Tiana Hall

She Knows

She Knows She knows. She knows where I am. She knows where I live, restaurants I like to eat at, the school our kids go to. I moved three states away but it still wasn’t enough. She still knows. I told the police and they don’t believe me. When I asked for a restraining order against her they said that paranoia was a normal response for someone in my position. They attempted to assure me that they wouldn’t let anything happen to me and the kids. This is the bullshit my tax dollars go toward. Half assed promises and even worse protection. I left the police station knowing that I was in this alone. I knew it would happen. I knew they would think I was crazy after I put the bars on the window of our house. They didn’t see the six deadbolts I put on the inside. Three locked, and three unlocked in case someone tries to pick them. That way they would always be locking three no matter what they did. I’m not crazy, I’m cautious. I know what she’s capable of. I’ve seen her do it. The kids don’t seem to remember her, or they’ve decided not to bring her up; to me anyway. They stopped asking where their mother was and I never felt the need to tell them.