People Don't Change Just Because YOU Want Them To

So, the month of September, I was busy scurrying around, sneaking around and planning my move back in with Don. I didn't tell anyone. But he and I went out and bought a washer, dryer with a new credit account. And we also bought a new car. It was a 1988 Chevrolet Beretta. It was a very cool car! I told him that I didn't want him driving that car if he was drinking, and I don't even remember if he agreed. All I know is that he did go out and drink in that car. And when I found out, it was a done deal for me.
There had been no violence again up until this point, but this is what did it.
It was October. I was gradually moving my belongings in with him (by myself - that should have given me the clue that he really didn't want me there), and I saw the car at the neighborhood bar he went to. It made me so angry!
I stopped in there, told him that it was over, and I was taking the car and giving it back to the bank. And I left in my truck to go to his house to start retrieving my stuff.
By the time I got there and got in, he came speeding into the driveway and ran up the stairs. When he got in, he told me to give him my keys to the car and that I wasn't going to turn it back into the bank. I told him I would not give him the keys, so he basically punched me in the stomach so hard that it knocked the keys right out of my hand. Fortunately, I saw where the door key landed. He had me down the ground, was straddling me so I couldn't get up, and he was yelling at me. I thought You know, I have one chance to hurt him, so I'm gonna take it. And I kicked him in the face. His head turned to the side and back to the front, just like Arnold in The Terminator. He finally let me up again. I guess he figured he got his keys.
I called the police, and they showed up. They saw the hand marks and scratches across my neck, but they said there was no evidence of any wrongdoing. And because my name was not on his lease, and even though my belongings were at his place, I had to leave.
I couldn't believe it!
So, I casually picked up the door key and shoved it in my pocket and went back to my apartment. Unfortunately, he came there after me.
I got out of my apartment and locked the door somehow, and I was walking along the sidewalk to my truck as he was walking along with me and yelling. All of a sudden, he balled up his fist and slammed it into my chest. The impact knocked me backwards and I landed on my back on the ground. Of course, he kept on walking, yelling at me, while I stayed behind.
I stayed home from work the next day and went to the doctor. This was the same doctor who had treated my burns. He just said, "He is bad news, and he's going to hurt you really bad if you don't get away from him."
I knew he was right.
He was "nice enough" to leave his door unlocked, and some of my friends helped me get the rest of my stuff out of the apartment.
I finally talked to two of my best friends about it. One of them already knew from before, but I told the other one, too. And one night, we three were together drinking, and they told me that if I decided I was going back to him again, we couldn't be friends anymore. They just couldn't take seeing what was happening to me. At the time, I thought it was horrible, but that took a lot of guts to do that.
When I finally got my wits about me, I called a friend of mine (from before who knew what was going on), and he drove me to the car dealership. I told them what happened, and they made me a new ignition key. Then, my friend drove me to Don's house where I got out of my friend's car, opened up the car, got in, started it up, and drove it into my friend's garage. I shut the door and called the bank. It had been less than a month since the transaction, and they came and picked up the car.
Unfortunately for me, Don had left a lot of things in the car...his wallet, his clothes and his loaded gun.
The Receptionist at my office, along with my boss and some other people, knew what was going on, and she alerted me when he called the office looking for me. Another friend was going out of town that weekend, and she loaned me her car to drive and I was staying at her place instead of my own. My truck was locked up in our friends' garage.
Oh, I'm sure he was so angry!
When the Receptionist called and told me she thought he would be coming up to the office, I immediately left. He was there looking for me right afterward. It was a good thing I got away when I did.
His mom called my answering machine and left a message for me to call her. I did call, and she said she would meet me to get his things. I had no problem with that. So, I did. I took a friend, had my friend give her the bag, and she left.
WOW. Looking back at this, I seriously cannot believe it.