Chapter 45 Shelyn's Visit II
Vivienne's Pov
Raphael ran his hand through his hair. He looked frustrated and tired. "I don't know. Maybe Margot gave her my address.”
“She looks the type who doesn't give up easily when she wants something
"Sounds familiar," I said without thinking. Like Margot. Both of them didn't understand the word no.
Raphael looked at me for a long moment. Then he came and sat down next to me again. Close but not too close.
"I'm sorry. You came here to get away from one problem and I brought you another one."
I shook my head. "It's not your fault. You can't control what she does."
But inside I was wondering. Wondering if this was a sign. Wondering if I was jumping from one messy situation into another one. Wondering if I should just be alone for a while. Figure out my own life before getting tangled up in someone else's.
"You're right," Raphael said. "I can't control what she does. But I can control what I do. And I'm telling you right now, that woman means nothing to me. She never has."
I nodded slowly. I wanted to believe him. I did believe him. But everything felt so overwhelming right now. First Margot. Now this.
"I believe you," I said quietly. "I just... I don't know. Today has been a lot."
"I know." Raphael reached out and took my hand. His hand was warm and strong. "And you don't have to figure everything out right now. You don't have to make any decisions about anything. You just need to rest."
He was right. I was exhausted. Emotionally. Physically. Mentally. I felt like I'd been running a marathon with weights on my shoulders.
"Do you want some water? Something to eat?" Raphael asked gently.
I shook my head. "No. I just want to sit.”
"Of course. I’ll just inform the chef to make something nice for you,” he left and went to the kitchen.
He came back after a few minutes.
We sat in silence for a while. It was a comfortable silence. Not awkward or tense. Just peaceful. The kind of silence where you don't need to fill it with words.
Then my phone buzzed. And buzzed again. And again.
I knew without looking that it was Margot. She always did this when she didn't get her way. She would call and text over and over until I answered. Until I gave in. Until I came back.
"You don't have to look at that," Raphael said softly.
But I did look. I couldn't help myself. It was like a habit. A bad habit I'd learned over years of living with Margot.
Thirteen missed calls. Twenty-two text messages. All from Margot.
I opened the messages even though I knew I shouldn't.
"Vivienne, come home right now."
"We need to talk about this like adults."
"You're being childish and dramatic."
"That man is Shelyn's man, your sister.”
"I only want what's best for you."
"You're going to regret this."
"Fine. Stay there. See if I care."
"I'm calling the police if you don't answer me."
"Vivienne Marie, answer your phone right now."
The messages went on and on. Some of them were sweet and apologetic. Some of them were angry and threatening. That was Margot's way. She went back and forth between being nice and being mean.
Trying to find which one would work. Which one would bring me back.
"She's threatening to call the police," I said out loud. My voice sounded small and scared.
Raphael looked at the phone. His face got hard again. "Let her call. You're an adult. You can go wherever you want. The police will tell her the same thing."
"But she'll make a scene. She'll tell them I stole something or I'm mentally unstable or something crazy like that."
"Then we'll deal with it. Together. But you can't let her threats control you anymore, Vivienne. That's exactly what she wants."
I knew he was right. But knowing something and doing something were two different things.
My phone rang again. This time it wasn't Margot. It was a number I didn't recognize.
"Don't answer it," Raphael said. "It's probably her calling from a different phone."
But I answered anyway. I don't know why. Maybe because I was tired of running.
Tired of hiding.
"Hello?"
"Vivienne?" It was a woman's voice. Not Margot. Someone older. "This is Patricia from Margot's friend. I'm calling because Margot asked me to. She's very worried about you, dear."
Of course. Margot was getting her friends involved now. She was playing the worried step mother card. Making everyone think I was the problem. That I was the one being unreasonable.
"I'm fine, Patricia. Thank you for checking on me."
"Are you sure? Margot says you left very upset. She says you're with some man she doesn't know. She's worried he might be taking advantage of you."
I felt my face get hot. Angry hot. "Patricia, I appreciate your concern, but I'm a grown woman. I can make my own decisions. Please tell Margot to stop bothering everyone about this.”
There was a pause on the other end.
"Well, I... she just seemed so worried. She was crying and everything."
Crying. Of course she was crying. Margot could turn on the tears like a faucet when she needed to. When she needed sympathy. When she needed people on her side.
"She'll be fine," I said firmly. "Goodbye, Patricia."
I hung up before she could say anything else.
"She got her friends calling you?" Raphael asked. He sounded angry but not surprised.
"Apparently." I put my phone on the coffee table face down. "She's probably calling everyone we know. Making herself look like the victim."
"That's what people like her do," Raphael said. "They twist everything around. They make themselves look like the hurt one when really they're the one doing the hurting."
I leaned back against the couch. My head was pounding. "I don't know how to deal with this. I've never stood up to her like this before."