Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir - Silence and Sound

Chapter 23: Frugality

Scott

After talking to Persephone about the situation on the phone, he finished practice and went home. Tessa hadn't returned, so he decided to cook some chicken casserole to occupy his mind. It was as he was slid the large dish out of the oven, that he heard the door open. 

Soft footsteps trudged around the entrance, until his beautiful wife entered the kitchen.

"Listen, I'm so sorry about today. I know Patrick came all this way, and I've been so cold to you lately, and everything with Korea-" She prattled. 

"Tessa, I have tried to be patient with you." Deep breaths, he reminded himself. "But I have had it up to here [motions hand to his head] with these games. I'm really trying here, but I need you to listen to me."

"I'm sorry, but I need to tell you something." She fidgeted with her fingers, avoiding eye contact.

"Can it wait?" He asked, clenching his jaw.

"No, it can't."

"Well neither can this. Tessa, I've waited to talk about us for over twenty years. That's years of hiding how I feel. Of being honest with our fans. That cost us our image."

"No one said anything!"

"I'm not finished." He looked at her sternly, "I don't know if you live under a rock or something, but someone put Marina in front of a camera again. And let me tell you, that woman is never good news."

"Scott, I can't do this right now." She pleaded. 

"Tessa, these are our careers here. You need to listen to me."

"I just can't." Her fingers begin to tremble. 

"I don't have time for another one of your nervous breakdowns - we've killed enough time and enough of our reputation." He lowered the heat on the casserole before facing her again.

"You won't have a reputation if you keep pushing me."

"That's my job!" His hands formed into tight fists.

"No, it's not. As my husband, your job is to support me."

"I am supporting you. I've been supporting you this whole time, and all you've ever done is dismiss me! Does what I go through mean nothing to you?" He drew closer to her, until they could feel each other breathing.

"No, that's what I came to you about, there's something wrong-"

"Not right now, Tessa." He served the casserole, as they sat at the dinner table. "You've avoided this for years, but you have to tell them something. Whatever you decide, determines the state of our relationship."

"Stand up." She commanded. 

"What? Are you even listening to me?"

"Just do it."

"Why?"

"You'll see."

"Okay fine, I'm up." They stood, facing each other. Tessa stepped towards him until their bodies were intertwined. 

"My problems," she whispered into his ear, "have nothing to do with you. Or us, at all. I went to see Dr. Qureshi today because there's something that's been bothering me. Today I discovered that I've dealt with anxiety and OCD all my life. I'm sorry that I became collateral damage..."

He couldn't feel her breathing, but she was shaking. What have I done? Before he could reach for his phone to dial emergency, the phone rang.

It was the hospital.

...

Deep breaths, I have some special news coming soon. Thank you for reading, and please let me know what you think.

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