HIDDEN SECRETS BEHIND CLOSED DOORS

DON'T FORGET YOUR MY WIFE THIS IS YOUR FAULT I DON'T KNOW HOW HARD IT IS FOR YOU TO UNDERSTAND IM THE MAN THAT GO TO WORK TO GIVE YOU THE LIFE YOU ALWAYS DREAMED OF WHY DO YOU HAVE TO MAKE A FOOL OF ME DON'T LOOK AT ME SO PATHETIC GO CLEAN YOURSELF UP WE HAVE GUESS WAITING DOWN STAIRS I GOT TO BE A DAM FOOL STAYING WITH YOU USELESS AS WIFE MUMBLING AS HE WALK OUT THE DOOR CLOSE IT BEHIND HIM I SLOWLY GET UP GLANCE IN THE MIRROR BLOOD LEAKING FROM MY NOSE MY LIP IS BUST ALL THE BRUISE FROM THE LAST TIME IT WASN'T LIKE THAT IN THE BEGINNING WE WERE SO IN LOVE ALL OF OUR FRIENDS FROM HIGH SCHOOL SAID YOU GUYS ARE GOING TO BE TOGETHER FOREVER HIGH SCHOOL SWEETHEARTS ITS BEEN 11 YEARS NOW THINGS CHANGED BETWEEN ME AND RUDY WHEN HE STARTED HIS OWN LAW FIRM HE WORKED LONG HOURS SOMETIMES HE WOULD BE GONE ALL NIGHT I BECAME SUSPICIOUS RUDY SET UP A PASSWORD ON HIS LAPTOP CELLPHONE CHANGED HIS PASSWORD TO EVERYTHING WHEN I ASKED RUDY HE SAID OH MONICA YOUR MY WIFE DONT QUESTION ME DONT YOU HAVE EVERYTHING YOU WANT DAM MONICA I CAN'T DO THIS WITH YOU YOUR SO INSECURE MAYBE YOU SHOULD JOIN A GYM LOSE A FEW POUNDS RUDY HOW COULD YOU SPEAK TO ME LIKE THAT I WAS SO UPSET THE ARGUMENT GOT LOUD AND LOUDER THE NEIGHBORHOOD COULD HEAR US RUDY GRABBED HE STARTED PUNCH ME KICK ME IN MY STOMACH I CURLED UP IN A BALL I COULDN'T BELIEVE I WENT INTO SHOCK HOW COULD THE MAN THAT I LOVE SO DEARLY SOMEBODY I'VE KNOWN FOR YEARS TURN AROUND AND ABUSE ME ALL I FELT WAS A WARM GUSH BETWEEN MY LEGS OH NO NO NO NO NO THIS CAN'T BE HAPPENING BEGGING HIM TO STOP RUDY I'M PREGNANT HE LOOKED AT ME WITH THE MOST COLDEST HEARTLESS LOOK EVER TELLING ME YOU'RE NOT GOOD ENOUGH TO CARRY MY CHILDREN YOU CAN'T EVEN BEHAVE LIKE A WIFE EVENTUALLY HE STOPPED AND TOLD ME TO GET UP AND CLEAN UP THIS MESS RUDY LOOKED AT ME SAYING IM GOING OUT FOR DRINKS AND WHEN I GET BACK HOME THIS PLACE BETTER BE CLEAN DO YOU UNDERSTAND NOD MY HEAD YES LATER THAT NIGHT I WAS RUSHED TO THE EMERGENCY WHEN THE DOCTOR EXAM ME HE COULD SEE THE BRUISES HE QUESTION ME THAT WAS WHEN MOMENTS THE LIES HAD STARTED IVE BEEN TO THE ER OVER A DOZEN TIMES EACH TIME I ALWAYS HAD A EXCUSE FOR MY INJURIES NO MATTER WHAT HE WAS MY HUSBAND DENY THE ABUSE THROUGH THE YEARS RUDY WAS NOT THE SAME PERSON HE BECAME VERY VIOLENT I WAS VERY AFRAID OF HIM I JUST WANTED TO END THIS RELATIONSHIP IVE SAID THIS PLENTY OF TIMES BEFORE YES I LEFT HIM A FEW TIMES AND HE WOULD ALWAYS REMIND ME EVER TIME WHEN HE WOULD FIND ME IT JUST GOT TO THE POINT I BECAME NUMB EVERY TIME HE WOULD HIT ME THIS ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIP WAS NOT GOING TO END UNTIL I WALKED AWAY I ONCE OVER HEARD ABOUT A SAFE PLACE FOR ABUSED WOMAN I SPOKEN A FEW TIMES OVER THE PHONE WITH A LADY SHE WAS VERY NICE SHE TOLD ME TO TAKE DOWN HER CELL PHONE NUMBER LYDIA WAS HER NAME AS RUDY WAS CALLING ME TO COME DOWN STARIS ANOTHER BIG PARTY ALL THE BIG SHOOTS THE PARTY WAS CAMPAIGN DOMESTIC VIOLENCE YET IF EVRRYONE KNEW THAT MY HUSBAND WAS ONE OF THOSE MEN I WAS HIS PUNCH BAG FOR YEARS AS I WALKED DOWN THE STAIRS MY HUSBAND WAS HAVING A CONVERSATION WITH THIS WOMAN TELLING HIS STORY ABOUT WHEN HE WAS A CHILD AND ALL ABUSE HE HAD A WITNESS BETWEEN HIS MOTHER AND HIS FATHER HOME FIRSTLY HIS FATHER HAD KILLED HIS MOTHER YET HERE HE IS DOING THE SAME THING SUCH A FRAUD AS I SHOOK MY HEAD HE CALLED ME OVER INTRODUCING ME TO LYDIA THE LADY THAT OWNED THE SHELTER FOR ABUSED WOMEN IT WAS HER I FINALLY GOT TO SEE HER FACE TO FACE THE FEAR OF THINKING THAT I WOULD HAVE WENT TO HER SHE WOULD HAVE BETRAYED ME AT LEAST THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT NERVOUS AS HELL I DIDN'T WANT TO MAKE A MISTAKE I DON'T WANT TO UPSET HIM I JUST SMILED AND SHOOK HER HAND POLITELY SHE SMILED NICE TO MEET YOU MONICA EXCUSE ME MONCIA CAN YOU PLEASE SHOW ME THE LADYS ROOM IS I GLANCE UP AT RUDY OH HUNNY SHOW HER TO THE ONE UPSTAIRS THANK YOU SO MUCH DEAR ILL BE RIGHT BACK SO.WE CAN CONTINUE OUR CONVERSATION WE WERE HAVING RIGHT BEFORE YOUR WIFE CAME DOWN AS WE WALKED UPSTAIRS LYDIA WHISPERS TO ME DO YOU WANT OUT I CAN HELP YOU WITH TEARS IN MY EYES SHE'LL JUST TELL HIM WHERE I'M AT NO YOU'RE INCORRECT NO WOMAN DESERVES TO BE ABUSED NO MAN DESERVES TO BE ABUSED I PROMISE YOU I KNOW THAT TRUST HAS BEEN BROKEN AND AS MANY TIMES YOU HAVE BEEN BETRAYED I PROMISE YOU I WILL KEEP YOU SAFE NOW IF THIS IS SOMETHING YOU WANT I HAVE SOMEONE OUTSIDE WAITING FOR YOU IN A WHITE VEHICLE I WILL DISTRACT YOUR HUSBAND YOU GET IN THAT VEHICLE I WILL MEET YOU THERE NOBODY KNOWS WHERE THE SAFE HOUSE IS NOT EVEN YOUR HUSBAND I DON'T JUST OWN ONE I OWN SEVERAL BUT THIS ONE IS WELL KIND OF FOR WIFE'S WHO HAVE BIG SHOT HUSBANDS WITH LOTS OF POOL YEAH THEY DON'T KNOW WHERE THIS IS NOBODY KNOWS MY DRIVER WILL ESCORT YOU TO THE AIRPORT THERE WILL BE A LADY WAITING FOR YOU SHE WILL HAND YOU AN ENVELOPE OPEN IT UP DO NOT LET NO ONE SEE THAT NOT EVEN HER I HAVE PRIVATE SECURITY AROUND THE AIRPORT DON'T WORRY HONEY IT'S A PRIVATE JET IF THIS IS SOMETHING YOU TRULY WANT I LOOKED AT HER WITH TEARS OF MY EYES I CANNOT AFFORD HONEY STOP THERE I DIDN'T ASK FOR ANY MONEY I'M ASKING YOU IF WANT THIS ABUSE TO END THEN WE HAVE TO ACT FAST I HEARD HIM EARLIER YOU DON'T DESERVE IT NO WOMAN DOES YOU CANNOT CONTACT ANY FAMILY FRIENDS YOU WILL BE LEAVING BEHIND EVERYTHING BUT I PROMISE YOU AT THE END IT IS ALL WORTH IT SHE WANT TO DO THIS I ASK YOU AGAIN MONICA LOOKS UP LYDIA YOUR GUARDIAN ANGEL OKAY TIME TO TAKE ACTION WE WALK BACK DOWNSTAIRS SHE MADE A CALL EVERYTHING IS READY MONICA WHEN I DROP MY GLASSES CHAMPAGNE IT'S TIME FOR YOU TO GO AND DONT LOOK BACK AND I HAVEN'T LOOKED BACK SINCE THAT EVENING FINALLY I WAS HEALING IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT IN THE BEGINNING OVER TIME I REALIZED I WAS NOT A VICTIM IM A SURVIVOR I FINALLY WAS FREE FROM RUDY THE DIVORCE ALL OF THAT WAS THE PAST IT HAS BEEN 3 YEARS IVE BECOME VERY INVOLVED I WAS AN ADVOCATE FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE I WAS THEIR VOICE WHEN THEY COULD NOT SPEAK I WAS ABLE TO GO TO THE COURTROOMS AND EXPRESS HOW THESE WOMEN FELT HOW THESE GENTLEMEN FELT FROM THE PERSON THAT THEY ONCE LOVED AND TRUSTED AND NOW THEY FEARED BUT THEY WERE HEALING THEY SOON WOULD BE SURVIVORS BUT THIS ONE AFTERNOON THIS LADY WALKS UP TO ME ASKING ME YOUR RUDY EX WIFE WHO WAS SHE WHY WAS IS THIS LADY QUESTION ME YES I REPLIED HOW COULD I BE ASSISTANCE TO YOU SHE LOOKED UP TO ME THIS LADY FACE WAS COVERD IN BRUISES YOU COULD SEE HIS HANDPRINTS AROUND HER NECK SHE COULD BARELY TALK SHE LOOKED LIKE IF SHE WAS ON ONE OF ROCKY'S MOVIES OH SWEETIE WHATS YOUR NAME SHE REPLIES ANGIE HE IN COURT TODAY MONICA CAN YOU PLEASE HELP ME RUDY WILL KILL ME I WAS TOLD HE BEEN RELEASED ONE OF HIS BUDDIES IS PAYING FOR HIS BAIL IM SCARED OF WHAT HE GOING TO DO OK CALM DOWN LET MAKE A FEW CALLS GIVE ME A MINUTE MONICA I HAVE MY TWO LITTLE BOYS WITH ME WERE ARE YOUR BOYS SHE SAID FOLLOW ME WE WENT TO RESTROOM THE BOYS RAN TO ANGIE MOMMY OK ITS TIME ANGIE NOW THE RULES ARE YOU CANT CALL ANY FAMILY OR FRIENDS I WILL DRIVE YOU TO THE AIRPORT THERE YOU WILL GET ONTO A PRIVTE JET DONT WORRY HONEY EVERYTHING IS GOING TO BE OK ITS TIME TO HEAL I FELT GOOD TO BE ABLE TO GET ANGIE AND HER TWO BOYS A SAFE PLACE A YEAR LATER THE SADDEST NEWS IVE EVER GOT RUDY WAS IN JAIL FOR MURDERING HIS WIFE AND HIS TWO SONS OUR LEFT WITHOUT A FATHER OR MOTHER LYDIA LOOKS OVER MY WAY HEY MONICA SHE MADE THAT CHOCIE WE DID ARE PART IM SO PROUD OF YOU MONICA I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT THANKS LYDIA DONT FORGET ABOUT THE BABY SHOWER OH MONICA ITS AT MY HOUSE THIS SATURDAY I WAS VERY BLESSED I HAD A GREAT HUSBAND WE WERE GOING TO BE HAVING OUR FIRST BABY IN A FEW MONTHS SO BLESSED I WENT FROM VICTIM TO SURVIVOR I WAS THE VOICE FOR MANY ABUSED WOMAN AND MEN FRIDAY EVENING THE DAY BEFORE OUR BABY SHOWER THIS SOCIAL WORKER CALLER ME I WAS CONFUSED WHY WAS SHE ASKING ME QUSTIONS ABOUT ANGIE SONS SHE ASKED IF ME AND MY HUSBAND COULD COME TO MY OFFICE AROUND 5:30 PM OK SHE HUNG I CALLED JOHN HUNNY YOU OK OH YES LOVE IM FINE ITS JUST THIS SOCIAL WOKER CALLED ME ASKED IF WE COULD COME INTO HER OFFICE TODAY AROUND 5:30 PM DID SHE SAY WHAT THIS IS REGARDING YES ANGIE MAYBE THEY ITS REGARDING YOUR EX HUSBAND MAYBE OK ILL BE AT YOUR OFFICE TO PICK YOU UP AROUND 4:30 LOVE YOU I COULDNT STOP THINKING WHAT THE SOCIAL WORKER NEED TO.SPEAK WITH US OH MONICA THE BABY SHOWER IS TOMORROW I'M GOING TO LEAVE EARLY SO CAN YOU LOCK UP SURE STOP STRESS ABOUT THAT LADY ME AND MY HUSBAND WAIT FOR THE SOCIAL WORKER TO COME OUT AND SPEAK WITH US SHE HAS ANGIE SONS WITH HER THE BOYS RAN UP TO US WE JUST LOVED ANGIE SONS THE TIME WE SPENT WITH ANGIE AND HER BOYS SHE WAS A GREAT MOTHER RUDY JUST KNEW WHAT TO SAY SADLY THE PRICE SHE PAID WITH HER LIFE THE SOCIAL WORKER HAND US THIS LETTER ANGIE GAVE US CUSTODY OF HER SONS WE DIDN'T THINK TWICE WE TOOK THE BOYS HOME YEAH WE HAD TO MAKE SOME ADJUSTMENTS MY PAST WAS VERY PAINFUL THERE NO EXCUSE FOR ANYBODY TO PHYSICALLY OR MENTALLY ABUSE THE PERSON THEY LOVE IF YOU ARE IN A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE RELATIONSHIP THERE IS HELP REACH OUT TO VICTIMS SERVICE IN YOUR COUNTY