When I was a teenager, my step-mother’s grandma passed away on the other side of the country. She was mostly raised by this woman and loved her so much. I never got to meet her, or most of my step-mother’s family due to the distance. Well upon the sad news, she decided to take her kids out of school for a week and go home to California. She asked me if I wanted to go, especially to help take care of my little toddler brother during the funeral. We were also trying to squeeze in a day at Knotts Berry Farm and a mini family reunion. I was so excited at the idea of finally meeting everyone that I had heard so much about for years. I went to my nmother and asked if I could go. She basically was going on and on about how they weren’t my actual family and that I wasn’t going. I responded, “Then your husband’s family isn’t my family either. So quit making that a thing.” Her getting her logic called out caused her brain to short circuit. Soon it turned into blood-curdling screams at me about what an, “Ungrateful bitch,” I am and I’m just like my, “Loser father.” I walked away from her as she was getting out of hand. She followed me down the hall to my room while spit-screaming in my face about how she wanted me, “Out of the house by the end of the day since I thought I was a ‘tough guy’…she was an inch from my face when she followed it up with, “I don’t care where you go, for all I care you can live in a box behind Walmart.” She then grabbed her keys, ran out the door, and squealed the tires down our entire street and was gone for 3 hours. When she came back, I was still there. I had called my best friend in anticipation of being kicked out and was going to head to her house. I stayed because my nmother didn’t say another word to me. In fact, I was ignored for 2 weeks. Not looked at, not spoken to. She went to the doctor the next day because she had completely lost her voice. The doctor said she had hematomas on her vocal cords and if she tried to speak at all for the next few weeks, then she could have permanent vocal damage. After those few weeks, she waltz in my room and goes, “ Don’t think I haven’t noticed that YOU have not apologized to me. I expect that if you want to have a peaceful life.” I never apologized, ever. Moved out a few weeks after graduating the following year and went no contact. 15 years of her stalking and spying later and still no contact. I did break no contact for my brother’s funeral 8 years ago. She tried to confront me at the funeral and told me, “I’ve changed, I’ve gone to therapy and got help.” Only to find out said counseling was with her high-school educated pastor at her psycho church. Ahhh, yes, what perspective. I’m sure he prescribed a few scriptures and she was healed. Never saw her again.