Unexpectedly, Milo - Matthew Dicks [78]
“In fairness, Christine,” Dr. Teagan interjected. “I had suggested the idea of dating again.”
“Fine, but you agreed, Milo. How do you think I feel, telling people that my husband and I are dating again? Oh, sure, he moved out, got his own goddamn apartment, but we’re still having dinner and sex from time to time. We’re hoping that dating again would make it all better. Isn’t this what you wanted?”
“I didn’t think we’d be dating other people. I thought this was supposed to be about me and you.”
“You and me, huh? Then what about your mystery girl on the tapes? The cop told me that you had been watching a video on that goddamn camcorder. Are you going to try to tell me that it wasn’t her on the tape?”
“I don’t even know that girl. I’ve never met her. You know that. I’m just trying to find out who she is so I can return her camera.” Milo was lying now, and he didn’t like it. Too easy to get tripped up.
“Then why couldn’t I watch the tapes too? And why in hell are you watching them outside the house, sitting in the car?”
Milo had no answer. No reasonable answer. He could try to explain the pressing need that he had felt, in terms of both watching the tapes and uncovering Christine’s possible relationship with Thick-Neck Phil, but no matter how he tried to make Christine and Dr. Teagan understand, he knew it would come out wrong. He felt like he was trapped in one of those movies in which a perfectly sane protagonist cannot help but appear insane to the surrounding cast of characters.
At last, Dr. Teagan broke the silence. “Milo, I think that Christine’s concern is reasonable, considering how important these tapes seem to have become to you and how little she knows about them or the woman who appears on them.”
“I know that it looks bad, but if you had just seen the tapes, you would understand how wrong it would be to violate this woman’s privacy. I feel awful doing it myself. But I started watching without knowing what I was getting into. I feel like I have to finish what I started, but letting someone else watch them seems … wrong. I can’t do it.”
“Can I ask why you were watching the tapes outside the house?” Dr. Teagan asked. “It seems an odd and almost purposefully risky decision to me.”
“I know. I understand. But I just had to know what was going on with Christine. I couldn’t just sit at home all night wondering if Christine was on a date with that guy.”
“It wasn’t a date, goddamn it!”
“Maybe we should—” But before Dr. Teagan could finish, Christine was heading for the door. “Christine, do you need a minute?” he asked.
“I need a hell of a lot more than a minute. Two nights ago the cops found my husband sitting outside my house in his car, watching another woman on videotape, and now he’s accusing me of screwing around on him!”
Milo started to speak but was stopped by Dr. Teagan’s voice. “Why don’t we take ten minutes to cool down and then—”
“Not today,” Christine said in a calmer tone. She had turned and was speaking directly to Dr. Teagan, avoiding eye contact with Milo entirely. “Okay? I just can’t do this anymore today. I’m sorry.”
Without even a glance in Milo’s direction, she turned again and was out the door.
There was a protracted moment of silence in the small office before Dr. Teagan finally spoke. “You have to understand, Milo, that as innocent as your actions may have been, they were very disconcerting to Christine.”
Dr. Teagan waited a moment, perhaps hoping that Milo would speak, but when Milo remained silent, he continued.
“And I can understand your wanting to know about the nature of her relationship with this man Phil, but unless she’s given you reason to doubt her, accusing her of anything nefarious is probably out of line.”
It was true that Christine had never given Milo a reason to not trust her, but even still, he knew that there was something going on between Thick-Neck Phil and his wife. Perhaps it was just a minor flirtation, but it wasn’t as innocent as she made it seem. Even in the doctor’s presence, she hadn’t made it seem very innocent. So what if