Sacred Vow – Chapter 11

Then suddenly the couple appeared to throw in a new step.  The cadence of their argument staggered at just that moment, and the man took the lead, seemingly out of sequence.  Ian had to wonder if the performance was going as expected, because even his host seemed surprised by what he did next.  Some evidence of true feeling started to filter into his voice.  Ian had a strong sense that this direction was something neither of the couple expected.

“You’re being ridiculous,” he said as he—or he and Ian—stood completely immobile for just a moment, seeming not quite sure what to do for the first time.  Then Katerina’s partner walked toward the door, as if to leave the room.

She followed closely behind him, “Don’t you walk away from me!”  Her voice was full of an emotion that was more appropriate to the words she spoke.  “I may be a fool for staying here, but I am not stupid.  What do you think you are doing?”

Her partner turned and stared at Katerina, but did not say anything at all.  She may have known what he was doing, but he did not seem to.

There Ian was, gambling with his health and risking his spiritual well-being for any possible hope of interaction with the woman with whom he shared a multitude of lives.  What he was seeing instead was a time where Katerina and he—assuming that his host was some version of himself—had utter disrespect for the relationship they were then sharing.

What was the purpose of that particular visit?  Ian knew there are always two sides to a coin.  Undoubtedly, Katerina and he shared many happy lives and some Ian would rather not know about.  But he did not enjoy paying the price required for an experience such as this.

Ian speculated that the couple had never dealt with the real issues that were causing their callousness toward each other.  It was not each other they were dissatisfied with, but themselves.

“If you want to leave me,” Katerina continued, “have the courage to tell me so, but do not treat me with disrespect.” There was no question she was feeling truly angry now.  She was crying.

After a little more delay, her partner snapped back.  “Yes! It’s over.  It was always a miserable mistake.  We never had anything.  I don’t know why we ever got together!”

No!  I hate this reality!  Ian screamed inside his own head.