Helen and Cleo, "Why don't you love him?"
“Why don’t you love him?”
Helen freezes, and turns.
Sprawled in a chair, legs over one arm and back against the opposite one, Cleo is watching her from a little corner of the living room. There’s a glass in her hand, mostly empty, but Helen doesn’t trust that for a moment. Cleo is a woman more in control of herself than most people notice.
“A century is a long time to-”
“Oh, don’t give me that. You still love everyone else.”
“And I love John. But not like that. I’ve grieved him, and he-” She swallows, hard, thinking of their last meeting. “He’s not the man he was.”
“But he’s not the one who killed those women, either.”
True - the creature is long dead. But...He’s still not her John. Too much has happened.
“Cleo, things are too complicated between us, and-”
“Your entire life is complicated. That’s no excuse at all.” Cleo polishes off her drink, then swings her legs down and stands up straight. If she notices Helen’s irritation at being interrupted, she doesn’t show it. “I’ve been through every possible reaction you could have, and none of them justifies letting him go.”
“Even if that were true, he’s with you. I won’t hurt the relationship he’s built with you for my own satisfaction.”
“Awe, isn’t that sweet.” Cleo coos, voice dripping with saccharine mockery. “You’re so thoughtful.”
“And you’re drunk.”
“Very, and yet, not enough.”
Cleo stalks across the room, and stops in front of Helen.
“If you’re going to take him from me-”
“All right, that’s enough!” Helen’s patience snaps, as does her voice. “I am not going to allow you to stand in my house and make accusations about me! You can either go to bed and sleep off whatever mood you’ve drunk yourself into, or you can leave. Take your pick.”
Cleo smirks slightly, and then sets her glass down on the dresser.
“As you wish.” She whispers.
She stalks off, heels clacking as she goes down the hallway, and Helen watches, trying to fight her rising temper.
One of these days, they’ll have to put this subject to rest. She’ll not allow Cleo’s insecurities to keep irritating them all like this. Not forever.
