My MIL aggressively kicked my daughter and me out into the rain at night while my husband was abroad

Selling the House and Moving to Venice

Jerry was scheduled to return in a week, which gave me some time to consider our future steps. If Jerry did not support me in this situation, I was painfully aware that divorce might become the only option. In hindsight, I regretted not seeking advice earlier.

Two weeks later, Jerry came back from Europe and went directly to the house where Victoria was. I then moved back from my parents’ place. Since Jerry had plans to return to Europe soon, we needed to discuss the situation thoroughly.

“I heard some things from Grace’s uncle. Is all of that true?” Jerry asked Victoria when I arrived. Victoria vehemently denied any wrongdoing, accusing me of plotting against her to have her evicted. “It’s all lies. I haven’t done anything. Grace is plotting something to evict me,” she claimed.

Jerry, whom I had hoped would support me, seemed uncertain and asked Victoria, “So, do you have any evidence to prove Grace’s plotting something?”. “No, of course not,” she replied defensively.

Then Jerry turned to me. “Grace, do you have any evidence?”. I hesitated briefly, then handed Jerry a voice recorder I had been using. “What’s this?” he inquired.

The recorder contained several instances of Victoria’s hurtful remarks and actions, not only when she kicked me out but also when she insulted me in various other instances. As Jerry listened to the recordings, his expression changed visibly.

The tapes captured Victoria saying things like, “You’re such a worthless wife. I wonder why he even married you.”. Victoria scrambled to defend herself, claiming the recordings were taken out of context and represented just a one-time thing.

However, as the recordings continued, it became clear that her verbal abuse was a repeated behavior, not an isolated incident. Jerry’s hand trembled with tension and anger as he absorbed the contents.

“Mom, what is this about?” Jerry demanded an explanation, but Victoria remained silent. “If you can’t answer, then I have to believe this is all true. And if it is, I need to protect Grace and Doris. You understand that, right?”.

Jerry’s anger was palpable, a side of him I had not seen in all our years together. Victoria, seeing this new side of Jerry, looked frightened and was unable to respond.

After numerous discussions and before Jerry’s return to Europe, I made it clear that I could no longer live with Victoria, especially not with Doris in the mix. Jerry seemed to understand and leaned toward the idea of placing Victoria in a care facility.

However, Victoria was strongly against this, complicating our discussions further. Despite her objections, I decided that the best course of action would be to sell the house, effectively making it clear that Victoria could no longer stay there.

“If you don’t want to go to the facility, you’ll need to find somewhere else to live,” Jerry firmly told Victoria. She was resistant to the idea of selling the house, but it was a necessary step for our future plans. Doris and I had decided to move to Europe.

Jerry, regretting not being more present for his family, was eager to ensure we stayed together moving forward. Though I had reservations about living abroad, the prospect of having Jerry with us was comforting.

Moreover, it would offer Doris a valuable opportunity to experience life in Europe at a young age. Selling the condo, which still carried a mortgage, became our only viable option.

If we didn’t sell, Victoria would have to manage the mortgage payments on her fixed income, which was not feasible considering her future. It was important for someone to assist her, but Victoria steadfastly refused to move into a facility. Reluctantly, we had to place her there forcefully.

“I’m sorry, but I have to head back to Europe. Could you take care of any remaining procedures here?” Jerry asked before his departure. With assistance from others, I managed to finalize Victoria’s admission into the facility.

The staff promised to keep me updated on her condition, but it was clear she was struggling to adapt. She wasn’t just feeling down; she was actively causing trouble for the staff and other residents.

Before leaving for Europe, I visited Victoria to check on her, but she lashed out at me. “Why have you locked me up in this place?” she demanded. She also complained about the food, the beds, and the other residents.

When I apologized to the staff, they were understanding. “It’s okay,” one of them reassured me, “We’re used to this kind of behavior. Just leave it to us. We’ll keep you updated, and if anything happens, we’ll let you know, so don’t worry.”.

Despite all the difficulties I had endured from Victoria when we lived together, I couldn’t help but feel concerned as I headed to Europe. Upon my arrival in Venice, Jerry was waiting for me at the airport, and we proceeded to the apartment we had rented.

It was a known fact that rents in Venice were much higher than in Oklahoma, but we were prepared to start anew in this new city. Since Jerry’s company provides a housing allowance, we were fortunate enough to find a spacious and affordable apartment in Venice.

The neighbors in our building are incredibly friendly, which has made settling in much easier, even though my French is still a work in progress. Just one neighbor shared some wine and cheese with me, and in return, I offered them some homemade mac and cheese.

My daughter Doris and I are both gradually learning French. Recognizing the limitations of self-study, I’ve enrolled in a language school.

Also newcomers to Italy are my classmates. I’ve already made some friends and am truly enjoying my new life in Venice.

Back in the States, my constant worries about Victoria often dampened my ability to fully enjoy social outings. Here in Venice, however, I can relish leisurely lunches just as I prefer.

My only concern at the moment is Doris, who is still too young for kindergarten, as children here usually start in the year when they turn six. I’m hopeful she will pick up enough French by then, and fortunately, she seems to be catching on quite quickly.

I’m contemplating finding a job once Doris starts preschool, while Jerry is supportive of me staying at home. Living in Venice has sparked a desire in me to explore more opportunities.

The ambitious and confident vibe of the city has ignited something within me. I’ve become friends with a waitress at a nearby cafe who hinted that there might be a job opportunity for me there.

The cafe is popular not only among the USA community but also with many locals who are learning English. There may be challenges ahead, but since arriving in Italy, Jerry and I have been communicating much better.

I feel more confident in expressing my feelings, and I believe that no matter what comes our way, we’ll face it together as a family. Currently, I feel happier than I have ever been in my life, enriched by this new chapter we’ve embarked upon in Venice.