My mind went blank. I had never, not in my worst nightmares, imagined that the man I had been married to for years would send me to prison… for another woman.
“Alger! Don’t go! Explain this to me!”
I lunged forward, desperate to grab him, to demand answers, but the officers held me back. All I could do was watch as he walked away.
That night—the night families were supposed to be together, celebrating the new year—I sat alone in a cold detention cell.
I had only been wearing a thin sweater when we left the house. Now, the freezing air seeped into my bones, making me shiver uncontrollably. My teeth chattered, and my fingers were numb.
I could no longer stand the cold. Seeing others covered with blankets, I called the police and asked, “I’m freezing. Can I get a blanket?”
But the officer barely glanced at me. “Blankets have to be brought in by family members. If you want one, you’ll have to call someone to send it.”
I was so cold that I had no choice. I asked for a phone and dialed Alger’s number. It rang and rang but there was no answer.