“While I waited, my mind raced. Did their mom know I was spending the weekend with them? Do I hug them? I was suddenly anxious. I heard the door open. ‘Natalie,’ Kevin called, ‘Come up here.’ I breathed in deeply and felt jitters. I wanted these boys to not feel awkward. I knew I wasn’t their mom, and I would never think I’m replacing her.”
‘I can’t introduce you to my kids until I know. They’ll attach to you, and I can’t break their hearts.’: Girlfriend nervous it’s ‘too soon’ to meet boyfriend’s kids, feels anxious to not ‘replace’ mom
‘If I could change one thing about my husband, it would be how often he puts himself first.’: Wife’s candid admission about marriage challenges, not having enough ‘me time’
“I complain I don’t get enough help around the house. My husband’s gripe, on the other hand, is that I never make the time for me and the things I enjoy, and it’s not fair for me to be mad that he does.”
‘I knew from the moment I saw you, that I wanted you.’ I got scared, and rightly so. Then came the pressure for sex. I was a virgin.’: Woman’s survives narcissistic relationship with her ‘best friend’ despite him ‘tormenting’ her
“‘You don’t love me if you don’t do everything I want in bed,’ he claimed. He stormed out, pushing me away in the process. I came after him, as always. I had been conditioned. He was drinking in my parking lot. We argued, agreed to put it behind us, and went to bed. ‘Don’t tell anyone what happened, even your family,’ he told me.”
‘His comment was, ‘This is our summer and we aren’t doing anything fun.’ It was my fault, just like everything else.’: Woman’s struggle with severe anxiety and how her boyfriend helps her get through it
“I text my love and apologize. ‘I love you. I’m sorry I’m so emotional. I’m sorry we aren’t out having fun.’ I finally convince him he can go back downstairs, I’ll be ok. I lay back down and continue to cry. He sent me a LONG message. ‘You’re not ‘broken.'”
‘I couldn’t get hold of my husband. ‘That’s odd? I just had a baby.’ My instinct urged me to check his Facebook. Tears filled my eyes. There they were. Messages between him and girl.’ Woman escapes abusive relationship, marries ‘incredible man’
“He told her where to pick him up, where to meet. Most times were in the middle of the night when I laid pregnant and asleep. I suddenly remembered that rumor at work. Was it true? He walked in nonchalantly. ‘Are you having an affair?’ I should’ve known he was lying because of how calm he was. He was NEVER calm. ‘Of course not. I love you!’ I showed him the messages.”
‘He went quiet. ‘You’re out with who?!’ he snarled. Surprised by his reaction, I laughed. His anger grew. ‘Tell him to go home. Tell him to leave. Now.’ This must be my mistake, I thought.’
“As an insecure 18-year-old, it felt great that this older, successful man liked me. When he asked me to be his girlfriend only two weeks later, I was all in. I was so charmed by him. When I went upstairs to gather my things, he followed, blocking the front door. ‘You’re not going anywhere.’ He wouldn’t move. He wouldn’t let me leave.”
‘We started dating in high school. I was barely old enough to enjoy a glass of wine on our honeymoon. Babies.’
“I married him because I loved him, and I REALLY wanted a dope wedding. We had fun together. He was a good person. But that was kind of it.”
‘It’s definitely too soon,’ I thought. ‘No one would approve.’ I met K at the wrong time. At 26 years old, I had already been married 6 years, parented 7 children and miscarried 2 babies.’
“My phone vibrates in the middle of my text. It’s an unsaved number. I just stared at my phone. ALL I could think about was the tall handsome dude at the store, whom I didn’t even catch the name of.”
‘You’re too young to get married,’ they said. I was 22, fresh out of college. This man was 8 years my senior. ‘What do you see in him? It will never work.’
“If you can get past my pencil-thin eyebrows in this picture, then you might see LOVE. Young love. ‘What is he doing with someone your age?,’ they asked. Well, I’ve got some words for you.”
‘If I was so miserable, I should leave.’ Eventually, I did. Our marriage looked perfect on social media. We always believed in keeping our issues private.’
“Our wedding day was intimate. But behind the façade were underlying issues that left a bad taste in my mouth. I was put on the back burner. I was failing him because he was expecting me to prepare a home-cooked meal every day while also juggling maintaining a home and breastfeeding our son.”
