OUR LOVE STORY, Part 5 - We Aren't Safe

Monday

December 14, 1998 

Monday morning came early. The boys still had a week until Christmas break. We rushed to get dressed and out the door.

I dropped the boys off at their sitter’s house - in time for them to catch the bus for school - before driving forty-five minutes to work. Driving that distance provided a much-needed quiet time each morning and afternoon. At first, that morning was full of questions. How had I allowed myself to cross the friendship line with John? Could we go back to the friendzone? Why did he have to be so charming and kind?

“Lord, help me.”

I had so much to be grateful for. Earlier that year, when I started planning to get away from an increasingly dangerous life, my family helped in so many ways. Aunt Rhonda helped me get a secretarial job with Juvenile Justice. My office happened to be in the Jackson County Sherriff’s department in Marianna, Florida. Uncle Ricky and Aunt Rhonda lived in Marianna.

After getting that job, the boys and I moved to Holmes County. We were close to church, school, and family. Uncle Dennis was that County’s sheriff at the time. There were family and friends who worked at the boys’ school. My parents, Uncle Dennis and his family, Uncle Bud and his family, and lots of other kin folks attended our church. My dad and uncles were strong, tall men who wore the term ‘red-neck’ with pride.

Layers of protection had been provided for me and my boys. I had already made so many mistakes. I didn’t need to mess this up. I didn’t really know John. We had to press pause on whatever was happening. Friendship was all the boys and I needed from him now.

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It was a typical work morning, full of paperwork and phone calls. Around mid-morning, the phone rang again, and I answered. A man’s unwanted - but familiar - angry voice spoke, “I saw what you did last night.”

Initially, I froze. Belittling I knew all too well began on the other end of that phone line. My family had worked hard to convince me hanging up was okay. Within seconds, their lessons paid off as I remembered to disconnect the call from my ex-husband.

Immediately, I told my boss what had happened. He made sure someone else answered the phone for a while. As far as I knew, work continued without further incident.

---

The drive home was not peaceful. My mind was swirling with the implications of that call. Nagging suspicions of being watched at home had been confirmed. In spite of all the protections that had been put in place - in spite of my family making protective promises that included phrases like, “gators leave no evidence” – my boys and I were not safe.

“Lord, please help us!”

By the time I picked up the boys from their sitter and parked at our house, it was dark. Fortunately, there would be no requests to play outside. It occurred to me how remote my grandfather’s house was as I cautiously rushed the boys inside, locked the door, and planned to keep the evening as normal as possible.

Before six o’clock, the phone rang.

In spite of my fear, I answered. It was John. Relief replaced fear at the sound of his voice. Still, he could hear that something was wrong. 

I made sure the boys couldn’t hear me and told him what had happened. He hung up on me. I was so confused!