"My dear child... how awful," Madame Foret exclaimed.
Josette had just finished telling her parents about her fight with Viktor. She omitted the part where he violently grabbed her arm, or the fact that his eyes appeared to change from green to red. But she gave them the general gist: Viktor was strongly opposed to her return to the opera, and had threatened her verbally. He would not allow his wife to also be a performer.
"So, what do you plan to do about it?" Papa asked.
"I'm not sure..." In the bright light of day, and surrounded by her family, Josette no longer saw Viktor as quite the terrifying monster she had thought him to be the previous night. The fact that no harm had come to Lorie also reassured her to some degree.
"Perhaps Viktor needs a bit more time to adjust to such a big change," Maman remarked. "After all, the man had just returned from a three-month long voyage. He was eager to see you and Lorie... instead he found an empty house. I can understand why he would feel neglected... and even angry."
"I don't quite agree with you, Marianne," Papa told Madame Foret. "Josette took many years off before returning to her singing career. She gave Viktor plenty of time to adjust to the possibility of her working again. Last night was very important to her: it defined a new beginning. And for Viktor to act so... unpleasantly." Papa shook his head. "I expected better of him."
"Come now, Paul," Maman replied. "You reacted the same way when our daughter first told you of her career choice. Why do you blame Viktor for losing his temper?"
"I don't want to argue with you, dear wife," Monsieur Foret said. "I just want Josette to decide what is best for her and for Lorie."
"Please, stop. Both of you," Josette intervened. "I don't need you two fighting as well. I have enough on my plate as it is."
"I'm sorry, Josephine," Maman placed a hand on top of her daughter's. "It's just that... we've all known Viktor for six years now... he's been around Lorie since she was a tiny baby. Is it fair to her for you to suddenly separate?"
"I never said I was leaving him," Josette replied.
"But that was your intention, wasn't it?" Madame Foret arched an eyebrow. She knew her daughter better than anyone else.
Josette sighed. "Last night... after we fought... I was... desperate. I felt trapped by Viktor. And, to be honest, I was worried he might harm me... or Lorie."
"Why would you think that? Viktor has always behaved like a gentleman," Maman defended Josette's fiancée yet again.
"You are wrong... not always," Josette shook her head, her eyes filling with tears that were threatening to spill down her face.
"Whatever do you mean? Has he... hurt you?" Madame Foret raised both eyebrows.
"I don't think it was intentional," Josette began. "But... he grabbed my arm rather forcefully last night... when I tried to walk away from him."
"That bastard!" Monsieur Foret stood up from the table and hit it with his fist. "Show me!" He told Josette.
"Papa... it's not a big deal... not really," Josette lied. She didn't want her parents to get more involved than they already were.
"It is a big deal to me if someone harms my daughter," Papa would not be swayed. "I'd like to see your arm, Josephine."
Josette sighed and eased her dress off of one shoulder, enough so that the top bruise was visible. "Here," she murmured.
YOU ARE READING
Why Lorie? Part II
Fanfiction** Mature content! **This is the second part of Lorie's story that starts after Drogo is banished to America. I try to alternate chapters between Lorie's life in Vienna, and Drogo and Nicolae's in Mystery Spell. Read on to find out how Lori become...
