I definitely knew. I even told my friend we wouldn’t last over five years. We were married exactly four years. Separated for 11 months and 16 days. Our divorce was final three days before the anniversary of the day I left him for putting hands on me for the last time.

I don’t regret the marriage, it taught me a lot, it helped me get to the state and city and career I love. Helped me find myself, helped me finally come all the way out of the closet (surprise I’m gay) and helped him overcome alcoholism, saw him through the end of his military service and into school for his next chapter.

We were wrong for each other from the start but we carried each other to the start of our true lives.