Protect Me Not

Chapter 15

New York City was always a few degrees colder at night, especially in the fall. Victor often stayed at work later in the colder months but this night was different. After not being able to reach his wife he grew increasingly worried. Victor made his way back to their apartment where he hoped he could think more clearly. He grew increasingly lonely without Mary at his side. Mary had grown so distant from him and he felt so trapped in not being able to help her. He knew she wanted her space while away in Toronto but he never imagined she would cut him off completely. He also knew she was very angry at him for checking in on her periodically but he never dreamed she would change her cell number. Changing her cell number made him wonder if she moved hotels too. Victor didn't want to risk finding out. He had to give her a little more space just as she asked but he couldn't shake the feeling that she was in danger. Mary wasn't known to do anything radical and besides, he had his old school friend Camden checking in on her. Knowing Camden was with her helped Victor feel a little more comfortable. He poured himself a shot of bourbon and settled onto the couch. His long lean legs rested on the ottoman exposing his hairy lower legs and bare feet. With his slippers tucked neatly beside him on the floor he opened his laptop that was nestled beside him on the couch. Not sure what he was going to look up, he started researching the city of Toronto. Partly because finding out more about Toronto helped him feel closer to Mary but mostly because he needed something to keep his mind off of his loneliness. Mary was originally from Toronto so naturally he wanted to know more about the origins of her childhood neighbourhood. Knowing his old schoolmate Camden lived in Toronto for quite a while placed research on the city higher on his priority list. Living in New York his entire life, Victor couldn't imagine what life in a smaller city could offer anyone. New York was filled with life and attractions, entertainment and pizzazz at anytime of the day. Why would anyone want to live anywhere else?

Victor didn't find out much more than he already knew from traveling to Toronto a few times with Mary but his research did manage to pass a few hours of his time. He closed his laptop and gazed out the penthouse window turning his attention to the storm brewing from afar. The night sky was darker than most October nights with the clouds covering most of the night's stars. The thin blanket of lights emanating from the city skyline was not unusual to witness but the increasing strong winds that where showing potential for torrential rainfall was. With Halloween fast approaching, Victor wondered if Mary would make it back to celebrate his favourite holiday. Every year they dressed up with matching costumes and this year Victor had the best costume of all time planned for them. He already ordered the costumes a few months ago and thought the idea to be brilliant. They would be sure to win the office contest showing up as Bonnie and Clyde from the 1967 classic crime movie. Victor secretly practiced his gun holding stance and mastered wearing his brimmed fedora tilted on just the right angle giving him the proper gangster look. His tapered grey pantsuit would slightly mimic his everyday attire but with Mary at his side sporting her properly coiled scarf, beige skirt suit and matching hat, she would surely complement the entire ensemble. In previous years, they dressed as bacon and eggs, Tim Horton's and Starbucks Cups, Frankenstein and his bride as well as Popeye and Olive cartoon characters. Halloween had always been Victor's favourite time of year over any other celebration. It's the one time of year he could completely let loose and forget his everyday strict schedule and demanding lifestyle. Dressing up into something fun and playful always appealed to his ever changing alter ego. The transformation and character change allowed Victor to become someone or something else, even for just a few hours. It was always a welcoming break from his everyday routine. His newly founded Halloween Gala for the Homeless and Hungry would not be the same without his wife by his side. They started the charity together last year. Naturally they should both attend the second annual Gala together. This year he wanted to bring more awareness and change to the stereotype of homelessness. He knew by fundraising with Mary, together they could bring the change and extra attention the Gala needed. He was almost desperate to have Mary with him this year in particular. The need to transfigure their lives and be able to give back to their community was brewing for some time. Victor just couldn't shake that wrenching feeling deep within the pit of his stomach that Mary needed more out of life than what he was currently giving her. He felt Mary slowly slipping away from him only he didn't know how to throw her a life preserver this time. He couldn't seem to save her from her emotional drowning and it scared him. Victor had always been her life raft, her rescuer and voice of reason. How was it that he had failed her this time? She was so broken and emotionally wounded when they met. It took many years of him proving his love, offering comfort, showing strength and giving her stability that allowed her the ability to move on from her tortuous past. So why now after almost ten years of marriage is it not working anymore? Why is it that she needed to get away from him to heal? All of this didn't matter right now anyway. She had Camden to watch over her and keep her safe. Camden was a good friend to Victor back in law school. The death of his parents caused a setback in his career path but after some much needed healing and time, he was able to bounce back, or so Victor thought. He left law school to pursue a career in psychology. After Camden completed his degree, Victor lost touch with him for a while. Their close friendship slowly drifted apart. Their career choices and paths didn't allow them to spend much time together. Camden moved to Toronto where he started his own psychology practice and Victor remained in New York where his law career was already booming. When Victor learned Mary would be visiting Toronto for a short visit, he did what any loving and concerned husband would do. Reconnecting with Camden on social media and arranging for him to watch over the love of his life was the perfect plan to keep her safe. It was the right thing to do, even if Mary was completely oblivious of his arrangement.

It has only been a short time since Mary's departure to Toronto but it already felt like a lifetime to Victor. He poured himself a second shot of bourbon, a double this time. After the rough week at work and his love out of town, Victor found himself more alone than he had ever been in his life. Drinking his sorrows away had never been an option nor had he ever tried to immerse himself in a dependence that could ultimately lead him to the loss of who he stood for in life. Victor had always been an advocate of what was right and just. His belief in equality and keeping a level head in everything he did in life was always important to him. It's what made him one of the best defense lawyers around New York. Despite his better judgement, he once fell into some radical peer pressure when he was out with his school alumni friends. Lucky for him, Mary never found out about his onetime mistake a few years back. Mary was away on business when his law partner Barry invited him out for dinner and drinks. Barry was known as the quiet one in the office. Standing only five feet nine inches, he was considered average height. His light brown hair matched his equally boring eye colour. He was not an ugly man but not an overly handsome fella either. Back in University, he was known as hairy Barry. Rumours circulated that a girl he tried to get with was so grossed out by the abundance of body hair that she threw up all over him during oral sex. Of course being immature guys, his group of friends never let him live it down. Since then, Barry always kept a low key and didn't have much to say to anyone outside of the courtroom. His lack of social skills never hindered his fierce and sharp wit when it came to settling court cases. He was one of the best out there and his success rate of winning cases proved it.

There were a whole group of old school friends attending the dinner party that evening. Victor was informed through company e-mail that it would be a class reunion of sorts. He didn't think much of the innocent invite and Mary was away, so he agreed to attend. Victor was rather curious to witness the other side of Barry's social network and whether his nickname had faded into the past with the rest of their university bad boy days.

Barry was newly engaged to a beautiful office intern with great ambition and the desire to succeed. She was picture perfect with her long flowing blonde hair. Sometimes she looked like she strolled off a photo shoot when prancing into work. Her piercing blue eyes were mesmerizing but not enough to keep the men in the office from staring at her protruding bust line. There were many whispers and gossip going around the office as to how Barry landed such an attractive and young woman. Colleen, who eventually became Barry's wife, brought a few of her girlfriends to the dinner that night. They were as equally attractive as Colleen only single and ready to have a good time. After consuming one too many drinks, Victor ended up at a hotel suite with the more than eager ginger. Unable to remember exactly what happened between them, Victor was sure he committed adultery, or so the pictures on his cell phone proved it. Upon waking the next morning, he was left with little memory of the night before, a huge headache and an empty hotel suite. Victor wondered whether the enthusiastic ginger left him in the suite alone because of a previous scheduled engagement or because she was disappointed in his performance. Either way, Victor didn't want to find out the answer. He always regretted that night and vowed to himself to never speak of it again, to anyone. Victor never knew if Barry and Colleen were ever privy to the happenings of that evening, but neither one of them ever spoke about it. Victor could only assume after all the years passed, the one night stand he participated in but couldn't remember would never be spoken of again in his lifetime.