorry. No way, I am arranging cover I would not miss our wedding anniversary. They can find others to help with the event next week.

I can see why people would think you attractive, but you do nothing for me. I don't know what happened.

I just realised one day you meant nothing to me anymore.There is no one else, how did I know you would ask that?

No one at work knows, I don't talk about personal things, I would never say anything like that.
They will be sad for us.

You are an awful person............I made a mistake once.

You will never let me forget it. You are controlling. You never let me do what I wanted. You stopped me seeing my friends, my family, you were not there for me in the times I needed you. You are abusive to the eldest. I have been a coward for never sticking up for her all her life.

All because I am terrified of you. I walk on eggshells, never did what I wanted.

I love my family and you parted us. I have had enough. I have had enough and do not want to spend my life making up for one mistake.

I do not love you anymore. I know it's crazy.

                               ............I still care about you....................

The words of someone who struggles to know what to say.

I will not let you hurt the children, I will not let you expose them to the pain and neglect you felt growing up, or bring them down into the darkness you seem to always end up lurking in.




The autumn sun was warm despite the damp mist in the air as my husband's warm hand held tightly on to mine whilst we ran through the trees, out onto the ancient cobbled street. We had stumbled through the open gates of the botanical gardens so lost in our conversation we had failed to realise the early timing meant it was not open to the public, and had been reprimanded by a guard who had found us roaming the grounds. As we made our way giggling as naughty children would through the narrow streets the entire world dissolved around us.
​

That was the beginning of our life together exactly thirteen years ago. Days and months of flying to see each other, roaming the back streets as if they were long forgotten places, looking for the stories they had to tell in this city filled with mist with a castle looming above a frozen expanse of twirling people and sparkling lights. It was the story of all stories, it was the dream to end all dreams, as he whispered his words of eternal love, a love felt for years from a distance, longing silently, but always treating me with respect to never convey it to me, a woman in a relationship.



​
Memories of those heady days have been tumbling through my mind every time I see the leaves, the autumnal sun, the reminders of every year when this date arrives, his efforts to woo me again. The cards, the letters, the texts, reminders of words spoken, of moments shared, pulling me back to the devotion he felt, and the forever question, why was I so unhappy when this man adores me so much? 


The ball of heat in my abdomen has been present for days as my nights are filled with his words, his voice, his cold cold piercing eyes. This is the part I cannot seem to escape.


With every moment of awareness, with every vow to keep the children and I safe from the emotional manipulation, the draining of our love, our constant loyalties and energies, he finds ways to re-instate his claim on us. He is free to walk away, wash his hands of every memory, he is free to make us feel, but we must not move on without him. 

It is an absolute blow, a freight train hit, every time I realise how history has repeated itself. The times I stated I will not be a door mat, I will not allow the children to be hurt, to be raised feeling the adults were more important, that they were an after thought.

Yet here we are. He has walked away leaving a woman with his children. A woman who fears to leave the house, who is haunted by demons every night, who keeps stumbling upon secrets, lies, and hidden acts. A life of infidelity, financial manipulation, emotional confusion and the ability to act like no actor I have ever witnessed, all left behind him so he can reinvent himself as everyone needs a second chance.

The blow when I realise all of those people who know of his upbringing, whether it by being his friend through it or experiencing it themselves, have not the ability to stand back and see the horror story.

Instead they all support him, his right to move on with no repercussions, no guilt, no remorse, no responsibility.

They support their mother's, they feel the a constant agony of women left with lives that are empty wreckage's, nights that are filled with haunting's of the past, memories of the lives and emotions stolen from them. Yet this man, the good man who is so humble, will look no one in the eye, will not raise his voice, who is so meek everything he does is accidental, he is allowed, and supported as he re- visits the exact end result on his family. 

For months I have been jumping every time I hear the letter box, every time I hear footsteps outside in the dark. I have not been able to understand why I am so scared, why I am drenched head to toe in freezing cold pin pricks, then the memory slipped by.

Of a letter through the door.

The letter after I had spent several days frozen, terrified as my husband had disappeared. He had told me he could not cope with me any longer, I was an awful partner, loaded up the car with his clothes, his stratocaster and driven off. Left with two children, one a tiny baby, I had spent days unable to sleep or eat. Hours mortified that I had messed up so enormously. That I did not know how to love in a manner deserving of this wonderful man.

The letter contained his angst at my inability to communicate, my constant inability to see how amazing he was, his days of pain as he considered ending it all , his ending lines of how he was doing this for us all. I was better off without him, he obviously was the one who made me behave badly and he being the emotionally stable one was ending this destructive way I had.

After his father passed away his step mother gave him a letter. One found in his father's bureau at some stage.

The letter was photocopied so all the children could have a copy.

At the time I had been upset, unable to understand why it would have been passed around, so concerned for the effect it would have on my husband, I had failed to see.

The letter contained words of love for all his children, his family, but the feelings that everyone was better off without him. I have never heard either mother discuss the effects of this, or any stories alluding to the history of what had brought this man to write a letter of self destruction.

Yet as the blow came to me in my mind, I was aware of the pain, the terror, the belief that they were culpable, they had the responsibility to keep him happy......alive. How was I the only one to see this, and how are they allowing this to continue into a further generation?

He was well known for being a grown up child, silly, always playing with the children, rolling around with them. However as time does its teaching, another story unfolds.

All the decisions I made alone, all the studying I supported, all the discussions, and teachings I was the sole parent in.

The words came back to me. "How do you know to speak to the children like that?"

The surprise that I am so emotionally expressive with them, the physical warmth I display, the admissions that no one spoke lovingly in his family, the stories of endless days roaming alone, of staying at friends with no one checking to see where he was, of stripping his bed and secretly washing it so as not to upset anyone, of climbing onto the stove and making tea in the morning to help as everyone slept.

Never saying the words, saying who was the one to make him feel this neglect, this loneliness. 

Looking back I do not see the lack of love from his family, looking back I do not see how he also tells stories of his childhood on a loop as if no other time in his life has been better.

What I see now is the sorrow I felt for a little boy who had been neglected, bullied, unloved. I see the feelings taken from me, the trap laid before me, the sheer knowledge that I would do anything to make things better for someone in pain. 

I see the disapproval he feels of every member of his family, the choices in life they have made, the choices of partner each brother has made - the controlling undeserving women, the abhorrence and disgust for his sisters, the vile words used, and the images he conjured.

The distance and unease he created to remove me from them, to have me protect him from their instability, their treacherous ways. Now this family is the family who have spread their arms to console him, to heal him from the clutches of the woman who has now been doing the same things, the things that I had always been told they had done to him. 

I look at my children. Each one so loving, so innocent despite the life that has been running parallel to theirs, hidden with every ounce of my strength. Each one fiercely independent, wonderfully unique, infuriatingly concise, and I remind myself. They will not, absolutely will not grow up to hurt or be hurt by someone in this way.

I will continue to tell them that honesty is the way to love. Lies of omission, twisting of truths, creations of reality are not in anyway a loving respecting act.

To love, to honour, to be loyal to themselves - they must be truthful.

Every feeling, be it anger, hurt, frustration is a valid feeling. Each time they try to hide a feeling they perceive to be negative I allow them the space, then we re visit it together, looking at the right to have feelings, the right to express them, and the duty to work it out together.

We owe it to each other to stay truthful, and teach each other the ways in which our hearts and minds work.

There is no more belief that a family must hide it's secrets, must keep up a veneer.

We will weather the turbulent winds together. I will expose them to the air, and water their needs. Together we will form roots deep and strong, and keep out branches and hearts rising to the light.

​I will not let the darkness and pain of those who walked before become their path.

I do not know why, when you are a good mother you are hurting the children as well as me by not allowing me to see them, I am sure they are missing me. There must be a good reason for doing this I am sure.



With so few words after weeks of clawing my way out of the darkness towards the autumn sun, I am ripped back into the terror. Within minutes of reading the words on my screen a piercing pain flashes inside my head as I begin a night of being violently ill, and checking the windows, doors, and searching the house for devices. How does someone who loved me so intensely no one believes they could do harm, be the person that causes this level of primal fear in me? How do such seemingly polite and simple words tear through every layer of protection I have been slowly building up over the months? 




The answer is years of toil. Years which perhaps began as mistakes, immaturity, laziness, and a slight arrogance, an inability to accept the need to do things differently. Years which eventually led to repeated deceptions, silences, broken promises, endless promises, insidious games, hiding true feelings, undermining decisions, and not respecting my basic human worth. Slowly stripping away at every layer, every fibre replacing it with something less tangible, something translucent in nature, something almost no longer there.

Each time I began to slip away bringing me back with promises of the life we were building together, the songs, the letters, the gifts, the declarations in front of anyone who would listen. 

Months of battling nightmares, being chased by songs that threatened to overwhelm me, holding on tight to children who sobbed in the darkness, and I walked through the fire I promised I would.

I looked into the depths of the nightmare, and stripped back every lie he told, every belief and behaviour I had in response. Glimmers of light, the star dust I had begun to live in surrounded me. For every painful moment there was, just within my reach there were scattered around me pin pricks of sparkling light as I began to find in all my truths a strength in seeing not what I had lost but the freedom I was finally gaining.

Then like a shadow from my nightmares his words, his reach stretched out to me and pulled me back into the murky waters that always swirled around us. 

With the exchange of a few emails I was back to fighting for air, grappling to hold onto the foundations I had begun to build. Two days of terror, or fearing for the children he was now using as his tools, his only connection, but a life long rope he has tied around my waist.

How would I keep them from the pain of someone who does not know how to love?

How do I keep them from the silent rage, and cutting, cold withholding, as they grow and express themselves as individuals more and more; and question his behaviours as they had begun to do?

In a moment of cold searing pain as I remembered the love I had felt, the old age I had dreamt of sharing, I remembered what I needed to.

I let go.

I closed my eyes and let go, slipping into the murky waters, slowly sinking into the depths of the darkness that had always engulfed us.    

Do your best.

Say what you want, throw out the ropes you held me with, a rush of dark water as I gasped my last breath. Do your best because you cannot touch me anymore. The emails kept coming.




Almost a year ago I had been tired and unwell after a long stretch of my husband working long hours looking forward to a week off for the October half term as a family. I had been searching online for a little place to get away to, a cottage by the sea, long walk on blustery beaches, long evenings sipping wine, and cuddling in front of a crackling fire getting me through each day.

My husband began an erratic, argumentative way of behaving that I had begun to recognise as a way of hiding something he was worried about. After  a few days of not reacting, and trying to create a mood of acceptance I asked him what was on his mind.

It took a few days of denial and silences before he finally said his boss had told him he had to work during the holiday time we were planning despite having booked it off at the beginning of the year. I looked at my husband feeling so betrayed and let down. I had stood by him, and supported months of overtime, months of not having him even take part in family decisions on the promise of this week.

I had seen the emails, him trying to persuade his bosses it would be great publicity, great revenue to hold the largest Halloween party in the city. I had asked what he was doing, he had time away planned.

His response had been " they won't go ahead with it, I am just trying to look efficient and dedicated, but it won't happen". I had questioned why he would even take the risk, what if they called his bluff? He had gotten angry, I should trust him, he was doing this for us, he was making himself in disposable to the business, didn't I want him to do well in his career?

The question always thrown out as a victory call. How could I say anything else or try to reason that family also mattered, the marriage also mattered. If I said anymore I would be in the way of his dreams, you do not do that to someone you love.

Somehow it was lost on both of us how my dreams had ceased to even be.


So there we were, holiday possibly no longer happening, hours at work suddenly increasing as business was on the up on the run up to Christmas. A special date in our relationship calendar came up, and he became indecisive about whether he could afford the time off for a dinner.


I received an email that was a blow to the calm I was trying to create. A group on the internet had hacked into the database of an internationally renowned affair website, my husband being a user. His false email address no longer existing since I discovered it, they mailed me threatening me with contacting everyone on our shared address book with this information.

All over the papers were people in the city being exposed.

The noise and chaos inside me was debilitating as I fought back the emotional memories of the discoveries I had made, the excuses he had given me, and the pain , the strange pain I always felt, as if my womb had been ripped and pulled out and was now being worn on the outer parts of my abdomen.

So exposed, so scared, so raw. The baby I had carried, and was still feeding whilst he slipped in and out of games with anyone who crossed his path. 


We went out for the meal following a last minute text to meet him at a local restaurant that had begun to be his fall back option to not being seen with me in town, or to make up for having not put any thought into something he had promised and forgotten about.

I arrived to absolute adoration, I was the most beautiful woman there, he had loved me since he met me, a card with words that immediately brought me to tears forgetting the pain and uncertainty I had been feeling.


He was a good man, just very badly organised, and without foresight, and lost. The meal began with lots of chatter, laughter, cocktails, and his love of flirting with all the staff, male or female, he was in his comfort zone, he needed people to know who he was, and the power he had. Cards handed out, comments slipped in to show his knowledge and authority. It was a pattern that had become more difficult to swallow as the years went by, that was hollow, and made me question whether I was there to accommodate a final picture or was his desire truly to spend time with me?

The conversation turned to the holiday that was not to be, and the hours he would be working weeks prior to it. He had told me a few weeks prior that if he was at head office I should take it that he was not in for that night. I had asked him about the pending day at head office, was this rule to be applied to this day?

His reaction was instant, a rage shot through his eyes as he accused me of spoiling the meal, of being sarcastic and misunderstanding the meaning of his words. I was stunned by the switch in mood, and tried to defend myself explaining that I only asked to clarify the situation so I could manage my expectations.



The ground was forever shifting , what I was to expect or not expect was always different. For years I had gotten used to the often used remark of,  "You should know that what I do and what I say if it hurts you or is bad is not on purpose. You should just know I mean well and would not do anything hurtful." This had been replaced with I should just accept whatever happens, however many hours he works, wherever he goes, not ask for plans, clarifications or expect anything, he was working. That was all I needed to know.


As I tried to reason with him, my voice calmly repeating again and again, " I was not trying to pick a fight, I was just trying to put a few things in place to help me for the next few weeks, to mange my expectations".


He started to demand an apology. He kept raising his voice " Say sorry, you never say sorry, no I will not listen to any more of your excuses just SAY SORRY!". He stood up declaring he could not look at me and was going home, and stormed to the bathroom.

I paid the bill and called the cab, the waitress knowing us as regulars saying " guys don't leave without dessert, come on, you seemed to be having such a good time".


The horror and embarrassment I felt was crushing. We rode home in silence, and he went straight to bed as I dealt with the sitter, and found him fast asleep once I had checked on all the children.

In the morning he did not speak to me, I went out to join a work out in the park, asking if he needed anything, I was met with a vicious glare.


As I walked up to the class I had a pain begin in my head and arrived feeling very unwell. I began the work out, determined to exorcise myself of the bad feelings, the feeling of dread, and how long I would have to be silent for.

I could not finish the workout as I became dizzy, and had a nose bleed that would not stop. My husband was known for meeting me after every work out, and taking me for a coffee afterwards. The trainer kept asking if he should call him, if I wanted a lift home, my husband would be so worried.


I just wanted to curl up in a ball somewhere far away from him, going home felt like the last thing I wanted to ever do. I had begun to dream that one day I would be diagnosed with something that would mean I had to stay in hospital for a long time, I could finally get the rest and space away I wanted.


I arrived home to silence, and I curled up on the sofa exhausted and completely incapable of addressing his rage. He questioned me on the blood on my clothes and the tissues I was holding. He stared for a cold long moment, and left the room.

He went out with the children and when he came back it was as if nothing had happened. He scurried around making tea, making food, wrapping me up in blankets.
​

The couple of weeks following were back to the adoration, conversations of how we got together, the disbelief he had finally ended up with the girl he always wanted to be with. The school holidays arrived, and during the family activities he arranged the event at work, and spoke to staff about the Halloween details.

At the last moment my husband stated that he had told his boss since he was working his annual leave he would like me to have a ticket to come to the event. My sister in law came to visit, and after asking about plans she came too.

It was a relief to me as I had dreaded what I would be doing solo at such a large event as he worked. A friend of mine attended also as her company painted the faces of all the staff and musicians. 

The evening was fun, we laughed, danced, and drank delicious things. Occasionally my husband would slip away from things and come and see to us, and charm everyone with his attentiveness.

He commented on the way I looked, something that no longer made me feel so good as it was the feeling of being similar to a painting. Hanging there to be admired, looked at from a distance, to allow friends to admire but never doing anything with it.

My husbands boss was unusually unfriendly as was his brother from a competing business. I asked my husband if I had offended them the last time we had drinks, he told me not to worry they were intimidated by women who did not swoon around them,  but there was something that did not sit right. 


As the evening drew on, my friend and sister in law decided it was time to leave, we went to find a number for a taxi company. My husband then asked me to stay behind, he was finishing work now, we could have a few drinks, dance, spend some time together, go home together.

I said good bye to everyone, excited to spend some time together, and he saw them to the lifts. He disappeared for a long time.

When he came back he apologised said work had got in the way. I asked if that was it then, could we go and sit down together now, and he said "Well no, I have a lot of things I have to get done first". I'm working.

I felt a spark of anger. I felt hugely taken advantage of. Why then did you ask me to stay? Why could I have not gone home with the others, gone to bed ready for the children in the morning instead of staying and sitting on my own like a trophy?

It was in my mind, hugely assumptive, and not what I would expect him to do for me. He glared at me in silence, and I looked around to see his staff watching. Realising how unprofessional it would look, and embarrassing, I turned away and started to walk back to my seat where it was more discreet. When I got to the table I turned to find he was no longer with me.

I sat in silence as Victorian dolls, and ghouls danced around me. My husbands boss and brother entertaining close by but completely avoiding me. I felt so lost, I was completely out of my depth. This was his land, his domain, and I had no say. Sat in an expanse of concrete and glass, music pumping, and his very affluent clients everywhere.


Suddenly a smiling waitress appeared with a tray holding a champagne flute. "Your husband sent this" she giggled. I thanked her feeling a sense of relief, he had understood how bad it had felt, how mean it came across, he had not meant it.


I took the glass and chatted with her for a while whilst she told me how amazing he was to work for. I sipped my drink waiting for him, assuming he was getting his things to come and join me.

After a while I heard a voice over my right shoulder " Are you enjoying that?". I looked around to see my husband, I had not seen him come down the stairs or through the lift area, he had appeared silently. Yes thank you, I replied, ready to say I am glad we are not fighting, but he cut me off. " Good. You finish that off and take your things and get out of here. I have called you a taxi, and I do not want to see your face here again."

Stunned I spun round with the force of his blow. He was glaring at me. "Are you aware of what you are saying?" I asked. " There are people everywhere, you are at work, are you going to show your true colours like this? People can hear you?". He came closer to me whilst ripping his earpiece and mike off. "You will not turn your back on me, you will not speak to me that way in front of my staff, you will leave quietly, and I do not want to speak to you." I stared at him my throat completely closing up as he slammed my bag and coat on to the table, and spun away.

Slowly I debated why I had not just poured my drink over his head, told him never to step inside our home again, to take his arrogant ego driven ways to someone who cared for such things. Instead I slipped off my stool with my things and made my way to the lift, I glanced at the boss' brother who raised his glass to me as I walked by.



As I arrived at the lift my husband's deputy smiled " Oh dear had to much to drink tonight, and have to be sent home?" . You have no idea, I said as I stepped into the lift. The following week my husband fired his deputy after waiting a year to create a case big enough to do so, as he despised him.


I exited the lift, the cold air hitting me, the shame and humiliation making me feel as though I had left my clothes behind. So utterly vulnerable standing in the glaringly bright reception area. Alone.

My friend was there at security, it was famed for being like an airport. She had missed her train home, and was coming to find me. We got into the cab together, her confusion on me being solo. I explained what had happened and her jaw dropped open " He did what?" I proceeded to text him, tell him what I should have said during the moment. How his ego had over taken his senses.

He proceeded to tell me all the awful factors of who I was. All I saw was an arrogant man completely consumed by his glass crows nest. 


He did not come home till 6 am, rang the doorbell, and stormed past me shouting "I still have not forgiven you". The day was filled with Halloween activities, friends, trick or treating, and my husband the ever charming host. On super charm offensive as his sister was present.

The whole time my head spun with thoughts of how I could keep on going with this man who hated me. Not in the heat of the moment, but truly at a fundamental level he had waged war on me on every level he could.


Our friends joked about how I couldn't do a night out, and look after the kids the next day, and all applauded him for still being so happy and energetic after being on the go and at such a large event. As always he was the saint I was the sinner.


Everyone thanked him for his hospitality, his generosity.  


It was not until three months later when I filed my statements away I discovered a large transaction on my account I had not made. It came from my husbands business. A panic set in, someone in his business had charged my card without my knowledge, this would be horrendous for the staff whilst it was investigated.

I picked up the phone to call him, but my arm slowed as I realised the date on the bill. It was Halloween. My husband had gone upstairs, and charged the night's drinks onto my card without my knowledge in his rage. Whilst taking the gratitude from us all as we thought he had covered it. It dawned on me what else that meant.


The day after the party, I could not find the new make up I had purchased the month before, at his instance to treat myself. It had disappeared from my bag, and I could not figure out how. I had emptied my bag in front of him, he did not flinch at all.

Now the answer was glaringly obvious. I was shaking all the way, as I went to pick up our son from school. He did not stop lying, he did not stop finding ways to do things behind my back that were always to my detriment. Who was this man I was married to, and had children with?


Since he has left I have had all family and friends from his side completely remove themselves from our lives. It has been tremendously painful, isolating.

It has also opened my eyes to their own fears and inabilities to see him for what he truly is. A man who is duplicating his father's behaviour act by act, and somehow I am to blame. I drove him to it, he was always such a lovely man.

I discovered recently that people who behave this way to not reach the capacity to do so till their mid twenties. That is just when he began to reel me in. It is completely within reason no one saw this behaviour till then. But considering how easily he disposed of his family. How easily he told tales of his spoilt, entitled friends who were prone to marrying daddy's girls who had no clue or personality, to everyone we knew in London.

There must be moments that have flashed through their minds also, that they choose to ignore. It is easier to blame the outsider, the other who bares no similarity to them.


So as he now emails me, in immense pain for the way I have kept the children away from him despite having not asked to see them, but when I replied he can see them immeadiately, he waits days to do it. Then reduces the hours due to work.

I get swept into his murkiness. He continues to email to ask for his passport which I gave him months ago. Denying I did, accusing me of costing his work money, and showing him up. A tirade of texts on mine and my son's birthday, not a good wish on sight.

I find myself breaking above the surface and taking another breath.


I hold onto the memories that completely stripped me of all sense of myself at the time of the events. I listen to the voices of his family who accused me of being strong so not capable of being harmed the way I say he has harmed me.

I look into the depths of those who themselves were conned, raped of their true desires and worth a generation before. Now to hide from the truth, allowing the pattern to occur again.

I look at the friends who have shown me love that I never have felt before, kindnesses of immense selflessness. I look at my beautiful children, each one individually strong, loving and unique. I see it all, and hold it all to pull me out of the whirlpool.

I will not hide. 

He can do his best. I will stay standing out in the open. Every blow, every attempt to pull me back into the vortex can happen. I cannot prevent it from happening, it will swallow me up. However I see now, that each time I have stood back up again, each time it consumes me less, each time the warmth and light beckon stronger than before.

I see it, and I will not hide.
​

I see you. I see you for all you are now.

The little hand in my hand felt warm as I sunk myself into the gaze of two deep brown eyes looking up at me. Stepping along the pavement together whilst avoiding the cracks, my three year old chattered about her first day at nursery. Every word was filled with laughter, varying emotions dancing across her face, merging from one to the other in fleeting snapshots. There was nowhere, nowhere at all, that I needed or wanted to be in that very moment in time. The sun warmed my skin, my anxiety was at bay, I had the love of friends all around me. 

I realised and felt in that moment what many people have said, what I have tried to find myself in a place to say, I have treasure so great nothing else matters. I have the love and every precious moment with three incredible beings. It does not matter how many hotels and bars my husband is repeatedly spotted in. How many people pander to him as he sits on his throne in his paradise of glass. Despite having to buy uniforms, pay for trips, music lessons and every form of paraphernalia the children need, whilst he drinks the money he cannot spare for them away in various London establishments, I do not care. It is a struggle, it is a cause for concern and late night anxiety, but at a fundamental level something has shifted.

The final awareness, the words that have been repeated to me by those who truly see it all, " it is not you, it is him" have come to settle in my bones. In the tired body that day in day out works for three little people, only laying down at night to have the nightmares come and join me for company; those bones, the muscles that entwine around them are finally learning a new memory, a new story. 

With every day, every minute that passes from the moment my husband walked away I have found a peace descending upon me. I have awful nightmares, anxiety attacks, music haunting my thoughts, and have found myself in places I have no memory of journeying to. However every night as the children arrive home from school, I lock the door with no uncertainty. Our time is now our own, No more waiting for dinner, waiting to hear where I am in the pecking order of the day, no more telling the children to wait till I speak to their father, the disappointment apparent on their expectant faces as though know how long it will take me to broach it with him, and even longer for him to decide. We now are the definitive. Our answers are there for us, our decisions each day based around exactly how we are feeling. I have for the first time begun to do exactly what I want to, what I need to for myself day by day. That freedom came at a great cost, but in the darkest moments, when the sheer terror visits me I know I have on the other side a new feeling to greet me. A feeling that bubbles up in me with an excitement that makes me giddy. It is not the churning I felt that kept me up at night wondering what I was uneasy of. It is not the tightening I felt when I could not put a finger on why his words hurt me as he said them so politely.

It is a feeling I have not felt since I was a child. 

A feeling of anticipation, of wonder, of pure eagerness.......what is out there for me? Something inside me tells me what I  have had taken from me is now in my reach, and now I am strong enough to grab it, take it and earn it for myself in a way no one can ever question it away from me. That is a feeling of power. Perhaps unfounded, perhaps delusional, but the words have not stopped flowing since that first few weeks. With each moment of terror kissing away each hurt I feel another moment draws closer. I sat with friends last night and laughed. Laughed in a way I have not done in years. Unashamed, unhindered, and myself. The me, the self that is going to emerge as I listen to my inner most thoughts though these months and years ahead.

One morning this week as the children ran around double checking their uniforms and I convinced the youngest that brushing her teeth was still a necessary task this morning, and the tooth fairy would not be visiting if she stopped brushing them so they all fell out, I was also dealing with the shadows of my nightly ghosts. Every morning as the light casts itself through the curtains and across the floor I find myself easing my mind and heart away from the grips of the phantoms that held tight for that night. On this morning amidst these occurrences I  became aware of another sensation. Stillness.

Stillness among the chatter, the splashing water, and tupperware boxes. There had been many mornings like this, I no longer felt something that had always been there. An uneasiness of what the day held. Of a phone call, a text that would leave me hanging on at the whim of someone else. There was no more care taking. I did not need to check if my husband had done what he had promised, follow up on things he needed me to do, fix any crisis that had occurred out of sight, and been bought to light when no other solution could be found. I have stepped out each day my face absolutely bare, no jewellery, a spritz of the new perfume a dear friend gave me to signify my new beginnings. With every single thing no matter how minute to others I feel emboldened and lighter.

The glass cage that was built around me as I lost myself, my true voice, the choices that used to make me who I was was open. There are many things that still hold me, many tendrils from each filament that wind around my thoughts. But on that day something happened.

As he sat from room to room, the same routine of silence, of words that kept coming out as if just spoken, but so well structured only someone who had given them great consideration could have spoken them. The same pain as I felt the all too familiar pattern hit me. If I push back it will get heated, if I stay silent so will he, for hours. Due to leave for a concert, our anniversary gift to one another, I was desperate to undo what was happening, to snap him out of it, to go and dance our hearts out and remember the connection we have. To feel each reverberation of sound take us further away from this painful place we were in.

But the words kept coming, the feeling kept staying the same. He knew what he wanted, he knew the outcome he was ready to achieve. As he furtively glanced at his watch, and kept leaving to go to the bathroom I knew he had already checked out.

With this absolute gut feeling I asked him. Why is it always about you? Why have we never stopped things and looked at and supported me? It has been your career, your job losses, your family, your friends, your depression, your feelings, your manhood, your shame. When have you ever stopped to look at this other person in this marriage?

The cold glare. The silence. The pieces of every moment sliding into place behind me. Then I said the words, the words I to this day do not know I had the strength or ability to say.

" You can walk out, you can do what you have always done best taking with you the years of tears and support that has gone into holding you up. But be sure of this. I will not fall. I will take those children, I will hold them tighter than I ever have, and we will come out of the other side of the flames you are dousing us in. We will stand taller, stronger, and you will never be able to hurt us again".

As he packed his bag, as he attempted to reengage me through my silent tears, those words from a stranger inside me held me up.

Those words made me call a friend who rushed out of her house to be there for me, and was dumbfounded when I said I will not be locked in anymore, I want to go out and to cry through every song if I have to, but I will not let the voice of Stevie Wonder floor me each time I hear it for the rest of my life. We sat in the cool summer air in Hyde park, as I cried through every song in plain sight of the world. My friend wiping my cheek when she could bare it no more to see me burning so hard. But is worked, for the rest of the summer as the songs have been played, as people discussed the hours he played for no sudden tears have sprung. One phantom was vanquished.

Whatever happened when I found those words, which I lost again the weeks following his departure, as I watched and held my children through their own personal heartbreaks, their little bodies heaving with pain I will never forget. That was swallowed up in the grief, the self doubt, and self hatred that plagued me for months. The questions, the confusions, and then the darkness slowly lifting to show me another view in a new light being shone from a different place. What ever happened that created that place of shifting moments for me is finding it's was up again.

It is from this place I said the only words I needed to say when he finally resurfaced but refused to explain himself.

​I see you. I see you for all you are now.