October 1977

The next few days were kind of hectic. We were trying to get ready for Halloween and we spent a lot of time with Don. He took My Mom and my sister and I a lot of different places. Sometimes to a movie, sometimes to dinner, sometimes he came with us to friends' houses. Don was so much nicer than any one else my Mom was ever with. He spoke to her kindly, he spoke to us nicely, and he never spent the night. He was a real gentleman. I am not saying that they never had sex, but I am saying that he was kind enough and gentlemanly enough about it to make sure we as children never knew about it. Not something I can say for any other man in my Mother life, including my Father. I think he not only enjoyed spending time with my Mom, I think he was worried about her. I think he felt that she was safe as long as he was around. Fred would call and my Mom would hang up on him. He would drive by the house all the time. He never stopped because he knew that was trouble-until October 24.
We had gone to visit a friend of my Mother's, I believe her name was Wanda Knapp(?). She was doing something for Halloween, maybe a party, or giving us some candy or having us for dinner, something. When we arrived home, Mom, Don, my sister, and I were all in a really good mood. Everything seemed normal and ordinary. I don't know the exact time, but it was after dinner time, because my mom sent my sister and I to take a bath. She and Don went into the livingroom to sit on the couch and talk while we took our bath. I remember running the water, and pouring in the bubble bath. I remember both of us taking off all our clothes, and I remember my little sister getting in and standing in the tub while the water continued to run. I was waiting outside of the tub until the water was right to shut it off. All of a sudden I heard my mom shouting and I heard Don say call the police, and I heard Fred screaming to let him in. There was a loud crash, more screaming, and shouting and crying and loud bangs over and over and over. My sister was screaming really loud, I had to get her to stop. I did't not want Fred to know we were here. I was afraid he would find us and hurt us. I held her head in my arms and covered he mouth as tightly as I could and told her to be quiet. I was hard, she was only four, I was scared, she was even more scared. As quickly as it had gotten loud and chaotic, it got eerily silent. I removed my hand from my sisters mouth but we did not leave the bathroom. I did not know what to do. I did not know what I would find on the other side of the bathroom door. My stomach hurt. My stomach has always hurt when I have a bad feeling. I had a very bad feeling. To be continued...