It All Started With a Diary

listen

"Before you were here, one of his businesses started to go downhill in the stock market, and I guess that's what started the drinking. Then, the cheating. I knew that he was involved with his assistant, so I confronted him but he didn't think that I was right in that. He'd given me everything, money wise. He told me that all I needed to do was sit still, and look pretty. Obviously, we argued and it ended with him hitting me for the first time."

"Why didn't you leave?" Kade piped up. "Before we were here. You had nothing holding you down to him."

Susie smiled sadly, her fingers trembling around the cup. "I was young, stupid, and in love. William had control over all of our financial assets, as well as putting my sisters through college and every other financial thing needed. I thought that he was all I had. But, that changed when I found out about you." She shut her eyes as the tears began to well. "I didn't realize until I held you for the first time that you were my first time feeling unconditional love." Even though he was still as a statue, I knew that he was listening.

"The beatings stopped for a while. At least three years, I believe. Then, it all started again. I wanted to run, god I wanted to. But, I couldn't leave you behind. I tried leaving with you, but I was brought right back to him by the officers who swore to help me."

"He said that I could leave, but as long as you stayed with him. He held you over my head, saying that his lawyers would gain him full custody and I knew that he was right. That he would hurt you to hurt me. I didn't have a penny to my name at that time. So, when you turned five, I saved every single dime I had by selling some of William's things, working a bit when he was away, things like that. I tried, I really did. But, your father ruled that town, those people. When he found out, he raped and beat me until I was near death then transferred all of my earnings to his account."

I couldn't stop myself from reaching over to touch her. I grabbed her hand in support, squeezing it as my own tears welled. She looked up at me with a sad attempt of a smile.

"After that, I knew that we were stuck. But, if I couldn't do anything about it, I could at least stay for you. As long as he never touched you, I would endure everything. But, then I found out that I was pregnant again with Kacen, not long after. William, he wanted me to have no chance at leaving so he purposely did it," her voice cracked. "And he knew that he couldn't hit me while pregnant, so he gave it to you."

This time, she allowed the tears to flow freely. "I had no friends, no money, nothing. He would have murdered what family I did have left if I told them. But, I kept trying. I kept trying to leave, to go to every police station I could find and beg for help. It would end the exact same way. I would be brought back, and William would punish you for it. He knew that was how to get to me."

"The only thing that I could do was what would hurt you the most," she whispered. "I had to send you away, even if it were only for a short while. I had to get you away. I knew that he wouldn't hurt Kacen, but you were always something that William was not. Good. You were a loving boy, and he hated that."

"While you were gone, I tried my plan again. I never stopped. At that point, I didn't care if it would kill me, because my babies would have a chance to be free of him," her words were beginning to slow into a choke. "I saved over that time, but it wasn't enough. Then I saw Jackson, again," she looked to me, a shaky smile lining her face. "Your father helped our family in so many ways, sweetheart." I nodded, my heart warming in my chest. As much pain as my family had caused theirs, at least my dad did something good.