Me:
The most interesting part? They took me to the hospital first. Turns out the last time he attacked me, he fractured my skull.
Alice:
This is insane. This is the rest of your life. Counter arrests and violent attacks.
You need to leave. Distance yourself. You have to get out.
Me:
I don’t want him to take Sunset Cay from me.
Alice:
You can always go back. Right now, you need literal distance or he'll come find you.
She’s right. We brainstorm a little, and identify several people I could stay with in other states—plenty of mutual roller derby friends.. But there’s a catch—I can’t leave the island until my court appearance.
Alice:
This is how people get stuck with their abusers. They have literally zero ways to get away.
I notice a missed call from his mom from last night.
When I dial her number, she answers on the first ring, and I tell her about my night in jail.
“Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry that happened,” she says. “I’m glad you’re out of there. I don’t know why he did that.”
I sigh. Nobody knows why Timmy does many of the things he does.
Not even Timmy.
We chat a little more.
“Jennifer has some rental properties. Maybe you could rent a place from her,” his mom suggests.
What the actual fuck?
No, I don’t want to rent an apartment from Timmy’s ex-girlfriend.
“I’ll figure something out,” I reply.
“I hope your cat is okay,” she says. “I’m really sorry about all this.”
We hang up.
Me:
Yeah, it’s dumb. I just spoke with his mom.
Alice:
What did she have to say?
Me:
That she’s very sorry, and she hopes I can find my cat.