CHAPTER 4: AIRING OF GRIEVANCES

A few days later, Violet had gotten in touch with Charlie Brown and they both agreed to meet up at the old ballfield. Even though it was overgrown with weeds and small trees, it was a familiar place for both of them. Charlie Brown drove his car to the field, surprise to see a sleek black sports car already parked there. Violet had gotten out of the car. Charlie Brown was impressed by the car, but wouldn't say it out loud to her. After exchanging pleasantries they began to walk over to the nearby park. They found a picnic shelter that wasn't reserved that they could sit in and be alone to hash out their issues.

"So, you've been in Japan?" asked Charlie Brown.

"I have," said Violet. "It's pretty nice out there. Tokyo is a beautiful city. Busy, as well. You should try the food out there, it is delicious."

"Back in Anchorage, I have a Japanese neighbor who has cooked me some authentic Japanese cuisine often. She even made some homemade sushi for me."

"You like sushi, Charlie Brown?" He nodded.

"I can also eat with chopsticks. Not bad for ol' clumsy Charlie Brown, eh?"

"Yeah, about all of that…"

"I just want to know one thing, Violet. Why? Why did you tease me so much? Why were you so goddamn cruel to me? Did I do something to you to make you hate me so much?"

"No, you didn't do anything, Charlie Brown. I never told you this, but I was bullied, as well."

"Bullshit! Linus had Lucy, so he has an excuse. You were an only child. Who the hell bullied you?"

"My older cousin Muriel. You never met her. She went to different schools, so you never got the chance to see her."

"What did this Muriel do to you?"

"Let's just say when we were younger, what I did to you, she did to me, but it was much worse. Like how I never invited you to my parties, with Muriel, exact opposite. She ALWAYS invite me, but not for fun, so she could have her way with me."

"Have her way… what are you talking about, Violet?"

"You know…" Violet began to tear up at the memory. "She would do things. Terrible things. I get upset thinking about them." Charlie Brown encouraged her to continue. "The first time it happened was not too long after I moved here to Sparkyville. Muriel was already living here. At first she left me alone, only playing with me normal. But then one day during one of our visits, while my parents were having drinks with my aunt and uncle, Muriel and I was at the pool swimming. We were having a good time. Then we went to the pool house. That's when it happened. It didn't start right away, but slowly. She placed her hand on my leg. I thought it was normal and she was just being a caring cousin. Then she went close to me and kissed me. Not on the cheek, that would have been acceptable, but on the lips!"

"Dear god!"

"That was tame compared to what she would do next. I don't know if I can talk about this…"

"No turning back now. Keep going."

"She… she took off my swimsuit and then…" Violet was inconsolable by that moment. "OH MY GOD, CHARLIE BROWN!" And, to his surprise, she collapsed in his arms and started crying.

"Violet, it's okay," he assured her. "It's okay. You can do this." His anger towards her had went away, for the moment, at least.

After regaining her composure, Violet continued her story. "It continued off and on whenever we went to visit my aunt and uncle or if Muriel came over our house. She never stopped!"

"That's sick, Violet! Why didn't you tell someone?!"

"I couldn't! She was my family. I thought I was protecting her, but the anger started showing, and I needed a person to take it out on."

"That was where I came in. Right?" Violet nodded.

"You were an easy target, Charlie Brown. It helped for a while, but then that became a whole different issue. I became numb to love and affection, and hatred and anger was all that was left in me. The compassion I had was gone. And then I orchestrated the whole Blake and Tracy thing at your expense. I know I was wrong for what I did. But, I was actually glad your suicide attempt happened."

"EXCUSE ME?!"

"NO! I didn't mean it in that way! I meant it was the wake-up call I needed, even if I didn't know it at the time. When my mother pulled me out of SHS (Sparkyville High School) and sent me to that Catholic school that was when I started getting therapy for my attitude and my issues. That's when I first opened up about what had happened to me as a child. My counselor talked to my parents and, with my permission, told them about what Muriel did to me when I was little. My parents didn't know if to believe me or not, understandably after what has happened between me and you. They thought I may had been trying to pull on these people's heartstrings, but that wasn't the case. It was only after another visit from Muriel that everything came to light. She was more aggressive with trying to have her way with me. She was in the middle of trying to take my shirt off when my dad walked in. He was pissed, Charlie Brown, and rightfully so."

"I know I've would have been if it was my daughter."

"He called my uncle, his brother, and told him the seedy details. That was when he knew I was telling the truth about what had happened to me. The police were involved, and they arrested Muriel that day. I later learned that I wasn't the only one she was doing this kind of thing to. She had done this to other young girls! It was worse for me, though, because I was a relative!"

"No shit!"

"I received therapy for years after that. Eventually, I went back to my normal self. Muriel is now a registered sex offender, and she can't be anywhere near where young kids are playing or any school grounds. She was also banned from being anywhere near me, per court order, which I was happy about. The rest of the family doesn't have anything to do with her, either, including her parents, who disowned her."

"Probably for the best. So, all this time, the cruelty you dished out on me was because of this Muriel?"

"It was, Charlie Brown. I feel so bad about it."

For the first time, Charlie Brown didn't see Violet as just a heartless bitch, but a damaged person. What her cousin did to her could have happened to anyone and made them like Violet. It may have been Charlie Brown's suicide attempt after that party was the wake-up call not only for all the kids who had made fun of him, but to the issues that Violet was having.

"I'm so sorry for how I treated you growing up, Charlie Brown. I know I can never take back what I did to you, but I just wanted you to understand why I was the way I was."

"Violet, none of that matters now. After what you told me about what had happened to you, I'm just surprised you didn't attempt suicide."

"I thought about it often. I just couldn't go through with it."

And, for the first time, Charlie Brown pulled Violet in for a hug. She cried into his shoulder for a long time. All the hurt and pain they both had, and the animosity that was there had melted away with her tears. And then Charlie Brown uttered the words he never thought he would say to her, ever.

"I forgive you."

NEXT CHAPTER: WEIGHT LIFTED OFF