when i was 8 I always followed my mom to her job and everyday this man was infront of the building where I used to play with my mom's friend's kids. one day, me and the others were playing when suddenly this man told me to follow him to a place like a room but no one's ever used it before. my mom knows him so I thought that maybe I can actually trust him. we arrived and he told me to go in first. it was so dark and im scared yk but me being stupid actually listened to him. when i came inside he pushed me and locked the door. I was so surprised that i can't even think of anything. just wanted to scream but I can't. I can't see anything since the lights is not working I guess. then he grabbed me like so aggressively and i was trying to escape but he managed to touch me and idk like kiss me or smth. I was so scared. thank god I managed to run away back to my mother's shop. I was traumatised and can't even tell my mom. its been 7 years since the accident. my mom still befriend him. I told my parents about this but instead of saying anything sweet they use it for an excuse if I wanted to hangout with my friends or they just like making me scared by telling me the story again and again. I regret telling them. I feel disgusted by myself. I hate that man.

I been thinking real hard about even relaying these awful things about the person that I have admired the most, the person I have respected and revered my whole life but that now, has completely backstabbed me in the worst way possible. A few years ago, a scandal broke in my political family involving my mother. As you can imagine, it nearly broke my marriage and tore my husband’s family apart. My sister in law found my father in law and my mom talking on social media. The worst part of it, when I was confronted, I was accused of knowing about the whole affair and made it looked like I was an accomplice to the whole ordeal. When I had absolutely no clue to such a disgusting mess. I don’t know what neither of them were trying to accomplish and now, I’m the black sheep of the family. No one talks to me. While my father in law is still loved and honored. My mother the home wrecker and I pay the sins of her ordeals. She never once has said I’m sorry. Never! In her head, I’m better off without that side of the family. But it’s not about that; why did she do this to me? Why my father in law? Among so many men? Why him! I guess I’m just looking for an explanation and I know I will never get it from her. Because she just cannot accept she did anything wrong. I wish I could get her version because as of now, I only know everyone else’s but her’s. I always thought I didn’t need to hear her side because it’s not my place to question her, but I have kids who now have to suffer for her sins as well. I don’t think it’s fair to them either. I guess the damage is done as well and the past is the past. I won’t get nothing accomplished but I just want an acknowledgment from her part that she messed up.

• August 12, 2023