What’s your “I survived hell but came out stronger” story?
The Descent into Conflict
My husband hired a fake CPS worker to kidnap our daughter. When I first married my husband, Kyle, we were happy, or at least I thought we were until our child was born. Because around this time, I got a promotion, which meant I’d be getting paid more than Kyle.
So, we agreed it was best for him to be a stay-at-home father.
But when I’d get home from my 10-hour shifts, I’d find the house looking 10 times messier than when I left in the morning. There were dirty diapers left all over the floor, and Kyle would either be asleep with a beer bottle in his hand or drinking while watching recorded NBA games from the 80s.
And worst of all, he kept the habit that he promised he’d drop once our baby girl was born. Going out with the boys every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday night. I tried my best to respect him, to keep our relationship alive.
But after 4 years, nothing had changed, and I was completely burnt out. So, we divorced.
Well, within 6 months, I noticed his Facebook status had already switched from single to married. Not to mention his new wife and her kids being plastered across his socials, and I wouldn’t have cared, but it broke our baby girl’s heart.
He canceled plans on her multiple times because he promised to spend time with them. So, while I practically had to bend the ends of the earth to take time off work to go to my daughter’s school blaze, Kyle just wouldn’t show up and instead post pictures of him at his kids scouts and soccer practices.
The bimonthly visits were neglected, too. I could see the disappointment in my daughter’s eyes every time she sat at the window waiting for him to show up, only to see the clock tick past another missed promise.
And Lily didn’t have many friends. I guess being an only child and living in a neighborhood full of retirees didn’t help. So, when Halloween came around and she had no one to trick-or- treat with, I finally caved.
I called my ex-husband and asked if his stepkids could come over to play with her since they were all around the same age.
“Yes, of course they can.” “How many nights?” “One, two.”
His tone was disturbingly upbeat. “Um, just one night.”
“Okay, perfect.” “I’ll drop them off right now.”
When he dropped them off, it was the first time I had seen Kyle in months, but I didn’t want to confuse Lily, so I didn’t tell her he was driving. This was made even easier by the fact that he didn’t come to the front door, just drove away the second they arrived.
But I didn’t care. It was the first time I saw Lily get along with kids her age so well.
At the end of the night, they poured their candy onto the living room floor, sorting through piles of chocolate and lollipops. They traded their favorite brands and didn’t even fight once.
I expected Kyle to come the next day to collect them, but he never did. Didn’t even bother to text or call.
But turns out they all went to the same school as Lily. So, I just incorporated them as part of my routine because seeing how happy it made Lily meant it was worth it.
Plus, I knew they liked us. Whenever I’d pick them up from school, they all Lily and her step siblings would rush over to the car and wave school projects in my face.
“Look what I made.” “Look what I made.” They’d shout at the top of their lungs.
But after three nights of zero contact from Kyle, he finally picked them up again. He didn’t come to the door, just parked in the front garden and texted me the words, “I’m outside.”
They hugged me super tight for almost 5 minutes straight before I could successfully maneuver them into the front garden. That night, Lily went to sleep with a smile on her face and I knew I did good. But Kyle disagreed because the next morning he called me.
