I am 27 years old and I am a single mother of a 12 year old son (Yes I had him at 15). I have been single for a few years now ever since I left my son’s biological father who used to abuse me physically/sexually. He developed alcohol problems later in our relationship and he could barely keep a job, and he ended up developing extreme anger issues as a result. His abuse was mostly behind closed doors and never in front of my son. A few years later now, he calls me from another number explaining how he finished rehab, meets with a therapist weekly, and meditates every morning. He apologized a ton and he only asked to meet with my son and I in a casual environment to check up on us. (He explicitly said he doesn’t expect me to forgive him). I have not and will never forgive him, nor will I ever re-enter a relationship with him, but he does sound like a different person, so should I meet with him?
You should do what you are comfortable with. If he is genuinely better, then that is fantastic for him. You likely still carry some trauma around from that experience, and your ability to move past it may not match his. That is fine, you don’t have to do anything. If you want to meet him, do. If you don’t, then don’t.
My only suggestion is this: if you do meet him, do it without your son along. Meet him in some place public, and perhaps even take a friend or family member with you. Only involve your son later if you are sure about it.