Loved By You

One-Hundred & three

Omniscient

Maja watched as the door opened and a guard led him in pulling out the seat. Richard sank into the chair that sat across from her, taking in her changed appearance. "Well, isn't this a nice surprise?" He said as he leaned back in his seat. She looked at him, genuinely shocked at how he looked.

Her mind was straining to process the Richard she knew and the man sitting across from her. "As much as I enjoy looking at pretty things if you came down here just to stare at—," "You're not as scary as I thought you were." Maja finally said. Richard looked at her stunned. "What?" He questioned.

"I just mean—I used to be terrified of you but now you're just—a man." She said. "Why would you be scared of me?" He asked leaning forward curiously. Maja rolled her eyes. "Cut the crap. It's not like they can charge you twice. So, let's be honest." she said. He smiled.

"You have a point. Fine, let's be honest. You first." He said. Maja looked at him confused. "I've been honest this entire time." She said. "I don't think you have." He paused. "You whine about how controlling I was how 'abusive' I supposedly was. But you never talk about how I took care of you." He said.

Maja looked at him in disbelief. "Took care of me?" She questioned. "Yes. Did you ever wonder how you and your sisters were all able to go to college without debt? All while your mother never worked? Surely you don't think your father had anything to do with that?" He told her. She shrugged.

"Well, it is the least you could do, no?" She questioned. "Given all the damage you caused." She added. "Damage, really? I think we were pretty good together and we got a beautiful son out of it." He said looking at her. Maja covered her mouth as she started laughing.

"So that's really what this has all been about." She said as she calmed down. "What?" Richard questioned. "You think what you did to me was some type of sick relationship. You like me. You like me like me." She said in disbelief.

Richard's face began to warm. "I mean it does make sense. All the other women you assaulted after, all kind of resemble me. And people always said that had to be the case, but I thought there was no way. I mean you constantly tried to paint it as something we did together which obviously was never the circumstance. But it all makes sense, woah." She said rambling to herself.

Her gaze shifted up to him. "That's it right? That's why you did what you did?" She questioned. Richard shrugged. "No, you got me all the way out here and you agreed to be honest, so tell me." She snapped.

"Maybe—," "Maybe isn't an answer." Maja interrupted. He leaned forward staring at her. "Yes, I do like you like you." He stated. "I'm nearly 30 years younger than you. I was your son's girlfriend, the mother of your grandchild. I'm young enough to be your child." She spouted off.

"Yes, that is all true." He said. "Then how on earth could you even look at me in that way?" Maja snapped. He eyed her realizing that this was the longest civil conversation the two of them had ever held. "Because—you are the type of woman I was meant to be with." He said.

Maja looked at him confused. "Excuse you?" she questioned. "I was meant to be with a strong woman. A woman who invokes envy and admiration in people she comes in contact with. A woman I could be proud to have standing next to me. When I first saw you I didn't think much of you. I will admit I found you amusing though. Hearing from your father and my son about all the things you got up to, it left me intrigued. My ex-wife was never that interesting. She was timid and a bit of a bore, but she was who my parents thought I should be with, so I married her." Richard began to spill all his inner thoughts and feelings.

"I was miserable when we were together. In the beginning, I tried my best to be a good husband and father. I love my kids even now." He told her. "So, when did you start beating your wife and kids?" Maja asked.