Less than a week before she was scheduled to move out, he texted her during her last week at work asking about her paying for half the car repairs, despite her leaving. The car that he bought without her input, that he chose on his own, that was falling apart, he expected her to still pay half for. He had sent several texts one after the other, basically telling her what she would have to do WHEN she paid him, not if.
First of all, she was angry that he was texting her all this while she was working. He could have waited until she had gotten home. If it were the other way around and she was doing that to him while he was working, he would have lost his mind on her. Second of all, she had already promised him an extra month’s rent that she was not legally required to pay, and now he was demanding more from her?
She sent him a chapter book’s worth of a text back, which she regretted as soon as she hit send. She had just played into his hand and now she knew he would get his revenge. She had to get back on the floor but when she opened her phone after her shift she read the 11 texts he had sent in return. “Are you threatening me, little girl?” was the first line of his reply. Before driving home she sent him a long text apologizing for replying in anger and for saying things she didn’t mean. She said she hoped to be able to have a calm, rational discussion when she got home. That was not the case.
The walls were bare when she walked in the door. Though he hadn’t ripped anything up or destroyed anything, everything that belonged to her had been removed from the living area and dumped in the bedroom. “I want you out now! I want you gone!” he shouted at her. She tried to stay calm. She tried to reason with him. But he wasn’t having it. She refused to play this game with him again, especially since she was so close to getting out of this disaster of a relationship. If he wouldn’t listen to reason, then fine. She was gone.
It was a Friday night, and her dad was scheduled to come pick her up with a moving van the following Thursday. She called him and explained that she had to be out by Sunday and that she was afraid for her safety. He asked her to give him a few minutes so he could call and figure out the van situation. In no time, he had called her back saying it was all set and he would see her Sunday morning.
Her boyfriend had heard all of this from the living room. When she got off the phone he came in and said he didn’t actually want her to leave early. He just said that to worry her because he didn’t think it would actually be possible. Real nice. He definitely didn’t know what real love was, and what the amazing people in her life were willing to do for her because of their love for her.
She ended up calling her dad back and re-arranging the van for the Thursday, like they had originally planned. The only reason she did that was because she still had 2 days left of work and she wanted a proper goodbye with her co-workers. But mainly, she wanted as much time as possible with her dog/daughter. They spent the weekend separately doing their own things. She packed while he played loud, aggressive video games.
And then Thursday came. In the blink of an eye, the last seven years of her life had been packed into boxes and were now being loaded into a moving van. It was so surreal.
While her dad and now EX-boyfriend were loading the last of her things, she took a moment to say her parting words to this dog that had filled so much of her heart with joy and love. It was harder to leave her than it was to leave him. She knew that he would love and care for her, but not in the way she could. This dog loved her. This dog looked to her as the maternal figure that would protect her and nourish her and love her for all the days of her life.
She kissed her dog goodbye and told her they would be together again one day, though she wasn’t sure if she truly believed that. She came down the stairs, her dad already waiting in the van, her ex-boyfriend waiting for her on the passenger’s side. They cried as they hugged each other for the last time. He apologized again and wished her luck. She wished him luck too as she climbed into the van and closed the door. They tearily waved goodbye to each other as her dad pulled out of the driveway. This was really happening. This wasn’t a dream. After all that time, and two days before what would have been their 7-year anniversary, this chapter of her life was finally over. She was free.