You're Always You

Chapter Thirty-Six

Lydia Petrov

Lydia loved the fact that, in David and Monica's mother's house, there was multiple places to sit and relax in the living room. Since Monica had her favorite shows, David was gone, and Lydia wasn't very picky, Monica ended up deciding what was on the television. Monica's mother was out... somewhere getting groceries.

It let the two girls relax, at least.

Lydia, for the most part, just... kept her head cleared. She cuddled up against the pillow on the couch and hugged it to her torso. The show that Monica was watching was... well, it was interesting at first.

Then it wasn't.

...And Lydia ended up falling asleep on the couch.

The number of times Lydia had fallen asleep around the Minett home was ridiculous. Given how much Lydia had been working for so long, and the late night shifts, Lydia was still in the mind set that there wasn't really a set time to sleep. Merely just... getting sleep whenever she was able to have down time.

Lydia now had a lot of downtime.

Therefore, she was getting a lot of sleep.

It was the doorbell ringing that woke Lydia up and caused her to blink her eyes open. Lydia rubbed at her face with her fingers and gave a yawn, sitting up.

"I'll get it," Monica said as she made her way up from the other couch. Though, Monica tossed a blanket over Lydia. "I'm hoping it's just a Jehovah's witness back for round two."

Lydia gave a pity laugh as she curled up with the blanket. The woman gave a deep breath and relaxed back against the couch.

That is, until she heard Richard's voice when Monica answered the door.

"Where the hell is Lydia." Richie demanded. Lydia heard a slight thump, which likely meant Monica tried to shut the door but Richie kept it open. "I know she's not with Sasha and Sam."

"She's not here either."

"Then you won't mind me checking." Richie said, though he wasn't really one to ask for permission, either. Lydia heard the door get pushed open more, a bit aggressively, as her worried boyfriend was on the hunt for her.

Monica still wasn't having much of it. "This is my mom's house, so actually yeah I think she would mind very much. Fuck off." Monica stated, likely still trying to get him to back off.

Though, Lydia got nervous. Nervous for Monica, because Lydia knew what Richard was like when he was mad or upset. Lydia lived with him. She also knew what happened when she had last talked back to him.

...Therefore, Lydia sat up from her spot on the couch. She gazed over the back of the couch with a concerned frown on her face. Richard seemed pissed while walking into the house, Monica seemingly trying to get him out.

Upon seeing Lydia, however, his gaze softened.

"Baby," Richie let out a breath and turned his aimless stomping to come towards her. "God you worried me sick, Lydia."

"I did not let you in. You've got thirty seconds or I'm calling the cops." Monica snapped.

Which, caused Richard to shoot Monica a look before looking towards Lydia.

Lydia dropped her gaze somewhat. "It's okay, Monica." She told her friend.

"No, it isn't. You can talk with that threshold between you." Monica snapped at him. Richard's angry face only got worse, making Lydia more nervous for her. It didn't help when Monica continued. "Get out, Richard."

Lydia could see the fury in his eyes as he waved his hand towards Lydia. "Let's go, babe." Richard said simply.

...

Lydia scrambled off of the couch instinctively - mainly so Monica didn't get hit from standing up to him.

Monica seemed to have an angry look of her own as she began to retreat into the kitchen. Meanwhile, Richard moved himself over to Lydia to grab her wrist.

Angrily, Richard's grip on her wrist tightened as he began to half drag, half let her walk towards the front door. "Shouldn't have fucking left, Lydia. We needed to talk it out. Running does nothing."

"I'm sorry, baby," Lydia mumbled.

"Don't apologize to him, Lydia! Yeah, hi, this asshole in my house needs to leave, right now. Think you could send a badge or two?" Turning her head to look over at Monica, Lydia could feel herself sweating.

Monica was holding a phone to her ear, likely on the phone with the police. However her other hand was holding a knife.

Jesus.

"M-Monica it's okay," Lydia mumbled out nervously.

"It's not okay, I believe the legal term for all this is domestic abuse, entering without permission, and kidnapping." To the 911 operator, she added, "Yeah the address is...."

Abuse? Lydia wasn't... abused. She couldn't imagine herself being one of those kinds of girls.

Lydia... she wasn't a victim.

Things were just... rocky. Shaky. It would get better. Relationships go through hard times. Right?

"I don't abuse Lydia." Richie snapped, which confirmed Lydia's suspicions. "I love her."

"You slapped her in the face, cockmaggot, and her wrist is on the fast track to bruising right now, don't give me that shit."

...

"It was a mistake." Richie said, his anger just as strong. "Fuck off."

"Me, fuck off? You're in my house, dickmuffin! You fuck off! And leave her here! I'll fuck you up, shithead, don't think I won't," the girl cried, brandishing the kitchen knife.

Lydia stiffened at Richie gripping her wrist tighter and Monica flailing the knife towards Richie and, in a way, her.

The woman felt tears building in her eyes at her situation as a whole. She could see Richie's furious face, which did intimidate her.

Richie, at some point, threw her hand down in his anger. "You were better as a stripper," He snapped in anger towards Monica.

At least, Lydia assumed it was for Monica. She wasn't certain.

Given Lydia's wrist was now tossed away from him, she pulled her wrist to her chest and rubbed it.

"We'll talk later, Lydia." Richard seemed to snap as he yanked open the door to abandon the house.

Though, on the other side of the door stood cops. Seemingly just... there. Listening.