V & V (wlw)

Chapter 18 - The one where they see family (reprise)

"We're not out of the woods yet."

Veronika had been sitting on the living room couch before Vic even got here, and she didn't move as Victoria set her briefcase on the coffee table.

"I wasn't aware we were in the woods at all," said Ron, who had a peaceful, content opinion of married life so far—if their marriage counted.

"The legal side of things are going fine." It had been almost a year, which meant their arrangement was almost coming to an end. "But I know my parents will want to contest it."

"Well, have they?"

"They will." Vic walked over to the fridge, drank a glass of water, and hunched over the kitchen island, both hands on the counter like she was interrogating someone. "They've sent me an invitation to dinner, asking to meet you."

"I didn't know we had that kind of relationship," gasped Ron, but Victoria was in no mood to play.

"They'll want to prove our marriage is a farce. That's their only way to deny me that inheritance. We can't let them. Be on your best behavior."

"When is it?"

"Tonight."

"Tonight? When did you get this invitation?"

"This morning. Are you up for it or should we delay?"

"Victoria," said Ron, frustrated. "Why can't we just not go? Turn them down. As you said, why even give them an opportunity to investigate your totally real marriage?"

Victoria stayed silent, glaring at the countertop. Ron said, with sudden sympathy, "You want to see them, don't you?"

"No," snapped the other woman. "Declining would be suspicious."

"Whatever you say, then." Ron watched her storm off into her office.

Veronika no longer took offense when Vic got like this, when her temper flared and she got irritable, which made Ron, in the past, irritable in turn. Veron already knew that Vic was incredibly high-strung, but now she knew she was high-strung and incredibly anxious about most things. She was convinced that Vic hated when she took these bouts in stride.

After a while, dressed in something she would wear to work but exponentially more expensive, Veron sat at the kitchen table and waited for Vic. Half an hour passed; she glanced at her watch—a gift from Victoria, which she suspected cost as much as a down payment for a house—and walked into their closet.

Victoria was already dressed, sitting in front of the vanity and hyperventilating. Ron strode across the room and plucked open the other woman's collar button.

Vic looked at her as she peeled Vic's jacket off. Ron said, "Do you really want to do this?"

Her wife nodded in pained staccato motions. Ron replied, "Then let's take a little bit to pull ourselves together, all right? Don't worry, hon."

Ron had, sometime in the course of their twined lives, taken to calling Victoria little endearments. If Vic had complaints, she never aired them out.

Vic tugged at her waist, and Ron moved willingly closer as Victoria pressed her face to her chest.

When they had recovered, they went down to the garage together. Veron had thought Vic would use most expensive company car to take them, but Victoria had asked her to drive to her parents' estate a few cities over.

"On the bike?"

"It'll be a little under an hour's drive. I can drive on the way back." She had taught Victoria to drive well enough to be road-legal, just in case.