Chapter 47
"Why do you say no?" Dr. Moore asked Victoria.
"After being with Michael for so long, if we were to divorce, I think I'd be in the same mindset he was in and probably run back to him. Maybe not even that. I'd probably end up running further away from him." Victoria answered. That scared me to hear her say she would run further away from me. I could feel my heart breaking from the seams.
"If your emotional attachment is this strong for Michael, why was it so easy for you to sign those divorce papers and get a lawyer?"
"Dr. Moore, you'd think it wouldn't be easy for me to sign those paper, but it was. All I had to do was sign my name. However, it was definitely not easy trying to approach Michael and convince him to sign them. Had he even began to sign them, I don't know how I would handle that. And getting the lawyer was my mother's doing. She still dislikes Michael."
"Why does she dislike him?"
"She can't trust him?"
"Why not?"
"He's from California?"
Dr. Moore looked up, "what?"
"I'm actually from Indiana," I pointed out. "My family and I moved to California and grew up here."
"And she doesn't trust you?"
"Unfortunately."
"That explains why she got David all the way from Texas." Dr. Moore laughed to herself. I looked up at the clock to see that it was four fifteen. "Tell me more about your mother, Victoria."
"Well, she used to be one hell of a mom until my dad cheated on her and they divorced. Now, she's bitter and not worth being around majority of the time."
"She doesn't like men too much, does she?"
"Barely."
"That explains her distrust in Michael. Victoria, your mother was afraid the same thing that happened to her would happen to you and unfortunately it did." I turned away. After all this time, I finally found out that Victoria's mother didn't trust me. Great. And now the woman must want me dead for proving her right. "Well, we got a lot answered today, except for the most important question." Dr. Moore glanced at me. "But I'm sure we'll get to that next session. What time works best for you?"
"Tomorrow at six should be fine." Victoria wrote in her planner.
"Great. I look forward to seeing the two of you tomorrow at six."
-
"Did you like the session?" Victoria asked as we drove home.
"It was alright." I shrugged.
"Why just 'alright'?"
"Dr. Moore hates me."
"She does not." Victoria tried to assure me.
"She does! Don't tell me you didn't see the way she looked at me."
"Oh, I saw."
"Then how could you say she doesn't hate me? It's so obvious. The last time I've seen a woman that mad at a man was when I first met your mother."
"I'm offended."
"I'm sorry." I shrugged.
"I understand that my mom can be a bitch at times, but it doesn't make it right for you to talk about her."
"Ok. I'm sorry."
"You wouldn't like it if I talked about your dear mother."
"What could you possible say about her? She's the kindest woman on earth."
"She wasn't so kind when she found out Joseph cheated on her."
"That was ages ago."
"Yeah, well, my mother isn't always angry." I pulled into the driveway to the house. Victoria got ready to get out. I grabbed her arm and turned her back to me. "What?" She asked. I pulled her in for a kiss.
"I'm sorry for talking about your mother."
Victoria smiled and rolled her eyes, "I'm going to need for you to stop." She laughed and tried to get out. I pulled her back to me.
"Do you forgive me?"
"Sure."
"Sure means 'no' to me."
"Then, yes, I do forgive you. Can I go in the house now?"
I smiled and let her go, "yeah, I guess."
"Thank you." Me and Victoria got out and went into the house. The mail sat on the kitchen counter as Victoria walked over to look through it.
"V, come watch a movie with me." I sat in the living room and turned on the television.
"I'll be there in a second." She said as she opened and envelope and read its contents.
"Hurry up. I don't want to sit here alone." Victoria walked over to the sofa and sat down with the envelopes sitting on her lap. "Anything for me?" I asked.
"I don't know. Check." I looked through the stack finding multiple envelopes with my name on it. Bills, fan letters and bogus contests. Perfect. Victoria picked up another envelope and opened it quickly.
"What's that?" I asked.
"We're about to see." A cold tone replaced the cheery tone V had earlier.
"You okay?"
"Wait until I read this, Michael." Victoria searched through the pamphlets and finally got to the actual letter skimming over the words.
"What is it?" I asked.
"Wait!" Victoria shouted.
"Fine. I just want to know what's in that letter and now you're acting like someone I won't mention. It's cool though." I stood up and made my way upstairs.
"No!" Victoria shrieked.
"V?" I hurried back to her. "V, what's wrong?" She cried loudly as she covered her face. "V, talk to me, baby. Why are you upset?" I held her close and comforted her. I hope she calms down soon, so she can tell me what's going on. "V, it's okay." I rocked back and forth with her in my arms.
"Get off of me." Victoria managed to say.
"V, it's okay. Tell me what's wrong." I ignored her comment know she was spewing nonsense.
"Michael, let me go." She started to struggle to get out my hold.
"Calm down, Victoria."
"Michael, get off of me!" She shouted and finally got herself out of my arms.
"V! What is wrong with you?!" I could see the anger, pain and pure hatred in her eyes as she looked at me. Victoria bit her lip as tears streamed from her eyes. "Do you want to-" Victoria slapped me across the face, reminding me of the time 4 slapped me. I kept my composure. I took a deep breath, "V, I understand you're-" She slapped me again with a greater force than before. "V-"
"Shut up!" She screamed as she slapped me over and over and over again. By then, I had enough. I grabbed her wrists and forced her to sit down. "Michael, let me go!"
"What is wrong with you, Victoria?"
"Get off of me, Michael!" Victoria cried. My face still stung. I could feel the welts begin to form on my face.
"Victoria, you have to tell me what is wrong with you. I will not let you go until you calm down!" She struggled out of my grip, took the mail and ran upstairs. I took a deep breath and sat down thinking of the many reasons Victoria would flip out of me like that. Maybe she's just releasing the anger she didn't release when I told her I cheated. It only makes sense. Victoria has never laid a hand on me. Was it something in that letter? I could think of a hundred different reasons as to why V would flip out like that, but right now, I'm going to give her some space.
-
I walked upstairs and reached the door to our room. I knocked on the door, "Victoria, babe, are you okay?" I asked. She didn't answer. I took a deep breath and knocked on the door again. "Victoria, can we talk about this? I thought you forgave me?"
"Come on in, Michael." She finally said. I opened the door to find several packed bags on the floor.
"Victoria, what is this? Are you leaving again? For good?"
"Maybe." She shrugged carelessly as she folded one of my shirts and placed it in a plastic SAKS bad.
"'Maybe?' Is that a yes or now? And you're taking one of my shirts with you?"
"No."
"Then what is this?" I asked, dumping the clothes from the SAKS bag onto the bed to find that they were all mine.
Victoria rolled her eyes in frustration and walked over to me with an envelope in her hand, "Michael?"
"Victoria, are you going to explain this to me? This is ridiculous."
She sighed. She's reminding me of her mother. "Michael?" She asked again.
"Yes?" I looked Victoria in the eyes.
"Get out of my house and take your HIV with you."