Tormented | LisRene AU

Chapter 15

"Irene," Mina said with a grin. "I'm so happy to meet you. I am thankful you decided to come see me today."

"I'm glad to meet you, too," Irene said.

"Now, I know that you are here to help Lisa," Mina said. She glanced at the woman sitting beside Irene on the couch. Irene fought the urge to look at Lisa, too. "But you two are also here to work through issues you have in your relationship."

Irene swallowed thickly. She wanted to clear the air and explain that they did not have a relationship anymore. But she kept her mouth closed and just nodded.

"Before we start, I want to be clear that this is going to be tough," Mina said. "As I understand it, you two have a lot of things you wish to discuss today. Let's start with something simple. How do the two of you feel about each other right now?"

"That is the least simple question I have ever been asked," Irene said.

"What is so difficult about it?" Mina asked.

"Because... because I feel so many things towards her," she replied.

"Lisa, how do you feel about Irene?" Mina asked.

"I think that Irene is the best thing that's ever happened to me," Lisa said. "And I think I'm the worst thing that's ever happened to her."

"Lisa, you know that isn't true," Irene said, trying not to be annoyed with her already. "I have never thought that."

"I know, but that's just how I feel," Lisa said.

"Lisa, thank you for sharing how you feel but I think it would help Irene to understand if you explained in more detail why you feel that way," Mina said.

"I was normal when we got together," Lisa said. "And things were good. Then I got deployed and Irene was expected to go about her normal life until I got back. She waited for me. By time I came back, I was so screwed up."

"You went through... terrible things, Lisa," Irene said, folding her arms across her chest. "You... you couldn't help it."

"Do you agree with that, Lisa?" Mina asked.

"No," Lisa said. "I should have been able to handle it. I shouldn't have lashed out on you all the time. I knew you were only trying to help me."

"You knew?" Irene asked.

Lisa swallowed and glanced down at her lap. She forced herself to keep her eyes on Irene now. "Deep, deep down, I knew that you wouldn't hurt me on purpose," she said. "Just... every time you said something about getting off the couch or not being so sad, I didn't hear it that way at the time. I heard you saying that I was lazy. And then it made me feel defensive about my decision to join the military. Then, it made me think about my father and how much I missed him."

"I had no idea you were constantly thinking about all of that," Irene said. "I didn't mean it that way. I just thought that getting out of the house would help you."

"It probably would have, Irene," Lisa said. "But I couldn't make myself leave the apartment."

"I know," Irene said. "And I felt obligated to stay inside with you. I was so worried that you would do something crazy if I left."

"I wanted space and I guess I reacted that way because I didn't know how to tell you that," Lisa said. "And I was also confused and angry and sad."

"Lisa is not minimizing what she did to you," Mina assured her. "But she is explaining how she felt during the hard times you both experienced."