Chapter 16 – Moving On Part 2

For the first time in months, I woke up less anxious, about what the day will bring. Is this the calm before the storm, I wonder.

Then my son shares a  “secret” – he witnessed a fight between him and the “whore”, his dad kicked in her front door, and she was crying profusely. 

But wait, – when did this happen? He has a girlfriend.

Saying I was upset is an understatement, I wanted to physically hurt him for putting my son through yet another traumatic experience, I sent him a text to ask what happened, his response ” our son is exaggerating, he is distorting what actually happened.” I asked for an explanation and received NOTHING.

I decided to drive to his place to confront him. I wasn’t thinking and was certain my questions would provoke him. Nevertheless, I am at his gate, he does not answer. Over the last year, I have become the best investigator and I called his girlfriend, she does not answer, but within minutes, he is at the gate.

He looks concerned and confused as he walked to the car “what is wrong?, is everything OK?” He asked. I am sitting in my car, the window rolled down, and he is standing with his head leaning in, not a good position for me to be in. I asked for an explanation – he said that he did not need to explain anything to me, it’s not my business he shouted and before I knew it he grabbed my car keys out of the ignition and threw in the road. He is enraged; through the open car window he tries to pull me out by my neck, he tells me how crazy I am. “You come to my place at this hour (10 pm) in your pyjamas, (shorts and tank top) do you know how crazy you look?” 

The complex security hut is a few meters away, but they watch through the window like it’s a soapie. I managed to loosen his grip on me, and after a few minutes he said “I don’t want to hurt you, you always make me do this” 

I didn’t care, I wanted an explanation of why he exposed my son to more violence and told him to keep it a secret. He refused to give me one, I found my keys and left.

The next morning, he called and asked if we could talk, I said NO.

The following week was the school’s family day at JHB Zoo, I naturally, attend, I have been reminding him for months to get tickets and he never did, when he found out, we went without him, he was livid and said “you bitch, you doing this on purpose, you could have reminded me, you will see what will happen to you when you get home” – my mom said to call the police, I didn’t.

7th December – Our son graduates; he is late or so I thought. I sent him a text to ask if he is coming, he replied NO. I said, “that is sad.” Who misses their child’s graduation?? 

A few minutes later he walked in – visible anger on his face, as the graduation proceeds he sends me texts, again about what a bitch I am, and he will wait for me outside. We take pictures, the principal asked: “Can I take a picture of all 3 of you?”

 I reply NO, thanked her for the morning, said goodbye to my son and proceeded to walk out the door.

He followed me, grabbed me by the back of my neck, telling me how he is going to fuck me up outside. But why?? – “Because I don’t understand all the stress he is going through; why must I be a bitch all the time? Why? Why couldn’t I just remind him about the graduation? I always want to make him look bad, I am a fucking horrible piece of shit” – he says

There were a few armed response cars parked outside, he let go and left. For the first time I thought – Motherfucka I am going to report you now, drove straight to the nearest police station and told them what happened, they asked – did anyone see or hear? I said yes probably. Let me send the principal a text to ask her, I am sure she saw and heard. The reply I got was “sorry, no I didn’t see or heard anything”

The police said to come back when I have more- no one saw him do anything.

I left – and knew exactly why no one reports abuse.

This was it, I had enough. 

If I wanted any sort of normality in my life, I HAD to create it – only this time, he underestimated my willpower.