Chapter 24
"Victoria." I repeated her name as I held her in my arms. She was sweating profusely. I didn't know what to do. "Prince. Michael. Go get Camille." Maybe she'll know what to do.
"Cee Cee!" They called in unison as they ran off.
"Victoria, wake up, baby." I patted her face. "Victoria..." I started to get worried. This has happened before, but it hasn't happened it a while. When it did happen, there were actual reasons as to why... What on earth could cause her to faint? I pushed her hair back before I carried her to the living room.
"Here she comes!" Michael ran back. Prince was crying and stood away from us.
"Mademoiselle!" Camille hurried over to us.
"Camille, I think she fainted. What do we do?"
"Prince, go get a towel and wet it with cold water." She instructed him. Prince hurried to get the towel. "Monsieur Jackson, do you know what happened?"
"No. I was upstairs and I heard glass shatter and the boys screaming, so I rushed down here."
"Michael, did you see what happened to your Mother?"
"Me and Prince were just helping her make Daddy's fruit salad and she said she felt lightly headed. So I told her to drink water. She said no and-"
"After she said no, she picked up the bowl to get some more blueberries and then she fell." Prince interrupted as he ran in the room and gave me the towel. I pat Victoria's head with it so that she could cool down.
"Camille, how long will it be?" I asked.
"Until she wakes up." She bit her lip. I could tell she was as nervous as I was.
"Will Mommy be okay?" Michael asked.
"She'll be fine." I told him.
"I'll go sweep up the glass." Camille hurried to the kitchen. I kissed Victoria on the forehead. Light headed? She only gets light headed when she's drunk. Maybe she's pregnant. She did faint a lot when she was pregnant with the boys. Nah. She couldn't get pregnant that quick. Or maybe she's on that stupid "diet" of hers. I told her to stop that ages ago. She's been out way too long. When she fainted when she was pregnant, it was always a little under a minute. Maybe I should take her to the hospital, but she hates hospitals. When Prince was in the hospital, I could tell she hated being there. She even hated giving birth to Prince at the hospital. That's why she had a home birth when Michael came... I couldn't care less if she dislikes hospitals, I'm taking her over there. "Monsieur Jackson, is Mrs. Jackson awake yet?" Camille asked.
"I'm fine..." Victoria groaned as she opened her eyes.
"Victoria!" I hugged her.
"Mommy!" Prince ran over and hugged her tight.
"Mommy, are you okay?"
"I'm fine... I just... oh my..." She took the towel from my hand and put it on her forehead.
"What happened?" I asked her.
"Your guess is as good as mine..." She sat up.
"Mademoiselle, are you with child?" Camille asked.
"No."
"Have you eaten?"
"No."
"Did you eat yesterday?"
"...no." Victoria sighed
"Wait, you didn't eat yesterday?" I asked.
"After those strawberries, no."
"V, are you going on that crazy diet of yours again?"
"...kind of..."
"Why?"
"Daddy, what's a diet?" Michael asked.
"Because I.." Victoria started.
"Why?" I asked again.
"Mommy, what's a diet?" Michael asked again.
"It's when-"
"Victoria, why are you going on that diet?"
"Come on, boys. Your parents need to be alone." Camille said as she took them away.
"But Cee Cee, what's a diet?" I heard Michael ask once more before they made their way upstairs.
"What made you think you should go on a diet?" I asked.
"I don't know..." Victoria shook her head.
"Wrong answer."
She gave me a look, "why are you upset?"
"I'm not upset."
"Talking like that, you're obviously upset."
"I'm not." Victoria rolled her eyes at me. "V-"
"I'm getting to it." She finally looked at me. "You don't find me attractive anymore."
"Why do you think that?"
"I saw the texts, Michael." She sighed.
"I knew you looked through my phone... Why would you do that?"
"I didn't mean to."
"Oh, really?"
"Yes, really."
"What texts did you see?" I sighed.
"Between you and Naomi. You called her beautiful, sexy, cute and any other compliment in the book. You said all of them to her... Just like you used to say to me... Are you falling for this girl?"
"No."
"Well, it looked like it."
"You had no business looking through my phone, V."
"Well, I'm sorry. I'm pretty sure that after we got married, you told me that what's yours is mine and what's mine is yours. Or did that exclude future technology?"
"I know what I said."
"Then what are you flipping out for?"
"You were being sneaky about it."
"Oh, like you've never been sneaky before."
I rolled my eyes, "you know what? I'm not about to argue with you about the phone. I want to know why you're doing this 'diet.'"
"I told you. Because you no longer find me attractive. I feel so unwanted by you."
"Unwanted? Did you forget about what we did on your birthday?"
"Before that when was the last time we had sex, Michael?" I thought about it. "You only had sex with me as a favor. Not out of love."
"You don't know that."
"It's obvious."
"Did Joshua instill this in you?"
"Joshua has nothing to do with this."
"It's just an honest question. Yes or no?"
"No."
"I find that so hard to believe."
"Why?"
"He probably told you I don't want you anymore just so he could have you to himself."
"No... You don't know Joshua. He's not like that."
"I don't want to know Joshua. He's your friend. Not mine."
She looked taken aback, "you know what..."
"What?"
"You have some real odd mood swings, Michael. This has never happened before."
"What are you talking about?"
"Just a few minutes ago, you were all sweet and caring. Now you're all demanding. And you know what? I don't like it."
"My mood did not change."
"That's what you think."
"I'm fine."
"You came in pale last night. You had a migraine. You have these mood swings. Maybe these are symptoms."
"Oh yeah?" I scoffed. "Of what?"
"I don't know."
"Victoria, nothing is wrong with me. This is just a common cold."
"In the summer?"
"...yes...in the summer."
"You ought to get yourself checked out."
"I'll just wait for that doctor's appointment next week."
"Well, I'm going now. I want to know why I fainted."
"We already established that. It's because you went on that stupid diet. Plus, Camille went to medical school. If you really need some help, talk to her."
"I'll go to Camille. But once she says something is wrong, I'm going to the doctor." Victoria hurried upstairs. I didn't really just have a mood swing...did I?