Chapter 6: A Friend Comes to Visit
"My, it has been quite a while hasn't it?" Dr. Hope answered with a warming smile as Vivien and Larry sat across from him in his office two days later.
"Eight years." Vivien answered. In her mind that was a good thing. That it had been that long. She didn't want to be the kind of person to go see a shrink every couple of days or even every couple of weeks.
"If I remember correctly you were pregnant at the time of your last visit." The doctor opened up her cream colored file folder and looked inside. "How is the child doing?"
"They are doing well." Larry replied with a warm smile. At the mere mention of their children Vivien and Larry smiled with delight.
"They?" questioned the doctor.
"We had twins." Vivien replied as she thought back on that day. Eight years ago this past June. How time just flies by. "Parker and Madeline."
"You two must have your hands full with twins." The doctor laughed.
"Yes, but we count it as a blessing." Larry replied as he wondered how long they would be sitting there. Vivien's eyes glanced around the room. Nothing had changed in eight years. The walls were still the same color, he furnisher was still the same black leather and the same dark oak bookcases lined the walls.
"As you should." The doctor looked down at the chart and read his notes. Vivien could feel her heart racing and feel her blood pumping through her veins. "Why don't you tell me why you are here?" The doctor looked over at Vivien.
Vivien swallowed hard. Her hands began to sweat as she started to become very uneasy. How she hated visiting a psychologist. She felt as if she was putting herself away in one of those mad houses. She wasn't crazy just a little worried about that dream she kept having. Soon Vivien's breath came quickly. She looked from Dr. Hope to Larry time and time again.
"Darling are you alright?" she heard Larry reply, but for some odd reasons he found she didn't have a voice. The look on Larry's face became concerning. "Viv, can you hear me?" But still no reply. "Doctor what is wrong with her?"
"I don't know,"
"My God if anything happens to my wife so help me I will break every bone in your body!" Larry yelled as he now stood up. Vivien looked too her husband but she still did not reply. Her eyes became dazed as she tried to calm herself down.
"Calm down Mr. Kent, I'm doing all that I can. Your wife needs to take the next step. If not then I cannot help her." Dr. Hope looked up at Larry. Larry began to breath heavy. He would sue the doctor for all he had if anything happened to his wife. Dr. Hope tore his gaze from Larry and Looked back at Vivien. "Mrs. Kent, can you hear me?" Vivien shut her eyes and took a deep breath. Opening them again she found herself breathing normally again.
"Yes, I can hear you." Larry and the doctor just looked at each other. "What?"
"What happened?" Larry asked with worry.
"You have been married to me for 10 years and you can't tell when I'm having a panic attack?" Vivien questioned as her right eyebrow rose.
"Do you have panic attacks often?" the doctor asked.
"They come every once in a while." Vivien replied. The remark was almost stern like.
"I see." The doctor wrote that down and looked back up at her. "Now will you please tell me why you are here to see me?"
"The nightmare is back."
"The one you told me about eight years ago?" Vivien nodded her head.
"Except this time the children are eight and there is no one in the dream except me. I try finding them through the house, but there is no one. Just cold, bleak, silence." Vivien looked from Larry to Dr. Hope. "Larry and father aren't there either. I'm alone." Vivien's body had begun to go cold. "Am I going crazy doctor?" The doctor wrote down the last word that she had said and looked up. Vivien's heart began to race. The look on his face tore at her soul. His facial expression appeared cold, bleak and colorless. He looked like her old Psychiatrist.
"I've told you this once and I will tell you this again. You are not crazy. You are just tired and need to get some rest. I will tell you though if you keep this up you will end up having a breakdown. Just take it easy. Spend more time with your family. From the way you and Larry talk about your children I know you love to be around them." The look upon his face hardened. "Do your children know about this?"
Vivien lowered her head in shame. "I snapped at Madeline the other day. She asked me all of these questions about the nightmare and if Larry had saved me. I told her no and she kept asking why not? And I finally snapped at her yelling at her that he just couldn't!" The tears began to mist at her eyes. Vivien could feel a soft hand on hers. Larry had taken her hand. Squeezing it she knew she had done the wrong thing. "I'm a terrible parent doctor. I've never yelled at my children like that before."
Larry collected her in his arms. "Shh, it's alright." He rocked her back and forth like a small child.
"Vivien, all parents yell at their children. No matter how young or old they are. It happens. It's not your fault." Larry took out his handkerchief and dried her salty tears. "They may start to ask questions on why mummy is crying or why mummy is acting the way she is. But I can reassure you there is no need to worry."
"Do you have anything for me to take?"
"I can give you a few sleeping pills. But other than that there is nothing I can give you." Writing up the prescription he handed it to Larry. "Only take one if you need it. Other than that I see nothing wrong with you."
"Thank you doctor."
"You're welcome Mr. Kent. If anything else should occur please don't hesitate to come back in."
"Will do." Larry led Vivien to her feet and they walked out of the office.
"You have a crazy wife." Vivien answered as she got into the car.
"No, you are not crazy. You may be other things, but you are not crazy."
Vivien gave him a cross look. "But what if I am? The doctor didn't say I was, but he didn't say I wasn't." Vivien sigh and tried to calm down. But then a thought struck her. "You aren't going to have me put away are you?" She couldn't live with herself if she was put away. Put away into a dark, damp, lifeless cell. "I don't want to be put with insane people."
"Vivien! Calm down. You are going to go into another panic attack." Larry shut his eyes before starting up the car. "You are fine. The doctor said that what you are dreaming about is normal. We all have nightmares."
"Yes, they do, but are they as bad as mine?"
"Yes, Vivien." Vivien turned her gaze towards the window and kept quiet the rest of the ride.
…
The sound of the laughter of children filled their ears as Vivien and Larry stood outside Madeline's school. "Mummy, Daddy," the small child called out as she waved to them from the playground. She went down the slide and ran over to them with another girl by her side.
"My, aren't you a mess," Vivien replied with a laugh. Dirt appeared on her young daughter's face as paint lingered on the edges of her fingers. What were the Nuns and teachers teaching her daughter? Taking out her handkerchief Vivien began rubbing Madeline's face. Madeline squirmed for a few moment and squinted her eyes shut. Backing away she swatted at her mother's hand. Opening her eyes she saw the look upon her mother's face. Letting her mother clean up her face Madeline remained quiet.
"Who do we have here?" Larry asked smiling at the other little girl. The little girl had eyes the color of two Jade stones. Her skin was a soft white while her hair was as black as night and little black little freckles covered her small cheeks and over her nose. The little girl wore the same school uniform as Madeline did.
"This is Jade. She's in class with me." Madeline replied with a toothless grin.
"It's nice to meet you Jade." Larry replied as he stuck out his hand.
Taking it the little girl replied back. "It's nice to meet you as well. Mr. and Mrs. Kent."
"Mummy, Daddy, can Jade come home and play for a little while?" Madeline asked sweetly.
"Well," Vivien glanced over at Larry. "Ask your father."
"Throw me under the bus why don't you." Thought Larry as he looked at his wife stunned. They made decisions together not just one of them. He would have a bone to pick with her later.
Madeline turned towards her father and smiled sweetly. With those same colored eyes as Vivien Larry didn't know how he could say no. "Please," Madeline rocked back and forth on her toes and placed her hands behind her back and kept her eyes on her father.
"Do you have a lot of homework?" Larry asked. Madeline shook her head no. "Do your parents mind you being out past a certain time?" he turned towards Jade.
"No sir. Mother doesn't mind. She lives in a small town outside of Buckinghamshire."
"Alright,"
"Yay!" the girls cheered together. Getting in they headed to pick up Parker.
"Madeline told me that you live in a big castle with a big rose garden and rooms the size of the queen's chambers." Jade said with amazement as her eyes danced with wonder.
Vivien and Larry gave their daughter a quick look. Biting her lip Madeline knew she had gotten caught in a lie. They quickly resorted back to Jade. "I don't know if you can call it a castle." Vivien replied with a laugh. "But it is rather big, but I don't think they are as big as the queen's chambers."
As the children chatted happily in the back seat Vivien and Larry listened as they talked about the events at school. Soon trees began to take the place of buildings and horses began to take the place of cars and trucks.
"I thought you said it wasn't a castle? Sure looks like it to me." Jade said in amazement as her eyes looked up at Notley Abbey. It looked just as Madeline had described it. It was a castle with light colored stone and high wide beautiful windows in every space available, a tower on the west side of the estate. It truly was something out of a fairy tale.
"Madeline and Parker might think it's a castle, but we think of it just as a lovely home in the country side." Vivien replied as she followed Jade's gaze up towards the big estate. "I've lived her my whole life."
"Must be nice to spend ones childhood in such a lovely place."
…..
"Daddy!" six year old Vivien screamed as her stepmother held her over the hot stove.
"Your father isn't here." Catherine snickered. She kept her wrist held over the fire. "You broke my mother's vase."
"No!"
"Yes, you did! Don't lie to me!"
"I'm not lying." Vivien tried kicking her stepmother, scratching anything to get free.
"Tell me the truth or I won't let go."
"Alright, alright. I broke your vase."
….
"What have you done? You broke a piece of my best china." Catherine screamed at Vivien. Catherine kicked a piece away from Vivien's reach. Vivien didn't get a chance to reply. Picking up the 18 year old she held her to the wall. "What did you hear?"
"Nothing," Vivien replied as she tried to get away once again. Letting go Vivien fell to the floor and sobbed.
"Stupid, stupid girl." Catherine said loudly a she tried to yell over Vivien's sobs.
…..
"Vivien, were is everything?" Catherine screamed as she sat at the massive dinner table.
Vivien came rushing into the room with the food in hand. Sitting it down Vivien stepped back until she was dismissed. Catherine looked down at the plate of food. What was wrong? Did she forget something?
"Where is the blood pudding?" Catherine asked with disgust.
"The what?" Vivien asked.
"The blood pudding. Surly you know what that is." Catherine glared.
"Yes, I know what it is."
"Then why is it not sitting here?"
"Father doesn't like blood pudding."
"Is he here at this moment?" Vivien shook her head. "Then make the pudding for Christ sake!"
"Yes, Catherine," Vivien bowed her head and knew she had messed up and that she would pay for it.
…..
"One might like to think so." Vivien whispered as sadness filled her voice. Her childhood in that big old house was everything but happy and gay. She wanted her children to have a better childhood/life then what she had.
"Mummy, can we have a snack?" Madeline asked as she looked up at her mother.
"Yes, darlings you may, but put your book bags inside first." The children ran into the house and put their things away. Stepping into the house Vivien shook those awful memories from her mind. "Jade, can you have Peanut Butter?"
"Yes, Mrs. Kent." The little girl replied as all three children sat at the marble counter.
Taking out some apples and peanut butter Vivien began cutting them up and putting them into three different bowls. Placing them in front of them the children began to eat their snack.
"Thank you," Jade said politely.
"You're welcome, Vivien replied with a warm smile.
"Mummy, can we play outside?" Parker asked in between bites.
"Yes, but you have to finish your snack first. And please don't talk with food in your mouth." The children began eating their snack quickly. "Not so fast children. You have plenty of day light left." Slowing down the children took smaller bites.
"Who do we have here?" Richard asked as he came into the kitchen.
"Grandpa this is Jade." Madeline replied as she turned towards her grandfather.
"It's nice to meet you sir." The small girl replied.
"It's nice to meet you as well young lady."
"Grandpa she isn't a young lady she's a little girl." Madeline giggled.
"Yes, I suppose you are right. But what does that make you and Parker?" Richard asked with a chuckle.
"A little girl and a little boy." Madeline laughed.
"Alright, if you say so." Richard went over and began fixing himself a thing of tea. Pouring the hot liquid into a coffee mug he joined the party.
"Where's Cleo?" Jade asked as she finished her snack. The adults looked in her direction. "The cat."
Vivien's heart began to beat rapidly. "There's no cat named Cleo. Just one cat named Callie."
"That's who I mean. Callie." Jade giggled.
Vivien put a small thing of water and a small thing of tuna in a grey cat bowl with the name Callie across it. Callie leaped into the room as her little bell on her small pink collar went off. "This is Callie." Vivien was surprised that she was still able to do things that she did. After all the cat did way a good 20 pounds. Jade got off the stool and began petting Callie. "Be careful. She doesn't like it when you mess with her while she eats."
Jade knelt down next to Callie and began petting her. "Mother has a Siamese cat that I play with all the time."
"What's that cat's name?" Vivien asked as she placed the bowls in the sink along with the knife full of peanut butter.
"Cleo." Vivien stopped dead in her tracks. Water was dripping off her purine fingers as they hung off the edge of the sink. Her eyes had gone wide, her hands began to shake as multiple flashbacks came back of that evil cat. Cleo hated Vivien and Callie. Around every corner Cleo would be. She would hiss, scream and glare at Vivien. Or sit tauntingly on the dining table threatening to break a piece of Catherine's China if she came any closer. Cleo succeeded when Vivien pleaded with her eyes not to do it. And not to mention Callie. Every once in a while Cleo would walk circles around Callie making to where she couldn't get out or she would taunt Callie. Vivien more times than not had to rescue her cat from the torment.
"Vivling, are you alright?" Richard asked as he rolled over towards his daughter.
"I'm alright, daddy" Vivien looked at her father and smiled weakly. Richard didn't fall for such a fake expression. He could see right through that smile. He could see that torment, the pain and the stains in her eyes from that cat and from that evil woman. "Alright, children you may go outside and play." The children left swiftly as they ran towards the swing set, the balls and the rose garden.
"How did Jade know about Cleo?" Vivien asked in fear as she paced backed in forth in her L shaped bedroom.
"Jade said she meant Callie. It's an easy mistake. You have to remember Viv, she is a child." Larry answered as he watched his wife walk the length of their oddly shaped room. He had to shut his eyes for a quick moment. Watching her walk back and forth was making him sick.
"I understand that, but don't you find it kind of strange that her mother has a Siamese cat named Cleo just like Catherine?"
"Vivien, it's just a coincidence. Siamese cats are very popular around here."
"I know," Sighing she sat down on the bed and laid back. "I guess, I'm just overacting."
"Right you are," Larry leaned over her and kissed the edge of her nose. Giggling he went on. Soon the kisses grew longer with more fiery passion. As the sweet kisses lingered and Vivien longed for more the sound of someone clearing their throat came moments later. Vivien and Larry pulled away.
"Remember to close the door next time." Richard replied with a grin upon his face. Vivien's face went warm with crimson. How embarrassing to get caught by your own father. Vivien was 31, but it was still embarrassing. Grabbing a pillow she placed it over her red face. "The little girl said her mother would be wondering where she would be if stayed much longer."
"Thanks Richard." Larry answered as Vivien's face stayed hidden under the pillow she had placed there to keep from her father from seeing her face. Getting up Larry pulled Vivien to her feet and only then did Richard see the embarrassment that was written on her face.
"Like I said next time shut the door," a smug smile crept across his face. That would teach her a lesson.
"Yes, daddy," Vivien replied in a low voice.
"Be lucky it was just me and the not the children." Richard chuckled. "My, what a sight that would have been." Vivien just put a hand to her warm cheek and ignored her father.
"Do you two want to come with us or stay with grandpa?" Larry questioned his children as he grabbed the car keys.
"Go with you," Madeline answered quickly as she dashed towards the door.
"I'm going to stay here with grandpa." Parker answered as he sat down in front of the TV in another room.
"That boys smart." Richard answered as he pointed towards Larry and Vivien.
"Alright, but remember only a half an hour of TV." Vivien walked into the living room and kissed her son goodbye. "Daddy, will you set the timer please." Grabbing the timer Richard set it for 30 minutes.
…..
In the small town of High Wycombe just outside of Buckinghamshire the Rolls Royce pulled up in front of a two story 12 century brick home. "Here we are."
"Thank you," Jade told them as she exited the car.
"You are very welcome."
"Bye-bye Jade. See you tomorrow at school." Madeline waved from the car window as Jade stepped upon the front porch.
"See you tomorrow." Jade waved before heading inside.
"Where have you been?" a sinister voice called out as a figure stood in the doorway.
"To a friends, mother." The little girl answered. Taking her hand the figure jerked the girl inside.
A/N: Hello everyone! So terribly sorry that I haven't updated in a while. Hope I still have some readers out there.