I was still a virgin at 22, and my mother always warned me, “Never be left alone with your grandmother’s husband.” I thought that he just didn’t like Wayne… until the night Grandma left town, Wayne came back drunk, walked into my room, locked the door and said, “Tonight you’re mine.”

“Very bad words.

He nodded.

“Extremely bad.

Then his expression became serious.

“What I meant is that tonight you are my responsibility. I’m not gonna let you out that door until I know you’re safe.

He handed me his phone.

Call your mother.

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I did.

Mom responded immediately.

When I told him Jason was out, he said,

Don’t open that door. I’m on my way.

So, finally, I asked the question I had been wanting to ask for years.

“Mom, why did you always tell me not to be left alone with Wayne?”

There was a long silence.

Then he sighed.

Because Wayne used to have drinking problems.

I looked at him.

He looked down.

Mom continued:

When you drink, you talk nonsense and make bad decisions. I never thought I was gonna hurt you. I just didn’t want you to get caught up in a situation where you had to take care of him or feel fear for his behavior.

Wayne had heard every word.

“Your mother is right,” he said quietly. I hadn’t drunk for years. I made a mistake tonight.

A few minutes later the police arrived.

Wayne had called them before even going up to my room.