My job at the bank is to manage different projects. And our last project was particularly difficult. I often had to stay late at work, and sometimes I had to go out on my day off.
But work is not the most important part of my life. I also have a husband and a home, and they need my attention. At the same time, my husband is not what he used to be. He no longer helps me with household chores, he doesn’t cook, and he rarely goes to the store to get groceries. All of this is on me.
I shared my problems with Aiden, but it was like he didn’t hear me. I told him that I was working on a new project, that there was so much to do. One day I came home late, it was almost 9 p.m., and the first words I heard from my husband were, “Where have you been?”
“I got held up at work, I warned you about that, didn’t I?”
“You didn’t say anything!”
“I did. And more than once. The thing is, the project we’re working on right now…”
At this point Aiden interrupted me. “Whatever, Claire. I’m hungry. Is there going to be dinner or not?” he asked, while he himself was watching a soccer game.
“I don’t think we have enough groceries. We’ll have to stock up.”
“Okay, I’ll wait while you go to the store,” Aiden pronounced, not taking his eyes off the TV. I grabbed my wallet and left the house.
As I walked to the store, thoughts swirled in my head. I remembered the days when Aiden had been kind and gentle with me, but now he was more and more demanding and disgruntled. My interactions with him were beginning to feel like walking on eggshells.
“You’ve been gone a long time. I’m going to starve soon,” Aiden declared as soon as I returned from the store. I immediately went to make dinner. Aiden didn’t say a word at the table, and after he ate, he went straight to watching TV. I was alone in the kitchen with a pile of dirty dishes.
“How hard could it have been to wash a plate after yourself?”, I thought, but I didn’t say anything to him. I was too tired to start an argument. After cleaning up the kitchen, I went to bed.
In the morning I couldn’t get up. There was a stuffy nose, a sore throat, and a very bad headache.
“You overslept. Where’s breakfast?” were the exact words Aiden greeted me with that morning, instead of saying, “Good morning!”
I could barely bring myself to shower, and then I went to the kitchen to make breakfast. But Aiden didn’t wait, leaving, he said: “Don’t bother. You’re too slow. I might be late.” After these words he slammed the door and left.
My health got worse and I had to take a sick day. I made myself some tea with honey and lemon and returned to my bedroom. As I sat down on my bed, I began to wonder at what point Aiden had changed and became so rude to me. He had been different before.
Suddenly I realized that I couldn’t even remember the last time Aiden helped me in any way or said a kind word. Even when Aiden knew he was wrong, he still made me look bad. Then I cried, and then I fell asleep.
I was woken by voices coming from the hallway. Aidan’s back? But why? He must have forgotten something.
“Let’s go, I think she’s still at home,” Aiden said in a whisper. Then he added: “Not today.” I walked quietly to the door and opened it. It was like I was stunned into the hallway by a beautiful brunette standing next to Aiden.
“Honey, when will I see you now?” she asked.
“I think this weekend. I’m purposely going to fight with her so you and I can have a quiet weekend together,” Aiden replied.
“Cool!” she exclaimed loudly and threw herself into his arms.
“Shh! Shh! Shh!”, Aiden tried to reassure the girl.
I just couldn’t believe it! I struggled back to bed. Maybe I was having a nightmare. They weren’t even trying to hide. I had to teach that man a lesson, no matter what.
At some point something clicked in me. What’s going on? Why am I allowing myself to be treated this way? And this is the man who promised to love me and take care of me?
A plan matured in my mind. As soon as Aiden left the house, I immediately felt better. I called in the professionals to change the lock on the door. The apartment was mine.
After that, I packed all of Aiden’s things into suitcases and boxes. I went through the apartment one more time to make sure none of his things were left behind.
I packed every little thing that belonged to Aidan. I didn’t want anything in the house to remind me of him. More than anything, I wanted him out of my life so I could move on right away.
It took me most of the day to pack all the stuff. Before I knew it, time had flown by, Aiden was already back from work and ringing the doorbell.
“What’s wrong with the lock? I couldn’t get it open with the key,” he asked.
“And yet you didn’t even say hello to me,” I said.
“What’s that?”, Aiden asked and pointed toward the suitcases and boxes. “Claire, I’m waiting for an explanation.”
“You’re leaving, Aiden. It’s over between us. You can get your things and go to your mistress! I’m divorcing you!”
Aiden’s eyes widened. It was as if he didn’t recognize the woman who now stood before him. “Who is this? Where has my quiet wife gone, who always did what I said,” those must have been the thoughts on his mind right now.
“Aiden, I know everything. You don’t love me anymore, you’re just taking advantage of me. Go away and never come back. There is no forgiveness for you!”
There was a look of distrust in his eyes. “All right. I’ll go away. But you will regret every word you said.” He called a cab, packed up his things, and left.
I filed for divorce the very next day, and a month later we were officially divorced. Aiden still couldn’t believe it had happened. He tried to talk to me, but I wouldn’t talk to him.
Ever since Aiden moved out of my apartment, it was like I was different. I was already a new woman. I started taking care of myself, loving myself. No one else could look down on me or disrespect me. I wouldn’t let that happen. I also signed up for therapy sessions, and now with the help of a therapist I am healing the wounds left in me by this abusive relationship.
