Tuesday, November 8, 2011

more than this

I participated in this week's writing prompt from RemembeRED:
Doomed relationships:  This week, we asked you to write about a relationship you knew was doomed from the start. It could be your own relationship or one of a close friend or family member. The only thing we required was that it not be fiction.
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This is my contribution:

 "more than this"

I  knew it the minute I met him.  He was a jerk.  He looked like one, acted like one and was one.  I  saw right through him.  Too bad she didn't.    Love makes you do stupid things.  In hindsight, now, after all these years, she can honestly say she did not love this man.  She loved the idea of loving someone, the idea of having someone in her life and forming a relationship. That is what she loved.  She was tired of being lonely.  So she convinced herself she was in love.  She somehow managed to believe herself that when he hit her, it was because she did something wrong.  It was her fault. But he loved her, apologized, and promised it would never happen again.  And it wouldn't.  Until the next time.  This self-destructive and abusive behavior lasted all of three years.  A lifetime.  Each time she left, determined she was done.  Determined she was strong enough to be alone, each time, he would convince her otherwise.  And so she would return.  Her family and friends suffered for her. They knew she was making a mistake.  Hell, even she knew she was making a mistake, but she just "knew" it would get better.  It never did.  The night he almost beat her to death was the day she left, for good.

To say that this was a relationship that never should have happened, would be putting it mildly.  I can't pretend to know what was going through her head, why she did what she did, why she took the abuse. I can only speculate, that this was how she felt. 

They say time heals all wounds and "they" are right.  But the scars remain forever.

11 comments:

Belle said...

Scars do remain and affect us all our lives. I'm glad she finally had the courage to leave.

lisa said...

Wow...that was very moving. It's good she was finally able to leave, because there are so many who don't. Thank you for sharing.

Lisa

Shannon W. said...

Powerful! The helplessness of seeing someone in that situation really comes through in your writing!

Tere said...

Thanks for the comment. Your blogmentions something else oh too familiar.

B said...

Wow... she is fortunate to have got out and fortunate to have friends who stood by her.

I have such a neat and tidy life! It is good to be reminded that there are those out there who don't have it as good as me... I must do something more to make sure I don't get too comfortable in where I am at and find ways to help others. Thinking... Thinking...

TMWHickman said...

I got a little confused with the pronouns, but I liked this a lot! You did a great job of letting the reader into your character's reasoning.

jennifer brown banks said...

Very interesting and engaging read. Thanks for sharing with us.

Unknown said...

That's awful. So many women stay in abusive relationships. I know some, too. I watch "I Survived" and see women almost lose their lives at the hands of boyfriends and husbands often. So sad.

Yvonne said...

Belle- Yes, so are we. Hopefully, she will adjust and be happier.

Lisa- Thanks for your comment, I know too many people who choose to stay and never leave. It's very sad.

SCW- Thank you!

Tere- Oh no :(

Not Just Another Mother Blogger- Thanks for your comment and for pointing that out to me. I know that when I wrote this some of my sentences didn't flow and seemed choppy. But I was too lazy to go back and fix. :)

Jennifer Brown Banks- you're most welcome!

Kelley- Isn't it though? :(

The Frisky Virgin said...

This was beautiful, Yvonne. So very sad women try to justify or rationalize--or even take the blame--a hurtful man's behavior. There is never an excuse or justification, ever. Women need to know it's okay to be alone--we are strong...we don't need someone who tears us down just so we can say we aren't lonely any longer. In the end, a woman will be far lonelier with a man like that than she ever would be on her own.

Yvonne said...

FV- Amen!

Chapter 56

The sunlight peeping through the curtains, stir her from her sleep.  Her eyes open and she rubs them a bit before sitting up in bed.  Eyes n...