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Mia, was sat watching Glee on the television. Terry wanted to know more about ‘that mobile phone’? “She, was driving me crazy for months, until about a month ago, when I found that he had stolen money I had hidden, the bulk of it for her phone the rest of it for food.
To the point I was in tears, trying to hide them when Mia and Suki walked in. Throughout all the time we had suffered, I realized enough was enough, we HAD to get out of there. Suki’s parents lent me money to put petrol in the car and gave me food for the trip plus some spare cash.
Originally I was going to head for my sisters, when I stopped to phone her I discovered to my horror they were headed to friends in Scotland for Christmas. Gerald her husband won’t let us stay at their place without them being there; the last time I was there that pig turned up and caused trouble?!
I have a brother who lives about 100 miles from here. We don’t always get on with them, mostly my fault for bad choices when it comes to partners! but at least that pig would not have turned up there. My brother is ex army and would have given him the hiding he made clear the guy deserved. Jodie my sister in law dotes on Mia; their daughter Alice has always got on well with Mia.
All I could think about was that we would have a roof over our heads and food on the table. Mia made it clear the phone was something she could wait for, getting our lives back to some normality without that pig around was a good start.”
“Not that I want to lose what we have going for us. For the first time in a long long time, the sheer relief of being more relaxed, without the pressure, the undermining stress is an amazing feeling. I’m rubbish when it comes to making partnership decisions, I know its because I rush into them scared of being alone, of Mia never having a father figure in her life.
I wonder if the latter is merely an excuse to let me off the selfish ‘looking after my own needs, moreso than taking Mia’s into account. Why I swore from now on, I WILL get my life back together, OUR life back together and nothing or no one else will be at the forefront of any future decisions.
I can cast my mind back to when I was financially in a good place; I teach Maths!
A good job, excellent work prospects and saving to buy my own place. It is so easy when you are at your lowest to blame yourself when it comes to debt, to not being in control?
The overpowering stress, the b’stard who steals from you, who takes yours AND your girls things and pawns them, claiming the place has been broken into and its the fault of the burglars if stuff is missing! Throw them out, they come crawling back with tears to start with then threats and more intimidation aimed not just at you but your kin?
The bullying threats that lead to physical violence with him believing he has a right to slap or punch you, kick you down in a drunken rage and claim it was the drink and not really him responsible for the bleeding lip you have or the bruises on your arms when he has you gripped, held down.”
Terry leaned in close to her. “Breaking free of that yoke around your neck, to catch your breath and actually breathe again with a knowing that you are NEVER going to return to that darkness again is a prize worth fighting for. Those that abuse want to isolate you from friends, from family as it gives them power over you.
They hate those who can focus the spotlight on them for who and what they are.
The laws are changing so much to reflect on how domestic violence will not be tolerated and will have the full force of the law to protect those who are the victims.
One of the girls who works for me had a friend whose husband re strangers et, appeared a most convivial individual. What we didn’t know was how he regularly beat her, took her wages and gave her the minimum to live on. No social life, had to be home at a certain time, not allowed to wear makeup, never allowed out without that person with them.
Miranda, who works for me uncovered the truth. Taking her to hospital for treatment after the beating she had just received before he raped her. Apart from all of the bruising, she had a dislocated thumb and a break to one of her lower arm bones. Quote M a physical wreck.
It took nearly two years before the divorce was finalized and the law brought to bear on the abuser for repeatedly breaking the terms of the order that forbade him from going anywhere near his ex wife including stalking her.
In the end the only way she could rid herself of that scum was for her to move across the country and stay as anonymous as she could be to the point of changing her name.
I gather that she is now married again and according to Miranda, finally happy, in a good relationship.
What you learn from it all; thankyou Miranda, is how important it is for the victim to have the stress taken down to a level where they can regain their self confidence AND be strong enough, mentally, physically; spiritually to a level where the abuser is the one who no longer has the power.
That Sandy is what is on offer here. No strings attached other than you destress, choose your future without someone else forcing you to make decisions or influencing you to suit their own purposes. I like that we get on so well but I’m honest to admit that we were thrown together and never without consequences.
Simplicity is no rush on your part, nor on mine. Let it be what it will be. Let’s as they say jump the hurdles as and when they happen BUT I will ask you to be totally honest with me. Getting your life back together means facing up to all of the legal aspects aswell as financial and other mind numbing obligations.
Burying your head hoping that debt is going to go away won’t help you destress.
You need to go over what bills and other obligations lay outstanding so we can tackle them, work out a solution that will be acceptable to both of us without you feeling that I am trying to buy my way in, to take over your life or leave you hating the thought that you owe me.
HOWEVER. all of that can wait until the New Year, which leads me to Christmas day and Mia. I want her to have the chance to believe that sometimes good things CAN happen not just for others but her aswell.
Cmon follow me.” They headed up the stairs, into his room. He turns to move over to a briefcase on the floor, taking from it, a small wrapped package. Carefully, unwrapping the contents, he handed them to her. A Samsung Galaxy S phone.
"One of the latest models." “A present from my Nina. Now, what do you say to giving that to Mia for Christmas? Everything is there. Plus it’s on my company’s contracts. So unlimited calls, texts and internet! No worrying about her running up a bill!”
“No!! Can’t do it. Sides what would Nina say? If it was me I would be upset."
"Look I can get another before she gets back. Won't know the difference. It's the thought that counts!"
“You.“ She hisses. “Are one of the craziest, nicest people, I have ever met. Known me, less than five minutes and Mia? I would be crazy, to say no. Apart from the fact, that I don’t want a relationship where it’s ‘You’ giving and me taking.“ She paused, sat down on the bed, realizing what she had said? “Oh my.. You know what I mean.”
“What if I said, the delight on Mia's face Christmas day and a smile on mine, when I see you knowing how happy Mia is? Far outweighs the value of that phone to me.
I would have been on my own for Christmas.
As it is, I have all I want, good food, company. My old phone is still a valuable asset to me, there is nothing it can’t do that the new one would offer that I use, note use.
To have an all dancing, singing new phone, a treat to some; but if you only use features that are standard on any phone ?”
He could see her mulling it over. “Alright ! BUT it’s from me.
If it was from both of us, she might be upset, teens are a nightmare, but after what she's been through, I worry how she will react all the time." She moved in closer to him.
“I needed the chance to not have family to feel obliged to. Nor friends who have known me and the first thought that comes into their heads is ‘Oh hell here she comes again, borrow more money. Wonder if she’s had the guts to leave that pig of a partner.’
I know with you, I have that chance. Worth more than anything I could ever have wished for and from the moment I first set eyes on you, I have no fears about changing my future with someone who is so strong to help me, to guide me. Sometimes we all need a little help, asking is the first step to doing something positive.
I love the ‘Lets see where this leads.’ I WILL be open and brutally honest with you.
Re debts, I’ve done everything I can to keep them as low as I can, probably about two thousand in total with small amounts included from friends; family. May not seem much to you but humiliating to me to admit and yet, like you said; head up, face those you owe money to and have the debt your slave not your master.
I’m a fully qualified teacher with a Phd in business and accountancy, a masters degree apart from 4 A levels and two O levels; all of them highest grades. So finding work is NOT the problem. Someone with a lot of brains and so far, little sense, well, where past relationships are concerned.
All I needed was a break, a way to get my focus back. I have a really good feeling about where I am headed. I know it won’t happen overnight, if I can look back this time next year and feel as good as I do now.” She leaned in close to him to plant a kiss on his cheek before stepping back. “It will be because of you as much as me and Mia.”
“Mama.“ Terry tucked the semi wrapped present out of sight as Mia stormed into the room handing her mother her phone. Panic on her face? Sandy read the message on the phone. FROM HIM!
‘I know where you are bitch, I’m coming for you!‘ She handed Terry the phone, almost dropping it, her hand shaking. Pulling Mia into her. “Threats, idle threats, he couldn’t know where you are.“
“I think Terry could be right, the.“ She was about to say ‘Bstard’ and changed her mind, it was Mia! “Scum! Thinks he can do as he’s done in the past babe. Ruin things for us." Mia nodded. “Not this time Mia!
We’re here, safe and warm.“ She leaned in to Mia, kissed her on the cheek. “You never know, Santa might, grant you, your wish! I can definitely vouch for my girl being a GOOD girl!“ “Mama!“ Mia went bright red. Terry grinning, didn’t help things.
It would be an hour later that Terry asked Sandy for that b’stards phone number.
With Mia watching her favorite television program, the volume turned up he explained to her why he needed the number. “We’ll soon find out where he is, I think we can assume wherever his phone is?” She nodded, watching him pick up the phone to talk to someone.
“Charlotte! I’ve a favor to ask of Joules.” Joules he explained to Sandy was Charlotte’s son and had a talent for tech tasks, someone he relied on to keep his computer systems working well.
He also had a talent for miscellaneous activities including tracking mobiles. How he did it he would never reveal suffice to say that on one ocassion when Nina had had her phone stolen, thanks to him they had recovered the phone within an hour of it being taken.
Placing the phone down, Terry sat next to Sandy, picking up the tumbler of whiskey to sip at it. “Give him an hour or so. Will be worth keeping track of that b’stards whereabouts until we’ve moved your gear. Sandy was certainly feeling a lot happier.
Mia was laughing. “Now that, has to be a good sign. Lets keep it that way.”
The villain of the piece, Shaun? He had let the battery run down on the mobile.
Cursing at his stupidity he knew he would have to find a store that sold the chargers, preferably one that would work in the car. Stopping to ask where he might find such a store, he was given directions.
Fifteen miles away to the nearest out of town shopping center. Another delay but one he knew he could do nothing about, he needed his phone active to access the map facility.
Pinpointing as close as possible WHERE that bitch could be found.
Day 21 continues here
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