I was in a relationship that was not a love relationship, it had been a fling and I ended up pregnant. I chose to keep the child, and he resented that, but stayed in our lives to co parent. But he was so abusive, physically, mentally, emotionally, that it wasn't even friendly. But I kept saying: "He's a good dad". And he WAS. Until the day he reached out and roughly handled our two year old. I picked up my toddler, and left MY home, MY job, and left the town.

It sound very simplified here, and of course it was multi layered, and more complicated. But the day I saw him handle her roughly? Knowing that he had the capacity for harm, as he'd shown with me? It was over, completely over.

From that day to this, we've not had contact of any sort. I've struggled with what I am going to say to our child when they get old enough to ask about father.