My BF told his friends he didn’t want me to have his baby because I was getting too fat

Stability, New Love, and True Freedom

The custody hearing finally arrived. Josh appeared with witnesses claiming I was mentally unstable. I presented my extensive documentation, including testimonies from mental health professionals. My hands shook throughout my testimony.

The judge reviewed all evidence. He struggled with completely terminating parental rights. A compromise was reached. Josh would have supervised visitation only after completing anger management and parenting classes. I cried in the bathroom after the ruling. I was devastated about the visitation decision.

Josh’s GPS monitoring showed he’d driven by my old apartment multiple times. His bail was revoked, buying me more time. The officer who arrested him actually apologized for not taking me seriously before.

With Josh temporarily back in jail, I focused on creating a home for Lily. My finances were stretched thin. Tim connected me with a local mother’s group that shared child care and resources. The group became like family to me.

I slowly began to trust people again, particularly Tim, who was wonderful with Lily. But I worried about his intentions. I kept our relationship strictly in the friend zone despite growing feelings. He never pushed for more.

Josh’s criminal trial approached. His lawyer offered a plea deal that seemed too lenient. I met with the prosecutor, sharing how the harassment had affected my life. The prosecutor promised to fight for appropriate consequences.

The judge rejected the plea deal, sentencing Josh to 18 months. He would be eligible for parole in just 9 months. I had to make the most of this time to establish stability. The sentence felt too short for what he’d done.

With Josh incarcerated, I finally felt safe enough to start living again. But I struggled with residual trauma. Tim suggested a therapist specializing in PTSD and domestic abuse. The therapist helped me understand I wasn’t overreacting. Therapy helped me process my experiences. I still jumped at every unexpected noise.

Tim helped me install additional security in my apartment, including cameras I controlled. He spent a whole weekend setting everything up perfectly. As Lily turned 1, Tim organized a small birthday celebration.

I hesitated to post any pictures online. We kept it intimate with just our closest friends who understood the situation. Lily smashed her cake everywhere and giggled.

After the party, Tim finally admitted he had feelings for me. He respected that I might not be ready. We agreed to take things extremely slowly with Lily’s well-being as the priority. I was terrified, but also hopeful.

Our first official date was just coffee while my parents watched Lily. I kept checking my phone every 5 minutes. Tim suggested we bring Lily next time, making it a family outing instead. He understood my anxiety without me explaining.

Over the next few months, Tim became a constant, calming presence. I received notice that Josh was up for early release for good behavior. We consulted my lawyer about strengthening our protection measures. I started having nightmares again.

Josh was released after serving nine months. He immediately violated his parole by removing his monitoring device. An arrest warrant was issued, putting me back on high alert. I barely slept for days after hearing the news.

I requested police protection when Josh couldn’t be located. They could only drive by occasionally. Tim moved into my guest room, not wanting me and Lily to be alone. He brought his guitar and played lullabies for Lily.

Three tense weeks passed with no sign of Josh. I received flowers at work with no card. Security footage confirmed they were delivered by a service, not Josh personally. The message read, “I’m watching you”.

The flower deliveries continued daily. The florist refused to disclose who ordered them. Tim helped me get a lawyer to subpoena their records. Each delivery made me physically ill with anxiety.

The records revealed Josh’s mother was sending the flowers. This proved they were tracking my movements. I had to switch jobs, finding remote work to limit my public exposure. I missed my co-workers, but felt safer at home.

Working from home allowed me to care for Lily. The isolation began to affect my mental health. Tim organized small gatherings at our apartment where I could socialize safely. These gatherings became weekly traditions.

At one gathering, a friend’s new boyfriend, Shadow, seemed oddly interested in my story. I dismissed it as normal curiosity. I was shocked when Tim later spotted him taking pictures of our building. He had circled the block three times. We confronted Shadow about the photos. He made excuses and left quickly.

We reported it to the police, suspecting he was connected to Josh. The police said they’d look into it, but sounded unconvinced. The police investigation revealed Shadow was actually Josh’s cousin. They claimed there wasn’t enough evidence to arrest him.

Tim and I decided we needed to move again. I cried all night at the thought of starting over. Finding a new apartment quickly was challenging. Tim suggested we look for a place together. Our relationship took a serious turn as we apartment hunted as a couple. This time, I was excited about the move.

We found a perfect place in a different neighborhood. During the final walkthrough, I noticed someone watching from across the street. We changed our moving plans last minute using decoy vehicles. We left at 4:00 a.m. with trusted friends helping. The move was successful with no incidents.

The very next day, Josh was arrested trying to break into our old apartment. He was sent back to prison for parole violation. I felt vindicated and relieved simultaneously.

With Josh back in custody, Tim formally asked me to make our relationship official. I worried about what would happen when Josh was eventually released again. We agreed to take it day by day, focusing on creating happy memories. Tim never pressured me for more than I could give.

Lily began calling Tim Dada naturally. I worried about her relationship with her biological father. We consulted a child psychologist about how to handle the situation as she grew older. The psychologist was incredibly helpful.

The psychologist suggested age appropriate honesty would be best. But she recommended waiting until Lily was older for details. We focused on ensuring she felt safe and loved in the present. Tim started a special bedtime routine with her.

As Lily’s second birthday approached, Tim proposed. I hesitated, worried it was too soon. We compromised on a long engagement, giving us time to be certain. The ring was simple, but perfect. We planned a small engagement celebration.

News somehow reached Josh in prison. He began sending threatening letters addressed to Tim. One letter included a crude drawing of Tim with a knife. The prison was supposed to screen Josh’s mail, but the letters continued arriving.

Tim installed cameras covering every angle of our new home. We also got a dog named Cooper for additional security.

Josh became eligible for release again. His behavior in prison had been erratic. The parole board required him to complete extensive therapy before considering release. His threats against him worked against his release.

With Josh still contained, we began planning a small wedding. I had nightmares about him showing up. We kept all details completely off social media and used code words with vendors. We changed the venue twice as precautions.

On our wedding day, security was tight. I still felt anxious walking down the aisle. Tim arranged for KB and two friends to serve as discrete security. I kept scanning the crowd during the ceremony. The ceremony was beautiful with Lily as our flower girl.

As we exchanged vows, a disturbance erupted at the entrance. The officiant quickly pronounced us married while security investigated. I nearly fainted from fear. The disruption was Josh’s mother trying to enter. She was quickly removed.

We continued with our reception, refusing to let her ruin our day. I actually laughed when I heard she’d been arrested for trespassing. We postponed our honeymoon until we felt safer. Tim surprised me with a minimoon staycation at a local hotel.

We had our first peaceful nights as a married couple while my parents watched Lily. It felt like breathing for the first time in years.

Returning home, we received notice that Josh was being released. This release came with strict conditions, including an ankle monitor, and prohibited him from entering our city. We cautiously resumed normal life while maintaining vigilance. I still checked the security cameras multiple times daily.

Months passed without incident, but I discovered I was pregnant again. We decided to move one final time before the baby arrived. We chose a home in a gated community. The extra security was worth the higher cost. The pregnancy progressed smoothly.

At 7 months, I spotted someone resembling Josh near Lily’s preschool. We immediately switched her to a school with better security protocols. The new school understood our situation completely. The police investigated the preschool incident, but couldn’t confirm it was Josh.

Tim installed a GPS tracker on Lily’s backpack as an extra precaution. We practiced safety drills with her as a game.

As my due date approached, Josh violated his parole conditions. He went into hiding before police could arrest him. We went into lockdown mode, barely leaving our home. Tim worked from home to stay with us. I went into labor 2 weeks early, but was terrified of going to the hospital.

Tim arranged for a midwife and backup medical team to come to our home for the birth. The midwife was experienced and reassuring. Our son, Logan, was born healthy at home. The stress had taken a toll on my health. Tim took family leave to care for both me and the children. I developed postpartum depression but got treatment quickly.

Two weeks after Logan’s birth, police finally captured Josh. They discovered he had been living just three blocks from our previous apartment. We realized how close we had come to another confrontation. He had been watching our old place for weeks.

Josh was sentenced to 5 years for multiple parole violations. The judge finally granted my petition to terminate his parental rights. Tim was able to legally adopt Lily, making official what had been true in our hearts for years. The adoption ceremony made me cry with joy. The adoption day was one of the happiest of our lives.

I still found myself checking security cameras habitually. Tim suggested we join a support group for families affected by stalking. The group helped me realize I wasn’t alone. The support group connected us with resources and similar families.

I struggled to share our story openly. Tim encouraged me to start a private blog as therapy. Writing became my way of processing everything. Writing about my experiences was cathartic. I worried about privacy.

I used pseudonyms and changed identifying details while still conveying the emotional truth. The blog helped me organize my thoughts. My blog unexpectedly gained followers. I wasn’t ready for public attention.

I worked with a domestic violence organization to turn my experiences into resources for others while maintaining anonymity. My story helped other women recognize warning signs. As the children grew, we established holiday traditions and family rituals. I sometimes caught myself scanning crowds for Josh’s face.

Tim and I developed subtle signals to help ground me when anxiety struck. He would squeeze my hand three times for I love you. Lily started asking questions about her biological father. We weren’t sure how much to reveal. We consulted her therapist about age appropriate explanations. The therapist gave us scripts to follow.

Following professional advice, we told Lily a simplified truth about Josh. She worried he might take her away. We reassured her with facts about our legal protections and security measures. Tim showed her his adoption certificate often.

When Logan turned three and Lily was six, we received news that Josh was being released early. Strict conditions prevented him from contacting us. We cautiously planned our first real family vacation. We chose a beach destination with security.

Our beach vacation was magical, watching the children play freely. I noticed a familiar car following us on the drive home. We contacted police who intercepted Josh 50 miles from our house. He had violated his conditions immediately.

This final violation resulted in Josh losing all possibility of early release. His obsession seemed undiminished after years. The prosecutor helped us relocate through a victim protection program. This allowed us a truly fresh start.

We moved to another state entirely. In our new community, no one knew our history. I worried about starting over again. Tim reminded me that home wasn’t a place, but wherever our family was together. He was right, as always.

5 years after Logan’s birth, we gathered for a family portrait in our backyard. Just as the photographer clicked the shutter, we received news that Josh had attempted to find our new address using a prison computer system. He was caught in the act. His sentence was extended by 10 years. This gave us the security to finally truly relax.

As I looked at my beautiful children playing with Tim, the man who had stood by us through everything, I realized that despite the nightmare that led us here, we had created something beautiful. A family built on love, trust, and the kind of resilience that can only come from weathering the storm.