[cathexis]

Discussed this with my Partner of 23 years, and we recommend that you seek a professional to talk with about this. Partner is a stone butch who is much larger and stronger than I am with a temper that She keeps under control. She recommends that you may have wanted to walk off after you were slapped considering the size difference and escalation of the situation.

It was a positive step that she went to her mom's for the night putting some distance between the two of you to cool down a bit.

My Partner asks if you feel afraid of your girlfriend after this incident. If you are, She suggests that you may want to consider whether you should stay in the relationship.

After 5 years a person ought to know if their partner is trustworthy. Consider the reasons you suspected the phone call, but I don't believe the call was the crux of the biscuit. The main issue, in my mind, is trust.