You saved me

Life is good

It’s been 3 months now since we arrived in crescent city and life is good, the kids have settled in school and I got the job at the diner. I sat Hunter and river down the day after we arrived and told them this was our new home and we weren’t going back to daddy, trust me when I say that was the hardest conversation of my life. Telling your 8 year old son and 6 year old daughter that they will never see their dad, friends or family ever again is not something I ever wanted to do, Hunter didn’t take it well and river, well I don’t think river really understood but she seems to be dealing with it ok. Hunter has adjusted but still asks if he can at least call his dad to let him know he’s ok but I have to keep telling him it’s not safe and as hard as it is for him to understand right now when he gets older hopefully he will see I had no choice but to do this. Phoenix is loving our new life and loves the freedom he gets with walking to and from school with his new friends and tells me everyday he loves it here and hopes we never have to leave. I hope for that too as I have made some good friends too, Annie and Doug have become some of the closest I told them everything last month as to why I left my old life with no idea where I was going and to say they were shocked, disgusted and oddly angry and I mean Doug was really angry about everything me and the kids went through would be an understatement, Annie cried and hugged me so tight I thought she was going to crush me and Doug said if he ever showed up here he would kill him. It made me feel so safe and cared for which was odd for me as I’ve not felt that in a long time.

**Flashback**

3 months ago

Devon please the kids might wake up that’s what I always said not that it made any difference “shut up then! It’s only gonna be your big mouth that wakes them” and as always I immediately stop pleading with him. “Your useless you know that, and look at the state of you your such a mess. Fat, ugly and don’t even get me started on the clothes you wear.” I just look at him pleading with my eyes that he stops and just passes out. But no luck is not on my side as it never is, “why can’t you at least try to look decent when I come home?” I don’t say anything *slap* he back hands me and screams in my face “answer me you b***h” I don’t bother to answer anymore because no matter what I say or don’t say it doesn’t stop him hitting me if anything opening my mouth only makes him worse. *slap*, *kick*, *punch* over and over until he is satisfied I have learnt my lesson. Once he is satisfied he grabs me by my hair to make me look at him spits in my face and tells me I need to look better for him, lose weight and put some make-up on at least. Then he takes himself to bed and leaves me on the floor curled up and crying. Enough is enough I thought to myself, he calls me fat yet at 5ft 8 and weighing 119 pounds I am considered underweight as for make-up he doesn’t like me wearing it because of his insane jealousy and if I dressed up even for him I get called a w***e and told I am looking for attention from other men. I can’t win and I’m tired of trying. It ends tonight tonight I leave and never look back.

** end of flashback**

I am currently getting ready to start my shift at the diner and I have to say I love my job not only do I get to work with my friends but the regulars that come in are so lovely and have been so welcoming to me and the kids, as I walk into the diner Leah, Monica, Jess and Annie all wave hi and bill one of the regulars says “there’s my favourite waitress” I just laugh and say “I bet you say that to all the girls bill” he looks at me and holds his heart in fake hurt and says “you know your your my best girl, why do you hurt me with these words” I go over and kiss him on the cheek and say “oh bill, you old smoothy” he laughs and holds his cheek like we don’t do this everyday. The girls all laugh at our little exchange and we go about our day taking orders laughing and joking with customers and catching up on all the gossip when we’re not rushed off our feet. I’m starting to think things might actually work out for once in my life.