Exposed Part 8

Once Bill moved up to NY with me, it was apparent that we really were Yin and Yang. Sure, we had our period of adjusting to living with someone new, but it seemed to be a seamless transition most times.
Life was busy and Bill experienced some problems with his heart and had to have some procedures. While he was in the hospital I stayed at home counting the hours till he was home again. I couldn't visit him at the hospital because I don't drive. It is funny most people tend to freak out when he is in the hospital and I haven't been able to see him. Sure I would be there every day if I could, so I just learned to keep myself busy cleaning and the time flew by.

Bill was surprised that he liked NY and he found the people friendly. He thought the area of NY I lived in a very beautiful area. I think the natural beauty of East Tennessee rivals that of the Hudson Valley in NY. Small towns are the same no matter what state you are in.
My marital home at the time was sitting empty just around the corner from my apartment. The ex and kids had moved over to a house on Main Street with his girl friend. Meanwhile, we were still haggling over the points in the seperation/divorce. But the house that I was half owner in was sitting empty and I was paying over $900.00 a month in rent. I talked Bill into moving over to Maple Ave. the marital home. We'd never get to Tennessee at the rate we were going with no money.
So we decided to move at the end of July. My parents and brother helped us move into Maple Ave. We had to break in, with help from the father in law of a local cop. But we got moved in no problem.
It was so strange living in my marital home with Bill. The ghosts of past hurtful arguments still lingered on the air and I could sense her presence(the GF) It was a strange surreal time that didn't last long because a week later my ex and kids and his new flame all moved back in. Things hadn't worked out with the house they had moved to. In order to make it work, we had to be civil to one another. I found it extremely hard not to just verbally abuse them. But I had my kids I needed to think about, the ex and his flame meant nothing in the grand scheme of life. Bill was crucial in helping me remain calm and getting threw those weeks all living in the same house. Heck, it showed what he was made of, living in the same house with my ex.
All of us living as one big dysfunctional family, motivated us to get our plans on track to Tennessee. We had been approved for a apartment in East Knoxville, we were arriving on September 7, 2006. I dangled the carrot of paying me off for my share of the house and I'd leave town. I even offered to accept less then my share was. We needed the money to move here and have a nest egg. After a few days of haggling, we agreed on an amount. The new flame was not comfortable with me around. She felt threatened by my presence and wanted me out of the house because her authority was questioned. Bill also made her very uncomfortable with his Psychology background.

I was crucified by some because I left my kids by moving south. My decision was based on who I thought the parent that could best take care of my kids was. I was disabled, I didn't drive and cognitively I wasn't able to take care of them. It is still painful to admit that I couldn't take care of my own kids. I was filled with so much anger and bitterness over what had happened to my life since my stroke. I had lost everything and made choices that while tough, I thought were the best I could do in a bad situation.The stroke hadn't affected me just physically but also emotionally, mentally and cognitively. I was a train wreck, who could barely take care of herself let alone 2 kids. Bill entering my life was one of life's big surprises. He has turned out to be the best thing to come out of the stroke experience and I have reached a place of peace where I can even admit, he made everything I went threw all worth it. So when I say he completes me, it is the truth in more ways then one.