Chapter 41

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February 8 1981

Today, Sarah and Brian were having some time to themselves after Mary moved out of the apartment. This was quite a relief for the couple, as they didn't have to worry about Mary barging in while they were making love or doing anything else couples do or something like that.  Sarah asked her boyfriend. "Brian?'

She paused before she spoke once more. "Mary's divorcing you, so does this mean we can spend all the time we want to together?"

Brian replied. "I guess so. Frankly, I'm relieved she's leaving me. What's great about this whole thing, is that since you're 19, we can still live together because you're technically now an adult."

Sarah nodded. "I wonder what's going to happen to Veronica though. She's 16, and Leroy signed over legal guardianship rights to you and Mary two months after she joined VideoVision."

Brian replied. "I guess that is something I have been thinking about. I'm guessing I'll get custody rights, because Mary was addicted to heroin in her youth. She wasn't clean until she was 25."

Sarah replied. "But Mr. Webber, you were also addicted to heroin around the same time as Mary. That probably won't help your case either."

Brian replied. "But hey, one should always be positive, you know? I also want to speak to you about my marital problems. I don't think anybody has told you about everything that's been happening, so I think I should fill you in on all the details."

Sarah asked. "What happened?"

Brian explained. "Well, I guess the problem began when I started to focus too much on VideoVision. The venture made me a workaholic, so to speak. It was very difficult, keeping my marriage afloat and keeping the channel up and running all at the same time. Eventually we stopped talking to each other very much and I spent most of my time on VideoVision. I guess I must've been ignoring my wife's feelings, because when she was crying her eyes out about Lily's death, I didn't even bother to comfort her. Instead, I shouted at Mary to get to work. I don't think she ever looked at me the same way again after that incident. I'll never forgive myself for what I did. It got to a point where she tried to kill me because our marriage was so unhappy."

Sarah was shocked. "But....I didn't know you were capable of doing that terrible thing! No wonder Mary divorced you! What if you end up doing the same thing to me!"

Brian replied. "Look Sarah, I said I'm sorry, but the damage has been done. My marriage is over. I'm not making promises but I'll try not to do that same thing again. You have my word. If I end up hurting your feelings, I promise you up and down that you can do anything you want with me. Kill me if you want. I'm terrible at keeping a relationship, that's all."

Sarah replied. "But sir.....you can change. You don't have to push everybody away. I still love you. You can end VideoVision if you want, I don't care. I just want you to be happy. Matt wants you to be happy too."

Brian replied. "He's at the comic book store right now, is he?"

Sarah replied. "Yes he is."

Brian replied. "When he comes back, tell him that I'm a piece of shit who can't make a relationship last. I'm a monster."

Sarah replied. "Brian, do you remember when John Lennon was killed?"

Brian replied. "Of course. I remember like it was yesterday."

Sarah replied. "I mean it was two months ago, it's still fresh in your mind. But I don't think anybody will forget where they were. We were watching football when we heard the announcer say that John Lennon had been assassinated. An Assassination on that scale is not something that happens very often. The last assassination I remember that was anything like this is when Robert F. Kennedy was killed. I didn't even know what an assassination was. I kept asking my mom 'Mommy? What's an assassination?' She wouldn't tell me. Anyway, back to the topic of the killing of John Lennon, I remember you were in tears when we heard the news. You were sobbing, which is not something I see you do regularly. Do you know what I did when I saw you all hunched up on the floor, crying? I hugged you and told you that he would still be with us in our hearts, and you know what you did? You hugged me so hard. So hard I couldn't even breath for a bit. You know what that means? You're not a monster. You're a great guy who just needs to learn a little. I want to make you better. It's going to be all right."

Brian replied, touched by Sarah's monologue. "Thank you......Thank you so much, darling."

He was leaning in to hug her when all of a sudden the phone rang. Brian went over to the kitchen to answer and he was shocked about who it was. And what the call was about. The call was from Sherry Talbot, Sarah's mother.

"Hello, Mr. Webber. Do you remember when I signed over custody rights to my daughter to you?"

Brian replied, tentative tone. "Of course, Mrs. Talbot. Why do you want to talk to me about this now?"

Mrs. Talbot replied. "Because I want her back now. She belongs to me. I will not let you heathens control my daughter any longer."

As soon as Brian hung up, he felt his heart beating like a drum, his hands shaking. "Sarah. Pack your things. Your mother's looking for you."

Sarah was curious about this. "But why now?"

Brian sighed. "Must be having one of her episodes. She probably forgot to take her meds or something. But she will be looking for you. And I have no doubt that she will find you here. So I want you to hide in another apartment."

Sarah nodded, listening to every word her boyfriend said, and ran down the hall of the apartment building, looking for a place to hide.


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