Looney Tunes
Friday, Daytime, December 28, 2012I was in the shower this morning when Kristin burst in the bathroom. She said, "Mama, Chris just called. Daddy is at the shop!" Mark has not been at the shop in exactly one month.
I never expected him to show up there today. Mark had said just two days earlier that he was thinking about extending his 'sabbatical' until February. I knew I had not logged out of Facebook or my email at work. That would be the very first thing he would do is look at ALL of my stuff.
My heart immediately started pounding out of my chest. I jumped out of the shower wrapped a towel around me and ran into Chris's office to change all of the passwords on my accounts. Then I got ready as quickly as I could to get to the shop. When i arrived he was not there, but our puppy Jet was. Chris said he had gone to his appointment at Dr. Towards (his GP), but was coming back.
When I walked into my office there were 'nasty grams' written on sheets of paper on my desk. Chris walked in and handed me a printout of the accounts receivable Mark had left. It also had nasty grams written all over it stating that I was a horrible bookkeeper and a few choice other things. Chris told me that it was apparent that Mark had been looking for money. Drawers and the safe were open. We had hid the cash, as well as the company checks, so he couldn't steal anything just in case a circumstance like this should happen.
I checked my Facebook account. Sure enough Mark had looked at them. He actually posted as me in a private message to Becky. Becky has been talking with me and we had wished each other a Merry Christmas. She said she wished she had kids on days like Christmas. I said I hoped Mark would 'show up' for Christmas and be nice for Matthew's sake. It was a longer conversation. He read the conversation then posted as me. Here is what he wrote (as me):
- Friday
My stomach was hurting because I knew he would be back. I needed to run to the bank to make a deposit, so I did that really quick. When I got back Chris asked me, "What are you going to do?" I honestly couldn't answer him. I honestly was afraid. I even pondered calling a security agency. I truly felt like I was going to hyperventilate.
Mark finally showed back up at the office around 11:00. It came as no shock to anyone when he was very rude and condescending to me (even in front of the customers that were there) for a straight hour. He stood outside my office speaking loudly so I would have to hear his sarcastic remarks. When he finished with customer he said, "Diana get out here and make a bill up for this guy." In my auto-trained fashion I just up and started to walk out to the counter. I that Pat had jumped up when he heard Mark say this and ran over to make the invoice out. Mark then said, "Why are YOU doing this Pat? SHE is the bookkeeper. It's HER job to do this! Let her EARN her pay!"
Then he walked in to my office a little bit later and tossed a box down on my desk. Mark said, "Here's your Christmas presents." I didn't open the box, but from what I could see there were old batteries and a bunch of junk inside.
As Mark walked out of my office he said, "Oh by the way, I'm going to Delaware for a month to stay with Becky." I knew he was trying to make me jealous. The funny thing was - all my brain could think was, "YES! I would have an entire month access to my house!" But, I also knew like almost everything he says when he is manic that it probably wasn't true. It was around 1 P.M. when Mark finally left the shop. I guess he ran out of things to criticize me about. He called Jet and raced out of the parking lot. I was so relieved.
It was now after 1:30 P.M. so I went to run errands for the shop. While I was out Mark called my phone. I have absolutely no idea why I answered it, but I did. He told me that the company Any Kind of Checks Cashed had called and said he had bounced a $2,000 check. It turns out he had given Paulee (one of the painters) a Discover check. AKoCC cashed it for him. Later it bounced. None of the Discover checks he has are good yet he keeps writing them. The good news is they owe us money for a safe job Mark did in early November. The bad news is. Mark has been so rude to them and then bounced this check so we lost a great customer.
When I returned to the shop it was around 3:30. They guys were all leaving, because we were closing early for the New Year Holiday. I decided not to leave as I wanted to make some phone calls. The last call I made was to a business attorney a friend had recommended. The lady that answered the phone said he was on the other line, but could call me back. She said, "Could I maybe answer your question?" I tried to get my question out, but started sobbing and couldn't stop. She was very kind and let me catch my breath. I guess he either had finished his other call, or she sent him a message that she had a very distraught woman on the phone, because she said, "Hold on a minute. Keith will talk to you now."
Attorney Keith Park said hello to me. I proceeded to tell him what had been happening the past month and years. We must have talked for almost 45 minutes. I kept sobbing during the conversation and had to apologize. He seemed to be a kind a patient person. He answered my questions the best he could about the business. After listening to everything he then told me, "You do know I am a divorce attorney too?" I didn't know that. I haven't mentally gotten to that point yet, so hadn't called one.
Keith then said that in Florida they don't make provisions for the mentally ill when it comes to protecting assets. There is no "legal separation" like California has. The only way to protect yourself is to file for divorce. He added very frankly that by doing that, even if you don't plan on going through with a divorce, could go one or two ways. Either Mark will be so beside himself that this is "really happening" that he actually does get help. Or, he could believe there is "no hope now" and what has happened previously will seem like little Disneyland Tea Cup ride compared to what will come. I decided it was still best to talk with him. I have an appointment to see him on Monday at 11:00 A.M.
By the time I got off of the phone with the attorney it was already after 5:00 P.M. I was exhausted from a mentally grueling day. I just wanted to go home and not think for the rest of the night.
Unfortunately, that isn't what happened.
>> The Longest Night From Hell (Part 2) <<
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