40: Confessions

(originally posted 02/03/2012)



Greg walks back in looking like he's going to try to calm me down. Oh no you don't, Greg Turner! It's not going to work this time!

I screech shrewishly: Now are you going to explain what all that was about?
Greg: Whoa! Hang on a sec! I thought we already explained it. We're friends. You don't have anything to worry about. Elena darling, please... don't be upset.


Me: Don't be upset? Greg, you're cheating on me. Don't play me for a fool! Get past 3rd base? Then it sounded like she was trying to convince you to leave me.
Greg: Elena, I love you. I could never leave you. Don't worry about that.
Me: I'm not going to listen to your meaningless words any longer. I'm going to bed. YOU can sleep on the couch tonight. Or Marie's bed is available now that she and Xavier are at John's.

I walk past him to make my way upstairs. He tries to block my advance. I try to skirt around him.

I should've known. You just can't outmaneuver my husband.
He reaches out and grabs hold of my waist. I try to push him away.

Me: No, Greg. I don't want to listen to anymore of this.
Greg: Want to or not, you need to.


I make a growling noise.

Greg: Listen to me, Elena darling. Why on earth would I leave you? After everything we went through to be together? I would be insane if I did that.
Me: Then what about Sylvia? I saw the way you two were looking at each other.
Greg: We're old friends, just like she said.
Me: Then how come you've never introduced me to her?
Greg: The opportunity never presented itself. She was there at the wedding, remember? But we were so busy I didn't get the chance then either. Nor have I seemed to get a real opportunity to do so until today, and that was a fiasco.
Me: I don't think she WANTED to meet me. There's been plenty of times you could've introduced her to me as your friend.
Greg chuckles a little, darn him: You're a little right about that. It's not that she didn't WANT to meet you. She told me she thought that you wouldn't be around long enough for her to make it worth it. Apparently she thinks I don't have what it takes to make a marriage last.


Greg: But I will prove her wrong. You're my world, Elena darling. You and the kids.

I start to calm down a little. Maybe I WAS just jumping to conclusions. I look down at the floor, but he directs my gaze back to him by tilting it with his hands on either side of my face.


Greg: Do you finally believe me?
Me: Maybe I was overreacting. It's just, you have to admit, things did look that way.


Greg chuckles and pulls me even closer: You silly, oversensitive lady.

Drat. Every time. This man has a magic kiss. How does he do it? The gods were smiling upon him the day they handed out the charm.


Greg: I love you.
Me: I love you, too, and I know that you'd never cheat on me. You'd never keep something like that from me because you love me.

Greg sighs and his whole frame seems to wilt.


He steps away from me and indeed he looks like he's wilted with his face in his hand.

Greg: Oh, Elena, I'm such an idiot. I can't live with myself.
Me: What? What is it?

I start to get worried. Oh no. No. I don't want to hear this. This isn't happening.

Greg: I HAVE cheated on you. With Sylvia. While you were pregnant.

I'm speechless as he tells me.

Greg: She came by one day. Her boyfriend had just broken up with her and she wasn't sleeping well. She was so sad that naturally I had to make her feel better.


Greg: Then, before I knew it, she kissed me. I don't know what came over me. Honest. We'd just been friends so long... and... we dated in high school. Everything came rushing back.


Greg: So... I kissed her back. Then, well, one thing led to another...

I start hyperventilating.

Me: You... she... All this time? ALL THIS TIME? How could you do this to me?
Greg says into his hand: I told you. I'm an idiot.
Me: Yes, you are. I've got to get out of here. I'm going out.

I walk around him to make my way out the door.

Greg doesn't reach out to stop me, but he says: So you're just going to give up and walk out? Is that how you handle things, Elena? I want us to patch this up. It's been killing me for a long time now.
Me: You've got a lot of nerve asking me to patch things up this quick. And, no this isn't how I handle things. I can't "handle" things right now! I can't stand being in the same house with you!


Greg: So...you're just going to walk out. Just like that.

Oh, I am SO MAD! I can't believe he's expecting me to forgive him right away like that! All those lies, those half-truths. "We're friends, Elena darling." Yeah. Friends... with benefits!


I say in clipped tones: I am walking out... to go to Leo's... to get a drink, and then I'm coming back. I need to get away from you for a while.


Greg: Fine. Go then. I'll be here when you get back.

I glare at his defeated expression and walk out.


How dare he stand there and look defeated? He should be begging me to stay. All he could do was mock my decision. He should be down on his hands and knees begging for forgiveness.

Oh. I wonder what John wanted to talk about. That could provide an excellent distraction. I plan on calling him when I get to Leo's.


It turns out I don't need to. He and his brothers are all there. He waves me over to him. He looks concerned by the livid look on my face.

Me: He cheated on me! Ages ago! I can't believe this.


John: Oh no. Crap. Well, this is actually what I wanted to talk to you about.
I look up at him in disbelief.
John looks apologetic: Yeah, sorry. I found out. Silvia was talking to someone near me about it last night. I kind of get the feeling she purposefully let me overhear her.


Me: That sounds just like how I picture her. I'm so humiliated.


John: I'm sorry this happened to you. I debated for a long time last night whether or not I should tell you. How would it look? How would it look for ME to be the one to tell you? It would make it seem like I was doing it with an ulterior motive.

Our eyes meet. Oh. Oh, this is how he must've felt. I feel terrible.

Me: Um, John?
John: Mmm?
Me: I'm really sorry for cheating on you. We never went all the way. But... that doesn't make it any better really.
John: Elena, don't worry about it. I forgave you long ago.
Me: But I had to say it all the same.


John lets out a short, silent laugh and pulls me into a hug.

(Not the best place to stop, but I'm tired. More on the way soon.)