Page 3 of War
“Well, you knew that was going to be a possibility, right?” Joey countered. “She was willing to work on the marriage and even go to therapy again.”
“That was before the appearance of Elena,” Eli replied, “Elena changed everything.”
“In all fairness, bro, Elena is a permanent reminder that at one point, your dick was more important than your family.”
Joey’s words sent a shockwave to Eli’s system and he visibly shuddered. “Thanks,” Eli deadpanned.
“Hey, no one wants to be called out on their bullshit.” He scrolled through email. “It’s better family does it than a stranger.”
“Well, that’s the reason I’m going to therapy,” Eli laid down on the leather sofa. The pain from his affair and supposed love child ran deep within him. It seared his blood and almost made him sick to his stomach. “I just need to work on this guilt I have. Maybe that’ll help me understand my wife more.”
Joey nodded. “Or maybe your wife is the one that needs to go to therapy and you stay home?”
Faith had always been a tad immature but it was something Eli was used to. The other ninety percent of her was perfect. If he could handle her ten percent immaturity, everything was fine.
The ten percent, however, was slowly growing. Faith had a way of being low-key petty that while it was humorous at times, Eli grew annoyed with it. He didn’t doubt for a second, she still held a grudge. Now with Elena in the picture, who knew how long that grudge would play out?
“She doesn’t believe in therapy,” Eli replied, “a hardcore Christian like her? She would rather pray it away.”
“She went to therapy with her father?” Joey pointed out.
“Yeah, it’s because it was her dad who was counseling us. Even when her father called her out onhershit, Faith still believed everything was my fault.” Eli sighed. He didn’t want to throw in the towel on his marriage but Faith wasn’t giving him much room to fight for it. “I need to research therapists.”
“You know I support you one hundred percent. Talk to K. He went to therapy after he returned from Iraq.” Joey mentioned.
“Yeah, he told me it helped him out a lot,” Eli agreed, “so that’s what I’m pursuing.”
“And whatever you do, don’t tell mama,” Joey shook his head and pursed his lips, “wait until she’s on her deathbed.”
Their mother, Nicola, prescribed to the same belief system as Faith – just pray for everything. Eli respected his mother’s devout Catholicism but even he could admit sometimes people didn’t need to talk to God; they needed to talk to someone who could prescribe them treatment. “Oh, you don’t got to tell me twice.” Eli’s cell phone went off and he glanced down at it. It was his stepfather, Art, calling him. “Hey Art, what’s up? What? Ah shit…yeah, I’ll be there now.” Eli hung up his phone and grabbed his keys.
“What’s up?” Joey looked up from his computer. “Is everything okay?”
“Faye and Simone got into it over at the salon,” Eli shook his head. He should’ve been surprised by the news but he wasn’t. What did shock him, however, was how long it took for said action to take place. “I’m heading over there before it makes Page Six.”
“Who won?” Joey smiled.
“Who do you think?”
