When Enough is Enough

I was tired.  Tired of living in constant fear.  Tired of being treated like some sort of indentured servant.  Tired of being belittled.  Tired of being told I wasn't good enough.  Tired of being told that nobody else would want me.  Tired of being smacked around.  Tired of having to make excuses to my kids and my family.  I was done.  This had to be the end.

"What do you want?", he asked me.  

"A divorce", I replied with complete lack of emotion.  I was stonefaced.  

He smirked back at me, and proceeded to tell me that I could have my divorce on one condition-I had to be out by the weekend.  He was challenging me, and disbelieving me all at the same time.  The bastard didn't think I would do it. Or could do it, for that matter.  He had led me to believe for so long that I was stuck that I had started to believe it.

"Nobody else will love you the way I do", he told me.  

"Dear Lord, I hope not", I would whisper under my breath.

What he didn't know is that I had already put the wheels in motion for my great escape.  I had found a great place to live, gotten a job, and had my family behind me to support me.  I was well on my way to a beautiful beginning.  Ironic how the end of one thing always leads to the beginning of another, don't you think?

The end of one marriage led to the beginning of another, and so much more.  Without this end, I wouldn't have met my husband.  Without this end I wouldn't have my Tristan.  Without this end, I wouldn't have my education.  Without this end, I wouldn't have my self esteem and my dignity.  All of these things I gained are priceless.  Most importantly, my children won't have to grow up watching their Mommy hide the battle wounds of that first marriage.

*This post was written in response to a writing prompt at Studio30+.  You should check them out sometime, they're a really awesome group.


If you or someone you know is being abused, contact The National Domestic Violence Hotline for help.