The Year That Changed My Life

Chapter 3 First Love and How Much It Changes You

Chapter 3 First Love and How Much It Changes You

       
         I took the sisters offer of help after the years had finally stopped flowing like a river. That afternoon they took us to Ms. Pearls trailer and made sure we were settle in with everything we could need. The woman even made a trip to Wal-Mart and purchased tons more we probably didn't. I told them we didn't need anything more they had given us enough, but Ms. Winnie just told me that was nonsense you could never have enough of the things you need.
        The next day I started my job at the diner waiting tables. Ms. Winnie is the manager, but with her having to take over waitressing for a little while her task where falling behind. That's where I came in, taking over where she could get everything back right. There was nothing hard about the job and the few locals I'd meet so far were great.
        The kids helped decorate the small three bedroom trailer, and clean up the yard around it on my days off. Dewayne never allowed me to decorate our home or the kid's room, but it was the first thing on my list for my days off. Bree insisted on painting her room a teal color with purple accessories. Alex only wanted Cars and Legos covering his entire room. I hung the few pictures I had in the stack of paper I had and hung they on the living room walls. I even let the kids pick out the furniture for the living room. They were both over the moon.
       Two weeks after starting at the diner I'd doubled what I took from the safe. I took a few hundred dollars to Ms. Pearl's door and tried to pay her my first month's rent with a little extra as a thank you, but she wouldn't take it. "Honey I don't need your money. You don't have to pay me rent as long as you live there. But, I do have an idea what you could use this for."
       I had no idea what she meant, but she didn't have to make me wait long. "There's someone I want you to meet Marie so c'mon in. We were just about to come see you actually." Ms. Pearl took me into the kitchen where a man around her age was sitting at the table. "Marie I want you to meet a friend of mine Jeff Bacon. Now just know before you start laughing at the poor man's name maybe you should know Jeff's a lawyer and has agreed to take you on pro bono. Ain't that sweet of him?"
       "Yes ma'am if you think it is, but why am I his new client?" I couldn't work out what she was playing at.
       "Cuz Jeff here is the best divorce lawyer in a hundred mile radius who just so happen to owe me a favor. So here he is."
        Last Friday when Ms. Winnie handed me my first paycheck in years I broke down in tears. Ms. Mabel was in her office as well. Both women started asking what the problem was instantly. When I calmed down enough to talk I told both of them everything about Dewayne and what the kids and I lived thru all these years. Both were livid when I finished but none as crazed as Ms. Mabel, "That sorry, no good SOB! I'll kill him for touching you and then babies. If he was here right now I'd take him by the balls into the kitchen then fry the little suckers on the flat top. Then I'd take my spatula to his eye..."
        "Mabel Please! Don't upset Marie more than she is already." Ms. Winnie scolded her sister when she noticed my slack jaw and appalled look toward her sister. "She ain't upset Winnie. She's fantasies worst for the man. Tell her Marie." Ms. Mabel sent me a wink at the end. I lost it. The lady was absolutely right!
         The ladies told me not to worry about it they would handle it. I guess Mr. Bacon was their solution. I went to his law office on the small town square the next day to start the paperwork. I answered all of his questions about the abuse in as great of detail I could. Along with all the dates Dewayne had sent me to the hospital and what he'd done each time. Mr. Bacon asked what I wanted out of the divorce and my only answer was my children. I didn't want anything else that belonged to that man. I'd do it on my own, not even child support.
          "Mrs. Long you're sure you don't want any type of support from him? After everything you and your children have been through you deserve it, and so do your kids."
          "No nothing. Ever again. Can we see about terminating his rights to the kids where he won't hurt them again?"
          "Doubtful, not without substantial proof he is the one abusing them."
          "Don't we have that with all my hospital records? There is no way all of those breaks and fractures were caused by falls. You can tell by the types of breaks they are."
           "Unfortunately not, but that doesn't mean I won't try for supervised visitations with the kids, and a restraining order for you from him. The judge should grant my request."
           "Ok Mr. Bacon we will try it your way. Do you know when Dewayne will get the papers?"
           "No ma'am, but it shouldn't take very long."
    Mr. Bacon was right. Two days later I answered my new cellphone, the first one I'd had in ten years, to the screaming voice of my nightmares. Dewayne had gotten the papers with my new number and safe haven address Mr. Bacon insisted I use instead of the trailer.
           "You piece of shit cunt! Where the hell my kids at, and where the hell are you? Where ever your nasty STD havin ass is better have the money you stole from me too."
          "Hello to you to Dewayne. My children are fine. Happy and healthy for the first time in their lives. I only took what was rightfully mine Dewayne and you know that. Is that the only reason you called or was there something else? It's been so peaceful these last three weeks without you around I'd like to hurry back to that."
           "Bitch, you don't fucking talk to me like that! You know what the punishment is for that mouth of yours. And these papers I have in my hand must be a joke, or your punishment just got a lot worse."
          He reminded me of a Bull the way he was breathing down the phone. "No joke Dewayne those divorce papers are real. I'm done being your punching bag, and I'll do everything i can to make sure you never do the same to my kids again. Your threats don't scare me anymore. I'm taking my life back and giving my kids the childhood they really deserve. I don't need your money or your help. I'll do it on my own."
       "Just remember this you fucking bitch. You were nothing before me and won't have a damn thing without me. That includes my kids, they are coming back with me. If you know what's good for you you'll drop this nonsense and bring them back now. It really is the only way to stop what's in store for you. Who am I kidding, no it won't."
       The evil laugh that came from his end of the phone made my skin crawl. The fear that gripped me for all these years tried to take ahold ago with a vengeance. All the best horror scenes from my life with Dewayne over the last few years started to play like a movie in my head. My inner voice started listing my insecurities and deepest fears of what that man would do to us if we were to go back. I could feel a panic attack at the edge of my reason waiting to consume me.
       "No." That whispered word passing my lips gave me the strength I needed at the moment to push it all out of my head.
       "What the fuck you just say to me, cunt?"
       "I said no you piece of shit. Over my dead body will I ever let you see those kids again. Never." My volume increased till I screamed the last word into the phone.
        Click
       "Thank you sweetheart you just gave me everything I need. I'll see you in court. Have fun explaining this tape to the judge."
       Dewayne hung up after that. Leaving me alone just like I asked, but left me with a lead weight in my stomach and heart. Whatever he had on that tape wouldn't be good.
       Mr. Bacon, true to his word, had us in court just two weeks later for the custody and divorce agreement. I was a walking zombie going into the courtroom that morning. I hadn't been able to sleep the past week with all the crap going on in my head. The 'Godmothers' as the kids had started to call them tried to reassure me everything would be ok daily with no luck. They tried to keep the kids busy where they couldn't see my struggle. I just couldn't shake this feeling that something was going to go horribly wrong. I'd been dealing with Dewayne a lot longer than them. The sisters didn't know how truest evil the man was.
      When I arrived at the courthouse I went inside to the one room court was held in and went to the table Mr. Bacon was sitting at. I took the chair beside him and asked him to please go over what would happen again with me. Midway thru his explaining the door to the room opened with a slam. In walked Dewayne, wear the one suit he owned that I bought for him for his grandmother's funeral. Beside him was the costar of my nightmares Officer Jack Denton in all his uniformed glory. On Dewayne's other side was a woman around my age. She was gorgeous, toned body with a great rack and hips for days. Long blond hair and a look that said she knew she was better than you. She was everything I'd always wanted to be. If I lost almost a hundred pounds and underwent major surgery.
      The trio made their way to the table across from us and took their seats. Dewayne sat on the end closes to our table. Denton choose the other end with the blond bombshell between the two.
      Mr. Bacon kept talking through the commotion, but I didn't hear a word. I couldn't take my eyes off the woman at the table. 'I know that woman, but from where?' The woman was leaning into Dewayne whispering something into his ear while Denton checked out her ass with no shame. The woman looked at me over Dewayne's shoulder, caught me staring at them, and gave me a wink. Then she started to run her finger across the nape of his neck making sure I saw.
      The diabolical look she sent my way had a giant lightbulb flashing neon over my head. Dewayne had brought the only woman I hated as much as him. Maybe because the two were just alike. Brittany Burke, Dewayne's lawyer, and high school sweetheart. The living image of what Dewayne wanted me to turn into.
      Dewayne and Brittany had been together since junior high all through high school and broke up two years after. With Brittany away at college and Dewayne's dreams of being a pro football player gone they called it quits. Or so is Dewayne's story.
      Dewayne made me go on every diet after I had Alex to get as skinny as Brittany, but it didn't work. He took me to a salon one year and told the stylist to make me blond and add extensions to make my hair the same length as hers. I tried to tell him my skin is too dark for me to have blond hair, but he didn't care. When the extension started to cause my hair to break and fall out Dewayne said it was my punishment for not looking like her.
      Before we started dating the one friend I was able to make that wasn't scared of Denton's threats told me Brittany would let Dewayne and Denton share her whenever they wanted. While still sleeping with all the other men in that town. Whenever we would run into each other in town Brittany would make a point to terrorize me. Most the time going out of her way to make that happen.
      I was going to be sick. The lead in my stomach was trying to make its way to my feet with my heart behind it. Brittany fought dirty, always had. If she was her to represent Dewayne it was no telling what lies they had up there sleeve.
      The bailiff called the courtroom to order and the judge took the bench. He went through the formalities of paperwork with both lawyers before telling Mr. Bacon he could go first.
       "Thank you your honor, my client Mrs. Marie Long is seeking a divorce from her husband, Mr. Dewayne Long, on the grounds of emotional and physical abuse. My client has been used as a punching bag from her husband to use for years."
      "Objection." Brittany's voice had the hairs on the back of my neck standing on end. "What grounds Ms. Burke?" The judge looked like a kind, fair man. I just hope he had a good head on his shoulders and didn't let Brittany catch him in one of her traps.
       "Hearsay, your honor. The medical records provided to the courts doesn't give a cause for any of the breaks or bruising. Nothing indicates my client to be the cause." The judge looked at Mr. Bacon and gave him a disappointed shake, "Sustained."
        Mr. Bacon started shuffling papers in front of him trying to hide the fact he was rattled. Things just kept getting worse from there.
       When Brittany got up to deliver her arguments she sent me a look of pure evil before dropping their bombshell. "Your honor, Mr. Bacon will have you believe my client is a worthless man, and should be stripped of his right to parent his kids. That Mr. Long is the devil in the flesh dolling out his evil punishments to anyone he wants. It's not true sir."
       "I have a tape I'd like you to hear your honor and tell me who you think is the evil one." Brittany handed the bailiff an old school cassette tape for the judge to hear. My stomach rolled hard with each step the bailiff made toward the audio system in the corner. The bailiff put the tape in and hit play. My face lost all its coloring instantly.
        "You're a piece of shit Dewayne. I can't wait to get in that courtroom and tell the judge everything. All the dirty secrets, and who do you think he'll believe. Me or the evil bastard that hurts his wife and kids? I placed my bet on me. Ha-ha."
        "Marie please let me see the kids. You know I've never laid a hand on you or them. I've been nothing but good to you. I go to work every day while you sit at home. I make sure all the bills are paid, while you just go and spend it while I'm gone. I don't know why you keep telling people I did all these cruel things to you when I haven't. I still love you Marie and just wish my family would come home."
        "Fuck you, you fat fuck! You'll never see my kids again. Over my dead body. Never! I'll make sure you're never allowed to talk, or see them again. And when the judge buys my story hook, line, and sinker I'll go to the police and have them throw you in prison next."
       "Please Marie, don't do this. I love you."
       "Watch and see what happens. Have a nice long, miserable life without your kids."
       The tape went silent after that. Tears were falling down my face, and I didn't care if those three bastards saw. I have no clue how they did it, but the voice on the tape was half mine and someone else. The words were blended so well together though you couldn't really tell. But I could. Mr. Bacon jumped up and started objecting and arguing with the judge. I turned toward Dewayne not caring he saw my tears. I just wanted to know "why". Why would him and his two fucked up friends dead set on taking everything from me? What did I do so wrong for Dewayne to hate me so when I only tried to love him.
        I didn't listen to the rest of the proceedings. Instead I spent the rest of the time trying to hold the shattered pieces of my soul together instead of breaking down like my body wanted.
        It was all over rather quickly after that. The judge accused Mr. Bacon and myself of trying to play him. No matter what Mr. Bacon tried to say the judge would shut him up, refusing to let him talk. Instead Dewayne walked away with visitation every other weekend, and every other holiday would be spent with him. No supervised visits, and the judge even put a note in my file of what I tried to get away with and made a suggestion child services started making monthly visits to my home.
       I walked out of the courthouse in a daze. I don't remember walking down the front steps or making my way to my car where Ms. Mabel was standing waiting. "Marie honey, what happen?" The tears I saw in the corner of her eyes was my undoing. I fell into the older woman's arms and howled with sorrow. Dewayne won. How does the bad guy keep winning? What deal with the devil did he make for people not to see the evil inside him? What if he gets them to take the kids? What am I gonna do then? I was in the middle of asking myself those questions for the sixth time since walking out that door when her voice came from behind me.
         "Dewayne wanted you to know he will be in Memphis next weekend for his time with his children. He said he will come to you this time since you have no money. They are going to stay in a hotel in the city then you can come and get them Sunday. The second weekend after that y'all will have to agree on a spot halfway between y'all to meet. He also said he will make sure to called child services Monday and tell them personally what the judge ordered for you. Don't want to let you off easy, ya know?"
           Ms. Mabel tightened her hold on me to stop the attack I was about to deliver to Brittany. I wanted to drag the ground with her face to remove the 'I'm better than you' grin from her face.
       "Ok we understand, and will make sure to be there. Can you answer a question of mine please?" I don't see how Ms. Mabel could be so calm and polite right now. I wanted blood for the lies this bitch and Dewayne just sold in that courtroom. Brittany turned toward Ms. Mabel and sneered at her, "What old lady?"
        "Sweetheart you don't know me, and I don't know you. My names Ms. Mabel, but if you ever talk to someone like that again in front of my face I'll hide your body so good the dogs won't even be able to catch a sent. You understand me?" Ms. Mabel gave Brittany her best 'Don't fuck with me' look waiting on her to say something.
          "Run along grandma. This don't concern you. And if you threaten me again I will have you thrown in jail so fast your head will spin like Ragen from the Exorcist."
       Ms. Mabel took her hands from around my neck and stepped right into Brittany's personal space, "Listen here Barbie. I ain't one of your Ken dolls following you like a puppy, and you're sure as hell ain't scary to me. For your information anything to do with that woman and her kids is my only business. So unless you want me to introduce you to my friends," Ms. Mabel tapped on the side of her purse letting Brittany know what type of 'friend' she was meaning. "Or you get you and your boy-toys and get the hell out my town. I'll forget what you said about my family, and just let it go. But you better be outta my sight in two minutes."
     "You have got to be fucking kidding me old wo..."
     "One." Ms. Mabel pulled a gun from her purse, cocked it, and aimed at Brittany's head before I could even blink. "This ain't over just remember that." Brittany turned and headed for Dewayne and Denton. I made it to ninety-eight seconds when they were finally loaded into the car and on their way.

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