Betty's First Trip to Rome the Prequel - Chapter 11 – Telling Stories
Hilda and Betty were sitting in the living room. Betty was sitting on the sofa with a moist tissue in her hand and Hilda was sitting opposite her. Hilda was determined to get the root of the reason why Betty had broken up with Gio and never wanted to see him again.
Hilda asked Betty about Gio. Betty resisted talking about him at first but Hilda convinced her that talking would be a good idea. She reminded Betty how much better she felt about the orthodontist photo and lost library book after they talked about them. Betty relented. Betty agreed to answer Hilda's questions.
Hilda asked Betty all kinds of questions. Some were mundane and some were unusual. They ranged over events that spanned months. Hilda skipped forward and back in time, apparently randomly. At all times Hilda invited Betty to describe her feelings when she told of her encounters with Gio.
Betty was reluctant to provide all the details at first but became more descriptive as she went along. Hilda guided her from first meeting Gio to subsequent experiences. Some events Betty did not recall well. They were hazy. She had little recollection. Some events were not sharp in her mind.
Other events she recalled vividly. The kiss in the deli was an event that Betty recalled in perfect detail. Hilda had Betty describe it while explaining her feelings as the events unfolded. They came back to this story several times over the course of the evening. Each time Betty told the story of the kiss it was exactly the same. This story was etched into her mind.
Hilda heard of the many times that Gio had encouraged Betty to write and to stand up for herself. He always had time to listen to Betty. She heard he took her to the park to teach her how to hit a baseball. She heard how attentive he was when Betty showed him the magazine with her article in it. Hilda heard about the free cookie coupons he gave her after he started his new job. She heard that Gio jokingly asked her if he was a gentle lover. She heard he wrapped his arm around her uninvited when they were at the theater watching Wicked.
Hilda heard all the details of their fight after the baseball game. Betty told it word for word. They went over every step, movement, gesture, look, and touch. Hilda listened to every extraneous detail about the events that Betty told her. She also listened carefully to hear what Betty didn't say.
Betty and Hilda talked about the junior high dance more than once. They talked about the carriage ride and the fireworks. They talked about the broken deli window and the visit to the doctor and the sandwich that tasted like purple. Betty told her about Henry punching Gio. They talked about Gio's romantic suggestions when he described how he would listen to music on the roof of the Blue Note and eat ice cream off a girl's stomach.
Betty told Hilda everything she could remember. Hilda interrupted Betty often to ask for more details and to remind her to explain her feelings as the events happened. Eventually Hilda narrowed her questions to three significant events. The deli kiss, the dance and the fight. Hilda learned everything she could about the three stories.
The story of the deli kiss went like this: Betty was sitting at the counter sipping water from a water bottle. Gio was joking with her and she was laughing. Gio gave Betty a black and white cookie. Betty thought she might be falling in love with Gio. Then Gio told her she was flirting with him and stalking him while he came out from behind the counter and walked to the case filled with cold drinks. She stood up and turned around to tell him he was insane. He turned and advanced towards her. Gio continued talking. He told her that she wanted him. Betty protested. She protested in a voice that was rising higher and higher in pitch as he approached. She was standing with the sandwich counter to her back, a wall on one side, a bag of sandwiches in her hand and Gio directly in front of her. The look in Gio's eyes held her transfixed. Mid-sentence Gio pounced on her. He held her head firmly with his hands and kissed her. He kissed her hard. She felt his tongue. She soon pushed Gio away. They stood face to face. Gio stared at her with an intense look. Betty slapped Gio and ran out of the deli. She paused outside the door of the deli to recover her composure. The next time Betty saw Gio he did not acknowledge that she had slapped him and run away. He did not apologize for the surprise kiss. It was quite the contrary; he said she wanted the kiss. He said she liked it. He said she frenched him.
The story of the dance went like this: Betty was sitting in the stands talking with little Betty. She heard an announcement come over the speakers. It was Gio asking Betty to dance. He strode directly to her through the other dancers. Betty's heart skipped a beat when she saw Gio coming for her. She stood up and let Gio lead her to the dance floor. Gio laughed and held her lightly for a few steps. Then his gaze grew serious and intent on her. She turned her face away to avoid the look he had in his eyes. Gio spun her around and pulled her back to him. He clasped her tightly in his arms so she was forced to look at him. They stared intently at each other with their faces just inches apart. Gio's eyes shone with raw animal desire. Betty said "I can't" and tore out of Gio's arms and ran to the doorway and left. She went to a secluded staircase and cried. Gio followed her there. Gio talked to her gently and cheered her up.
The story of the fight went like this: Betty was sitting talking to Henry. She was very saddened to hear of his infant son's illness. When Henry left Gio came and sat beside her. Gio held her, comforted her and stroked her hair. Betty thought of what she would say to Gio. She was sorry she would have to disappoint him because she had decided not to go to Rome. As she was thinking about what to say to Gio he suddenly placed his hand on her body where it did not belong. She wanted him to stop but she couldn't make him understand. She finally shouted "Get off of me!" Then she stood up and told him she didn't want to go to Rome. Gio made a vulgar suggestion and begged her to go to Rome with him. She became angry and told Gio to leave. Gio left after declaring that he was finished waiting for her to become his girlfriend.
For each of these stories Hilda was told a version that included all the sights and sounds. Each one was a perfect quality rendition. Betty's memories of these events were vivid and detailed. And the stories that Hilda heard were even better than if she'd been watching them on film. She saw the events from Betty's viewpoint. The stories she heard included many extra details. She could smell the fragrance inside the deli. She could hear the sound of the ticking clock. She could feel the vibration of the ventilation system. And the stories Hilda heard also included all of Betty's thoughts and feelings. It was as if Hilda were Betty. The stories were very long but Betty told them the same way each time.
By the end of the evening Hilda had gained the insight into Betty's mind that she sought.
Then Hilda talked to Betty about her day and other events. She led the discussion into other directions. They talked about neutral things. Hilda tried to help Betty relax so that she would be ready for bed. Hilda wanted Betty to sleep well. They talked for some time this way. Betty had gotten very upset a number of times in the evening and Hilda spent a lot of time calming her back down.
Finally Hilda let Betty go to bed.
All evening Betty had remained as steadfast as she had been before that she did not ever want to see Gio again. She was adamant. Hilda had wondered why. Now she knew the answer. The answer was in the three stories. Now she needed time to think about what to do with the answer. There was still much to think about.
She called Gio and gave him a short but hopeful message.
She thought for a while and then she picked up the phone to call Daniel.