Hit The Road

It was her "dream" wedding, unfortunately it began with her groom pacing and screaming in the street in front of the church. She was greeted at the doors by her tuxedo clad 6 year old soon to be step son who was yelling, "Dad says there's no time for a Mass!" For some unknown reason it still turned out to be her wedding day and he, still turned out to be the groom. If memory serves, he had raged at her and called her a few choice names at least a dozen times during what was supposed to be the best day of her life. She looked like a princess but felt more like a whipped puppy.

Their life together resulted in some of the most beautiful children on the planet. They are by no means perfect, but they are good kids. Unfortunately, due to their Mom's inability to walk away, they too have been battered and emotionally abused.

That is the back story. Now it is time for the happy ending. Divorce is not a four letter word and staying together for the children is just plain bullshit. There are exceptions to everything, yet it is probably safe to say that if a practicing catholic is seriously considering ending a marriage the children have already worked out the visitation schedule.

It was by no means easy, she had to work really hard to convince herself that it was not her failure. She told herself over and over that God would not want her to continue subjecting herself and the children to this man's insanity. God would not think less of her for putting an end to the abuse. It would not be breaking a vow. After all as strange as it sounds she still loved the jerk. She just couldn't stand him or what he had done and was continuing to do to her and their children.

One evening she came home from work, sat down at the kitchen table where he was playing games on his laptop and said...

"I need you to listen to what I have to say and for once in your life not interrupt me."

"Okay..." He said with a very uncharacteristic sheepish tone.

"I want a divorce. There is no other man and I have not stopped loving you. I have just come to grips with something that I guess I have always known. I cannot change you. I cannot make you want to change. I cannot do your work for you. You are in charge of your own behavior and are the only one that has the power to change it. The fact that you have chosen not to is not really any reflection on me or the kids. It is just the way that it is. I can no longer accept the raging and daily mental and emotional abuse. My heart breaks every time I hear one of the children talk about all of the awful things that you have done to them while I was out busting my ass to earn the money to support our family. I want you to pack your things ...take your parents furniture and the kitchen things that came from your mother and sister and go to your own apartment. I am done. There is no chance of reconciliation. I can no longer be your wife. I am sorry, you will never know how sorry. Now, that's it I will take the children and give you time to get your things together. Please be gone when we get back. Here are your keys, leave the keys for this house and my cars here on the table. The Bug out front is yours and the address of your apartment is on the seat. The first last and security are paid .I really do still love you, I just can't stand you anymore."

"So that's it, there is nothing that I can do... 22 years and it is over just like that!"

"Yup...we will be back at 10. Like I said, make sure you are gone by then."

She called the children, they left the house piled into the van and she backed out feeling the weight of the world had been lifted from her shoulders. She saw a sunset the likes of which she had never seen before in her life. They were free!


"So, where should we go to eat? The movie is at 8:10."