Chapter Twenty-Two
He's already at home when the SA Office calls they emailed him the crime scene photos. Only then does he realize he forgot his laptop in the lab, but he wants to have a look at them, so he turns on Diane's laptop. Only to find out his wife has been spying on him.
He flips through the photos that show him with his son and Miranda with disbelief. Even with the evidence right in front of his eyes, he has a hard time believing Diane actually had him followed.
After the first shock he tries to determine his feelings. He's definitely hurt. He's been honest with Diane from the moment he found out about Kenny, he has told her everything and didn't give her a reason not to trust him. Why did she turn to such means? She could have come along, meet Kenny, meet Miranda, instead she chose to go behind his back.
He doesn't want to look at the evidence anymore, so he shuts the laptop quickly, and that's when he remembers Diane doing the same only a few days ago, after he'd met Kenny and Miranda in the park. He forgot about her odd behavior, because she made sure of that, but now the picture is suddenly clear.
The realization that Diane probably only slept with him, because she was feeling guilty for what she'd done hits him hard and the anger threatens to burst out. He has to force himself to get out of that room, not to make some damage he might regret later. He knows he needs to calm down, he can't face Diane like this, so he hurries to the front door, but the key in the lock gives away that it's too late to try to escape.
"Are you going somewhere?" Diane asks, with a confused expression on her face and Kurt considers leaving without a word, but changes his mind and steps back.
"Close the door," he orders as calmly as he can, but he is sure it's written on his face that something isn't right.
"Has something happened?" she shuts the door and keeps looking at him.
"I saw the pictures on your laptop," he states and it's clear that Diane knows what he is talking about right away.
"What were you doing with my laptop?" she tries to accuse him of spying, but it's obvious who is the guilty one from the two of them.
"I left mine in the lab and needed to check something," he explains, not that he thinks he still owes her an explanation after what she's done, "Why did you do it, Diane?"
"I wasn't ready to go with you, but I wanted to make sure your little protégé doesn't want more than a father to her son," she hurries with the answer, saying things he hasn't heard from her like this before.
"It shouldn't matter to you what she wants, I'm your husband," he tries to reason with her, but his purposely withheld anger is only fueled by her defensive reaction.
"And you have a son with another woman."
"We've had this conversation so many times. I have been nothing but honest with you ever since I found out. What else do you want from me? You won't trust me around women anymore?"
"I don't trust her around you," she keeps attacking Miranda and he can't help getting protective, because the young woman has done nothing to deserve Diane's hostile attitude.
"She is the mother of my son, you have to deal with her presence in my life."
"I'm dealing with it as best as I can."
"By having me followed? Damn it, Diane, it's humiliating. Is this really what I deserve from you? And then you had sex with me, just to disguise your guilt. When did we turn into a couple like this?" he lays all his cards out now and he can't see denial in her eyes, which actually makes him sad.
"I don't have to listen to this," she wants to back out, but he knows if they don't have this out now, it might cause serious trouble between them.
"Oh yes, you do. You have to take responsibility for your actions," he warns her and now he can see the denial in her eyes.
"You were the one who slept with your protégé and got her pregnant," she attacks him again.
"So just because you never got pregnant when you slept with your mentor, you are better?"
He is aware that he's probably going too far, but he has been feeling guilty long enough, trying to be understanding with Diane, because of the situation he's put them in, but he cannot blame himself forever. He was a free man, she had been the one rejecting him when he'd proposed, why does she think she has the right to blame him?
"Excuse me?"
He can see how he's made her angry now, but he doesn't care anymore. She should stop putting the blame on others, it won't solve anything.
"You should stop acting as if you were so damn perfect."
"And you should make up your mind who's side you are on. If you prefer her, I won't stand in your way."
It hurts to hear this from her. If she could really let him go just like that, then why did they get married on the first place?
"That would solve the problem, right? You could finally stop playing the victim," he replies angrily and sees how she gets even more pissed.
"I'm out of here," she turns around and opens the door in a matter of seconds.
"Where are you going?"
"It's none of your business," he hears her say before the door shuts in his face.
"Damn it," his fist lands on the doorframe and he has to force himself not to start kicking the door.
This conversation couldn't have gone worse and he has absolutely no idea what he should do now. They never had such an ugly fight before, but he cannot let his anger guide his actions. He has to remember that Diane is the woman he loves, the woman he married and wanted to spend the rest of his life with.
He touches his wedding ring and sadness takes the place of his anger right away. He considers going after Diane, maybe he can still catch her, but decides against it in a matter of seconds. He needs time to calm down and think this through. She will be back eventually and he will be here waiting for her.