“I can have you put away.” Those were the words my ex-husband repeatedly said to me.  He was intimidating me and I bought every word of it.

I always worked late into the evening, primarily because I did not want to go home as I never knew what kind of a mood he would be in. One particular night he was furious at me for reasons I didn’t then and will never understand. I was the major wage earner and if it wasn’t for my salary we would have lived on the street.

As soon as I came through the door that evening he started on me.  “You’re a lousy wife”, he said “You don’t do anything a good wife does.” “You like wearing the pants in this marriage” he continued and on and on it went. He finally told me  to take the jewelry he gave me (in the 20 years we were married he gave me a engagement ring and a wedding band and we both paid for the wedding bands) and put it on the bed. I did as I was told.

He told  me I did not deserve to wear those rings and that he could have me put away. He told me since he was my husband he could have me put away and no one could stop him.

He took my rings that night and for a long time he wouldn’t give them back to me.

In a strange way I felt a relief not wearing them.