Part 2

I'm feeling sad today. Well, more weepy. I thought maybe if I got Part 2 out, it might help.

As soon as I hung up from the discussion, I let out a horrifying scream. The animals hid under the beds and the house was shaking. I didn’t know whether to throw up or dig a hole in the back yard to bury myself.

I regained my composure and started to call everyone – my therapist, child's therapist, my Parent, my Sibling, my lawyer. I left messages for everyone. I called the police and asked if there was something they could do; they said that, if child did not return on the scheduled date, to call again and then they could do something. That something would be to go to where child was, bring child back, and arrest the ex.

For the next 3 days, I walked around the house, taking down and putting away everything that reminded me of child - photos, drawings; I cleaned out the child's bathroom cupboard shelves, pitching anything I thought was too old or un-usable. It took me 2 days to be able to go into child's room; that is where I put everything I collected. My spouse was upset with me “cleaning”, but it was the only way I could deal with what had happened. I didn’t know when – or if – I would be seeing child again.