My mom went out with a man from work and now I don't want to go to my own birthday party

It was a Friday, I was probably 8-10 years old. Mom asked me to do a favor for her co-worker and drop off a package she had brought home from work that morning to his apartment. He lived in an apartment complex directly across the street from our own house. I remember her saying if she didn't get there by a certain time, the complex would lock down and no one would get in without a key, unless someone let them in. That's why she was having me drop it off instead if waiting for her to get off work... she was running late.<br><br>I walked to the apartment complex, dropped off the package, and then went home. About 10 minutes later, my mom called me, asking what was going on. I was confused, but first, I told her how she heard me ring the doorbell and wasn't home. She said she was never at his apartment, did not call me to drop off anything, and did I let him in the gate? I said yes, that's when it hit me that something was wrong.<br><br>The following day was my birthday. Mom decided to keep my birthday small due to how stressed and worried she was about what happened the day before. I still invited a few family members and her parents over that night. Birthday party. We sang happy birthday and blew out the candles. As we were about to eat the cake, mom got up to answer the door. I looked outside, and it was the man from work. He said he had something for her to give to me since it was my birthday. She didn't let him in and was clearly scared. Before she could have said anything, I quickly opened the door and said, "I don't want anything from you, I hate you! And I hate cake!" I shouted as I smooshed the piece of cake in front of me all over my plate. I ran to my room, and my mom called work to tell them she wouldn't be coming in for a while. She went to the police station, and I had to tell them everything that happened. I also had to write down anything I could remember about his apartment so they could find him. They looked into the camera footage and confirmed that he never buzzed anyone in to let him into the complex. They then called me to the police station the next day to pick out which apartment was his from a photo lineup.<br><br>I didn't run into him again until a few years later, I was probably 15. We moved to a new house, and the divorce happened. I was at the mall alone with mom when we saw him and the woman he was with. We ignored him, and he looked just as pissed if not more so than before when I was 8 years old and we got in trouble for letting a bad man into the apartment complex and just being rude to him on my birthday.<br><br>I don't know what ever came of it. I assume they arrested him, but I just know my mom was not the same after that and just stressed about everything. She would never open her blinds at all after that whole situation and made sure every single window was locked, even if the doors were locked. I don't know if that's why we moved, or if she just wasn't happy in that house after all that happened. Why would she be?<br><br>If I hadn't let you in that gate, and if I hadn't been such a brat on my birthday and just gone along with whatever you wanted, maybe things would have gone differently. But you underestimated an 8-year-old in a yellow sundress, and for that, you will LET'S NOT MEET.