Irene sat in a plush chair next to Alexander as Ben Holbrook seated
himself across from them.
"So, why are you two here?" he asked as he grabbed a pen and a legal pad.
Alexander looked at Irene. "She's jealous of any relationship I have with my family," he answered quickly; too quick, Irene thought.
Irene's eyes opened wide in surprise "That's not true."
"She cannot tolerate me loving anyone but her. I love my mother and she can't stand it."
"That's not true, Alexander. Your family has accused me of things I have never done." She looked at Ben Holbrook. "I have tried to be accepted by his family, but they shut me out. As far as Alexander's mother is concerned, I am not jealous of her. He should love his mother."
Ben Holbrook stared hard at her for a few seconds. "Irene, isn't it true that you took drugs and had an affair with one of Alexander's relatives before you met Alexander?" His voice was unsympathetic.
Irene felt like someone had plunged a knife through her heart. "No! It isn't!" Tears glistened in her eyes. "Alexander's mother started that rumor when we first met. I don't know what her problem is. I swore to Alexander over and over none of it was true!" She looked at her husband. He had a smug expression on his face.
Ben Holbrook shifted his heavy body in his chair as he watched her. He was in his mid-forties with graying hair around his temples. "Calm down, Irene, I'm not accusing you of anything. I just want you to understand why Alexander feels betrayed by you. If you had been open with him about your past when you two first met, I'm sure that his mother wouldn't have dug up information about your past."
Irene couldn't believe what she was hearing. She had been set up! Alexander had set her up! "But it is not true!" she repeated. "My girls and I had to live in a shelter because Alexander's family convinced him to throw us out!"
Alexander shook his head as he looked at the older man. "I told you she has mental problems. She even tried to have me committed to an institution, but my family intervened."
"How can you sit there and lie, Alexander?" Tears filled her eyes. "What about my arm? What about the bruises on my body?" she screamed.
"Calm down, Irene," Ben Holbrook ordered. "We are here to help you; not hurt you. But if you continue to shout, we will accomplish nothing." His voice was stern.
"I don't believe this," Irene muttered as she stood up. "I won't listen to any more of these lies and accusations!" She walked to the door.
"Irene, get back here!"
She turned and stared at Ben Holbrook, then said, "No, this is all a ridiculous pack of lies and I won't listen to any more."
Irene dabbed at her eyes with a tissue. "How could you do that to me, Alexander?" Her voice shook. "How could you set me up?" Her emotional pain was almost unbearable. "You lied to me and about me."
"Oh, get a grip, Irene. You get so emotional. Can't you see how you made a fool of yourself in front of Ben Holbrook?" He threw his hands up in exasperation. "The guy thinks you're a mental case!"
"I won't listen to any more lies from you, Alexander!" Her insides quivered, and she was overcome with a feeling of emptiness and loneliness, which seemed to engulf her more with every word Alexander spoke.
"You will listen, Irene." He grabbed her shoulders and shook her so hard she thought her neck would snap.
"Stop it!" She placed the palms of her hands on his chest and pushed at him with all the strength she could muster. "I won't let you hurt me again." Her eyes flashed angrily. "Someday you'll have to face the consequences of what you have done, Alexander. But I will not allow you to ever hurt my daughters or me again. I must have been crazy to have allowed this for all these years." She paused to catch her breath. "But I'll tell you something," she said, her voice rising with each word, "you are the most cruel man I have ever met! You don't have blood running through those veins of yours. You have ice water!" Her heart thumped furiously when she finished. She looked at her husband. She couldn't believe his reaction. He was sneering at her.
Alexander shook his head. "I feel sorry for you, Irene. You never could take criticism. Whenever something doesn't go your way, you go off the deep end." He laughed. "No one would ever believe the stories you make up about me. I have a good reputation and you are only going to destroy your life by making up these crazy stories."
Irene didn't know whether to laugh or to cry. There was no way she could back down now. If she did, Alexander would never let her live it down. He would torment her for the rest of her life. And how could she ever live with herself if she didn't stand firm? She would lose everything if she let him win. And she would end up destroyed. She couldn't let Alexander keep her in this prison. She had to break free.
"I don't want you to bring this topic up ever again, Irene. Do I make myself clear? I will never go to counseling with you again!"
"Alexander, please! Our marriage depends on this!" She felt a lump catch in her throat. "Why can't you for once in your life just admit what you have done? Can't you see that I forgive you? I only want to help you!"
Alexander shook his head in wonder. "Irene, I have told you over and over that your imagination is going to get you into trouble. You cannot falsely accuse someone of violent behavior. You will find yourself in serious trouble some day," he warned.
Irene felt anger rising within her. "Alexander, maybe you can convince everyone else you are perfect, but just remember, I know the truth. As God is my witness, Alexander, I will not tolerate any more of your lies. You have convinced your family and the church that I am to blame for all of our problems." Her voice trembled. "How could you do that? How could you tell such horrible, vicious lies about me? Why, Alexander? I have tried so hard to make this marriage work, but I just can't take any more." She stared into his cold, jeering eyes. "You need help, Alexander. Do yourself and Stephan a favor and get help for the both of you."
Alexander started to laugh. "Listen to yourself. You twist everything. If it isn't Irene's way, it's no one's way. You are so sick!" He grabbed her arm. "Do you remember the time you called my family over and tried to convince them that I was abusing you and the kids?" His voice was loud.
"I called them because you were acting like a maniac."
"Right! You and the kids attacked me! I was trying to defend myself!" he shouted.
Irene pulled her arm free. "No, you are lying! You were like a crazy man that night. How can you lie about it?" She looked incredulously at him. "You think you can do whatever you want to me and the girls. You always get bailed out, don't you?" She didn't wait for an answer, but continued as all the suppressed anger she had felt for so long came pouring out. "Your family has covered for you from the first day I met you! They saw you beat me and then acted as though it was my fault because you were under stress! It's always the same thing, Alexander. You do the same thing with Stephan and the girls. Do you recall the time you humiliated Lita by making her sit at the kitchen table for two hours because she wouldn't eat her mashed potatoes?" Her eyes filled with tears at the recollection. "She kept telling you she wasn't feeling well and couldn't finish her dinner, but you refused to listen. You were like a madman, ranting and raving. Then to make matters worse, Stephan had a friend over who happened to be a classmate of Lita's. Instead of asking him to leave, you continued to berate her in front of everybody!" She lowered her voice. "I watched you, Alexander. I watched your eyes. They were filled with something evil. Then when I comforted my own child, you stormed into the living room and pouted that I was interfering with your duty as head of the household. You remember, Alexander, I know you do!" She glared at him. "You tried to twist it and make me feel guilty, like you were innocent. Your feelings always come first. As long as you are happy, it doesn't matter how anyone else feels. Like the incident with Lita. The next night Stephan wasted most of his dinner and you never said a word. When I questioned you about it, you told me to leave him alone and to get off his back." Her eyes were cold as she continued to stare at him. "I can't take anymore, Alexander. Either you get some help or . . ."
"Or what?" Alexander thundered. "I've listened to you for the past ten minutes and as usual, you don't appreciate a thing I've done for you." He pointed a finger at her. "And don't you ever threaten me! My whole family knows what I've put up with all these years with you! You need help, lady!"
Irene looked disgustedly at him. "I might as well save my breath. You'll never admit what you do." She walked toward the kitchen. "I've got to start dinner."
"So, why are you two here?" he asked as he grabbed a pen and a legal pad.
Alexander looked at Irene. "She's jealous of any relationship I have with my family," he answered quickly; too quick, Irene thought.
Irene's eyes opened wide in surprise "That's not true."
"She cannot tolerate me loving anyone but her. I love my mother and she can't stand it."
"That's not true, Alexander. Your family has accused me of things I have never done." She looked at Ben Holbrook. "I have tried to be accepted by his family, but they shut me out. As far as Alexander's mother is concerned, I am not jealous of her. He should love his mother."
Ben Holbrook stared hard at her for a few seconds. "Irene, isn't it true that you took drugs and had an affair with one of Alexander's relatives before you met Alexander?" His voice was unsympathetic.
Irene felt like someone had plunged a knife through her heart. "No! It isn't!" Tears glistened in her eyes. "Alexander's mother started that rumor when we first met. I don't know what her problem is. I swore to Alexander over and over none of it was true!" She looked at her husband. He had a smug expression on his face.
Ben Holbrook shifted his heavy body in his chair as he watched her. He was in his mid-forties with graying hair around his temples. "Calm down, Irene, I'm not accusing you of anything. I just want you to understand why Alexander feels betrayed by you. If you had been open with him about your past when you two first met, I'm sure that his mother wouldn't have dug up information about your past."
Irene couldn't believe what she was hearing. She had been set up! Alexander had set her up! "But it is not true!" she repeated. "My girls and I had to live in a shelter because Alexander's family convinced him to throw us out!"
Alexander shook his head as he looked at the older man. "I told you she has mental problems. She even tried to have me committed to an institution, but my family intervened."
"How can you sit there and lie, Alexander?" Tears filled her eyes. "What about my arm? What about the bruises on my body?" she screamed.
"Calm down, Irene," Ben Holbrook ordered. "We are here to help you; not hurt you. But if you continue to shout, we will accomplish nothing." His voice was stern.
"I don't believe this," Irene muttered as she stood up. "I won't listen to any more of these lies and accusations!" She walked to the door.
"Irene, get back here!"
She turned and stared at Ben Holbrook, then said, "No, this is all a ridiculous pack of lies and I won't listen to any more."
Irene dabbed at her eyes with a tissue. "How could you do that to me, Alexander?" Her voice shook. "How could you set me up?" Her emotional pain was almost unbearable. "You lied to me and about me."
"Oh, get a grip, Irene. You get so emotional. Can't you see how you made a fool of yourself in front of Ben Holbrook?" He threw his hands up in exasperation. "The guy thinks you're a mental case!"
"I won't listen to any more lies from you, Alexander!" Her insides quivered, and she was overcome with a feeling of emptiness and loneliness, which seemed to engulf her more with every word Alexander spoke.
"You will listen, Irene." He grabbed her shoulders and shook her so hard she thought her neck would snap.
"Stop it!" She placed the palms of her hands on his chest and pushed at him with all the strength she could muster. "I won't let you hurt me again." Her eyes flashed angrily. "Someday you'll have to face the consequences of what you have done, Alexander. But I will not allow you to ever hurt my daughters or me again. I must have been crazy to have allowed this for all these years." She paused to catch her breath. "But I'll tell you something," she said, her voice rising with each word, "you are the most cruel man I have ever met! You don't have blood running through those veins of yours. You have ice water!" Her heart thumped furiously when she finished. She looked at her husband. She couldn't believe his reaction. He was sneering at her.
Alexander shook his head. "I feel sorry for you, Irene. You never could take criticism. Whenever something doesn't go your way, you go off the deep end." He laughed. "No one would ever believe the stories you make up about me. I have a good reputation and you are only going to destroy your life by making up these crazy stories."
Irene didn't know whether to laugh or to cry. There was no way she could back down now. If she did, Alexander would never let her live it down. He would torment her for the rest of her life. And how could she ever live with herself if she didn't stand firm? She would lose everything if she let him win. And she would end up destroyed. She couldn't let Alexander keep her in this prison. She had to break free.
"I don't want you to bring this topic up ever again, Irene. Do I make myself clear? I will never go to counseling with you again!"
"Alexander, please! Our marriage depends on this!" She felt a lump catch in her throat. "Why can't you for once in your life just admit what you have done? Can't you see that I forgive you? I only want to help you!"
Alexander shook his head in wonder. "Irene, I have told you over and over that your imagination is going to get you into trouble. You cannot falsely accuse someone of violent behavior. You will find yourself in serious trouble some day," he warned.
Irene felt anger rising within her. "Alexander, maybe you can convince everyone else you are perfect, but just remember, I know the truth. As God is my witness, Alexander, I will not tolerate any more of your lies. You have convinced your family and the church that I am to blame for all of our problems." Her voice trembled. "How could you do that? How could you tell such horrible, vicious lies about me? Why, Alexander? I have tried so hard to make this marriage work, but I just can't take any more." She stared into his cold, jeering eyes. "You need help, Alexander. Do yourself and Stephan a favor and get help for the both of you."
Alexander started to laugh. "Listen to yourself. You twist everything. If it isn't Irene's way, it's no one's way. You are so sick!" He grabbed her arm. "Do you remember the time you called my family over and tried to convince them that I was abusing you and the kids?" His voice was loud.
"I called them because you were acting like a maniac."
"Right! You and the kids attacked me! I was trying to defend myself!" he shouted.
Irene pulled her arm free. "No, you are lying! You were like a crazy man that night. How can you lie about it?" She looked incredulously at him. "You think you can do whatever you want to me and the girls. You always get bailed out, don't you?" She didn't wait for an answer, but continued as all the suppressed anger she had felt for so long came pouring out. "Your family has covered for you from the first day I met you! They saw you beat me and then acted as though it was my fault because you were under stress! It's always the same thing, Alexander. You do the same thing with Stephan and the girls. Do you recall the time you humiliated Lita by making her sit at the kitchen table for two hours because she wouldn't eat her mashed potatoes?" Her eyes filled with tears at the recollection. "She kept telling you she wasn't feeling well and couldn't finish her dinner, but you refused to listen. You were like a madman, ranting and raving. Then to make matters worse, Stephan had a friend over who happened to be a classmate of Lita's. Instead of asking him to leave, you continued to berate her in front of everybody!" She lowered her voice. "I watched you, Alexander. I watched your eyes. They were filled with something evil. Then when I comforted my own child, you stormed into the living room and pouted that I was interfering with your duty as head of the household. You remember, Alexander, I know you do!" She glared at him. "You tried to twist it and make me feel guilty, like you were innocent. Your feelings always come first. As long as you are happy, it doesn't matter how anyone else feels. Like the incident with Lita. The next night Stephan wasted most of his dinner and you never said a word. When I questioned you about it, you told me to leave him alone and to get off his back." Her eyes were cold as she continued to stare at him. "I can't take anymore, Alexander. Either you get some help or . . ."
"Or what?" Alexander thundered. "I've listened to you for the past ten minutes and as usual, you don't appreciate a thing I've done for you." He pointed a finger at her. "And don't you ever threaten me! My whole family knows what I've put up with all these years with you! You need help, lady!"
Irene looked disgustedly at him. "I might as well save my breath. You'll never admit what you do." She walked toward the kitchen. "I've got to start dinner."