Chapter 3

Molly's story

I came from a home of strict parenting but was well loved. I have two brothers who are five and seven years younger than me. My dad worked his way up from an electrical engineer to the executive position. He became a department head and is now plant manager of an auto parts plant in Michigan.

As far back as I can remember, my mom was a stay-at-home mom. She was one of those women who loved being a homemaker. She was a fantastic cook and housekeeper. It was from her that I learned to be a pretty good cook myself. As far back as I can remember, she always took the time to include me when baking.

Dad was strict and made sure that I had curfews and that I always did my best. He called me his Princess. Since I watched The Little Mermaid as a young girl I figured he got the name from Ariel, the little princess with the red hair in the movie.

I spent my life trying to make my dad proud but he seemed to expect so much from me. In high school I didn't play sports. I was on the debate team and in a number of clubs. It was always study, study, study. Dad told me if I wanted to be successful I had to get good grades and go to college. I worked hard in high school. I was a straight 'A' student.

I received a full ride scholastic scholarship at a university in Michigan. I received a degree in marketing, and also in accounting. My parents told me how proud they were of me. I was proud of myself too but now I wanted to spread my wings and enjoy life.

After graduation, I got a job in marketing in the plant where my dad was an executive. I enjoyed my work but I seemed to have missed the fun that goes along with college. I drove to college every day and studied every night. The few dates I went on, my dad said that the guys weren't good enough for me. There was someone special for me out there.

Every man I ever dated wasn't good enough according to my dad. I was now an adult and didn't need my parents' approval anymore. I guess I decided to be a little rebellious. I dated a few men from work and it always aggravated my dad, even though it didn't affect my work.

I started dating a really good looking salesman in our firm. Andrew Nelson was his name. He wanted to be called Andrew because he thought it sounded more sophisticated.

Andrew was a looker and a charmer. He could sell anybody anything. He asked me out and I went out with him. We became serious and I told my dad that I liked him when he had asked me about him one night. Dad didn't seem very happy about it.

After dating for a few months Andrew told me that he got a promotion and a hefty raise in salary but he had to move to Kentucky. For some reason, I felt my dad was behind it. He had told me that he didn't trust Andrew.

Andrew asked me to marry him and on an impulse and because it was a way of getting even with my dad I said yes. We flew to Las Vegas and got married. I really thought I loved Andrew and that he loved me. He was the first man I really felt serious about.

When we got back from Vegas, I told my mom and dad that we were married and that I would be moving with Andrew to Kentucky. My mom cried but wished me the best. My dad was furious with me. He wanted to know how I could be so hard-headed and stupid for such a smart girl.

I remember my dad saying how much I hurt him and my mom. He said mom had always talked about the day when they would be at my wedding and my dad would be proud as he walked me down the aisle to give me away. Mom always said how beautiful I would be and now dad said I took that away from them.

It hurt me and I realized how selfish I must seem to them. When I was alone I cried. I told them that I loved Andrew and that he loved me and we would make this marriage work.

My dad had tears in his eyes the day that Andrew and I left for Kentucky. He told me he still loved me and I would always be his Princess. His door would always be opened to me and that I was always welcome to come back. He hardly spoke to Andrew. Dad gave me a check for twenty-five thousand dollars and told me to use it as a down payment on a nice home. He made sure that it was only to be used for that purpose.

I had quit my job but figured I could get another one in Kentucky. Besides, the next few months I would need to find a house and make a home out of it for Andrew and me. We rented a condo by the month. I didn't plan on living there long. One thing I didn't plan on was getting pregnant. After three months of marriage, I found myself with child - or should I say children? I was pregnant with twins.

I was really happy about it. We had just bought a home and now I could plan on our family. I was happy with joy but Andrew said he wasn't ready for another family already.

I was twenty-four and Andrew was thirty-one. He was married once before and had a son with his first wife. He had been divorced three years when he had met me. He paid support but never visited his first child. I told him that everything would be fine. His salary was large enough for us to live on and I would be a stay-at-home mom, just like my mother.

I even found a medical billing job. I bought a computer and did medical billing out of the home. It wasn't great pay but it gave us some extra money and gave me something to do.

Our sex live dropped tremendously. Andrew said he was too tired after working all day. He was even traveling more than usual. I had a feeling that he may have been cheating on me but had no proof. At least not then.

When the babies were due my mom and dad came down to see us... I knew my dad was still disappointed in me but there wasn't much I could do about it. They loved the twins. They both had fiery red hair just like mine. My dad hardly spoke to Andrew who spent most of his time at work to avoid my parents.

I had problems during delivery. The children were both fine but I had to have a partial hysterectomy. The doctor told me I would probably not be able to bear any more children. At the time I was only concerned about my two new babies.

I named the twins Andy and Annie. Andrew thought I named them after him but I didn't. When I was little, my mom gave me two stuffed dolls with red hair. They were Ann and Andy. It was like naming my two babies to bring back a piece of my childhood.

I felt sad when my parents left. I really did love them and missed them. Mom would come down a couple of times a year with one of my brothers and his wife. I loved it when they were there. Once a year at Christmas I would pack up the kids and take them to Michigan to see my family. Andrew never seemed to have the time to come along.

When the twins turned three, I found out Andrew was having an affair with his secretary. He was always working late so one day I decided to surprise him and put the kids in the car and drove to his office. When we got there I saw him in the parking lot talking to his secretary and they both of them got in their cars and were driving off.

He wasn't headed in the direction of our home so I followed him. He and his girlfriend drove into a motel. It was a little dump off the beaten path. I sat in the car with my two babies and cried. I waited about ten minutes and knocked on their door. It was an outside entrance.

"Who is it?" I heard Andrew call out.

"Manager," I said trying to disguise my voice. "You left your credit card in the office."

Andrew opened the door a little and I pushed it open, knocking him back. They were both naked and his girlfriend was lying on the bed and quickly covered up.

"Molly! What are you doing here?" he said for lack of something to say.

"Your kids are in the car. We came to see you since you're very rarely home. You know, working these long late hours. We're through! Don't come home tonight or I will kill you. I am doing everything in my power not to fight right now. Just be glad I have the kids with me instead of a gun. You can come by tomorrow and gather up whatever you want. I'll be at the lawyer's office. My dad was right. He said I was too good for you. God, I wished I would have listened to him."

I went home and cried. All I had was my two babies. I was a strong willed woman and I had to take care of me and my kids. The next day Andrew did call and I just repeated what I told him the day before. I told him I was headed to the lawyer and was going to ask for everything. He didn't even fight for me and the kids. That probably hurt as much as the cheating.

We had accumulated a lot of things but we owed on most of it. My lawyer was able to help me keep everything other than Andrew's personal stuff and pension. Of course I got the payments as well. We didn't have any savings to speak of. Andrew was required to pay alimony, child support and for our insurance.

I drug out the divorce for almost a year. I knew Andrew wanted to marry his girlfriend seeing she was now knocked-up. I waited until the birth of their baby before I finalized the divorce. They had to explain to her family why they couldn't get married yet. It wasn't the greatest revenge but it did make me feel better.

My mom and one of my brothers came and visited for awhile. I told her we were doing okay. I made decent money on the medical billing and with the child support we would make it. She wanted to give me money but I was too proud to take it. I told her I made my bed and now I would sleep in it.