From Russia, With Love...Part 2

A knock came on the bedroom door.
“Can I come in?” Vladimir asked softly. There was pain in his voice; she could tell.
“Yes,” she yelled. Again, she covered herself with the blankets. She felt a hand on her shoulder.
“I know that you probably do not want to eat with me but dinner is ready now.” She pulled the covers off of herself, turned over, and stared up at her husband. Just like the last time it happened, tears were running down his face.
“I will be out in a few minutes.” Her voice cracked as she spoke to him. He offered her his hand to help her out of bed.
“You will eat with me?” She took his hand and allowed him to gently pull her out of bed.
“Yes, if you promise to talk about this with me.” He wrapped his arm around her and helped her walk into the kitchen.
“Of course I will.” Before they got to the kitchen he stopped her and looked down at her. “I’m sorry,” he whispered softly. He leaned down and tried to kiss her, but she turned her face away. He kissed her cheek instead.
“Not now,” she muttered.
“It is okay.” He pulled out a chair for her and she sat down. He pushed it back in and then sat down in his chair. They looked at each other.
“What is going on with you?” She could hear the iciness with which she spoke to him. He looked startled.
“I am just…angry.” They began to eat and ate in silence for a few minutes before she spoke again.
“I’m sorry you’re angry, but you know, it’s not my fault. What you’re doing to me isn’t right. If you keep doing this you could kill the baby.” He looked out the back window and kept eating before he spoke to her again. Then he stared at her.
“I don’t know why I do this. I am frustrated. There are lots of things going on. I quit my job and I worry I won’t find new one soon enough, I miss making love to you, there is baby coming, and I am very angry that you lie to me about it. And now that I think about it I think about times that you have lied to me before.”
“Why are you still angry about what happened when Jeanine came over?”
“It’s not just that. It’s that time you go to club when I was sleeping and then after I bring you home safe you treat me like shit. It’s how before I even came to you you treat me like you had some sort of interest in me but you didn’t care for me at all and you act like you had no idea that all I wanted was you even though I made it painfully obvious. Not until I force my way into this house and force you to care for me did you even react to me.”
She sat there with her mouth open, unsure of what to say. There was nothing she could really plan. It all just sort of spilled out.
“You’re right. When I told Jeanine you were my boyfriend, that was an awful thing to do to you. I honestly don’t know why I did it but I am not going to feel guilty about it anymore. And do you know why? Because I am married to you now. I have already been your girlfriend, and I’m your wife now, so I am not going to have it weighing on my conscience anymore. I’m sorry I did it, and I wish I could tell you why I did it, but I can’t. Second of all…I shouldn’t have gone to that club, but I really needed to get out of the house. You had me trapped in the house all week and you were doing these really awful things to me at times, and I really needed to get out. Okay? I didn’t know what happened was going to happen. And I’m sorry that I was naïve and didn’t notice that you were head over heels in love with me while all I wanted was to be your friend. I don’t want to apologize anymore. In truth, it’s you who should be apologizing.” He had finished his dinner.
“Are you finished?” He was very curt with her.
“Yes.”
“Good. May I ask you something?” His eyes had turned hard and stern.
“Of course…”
“Why have you stayed with me all this time if you think I am this horrible man who does these awful things to you? I have tried my best to show you how much I love you.” She looked away, then looked back at him, and then began to wring her hands.
“I don’t think you’re a horrible man. I think you’re a wonderful man; I just don’t understand you right now…” She began to sob uncontrollably, without warning, and he rushed to her side. He took her in his arms and squeezed her.
“I don’t understand me either.” He rocked her back and forth and kissed her gently. “It will all be okay. We will work this out.” He kissed her tears away and pulled her close to him again.
“Vladimir, don’t hurt me anymore…”
“I won’t, baby, I won’t…” He took her hand and they walked to their bedroom.