Dahlia - The Velvet Witch and Her Dark Spirit

PART 18 - CHOKE HOLD

"You fucking went to see him after I said not to? How could you, Levi!" Dahlia screams down her office's intercom.

"I just wanted to understand," I say pathetically.

"Understand what? Why couldn't you just ask me!"

I pause for too long to think about a good answer.

"Get the fuck out of here, Levi," she says before the line goes silent.

Later that night, I type then delete a dozen Messenger texts saying I'm sorry. Eventually, I give up and call instead.

"I'm sorry," I say the second she answers. "It was a shitty thing to do. The truth is I wanted to hear someone else's side of the story because it's a fucking crazy story for any sane person to swallow whole."

Silence.

"Are you there?" I say after a long while.

"Yes."

"Are you mad?"

"Disgustingly so."

"Are we done?"

More silence.

"No."

I stay on the line for a while and listen to her think and breathe until eventually, she hangs up.

Dahlia appears at my flat the following evening for a takeaway curry night. She doesn't smile, and I'm sure she's about to throw me against the ceiling again. But instead, she comes in and leans against the bench as I fix us some wine. We are silent as we scroll through the UberEats menu for Mildred's in Camden.

"I'm sorry, Dahlia," I say as we sit on the windowsill.

"Levi, you have to trust me. I would never lie to you. Ever."

I want to explain my position again, but that'll only antagonise her. I leave it and say, "I promise, I'll trust you."

She leans into me, and we hug.

Dahlia is quiet for the next week, and I worry that our relationship is about to end. So, I ask her point-blank.

"Are you going to break up with me?"

"What?"

"I don't know. You've been so quiet."

"Yeah, because you hurt me. But no, Levi, I don't want to break up with you."

I smile at her in relief, and she hugs me back to show she's genuine.

"So, what did my doctor say when you went to see him?"

I consider modifying the truth into a palatable pill for Dahlia to swallow, but after my recent efforts, I quickly decide it's nothing but the truth from here on.

"He told me about your past, warning me."

I'd googled two of the four crimes the Doctor mentioned and found nothing more than what he said. The lawyer and the priest were next, though I was sure her link to them would be just as vague as the others.

"And?" she asks with innocent eyes.

"And nothing. Cross assumes your guilt in everything. Thinks you're the Devil's work."

"Yeah, he thinks I'm crazy. That the voices tell me to do things, and I act on them blindly, like I'm possessed."

"They kind of do," I say, being cheeky.

But it's too early for a joke.

"Levi, don't. Cross thinks the voices have some sort of control. You know it's not like that."