Chapter 15
When Violet opened the door, he felt a rush of love and joy shoot through his body, he had missed her beautiful face so much!
He was scared to reach out and touch her for fear she was a mirage who would vanish at his touch.
He opened his mouth to tell her he loved her and how sorry he was for everything but her chilling words stopped him, “What are you doing here, Jeremy?” she asked in a cold voice.
“I came to ask you if you would take me back.”
“Take you back? Why would I do that? You lied to me, you cheated on me. You don’t get to come back into my life.”
In horror, Jeremy suddenly remembered the Venetia incident, which he had forgotten all about.
“Vy, please at least let me explain!” he pleaded, “It wasn’t what you thought it was.”
“No, you had your chance to explain yourself and at this point, weeks later I’m no longer interested in hearing anything you have to say. They would no doubt be lies anyways.” Without giving him a chance to say anything more she slammed the door shut on his surprised face.
But he wasn’t about to be fazed by a closed door, he rang the bell and when she didn’t respond, he rang it again; he was determined to be as stubborn as Violet was being, he could hear the repeated ring of the bell pealing and echoing through the tiny house until at last she opened the door again, her face set in an angry mask.
“What do you want now?” she asked in a deadly cold voice.
Jeremy took a step forward to come into the house but she blocked his way, her arms folded firmly under her shapely breasts, her flashing eyes daring him to take a step forward. Not wanting to upset her further, he stayed put.
“I just want to talk to you properly, there’s so much to talk about, I have to tell you why I broke up with you, I need to explain about Venetia, it’s not what you thought it was.”
Violet cocked an eyebrow at him, “Oh no? I guess the two of you kissing was just a vision I conjured in my head right?” she demanded sarcastically.
“No, it wasn’t a vision, but it’s not what you think.
” In a rush he rambled out his story as fast as he could scared she would walk away or tell him to leave, he told her about Mr. Karim’s death, about how guilty he felt, about Venetia coming to see him and trying to kiss him.
He told her everything and once he was done, he waited for her to jump into his arms, accept his apologies but none of that happened.
Her eyes still flashing with anger, her voice still cold, she said, “That’s a nice story, Jeremy and maybe it’s even true. But it’s too late. You should have told me all this before, I would have been there for you, supported you but now it’s too late and I simply don’t care.”
“I made a mistake, Vy! Are you really going to punish the both of us for a stupid mistake?”
“That may have been a stupid mistake but in the long run it's for the best, you did us both a favor. We wouldn’t have been happy together anyways.”
“You don’t mean that, Vy.”
“I do, Jeremy, it would never have worked out between us anyways, we’re too different, from two completely different worlds. You don’t fit into mine, I don’t fit into yours.”
“That’s not true. Don’t say that. We’re happy together, we’re so good together,” he urged.
“We were just kidding ourselves, Jeremy, the differences between us are too great to build a lasting relationship and you know it.”
“You’re being ridiculous, Vy. I don’t give a flying fuck about money or class or race, all I know is that I love you and Tanya and a life without the two of you in it is unbearable to me.”
“It’s not just about the money, Jeremy! At our core we’re completely different people!”
“Opposites attract remember?”
“Yeah maybe for now, but eventually we’re going to get tired of each other’s differences and we won’t want to compromise.
We can’t understand each other’s worlds.
I grew up dirt poor, grateful if we had grits for supper.
You went to boarding school and sat down to five course meals for supper every day. ”
“So what.”
“I won’t fit into your high society life.”
“I don’t need you to!”
“As much as I hate Venetia, she’s the kind of girl you should be with.”
“Fuck Venetia!” he exclaimed, “I don’t want anyone else, I want you.”
“You say that now, but you’ll eventually want a wife who can throw lovely parties and carry on polite conversations about the weather, you don’ want to be with a woman that’s going to say the wrong thing or use the wrong spoon at dinner.”
Jeremy’s face tightened in frustration, “Don’t do that.”
“Do what?” She looked at him innocently, her dark brown eyes wide and confused.
“You know what! You talk, eat and behave like a perfectly normal person so I don’t know what you’re concerned about. You could behave like a total savage and I wouldn’t care.”
She lifted an eyebrow at him and said dryly, “Yes you would care.”
“No I wouldn’t! You’ve brought more joy and happiness into my life in the last few months than I’ve ever experienced.
Yes I grew up in a so-called proper home with lots of money and summers spent at the Hamptons and dinners at the country club but I feel like I haven’t lived properly.
Do you think it was fun being shipped off to boarding school?
I would have given anything to have a mother who loved me or spent as much time with me as you do with Tanya.
I’m not saying they didn’t love me, I know they did but being rich can be lonely.
I need you in my life, Vy, I want to build a family with you, I want to build a life filled with laughter and adventures with you. ”
“I don’t know Jeremy…you broke my heart, you really hurt me. I don’t know if I can trust you again.”
“I messed up, I know, but please don’t walk away from us, please just…”
Violet held up her hand and interrupted him, “This is a useless conversation, Jeremy, we’re just going around in circles.
I’m not going to change my mind. Thank you for coming but you don’t owe me any explanations, I don’t care anymore why you broke up with me, whether it was so you could be with Venetia or become a priest or you simply can’t handle the pressure of your job, I don’t care. None of it matters anymore.”
She carried on calmly, ignoring the frustration and confusion, which swept over his face.
“But I do wish to be left alone. And if you ever felt anything at all for Tanya or myself, just a flicker of friendship or sympathy then please respect my wishes and leave us alone. I can’t add any more stress to Tanya’s life, she deserves better.
We both deserve better.” She found it ironic that she was echoing the words he had spoken to her months ago.
“Thank you for saving Tanya’s life, you’re a wonderful doctor and I truly feel blessed that we were referred to you but I don’t want to hear anything more. I’m sorry.”
The words were spoken not in anger but in a soft, earnest way.
Jeremy tried in vain to read her eyes but she kept her emotions well hidden.
But he knew from the determined twist of her lips she meant every word.
This was no dramatic theatrics designed to blackmail him emotionally, she was simply a woman who no longer wanted anything to do with him.
He almost reached out to caress her face, a face he loved so much but sensing the movement she flinched and stepped back.
Her physical rejection towards him hurt more than her angry words and he was forced to accept the fact the time for explanations was long gone.
He had no wish to continue hurting her and so he turned around and left without saying one more word.
Behind him, he heard the door close and the lock sliding firmly in place.