Chapter 241

Tori sat out by the pool, the envelope on the table beside her, cautioning herself not to jump to conclusions. Remember the episode with Denise. But she knew these pictures were recent. The shirts Richie was wearing were ones she’d bought him a month ago. She blew out a ragged breath and tried to come up with an acceptable explanation. She couldn’t.

“Angel? I didn’t hear you come back. How long have you been home?” Richie had been passing through the living room when he’d noticed her sitting outside.

“A while.”

The coolness in her voice sent warning bells off in his brain. He stepped closer and felt his chest tighten at the look of….despair was the only word that fit…on her face. “Tori? What’s wrong? Did something happen?”

“That’s what I was going to ask you.” She picked up the envelope and held it out to him.

Frowning, he pulled out the pictures, flipped through them, put them back in the envelope, sat down in the other chair and sighed. “I’m sorry.”

“Sorry that it happened? Or sorry that I found out?” She struggled to keep her voice even.

“Honestly? Both.” He raked a hand through his hair. “I didn’t want to hurt you.”

Her heart was an aching lump in her chest. “Why don’t you start from the beginning and explain to me how it came about that my husband had his ex-wife in his arms and his tongue down her throat?”

He winced, but didn’t deny it. “You know how it started – with her DUI and her wanting to talk to me about her issues.”

She frowned. “I thought we’d settled that. I showed you that she was playing you and you agreed not to meet with her without her doctor there.”

He nodded. “Yes, and I didn’t. I stayed away.” He paused. “Until Ava’s first soccer game.”

She thought for a minute. “The one I missed because I was sick.”

He nodded. “She told me how much better she was feeling and how she’d come to some new found realizations with her thereapy. She begged me to meet with her.”

“And you did. After everything we talked about you met with her.” Things started to fall into place for her. “And of course, knowing how I’d react, you did it behind my back. All those drives because you were ‘trying to clear your head’ and work through your writer’s block. You didn’t have writer’s block at all did you?”

He shook his head. “No. It was the only thing I could think of that you wouldn’t question. I didn’t want to upset you.” His lips twisted wryly. “But I felt so guilty going behind your back, that I ended up snapping at you and upsetting you anyway.”

“Why Richie? I still don’t understand that part. Before you said that you felt responsible for the break up of your marriage and you felt obligated to help her and prove her wrong. Well, if she’s so much better now, why did you need to meet with her?”

He stood abruptly and paced in front of her. “I don’t know how to explain it to you. I just needed to see for myself that she was doing better.” At her sceptical look he snapped. “What do expect me to do? I can’t just ignore her. She’s the mother of my child!”

“And what am I?” She snapped back. “Why do her feelings mean more to you than mine?” He had no answer for her. She sighed and braced herself. She had a feeling the worst was yet to come. “And that?” She waved at the envelope.

His hand raked through his hair again and his gaze fixed on some object in the distance. “She told me that her therapy has helped her to understand how selfish she’d been, how she’d ignored me and my feelings, only caring about herself, and blaming me for things that weren’t my fault.” He hesitated and Tori’s stomach clenched. “She…she told me that she realized that she’d made a really big mistake when she let Denise talk her into filing for divorce. That she should have talked to me and tried to work it out. She..” He stopped. He couldn’t say the words that he knew were her greatest fear come true.

“She wants to try again. She wants you back.” Tori finished for him. He nodded. She waited, but he didn’t say anything else. “And? Have you decided?”

He slanted her a look. “I’m here aren’t I?”

Her lips twisted. “Until she calls and wants you. Then you go running to her.” Raising her hand to wipe away a tear, her watch caught her eye. She turned her wrist. The professional in her took over. “Don’t you have a meeting today with the director about that movie score?”

He looked at his watch. “Shit! I’ll have to reschedule.”

She shook her head. “They’re in final production, the marketing has already started and they’re due to release in a month. There’s no time to reschedule.”

“Fuck!” He glanced at her apologetically. She waved at him to go. “We’ll continue this as soon as I get back.”

She nodded. He was at the door when she stopped him. “Richie? One question before you go. If it wasn’t for Peanut, would you still be here?”

He stared at her for a long minute. “I don’t know.” The pain in her eyes was almost more than he could bear. “I’m sorry.” He turned and was gone.

She turned her face up to the sun and struggled to absorb the pain. “At least he was honest.” An hour later she’d come to a decision – not that she had much of a choice – dragged herself to her feet and went inside.

“Mrs. Tori? Are you okay?” Rosa was concerned at the look on her face and the air of defeat surrounding her.

“No Rosa, I don’t think I am. But I will be.”

Rosa frowned as she watched Tori climb the stairs. She’d intended to go into their bedroom, but instead found herself in Peanut’s room. As her gaze touched on each item she remembered the day Richie had done all of this for her, all the hopes and dreams the room represented. Suddenly it hit her that it was all gone. Everything she’d envisioned her future to be, destroyed in the space of a few hours. She sank into the rocking chair as her legs gave way and grief overwhelmed her.

When her tears subsided, she sighed heavily, stood, walked into their bedroom, pulled out a suitcase and began to pack. There was nothing else to do. She’d come to the conclusion that she would always take second place in Richie’s heart, and she couldn’t live like that. She wouldn’t live like that. She deserved better.



He saw her suitcases sitting in the foyer when he walked in the door. He found her in the living room standing by the window, staring out at the pool, her hands absently rubbing her belly.

“You’re leaving.” He stated quietly.

She turned to look at him. “Can you deny what those pictures show? That you’re still in love with her? That you want to be with her?”

He didn’t answer.

She closed her eyes against the pain. She nodded. “I’m done. I can’t do this anymore. I’m tired of fighting for something that only one of us wants, so yes, I’m leaving.” She waited for his response, hoping that he would argue with her, tell her she was wrong, that he really wanted her, beg her not to go….something!

“Where will you go?”

Her last hope died. She’d fought and she’d lost. The best she could do was accept her defeat and leave with as much dignity as possible. She shrugged. “Back east. Closer to my family.” Her voice was dead, no life to it at all, but she didn’t cry. Tears came from hope. She had none left. “I’ll make sure you’re notified about the baby.”

He nodded. The line of her jaw and the glint in her eye told him that arguing would just be a waste of breath. He knew the signs of Bongiovi stubbornness. “Be careful.”