Author’s Note: This isn’t where I want to be forever. I don’t want to write about my ex and the hell he gave me for the rest of my writing career. Truth be told, I strongly considered never writing negatively about him again and focusing on the good times in our relationship. However, recounting only the joyful parts of our story would mean I wasn’t being true to myself — again. Bad shit happened. I want to get over and through those diabolical times. But I can’t unless I fall to my knees and let it out.
. . .
. . .
Shit had already hit the fan so hard that it was flying everywhere.
It was excruciating when I caught my then-husband talking to his girlfriend on the other line and came to terms with his main concerns that night: He wasn’t worried about our fifteen-year marriage crumbling before our eyes, our two beautiful children, or what a scumbag he was for doing all. sorts. of. shit. behind my back while I was at home with the kids.
Nope.
He was pissed that I looked up our joint cellphone account and became curious about the many unknown numbers he had been calling for the past who-knows-how-long whenever he was alone or texting and sending pictures to at 2 am when I was asleep.
He was livid with me for invading his privacy. And told me never to speak to her again.
For the record, I called this woman before I called him, and we had a pleasant conversation — on my end, at least. I told her I saw her number on our bill and (politely) wondered who it was.
This wasn’t a video call, but if I could have seen this woman’s jaw — it was undoubtedly hanging on the floor. She quickly recovered her fight-or-flighty breath and forced out the first seven words she could think of, “Look, this is none of my business…”
Click.
She hung up on me in a hurry. I laughed (because that’s my go-to coping mechanism when I’m uncomfortable) and called my ex-husband.
Minutes later, she called back and left me a guilt-ridden voicemail apologizing for hanging up on me. Then immediately after leaving me that cognizant message, she called my ex-husband to warn him.
But it was too late.
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This post was previously published on ILLUMINATION.
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