Saint Valentine

6

The car is silent. Again. Neither of us has said a word. I want to, but I shouldn't. I have a tendency to ramble when I'm angry.

"Bianca," Valentino turns my way. "Tell me what you're thinking."

"Nothing," I shrug. "I'm not thinking anything."

"If something is wrong, then I should know."

"Nothing's wrong."

"I won't be offended. I would rather know than have you keep it from me."

"I just—," I turn his way. "I don't like the way you just spoke to me. I didn't think you should have responded that way."

"Okay," he nods. "I'm listening."

"If I can't bring my cat, that's fine, but you don't have to say it like that."

"How would you have liked me to respond?"

"I don't know, but it would have been nice if you were more flexible about it. You were just so... absolute. You weren't even open to a discussion."

"Well, to be frank, I'm not. I will not let an animal in my house."

"You aren't open to it at all?"

"No. It's not happening."

"And what if I had said that I wouldn't go without my cat?"

"Then we would have had a problem."

"So to avoid that, you've made me give up something that means a lot to me, just because you don't want a cat in the house?" I try to get him to see it from my perspective. "Now I've not only moved away from my family for you and taken time off work for you, but I've also had to leave behind someone I love, for you."

"You didn't have to do any of that. You chose to."

"Because you asked me to, and because I told you I would try," I say. "But I'm not going to keep trying if you keep being inflexible. And I won't have you speaking to me like that again. It was too harsh. It's unacceptable."

"You thought I was harsh?"

"Yes! There was no need for you to respond like that. We could have had a civil discussion instead of you putting your foot down."

"But I won't change my mind."

"See," I groan. "This is exactly what I mean. You're shutting me down without even considering my perspective."

"But your perspective doesn't matter if it won't change anything."

"Seriously? My perspective doesn't matter?"

"In this case, no."

"You're not even going to acknowledge that this is upsetting for me?"

"No, I understand this is upsetting for you. I just don't have the capacity to change it."

"But you acknowledge that I've just had to leave behind someone I love just to fit into your rules and expectations?"

"I do, yes."

"Great, because I want you to recognize the sacrifices I'm making, especially because you don't seem to be making any."

"Is that how you feel?"

"Yes. It is. I've made changes for you, and I truly feel like you haven't for me. You've even dismissed me on the things that matter most to me."

"Alright," he nods. "I'm sorry about that."

"I would just really appreciate it if you were just a little more flexible," I state. "And if you want me to try, then you need to try, too. Genuinely try."