** Normally I don't share what I am about to share unless people ask, but I feel like it might be beneficial for someone in the world who has gone through, or is going through a similar situation. This is going to be a multi-part series (not sure how many it will take to get through all 27 years of my life) so bear with me. I will, like all stories start at the beginning, and for the privacy of those involved, all names will be changed. However, the events and things you are about to read are all true. **
Part 1: The Teddy Bear
I was born in the fall of October, 1990, in the lovely state of Michigan. I don't remember anything before the age of 8, so lets fast-forward to there. I know that I was born into a dysfunctional abusive family, and hated my older brother, but we will get to that later.
I would walk myself to school every day, a few short blocks from my apartment, where I lived with my dad. My mom and brother moved to Colorado, and I wasn't really sure why we stayed behind. Life was pretty normal for me I guess, and I didn't really think too much about it. My dad was a bowling alley mechanic, and I would often go to work with him instead of school some days. He would then come home, and close his door and play his electric guitar loudly, while I entertained myself with VH1 music videos and The Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. I kept to myself for the most part, and did what any 8 year old would do.
Where It All Began:
I was making my usual walk home from school, around 3:30pm. The routine was: get home, ring the #3 buzzer, and wait for my dad to let me in. For some reason, there was no answer on this particular day. I rang and rang the doorbell...
no answer.
"Hey, are you Jenny?" I hear from across the street.
"Uh, yeah, do you know where my dad is?"
"Come over here, and I'll explain everything."
A little hesitant, I begrudgingly walked across the street to the neighbors house. I didn't really know her, but she seemed like she had a general sense of what was going on, and that somehow was a good enough reason to trust her, and ease my confused 8 year old mind.
"Stay here with me, until the Police are able to come and ask you a few questions." Do you want a snack?
Confused and unsure why the police were now involved, I agreed and it wasn't but maybe 30 minutes later and they'd arrived.
"Hey there sweetheart, we're gonna need you to come with us to station so we can ask you some questions, okay?"
It was my first time in the back of a police car, which was pretty cool, but all I could ask was; "Where is my dad?"
We got to the station where I was then lead to a large empty room with a two way mirror. I sat down. A teddy bear was placed on the table in front of me, and a woman with bright red lipstick sat across from me. She had a clipboard and pen, and looked like she was going to be doing something important.
"Okay sweetheart, we're going to need you to be brave, and talk to us. Do you know why you're here?"
"No, not really. Did I do something wrong?"
"No, you're fine. Can you go ahead and tell me a little bit about your dad?"
"Yeah, uh.... I stop and think for a minute... "do you know where he is?"
"Well, yes, but first I need you to answer a few questions for me okay?"
"Okay, sure."
"Do you know who this is?"
She showed me a picture of one of my best friends, who spent the night often.
"Yeah, that's my friend Chelsea! She lives next door to me, and we go to school together.
"Okay, good!"
"Do you know who this is?" Showing me another picture.
"Mmhm! That's also my friend, Abbi! She came over the other night and we played together, but then she had to go home because it was dark out!"
"You're doing great sweetheart!" Now I'm going to ask you some harder questions, is that okay?
"Yeah..." I mumbled as my voice began to crack.
"Alright, do you know why you're here?" I shook my head no. I did have an idea as to why I was there, but there was no way she or anyone could've known, because I'd never told. I kept that secret like my life depended on it, because in all reality, it did. I knew that if I told, there would be serious consequences. My heart began to race.
"Alright, I need you to hold this teddy bear okay? And I need you to show me, where on this bear your dad touched you."
To be Cont...
