Second chances

Chapter Forty Two : Clarity

The moment Charles heard Victoria was calling him, he knew things were changing. His late father inlaw's burial was the next day, maybe something about death had brought a lot of things into perspective for his wife.

She sat on the bench and gestured for him to sit down and when he did she began to speak.

"my mother does not want us to get divorced, I spoke to her about it and she went berserk. She's worried about what the villagers would say about us. She says we need to work things out between us as a couple. Marriages should not be torn apart because of things we can easily forgive. I know Christian is probably on her side too, the way he kept walking around my room trying to get information made me think so"

"that's what your mother wants"

"what do you want Vicky?"
She turned away from him without giving him any response.

Charles reached out for Vicky's hand and held it, but she didn't make any attempt of holding his hand back.

Charles remembered what Christian had told him. He reached out for Vicky's face and turned her to face him.
"it's not your fault, what happened to us, to our baby. I know I wasn't there but I know you did everything to save him"
Vicky turned away and he caught a glimpse of the tears forming in her eyes. He reached out again and pulled her to his chest while she cried.

"it doesn't feel that way, it doesn't feel like I did my best. I should.. I should have fought hard, I should have sought for help, I should have begged her more I should have done something but I was just too weak to do anything" Charles could feel his shirt getting wet from her tears and it broke his heart. She was really in so much pain.

"She told me a lot of things that you should have told me Charles, I was angry at you because I blamed you for everything, for being with my sisters for having a thing with that psychopath." she sniffed and continued sobbing

"it's not your fault, it's mine. I should have been the one who went through all this. I should have been the one punished with a gun to head, I should have been the one. I wish I had never done all those things, I wish I could have done something to get you sooner. And I'm sorry for all the things I said to you. I'm the hypocrite, I should not have ever doubted the paternity of our baby"

He felt Vicky hesitantly slip her fingers into his and tears began to burn his eyes.

"I'm sorry for not being too open with you, I should have tried to find out the truth from you first before acting out. Esther told me what happened with you and how you thought it was me you slept with then" Charles was a bit relieved to hear that but it didn't reduce the amount of guilt he felt. There was something about this sad moment they shared that felt good. Maybe it was because they had never cried together ever since they got married. They always dealt with their pain individually never had they tried to bare their vulnerability and something about it felt good.

It doesn't justify my actions.

"But If I had known maybe I wouldn't have made some choices I made" she sniffed

"Victoria I've never seen someone with a strong personality like yours, you didn't try to commit suicide, I don't know if you can remember. You let yourself get shot because you were protecting your friends, sisters even after you found out what they did. You are brave, strong beautiful woman with a good heart. And I promise you that whatever happens I would never let any harm come to you. I'd die first before something like this happens to you again"

"Do you think we'll have another baby?"

Charles was relieved to hear that, it meant she had plans of still staying married to him. He also remembered how he had prayed for her life and how he was ready to sacrifice his children just so that she could live and he didn't regret it. But he couldn't lie to her