Helping Develop Better Relationships Through Communication
Sheltered as a child, Charlotte Allen found her comfort zone away from the turmoil of her two-story home in the warmth of her mother's kitchen; in her favorite hiding place, underneath the table's edge.
At each turn she’s caught in a situation camouflaged by half-truths and deception. As a result, she lives a life masked by a veil of several interpretations: the art of silence and invisibility. She believes these defensive mechanisms will protect her against those who set out to destroy her innocence.'What can't be seen; can't be touched…Or so she thought.
And then she meets Clinton Jacobson.
Clinton becomes her high school sweetheart. Immersed in his love, Charlotte feels freed from the life that she had been force to live. And one day he does the unimaginable, he offers her his heart and his hand in marriage.
Does Charlotte dare entrust her whole heart and soul to him. Was Clinton the man of her dreams, or just the man she had dreamed of?
Left with a choice to make, she wonders if her decision will be a life-changing transformation or just another hard-life transition...
Excerpt
Once we found a house, a lease with my signature on it, I believed that I was finally home. A home for me my husband and our little girl. He would build a white picket fence around our green lawn and I'd plant pansies and roses to yield in the spring time.
I believed all of this, but I was afraid that this dream was just an imaginary vision of my past life because my husband made sure to remind me that he was the man of the house. There for he was in charge. Like the king of the jungle, except I was nobody's monkey that you could throw dimes at and expect me to jump and dance to the clap of anyone's hands.
When I pulled into the garage it was almost 11:00PM. All the lights in the house were out, but his car was there. I touched it to see if it was still warm, maybe he had just gotten home himself - making more trips to the 7-Eleven. But the car was cold, so I knew that he must have been home for awhile. I climbed the staircase and tucked the sleeping Cherish into her bed. My bedroom was dark, but I could see his silhouette to the right of the bed, his back facing me. It had come to this; his side and my side. I wondered if he really was asleep, so I purposely made enough noise to get his attention.
No response.
So I decided to take a long hot shower, letting the water penetrate thru the tension that was deeply rooted in my neck and shoulders. Then I shampooed my hair with his favorite shampoo, hoping the familiar scents would stir him. I slid into bed next to him. I could feel the heat of his body rise as we touched.
320-Count Sateen Sheet Set...Their softest sheets ever...Made with premium 100% cotton sateen for an exceptional feel...Their luxury linen defined comfort...Smooth as silk. The package read like a commercial. High paid advertising, but it wasn't doing much for my bed.
"Honey, are you awake?" He lifted his head from his pillow and then pulled out one of the new firm but fluffy pillows I had bought, slid it down between us and laid back down. I had my answer.
A good night's sleep is not what I had in mind, but he made it apparent that he wasn't interested. The pillows that separated us was just a mirage of the truth. He had to make his point, and he had made it very clear.
I was hoping for a response...a word...anything. I deserved that from him. After all I was his wife; the mother of his only child. I surrendered and turned my back to him, burying myself under the covers, sateen sheets, comforter and all, wondering how many more adjustment periods I would have to endure before I could be loved unconditionally. I cried silently, my tears filling my pillow, hoping that he couldn't hear me. Everything in my life came with a string attached...and that string was tightening like a noose around my neck. I wondered how long it would be before I choked.
Professional Reviews
Authoress Tweedy Poole
"Its edgy...a must read! This story is bold, provocative and captivating! It touches your heart, pulls you in, makes you laugh, and unveils secrets that has kept us wearing the mask"
-- Tweedy Poole, Author of "Hidden Tears" and "The Lonely Wife"
Pastor Billy T.Russell
This story is very detailed in depth. I can tell that Sandra put in a lot of time and thought and her whole heart to write this book. The Table's Edge touches on so many aspects of life and I encourage not only my church members, but for everyone to get a copy.
I met Jerome on a busy city street in Baltimore, Maryland, when he was forty-five years old. On that particular day, I was out and about, enjoying a much-needed day off from work.
I wanted to purchase a sukiyaki sub. I parked my car in an area of
Hundreds of excerpts from the archives of the Narcissistic Abuse Study List regarding Pathological Narcissism, relationships with abusive narcissists, and the Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD).
