In the winter of 1991, I met Tom at a bar in Salem. He was singing karaoke. His voice was so gorgeous I forgot for a moment that he was wasting it on christian music. When his song finished, he headed toward the bar. He smiled at me as he passed and I offered to buy him a round, which he gladly accepted. We talked a while, he was charming and flattering. One thing led to another and we ended up back at my place. He told me everything I wanted to hear. That he’d take care of us, that I was the only woman for him. Turns out he was married, or just getting out of a marriage. He became abusive when I tried to talk to him about it. I quickly learned that the charmer I met that night didn’t really exist. When I told him I was pregnant with his child, he became enraged. He told me I was a “godless whore” that me and my unborn child were both going to hell. I chose to have an abortion. I couldn’t in good conscience let this man reproduce. I have never said this before in my life, but I’m thankful this “man” is gone. 

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