What If …

You fell in love with one man…

Who soon became a different man …

Once you

were married?

And after you found out you were pregnant?

And that everything you had been dreaming of….

Was all a lie?

And What If…

It happened so slowly . . .

You thought you were losing your mind when

you considered the possibility . . .

That your love would say those things toyou -

with the intent. . .

To hurt you?

What If . . .

You actually started to think that maybe you

DID do something wrong to deserve those names he was calling you…?

And things got worse.

After your angel was born.

So you tried …

Even harder.

But the nightmare kept on .

. .

What If ??

He began to physically abuse you . . .

By grabbing your arm

Or your pony tail . . .

Or you get a kick to your ribs after being pushed down to your shiny new hard-wood floors all because . . .

You dared to speak up to him . . .

Because you honestly felt that the dishes in the

sink could wait until morning . . .

And while on the floor, you feel his hot, wet breath in your ear – screaming so loudly in

fact,that this strange burning pain; a pain like

you’d never felt before, would surely be the end

of you.

And your daughter was watching . . .

The whole time . . .

Screaming,

“Don’t hurt My Mommy!”

And the next morning . . .

He asked you if you’d like to go for breakfast at

The Cracker Barrel.

As if . . .

Nothing ever happened.

What If . . .

You began to lose yourself?

And hide yourself?

And a good day becomes . . .

One without his reign of terror

And then you begin to drink his whisky?

To numb the disbelief and pain.

But then….

Someone takes the time…

To notice.

And they come to you.

And ask you how you are doing….

What If….

They leave you with a phone number?

To a Domestic Violence Hot Line . . .

And you cringe . . .

Thinking, “That’s not ME!”

My situation is not THAT serious….

But…you hold onto that number.

And stare at it for days…

Rehearsing what you’d say and then shake your

head at the thought of calling at all.

But soon –

the craziness begins again…

And now you find yourself protecting your sweet

carefree dog…

From him…

Then once again you feel the scalding sting of his

words.

What If . . .

You finally make that call . .

And you find out that you are not crazy after all.

You are told that verbal abuse is 100 more common than physical abuse and just as

deadly because verbal abuse . . .

Kills you from the inside.

As your soul begins to hide.

And you lose your strength to fight.

So you don’t.

What If….

You talk yourself into attending a meeting?

(and you’re thankful that they provide child care because “men don’t babysit”)

What If . . .

You realize you are not alone:

Two pastor’s wives are there. A Police Officer’s wife is there. A mechanic’s wife is there. A doctor’s wife is there. The CEO’s wife is there. And they tell the same story. . .

So you go back.

Week after week.

And you grow stronger.

Strong enough to leave.

And so you do.

With your daughter.

But then the real abuse begins.

The Family Court System: that has been riddled

with bribery and corruption, but you couldn’t see

it until now – after numerous attorneys who promised you “he’s sunk” and “that audio

tape evidence you have alone will bury him” –

only to find them cower to your husband’s veteran attorney who believes his lies and you

believe ispromised millions for a “win”.

What If…

Three years later…

You’re still not divorced??

What If . . .

HE recently obtained temporary custody of your child because a child psychologist who had NEVER even seen your child testified as an “expert” that you were “alienating your child from her father”

What if your child has been abused by the paternal grandmother until she bruised at least a dozen times? And you called DCS, Police Departments (they even took photos), filed protection orders, and NOTHING happened? What if you found out that your business you helped your husband start had been making millions upon millions of dollars in the past few years – and that he has been enabled to

hide his financial records by the court?

This is my story…..

My story of horror.

And I’m still living it today.

But I’m a fighter.

I always have been.

And I don’t give up.

But I need more troops to help me fight.

What If . . .

I asked you . .

Begged you even . .

To join my army and help me fight???

**JUSTICE FOR AVA GRACE**

Amy Burns615-423-0403

amyandavagrace5@yahoo.com