How to protect myself and my abuser

[NarcissisticUpbringing]

Sounds weird I know. I experienced prolonged emotional abuse as a child and occasional physical abuse by my narcissistic mother.
It was horrific.
I tried many years after leaving home to make up with her but she hadn’t changed and quickly tried to start again initially mocking me and quickly moving on to how she always was so I went nc.

Problem is nobody knows. I never told anyone. People think she’s lovely. She also always told then how awful I was. I never corrected anyone and only dh and my dd knew the extent of the abuse.

The thing is dm happens to be In bad health I’m not even sore how much of it is genuine how much is attention seeking but I’ll give her the benefit of the doubt. Family members and friends keep contacting me to ask about her/what am I doing etc .... I live v nearby to her and nobody else does

Atm her neighbours help her out but I know people are starting to think where the hell am I and it’s clear from some messages there’s resentment they have to help when she has a daughter so close.

What I want to do is avoid having to tell anyone what happened to me as it’s traumatic for me to talk about but it would also ruin her support network and whilst I know I owe her nothing I don’t want to cause any harm to anyone else but people are asking questions and I don’t know what to do as I can see it must look really really odd
What should I do ? I’ve said a few time I’ll chat to other relatives see if they can help but they are miles away and I think everyone must think I’m being horrible. I can’t step in to help her but I really don't want to tell people why

[Hoppinggreen]

From experience I can say that the “good days” were just a way to make you do what she wanted or to keep you in line.
They were often the worst I imagine because they gave you hope - but they were never real, they were just another tool in the Narc arsenal.
You have nothing to apologise or answer for, please try not to care what people think
I often wonder when I meet or hear about “poor lonely” elderly people “abandoned by their families” what their families story would be.
Mil invited a neighbours for Xmas dinner once as her awful neglectful family didn’t bother with her. It was pretty clear to me within a short space of time why that was!