Book Beginning: Chapter 1 Age 9 part 2

As the sounds played through the system we heard our father proceed to tell this woman (Karen), who later developed the nickname “home-wrecker” to my brother and I, how he would leave his wife for her, but he has to stay a little longer for his kids. Little did she know, “they never leave the wife.” At this precise moment I wanted to be at school, in Ms. Kappler’s class, best teacher ever, having fun away from my family.

As he continued to talk, he started to boast of how great of a man he is, all in all not knowing that this woman was recording him. Otis was one of those types of men that played by their own rules and didn’t take lightly to those in any way. My mother was the opposite of my father yet so similar. [She only stood 5’2 light-skinned, born 1964 like my father, about 130lbs, and a medium build. Her complexion was more of a buttered toast and she was more reserved with her actions but also very stubborn in them.] As my mom and brother sat there listening to the tape, my 8 year old mind raced a mile a minute. How could my dad ever talk about stepping out on us, would he really leave? As my mother sat there crying, I also saw tears run down my brother’s face, and then I felt something cold and damp hit my arm. It was only then in that moment that I realized that I was crying too and that my life would never be the same. Soon I tried to reach my tiny non-lengthened arm around my mom, I thought in my head who would give such a tape to us.

I looked in the middle of the front seats where my brother and I were squished; and began to read this beige envelope, with bubble rap and my dad’s tie inside, silently to myself. It said in the top corner: Karen Willis

3…………..

Bedford Hts, OH 44139

My reading was shortly followed by my hands ripping the envelope up into pieces, as I broke down. The car fell silent after the whimpers died out and our tears were beginning to run away. Always being the person that has to break the silence, I said, “Ma, what happens now?” She shook her head letting me know that she had no clue and was just as lost as me. My mom mentioned that she wanted to leave my father but in the current financial state she was in we knew that was not going to happen.