Sydney said "you know I get why cause I deserved being bullied ok. I was stupid to believe I could ever have you as a friend." Tom said "Chellie no." Sydney said "I just if I would have bullied someone, hurt someone deeply Tom when I was a kid, I wouldn't just forget about it, or that person. I'd regret it. You're a good man. I guess it's just cause I deserved it." Tom said "Chellie stop. You didn't deserve it. But you're wrong. You're so wrong. I have not forgot. I never forgot you Michelle. I never forgot for one day what I did to you."
Sydney said "I don't understand, if you didn't forget, then I guess I have questions on that." Tom said "Go on." She said "if you didn't forget then why look I know I look different, I changed my hair color, I had short hair now I have long, I wore glasses, now I don't, I got my teeth fixed, Lost weight, got in shape, got stronger, I dress better cause I can afford clothes Nice clothes, I get why you didn't recognize me, but I flat out described me to you, over and over, begging for you to remember, to know it was me to ask me or to say you know I had someone in high school sounds like you."
Tom said "I did." Sydney said "no you didn't. I mean I told you about my mom not wanting me, saying I was bad, that my dad left cause of me, that she was drunk or doing drugs, I had to work several jobs to try and pay the bills, keep us in our house, that she brought men home, that I locked myself in my room, cause I was afraid of them, and listening to them having sex upset me, made me sick. Tom you knew all that. I mean I admit I never told you how I was bullied, I never told you what all they did to me ok, but I told you all about my mom and dad, hell the whole town knew about it. Why didn't it register to you I mean Tom when I came over in middle of night all upset, about our prom case, asking you that, why didn't you realize I was Michelle." Tom said "I can explain that. But I did think of you when you said that. I stopped and looked at you. but I didn't think you could be Michelle ok. I mean I was thinking someway you had found out about what I did to Michelle, I was thinking to myself why would you say that, could she possibly know. Baby I never wanted to tell you what I did ok cause I was afraid I'd never win your love. I mean you had told me you were bullied, and I didn't want to tell you I helped bully this girl."
Sydney said "ok I don't mean to attack you." Tom said "no it's ok go on, yell at me, hit me. Say whatever you need to say, whatever will make you feel better." Sydney said "Tom hitting you, yelling at you, isn't going to make me feel better. I hurt when I look at you. I love you. I did forgive you, it's just the pain was all brought back seeing you with Anna, seeing her touch you. It's just fresh right now. I'm sorry I told you to not touch my face."
Tom said "no it's ok. I can keep my hands to myself. I only wanted to try and make you feel better."
Sydney said "Tom I never dreamed in my wildest dreams, you would walk into Jump Street, and not only that, but you would fall in love with me, that you would want to be with me, marry me. I could hardly believe it was all happening, and I lived with the fear of you finding out who I was and leaving me. But every time when I would tell you things about me, things that I knew you knew, like my mom, details about my dad, my mom, and you showed no reaction that you didn't act like you ever knew a Michelle, I have to tell you, it hurt, but it made me feel like you would leave me for sure, Especially when I saw that you showed no guilt, but that you carry around this grief and this loss and this guilt for your friend. I mean 10 years and you're still blaming yourself and I don't understand cause it wasn't your fault that she killed herself. You stopped Steve from doing that, so I don't understand why you feel guilt. And I guess it hurts me Tommy. I mean when I was talking to Judy about it and Booker and they both hugged me, and you saw Booker hug me, it just hurt so much, and I know I'm a bitch, and a mean person Tommy. I mean I have a great job, a best friend in Judy, and friends in the 3 guys, and a amazing husband the man of my dreams, and I have Abby, and your friend isn't here and able to live her life. I'm sorry for your loss, and I'm sorry for what she went through, that she thought suicide was the only way out, that she didn't think it would get better. I mean I had suicidal thoughts after, but I couldn't do it. I guess I was too scared to. I mean I was telling them how much of a bitch I was and how I felt bad."
Tom said "no you're not a bitch." Sydney said "I am, what kind of selfish person am I if I am jealous of a woman who killed herself in high school, but I am jealous of her." Tom said "Chellie you don't need to be." Sydney said "I know it's terrible. Your poor friend. But I am. I find that I resent her Tom." Tom said "Chellie, Sydney look I think if it's ok I'll start here. I need to tell you about my friend."
Sydney said "Tom I'm already hurting, please I don't think I can stand it." Tom said "Baby I don't want to hurt you any more than I have. But I got to. Not to hurt you, but to make you understand. Please baby." Sydney nodded.
Sydney said "look I'm sorry for your loss. I truly am. I feel and see your grief for her. But it hurts me. I'm not going to lie. It hurts me cause you must have truly loved her" Tom said "I did. I mean I wasn't in love with her, and I didn't realize that I loved her, until it was too late and she was gone. I never got to tell her how much I did care for her. I thought I would have time but I didn't."
Sydney said "I am sorry for you. And I see a little better why you carry guilt and regret in not getting to tell her that she was important to you." Tom said "yeah I've carried that guilt with me every day. When I couldn't find her, I hired a private eye, and when he told me she threw herself in front of a train, that the conductor tried to stop, blared the horn but it didn't help, she wouldn't move. Chellie the guilt I felt." Sydney said "Oh Tommy oh she threw herself in front of a train oh my God. That poor girl."
Tom said "you are truly amazing, beautiful gentle soul. I mean here you are trying comfort me, and showing sympathy for my friend." Sydney said "Tom I do feel bad for her, that she gave up, I guess I feel selfish though cause you know I not only feel jealous of her, of your bond, that you loved her as a friend. I mean when I say jealous I guess I mean cause I thought we were friends. I grew up with no friends. And I guess when I met you and you said we were friends, and we did studying and talking and going to the DQ or Pizza Hut, and watching you bowl on your bowling team. I mean it's like I thought we were friends, and I was just stupid."
Tom said "No Chellie you weren't stupid. We were friends. I know you don't understand. That's why I need to tell you about my friend."
Tom said "I hurt her, and I have carried that guilt around with me every day." Sydney said "so is that why I mean you said that you tried to find her to tell her." Tom said "yeah I never got to say I was sorry." Sydney was crying. Tom said "Syd Chellie look please I don't want to hurt you. I know I am. I know talking about my friend is hurting you but you'll understand." Sydney said "Go on."
Tom said "ok let me go back, Michelle, I am sorry for hurting you I'm sorry for not taking you to the prom ok. So if that's what just made you cry," Sydney said "ok. please tell me about this girl."
Tom said "after she left, and then I got the news that she was dead, that she took her life, I knew I had to be a better man, I had to grow up. I felt shame, not only guilt, but I knew my dad would be so upset with me, that I caused her to kill herself."
Tom said "honey I apologize I should have told you about her from the start, but I really was scared that if you ever found out what I did to her, that you would never go out with me. I know you hurt hearing that, but please just let me finish" Sydney nodded.
Tom said "I told you I felt to blame for a friend's suicide, but I never told you who it was. I wish I would have. Then that case came up, and it reminded me of Steve and what he did, and when I told you about her, you got so upset, and so jealous, and I didn't want you to be hurt, or jealous, cause there was no need for you to be jealous, so I dropped it. I wished I would have told you."
Sydney said 'Tom it does hurt, I can't help but be jealous. You're telling me you she's the only friend of yours you loved, not in love, but she mattered, meant something to you. And I mean maybe if she would have lived, I can't help but feel you would have ended up with her. That you would have told her you loved her, and then you guys would have got together later on. You never would have came to Dallas." Tom said "Chellie please just let me tell you about her."
Sydney nodded. Tom said "ok first I guess I need tell you, after she died I went to her grave, used to take flowers, used to sit, and talk to her. I told her about how guilty I felt, how sorry I was, how I knew I was to blame for her death, and I realized I loved her." Sydney said "Well see Tom she heard you I'm sure." Tom said "I hoped so, but anyway honey, I told her I would grow up, I vowed I would never forget her. I took flowers to her grave when I left Miami Beach to come to Dallas. I said goodbye to her, explained that I was sorry that I had to leave and wouldn't be able to come decorate, but that I had paid for a floral arrangement to be put on every month, and that my mom would decorate."
Sydney said "that's so sweet, so did she not have family." Tom said "she didn't have a dad, and her mom abused her. So no one went to the grave, but me and my mom. So I sat and spent the day talking to her that last day, told her I wouldn't forget her. And I haven't. But when I met you, I realized baby I couldn't live in the past, I couldn't live with regret. I never forgot her, or what I did. But I talked to her when I was sitting in my apartment. I carry her obit clipping in my wallet, behind my drivers license. I told her I would never forget her, but not that I would ever not feel guilty or regret, but I couldn't sit there and dwell on it, and hate myself for it, cause I told her for the first time in my life, I fell in love, with a beautiful, sweet, angel, who I knew if she was here, she would have loved you, and I thought you were so like her, that I knew you would be friends. I told her that. I told her that I had one chance to try and win your love, and win your heart, and that I couldn't live in hate for myself or for other people who hurt her. I couldn't live with just wanting to get revenge on everyone who hurt her. Me included. I told her while I didn't deserve you, I was going to be a good man for you, to you. That I would be there for you, no matter what you needed, that I would cherish you and treasure you, and try to make you see how beautiful you are, and I would never take you for granted. So I told her I had to let her go. I mean I couldn't just live in guilt and shame and regret, or I'd miss my chance with you. I mean I couldn't just sit and get drunk night after night talking about what a jerk I was to her. I needed be a better man for you."
Sydney said "So you talked to her about me?" He said "yeah all the time. I mean when we first met. I admit once we started hanging out. I didn't forget, but I just didn't talk to her or I mean I was so focused on you, being with you, listening to you. I couldn't think about her. I didn't forget her, but I mean that's what I was kind of saying, after we met, and I knew I was in love with you, and I wanted a life with you, I kind of told her goodbye. That I had to let her memory go. That I couldn't sit around and talk to her. I had to spend every moment I could with you."
Sydney said "So do you regret that, I mean is that part of your guilt? That you had to let her go for me?" Tom said "no not at all."
Tom said " ok I want to tell you a little bit about her, and answer your questions. Honey I don't want to just say this ok I just need to do this my way if you can bear with me, I think I'm hoping at least I can make you feel better."
Sydney said "yes please do it how you feel is best." Tom said "ok this girl, she was sweet, gentle, but she was so shy, timid, and it was cause of how her mom abused her, made her feel like she was nobody, and I guess cause she was bullied. She knew exactly how to make me feel better. I mean I could be having a bad day, be in a crappy mood, but a few minutes with her, and she knew how to listen, really listen, and care about what you were saying. I mean you know a lot of people will ask you hey how you doing, and they don't really want a real honest answer." Sydney said "yeah like they don't listen and say oh good or oh too bad, but move on to them." Tom said 'Exactly, well this girl, if she knew that I was hurt upset, she would listen, she would try and cheer me up, she usually did cheer me up. And I always felt bad, that I let her down. That I got more out of our friendship then she did, cause I wasn't there for her"
Sydney said "Tom can I ask you something?" He said "yeah go on ask anything." Sydney said "did I know her. I mean was she there when I was?" Tom said "yeah she was." Sydney said "Then she bullied me, cause everyone in that school bullied me, except well everyone in the school."
Sydney cried. She said "It hurts to hear you talk about her. But it's someone who bullied me." Tom said "no honey she didn't." Sydney said "Tom everyone did, I mean guys like Brad, Steve, Matt, Ryan, all called me names dog face, four eyes, clumsy, loser, stupid, idiot, moron. Then the girls." Tom said "Chelle I'm so sorry. I wish I had known. I would have stopped it. Well I would have tried. So Matt too." Sydney said "yes." Tom said "Dammit. He was my friend. I mean out of all the guys last part of my sophomore year, and then junior and senior year, we hung out all the time. I'm so sorry. I didn't know. Baby I'm so sorry. I mean in Vegas. Dammit it was our honeymoon, you were so happy and we had such a good day, and you were excited about the night, then all of a sudden, you're pale, white. Then you got so sick. I'm so sorry. God you must really hate me baby."
Sydney said "no I don't. I love you." He said "how can you," Sydney said "Tommy I'm still so hurt and like I said I put that away in the past to focus on the present, but being in that gym, and walking in, when you opened that door, I froze, and it all came back, I mean it was like it was going to happen to me again, and when you said you had great times in that gym it set me off." Tom said "I can imagine it did, but I didn't mean dances. I meant basketball games, wrestling, come on baby you know I was a wrestler." Sydney said "I know, but my mind went to that night, opening the door, seeing you kissing her, Anna saying it was all to teach me a lesson, that you joined in, everyone laughing."
Tom said "I'll explain why I did that. But I need to make you see look this girl, was shy, painfully shy, and she didn't have friends, never had a boyfriend, never been kissed, and I knew that if she knew what Steve was going to do, it would have hurt her, destroyed her. I had to stop it."
Sydney said "yeah Steve is such a dirt bag. I mean it's so horrible what he was going to do, so disgusting to take a sex video and put your friend in it." Tom said "honey it wasn't just that, it was he was going to pass it around to the guys, tell them to hit her up for sex, call her say you want to do me too." Sydney said "I'm so sorry Tommy. It's horrible. I can't even imagine." Tom said "and it wasn't just her face honey, they had videos of her naked body, in shower after gym class, walking around the locker room naked cause she didn't have a towel. They were going to show it in an assembly at school." Sydney said "In front of the whole school Tommy I can't even imagine. I mean Tommy that would be horrific, if that would have ever been done to me it would have been the worst thing ever done, I mean how could you ever get over that, you would feel violated and almost raped."
Tom said "I know that." Sydney said "Tommy I feel so horrible, I mean I let Steve touch my ass." He said "you weren't yourself. Don't worry about that ok. It was brief, trust me he paid for it." Sydney said "True he did, you almost sent him to the hospital." Tom grinned.
Sydney said "Tommy I hated doing it. I wanted to break his hand, it took everything in me to not hurt him." Tom said "I know that. I know you." Sydney said "how could you forgive me, and not be mad at me for that. I'm your wife." Tom said "Syd you were upset you were hurt, and you wanted to hurt me. It's ok. I am not mad at you for that ,or anything and there's nothing for me to forgive. At all."
Tom said "honey you're the one who needs forgive me. I get why you didn't tell me, and I get it all why you acted like you did. you snapped. I am so sorry for putting you through that. I am so mad at myself because if I would have just told you her name. then you would have told me you were Michelle and we wouldn't have been there."
Sydney said "Tell me what." Tom said "honey ok back to my guilt, see I hurt this girl, badly, and I thought I could fix it, I went after her to try and explain, but I couldn't find her. I stayed at her house almost all night waiting in my car, knocked on her door, but no answer. Her mom said she never came home. So I went to her job and I tried to find her, but her boss said she had quit, so I went to school, and when she didn't show up, I went to my dad's station, and I asked his old partner to help me try and find her." Sydney said "So you did a trace, like her drivers license, social security." Tom said "yeah I did, but baby there was no trace. It was like she disappeared." Sydney said "So that was when you hired that private eye." Tom said "yeah and about a month later, he called said to meet him that he had information on her, so I went and he gave me this newspaper clipping and this file. So I carried that guilt around with me. I blamed myself for her suicide. I vowed to be a better man, to make sure and stop bullying when I saw it. To defend victims, to help them."
Sydney said "So she's the reason why you wanted to save Kenny and why you saved those girls?" Tom nodded. Sydney said "ok it makes sense." Tom said "I know you're hurt, but here I need to show you something. I won't talk about her any more ok."
Sydney said "Tom so you stopped the video from being shown and the sex tapes from being passed around right." He nodded. he said "yeah I made sure and got all copies, and I kicked Steve's ass." Sydney said "then you aren't to blame for her suicide. You didn't let her down." Tom said "I did let her down. But I am not to blame for her suicide now. I thought I was, but I'm not."
Sydney said "I'm glad that you finally believe that. I know carrying that guilt around over a suicide, had to weigh on you. I'm happy for you that you know. So what made you realize that." Tom said "I'll show you. I know you're hurt talking about her, so I won't tell you about her any more." Sydney said "Thank you. I really can't take much more. I' m sorry."
Tom said "no don't be. Just know I didn't tell you about her to hurt you." Sydney said "I know that." Tom said "honey it was how I thought I needed to explain. I mean so that you get why I did what I did what choice I made."
Sydney said "Tommy it hurts cause I thought we were friends, and this kind of just proves I wasn't ever your friend, and that you I guess it was a joke from the beginning, at my locker, but I want you to know, I am still jealous cause you loved her so much, but I am truly sorry for your loss. I'm sorry she thought she had no choice." Tom said "Chellie no that's not it, will you please look at this." Sydney said "Tom the things before you told me what you and this girl did, it was all things we did, so if you don't remember me, then." Tom said "I remember Michelle, please just look at this. It will make sense to you what I'm trying to say."
Tom got his wallet out of his back pocket. He got out his drivers license, and behind it was a clipping. Sydney said "Please Tommy I don't want to look." He said "Baby please you need to." Sydney said "no I can't. I don't want to know the name. I mean Tommy you said I knew her. That will hurt me even more than Anna, cause you didn't care about Anna and yet you admitted you loved this girl It will be harder on me to know the name, you said I know her.."
Tom said "baby please do this for me. Please. You will understand once you read it. I think you'll understand everything." Sydney said "Tommy please." He said "baby please do this. I promise you will understand. I won't ask you to do anything else." Tom handed her the worn out clipping.
Sydney was crying. She looked at it. She stared at it. It was her picture, her name, her obit. She looked at Tom, then back to the clipping, back to Tom. She said "what I don't Tommy I this oh my God. ok I must just have gotten too hot maybe from being outside, and I guess I'm seeing things, maybe my eye sight or I don't know maybe I'm slowly going crazy."
Tom said "no you're not. You're seeing what you think you are seeing." Sydney said "me." Tom nodded. He had tears in his eye. Sydney said "Tommy me, this is me. Are you saying what are you saying, I'm the girl," Tom said "yes Chellie." Sydney stared at him. She said "I can't believe this. Oh my God are you so I'm the friend, the one you were telling me about, who you said you loved as a friend." Tom said "yes Chellie I was talking about you. When you got all jealous and was all hurt. God I wish I would have just told you her name was Michelle. But I didn't want to upset you." Sydney said "Wait what you loved me, I mean not in love but as a friend." Tom said "yes I realized it after you were gone. You were a huge loss Michelle."
Sydney said "I don't understand Tom how can this be. Where did you get this clipping?" He said "the private eye I hired to find you." Sydney said "where did he get it?" Tom said "he said he saw it online, so you didn't fake your death?" Sydney said "No Tommy God no. oh my God." Tom said "What." Sydney said "Wait you said you went to her grave." Tom nodded. He said "your grave Michelle." Sydney said "what how do I have a grave, how is this possible. I have a grave. What you said that your friend stood in front of a train." Tom nodded. he was crying. He said "yeah that's what I was told, that's what was in the other clipping That you stood in front of a train, that you refused to move. You honey now do you understand."
Sydney said "Oh my God. I don't know what to say" Tom said "So you see why I kept saying this is impossible, that how are you Michelle, you can't be Michelle, you see now why I didn't recognize you, or why I didn't think that it could be you, when you were telling me things. " Sydney said "you thought I was dead." Tom nodded. He said "yeah I mean sure baby, I thought it made me think of you, Chellie, I mean you were describing your mom, your dad, and I was like that sounds like Michelle's mom, but I just figured it was a different family. I mean you said you had never been to Florida. You lived in Dallas. And a lot of kids grow up abused. I thought it was eerie sometimes how you reminded me of Michelle. Little things I mean how you could make me feel better, how you could cheer me up, comfort me, how you had a sweet gentle soul, how you were so shy, so soft spoken, how you put yourself down, don't think you're beautiful. But baby I just thought it was cause you were both raised by a evil woman, and abandoned by a dad,"
Sydney said "Oh my God Tom." Tom said "yeah it still blows my mind baby I mean I spent weekends every Sunday at your grave and at my dad's. I sat there and told you about my week, about my life. I sat there and told you how I missed you, and I wished you were here to talk to me. How I wished I could go back and undo what I did. Never date that bitch Anna."
Sydney said "wait oh my God so please I'm like I think in shock. So can we go back a minute. You are you saying you were wait you said you told me on that case, I cried to Judy and to Booker cause you told me that you loved this girl." Tom nodded. He said "yes I was talking to you about your own self and yes I realized after I lost you, that I did love you as a friend. I'm so sorry Chellie. I should have told you how much you meant to me, I should have found another way to do what I had to do. I have no excuses ok. Except I was 16 and I didn't know what to do." Tom said "baby what do you want me to call you. Sydney or Chellie, Michelle." Sydney said "you can call me Sydney, I'm used to it, and I legally changed my name."
He said "can I is it upsetting you when I call you Chellie?" Sydney said "no it's not. I love it when you called me that." Tom said "can I ask you where you went. It's like you disappeared." Sydney said "I walked to the bus station that night. I called my aunt. My mom's sister. They had a falling out when they were kids, but I begged her, told her my mom was abusing me, a druggie, I was afraid she was going to sell me for drug money, I couldn't take one more minute in this town that I had been bullied, and I feared for my life. So she called the bus station, and paid for my bus ticket with a credit card."
Sydney said "when I got to Dallas, she had a family friend who went to her church, he was a lawyer, he helped me, she and I were afraid that my mom would come looking for me. I mean I was the sole worker in the family. I supported my mom on what little money I had. And my mom hated her sister."
Tom said "Got it, so your name, why did you pick Sydney?" Sydney said "it was my middle name. Michelle Sydney." Tom said "So Kramer." Sydney said " Kramer was my aunt's name. She adopted me."
Sydney said "I can't believe I am I dreaming Tom, have I totally lost my mind. Maybe you do need to commit me." He said "no not unless I am dreaming or crazy too. I mean if you are telling me you are Michelle." Sydney said "I can't, my mind is racing, it's reeling. I have so many questions. I mean everything is hitting me all at once." Tom said "I'm sure it is. Take your time. I'll answer any questions you have." He took her hand and held it.
Sydney said "oh my God so wait are you sure I'm the friend who you were telling me about, or I mean Tom I don't understand." Tom said "Chellie yes I was talking about you, the reason I wanted to stop bullying, the reason I got so upset on that suicide case, the reason why I blame myself, it was you. And all this time baby. I just my mind was totally blown when you were telling me that you were Michelle. My mind was racing, that's why I said give me a minute to process it." I mean I was like in total shock, my Chellie has came back to me, and she's my wife, but then horror set in when I realized I had lost you, that you wanted a divorce, and you wouldn't listen to me to let me tell you."
Tom smiled. He said "You know you told me that night in our dorm room and you told me tonight, that you were jealous of her cause you thought if she wouldn't have killed herself, she and I would have ended up together. Well you were right, we did end up together. You want to talk about fate baby. That is us for sure." Sydney said "yeah oh My God, but wait Tommy. You said there was a sex tape, with your friend and Steve, I mean with her face. So but and a shower video." Tom nodded. He said "you know I've hated that son of a bitch ass hole ever since then, but now I despise that man. I will make him pay. ."
Sydney said "no wait Tom I don't follow. I'm not. Oh God it is true, I mean they stole my clothes and burned them, they stole my towels, I would have to hide in the locker room. I got swats for it. I got detention. I got fired from a job cause I had to stay after school. They filmed me." Tom nodded.
Sydney said "Oh my God I'm going to be sick." She ran to the bathroom, and was throwing up. Tom came after her, so did Abby. Tom said "Sydney honey." Sydney said "They filmed me and was put it in school assembly. Oh my God Tom. Oh my God oh my God oh my God." She threw up. Tom said "Chellie. I know it's a horrific shock."
Sydney said "Tom you mean every guy in that room Friday night has seen me naked. Oh my God. How will I ever live with that." She was crying and throwing up. Tom said "no baby. I mean yeah Steve. That son of a bitch I swear I'm going to kill him. He's seen my wife naked." Sydney said 'you said the assembly, the whole school."
Tom said "right that's why I had to do it I had to to get that tape, to get both the sex tape, and the shower tape. I had no choice. baby please say you understand. I know I messed up. I was only 16. I didn't know what to do except do what they said. I made them pay afterwards. But I had to go along with it."
Sydney said "ok let's go back and sit on the bed." Tom helped her. Abby got on her lap. Sydney said "ok please I'm like in shock. My mind is racing. Remembering everything you said about your friend, and then realizing it was me." Tom said "yeah it was you I was talking about." Sydney said "ok can you start from the beginning please so that I can understand. I'm sorry, This is just I my mind is blown. Never in a billion years would did I think that so wait what you said you went to your friend's house. You went looking for me at my house, you spent the night out front." Tom said "yes Michelle. I wanted to explain. I wanted to tell you I had no choice. I wanted to tell you about the video and assure you that I got it and that was the only reason why I hurt you."
Sydney cried sobbed. He was crying too, and held her. She cried on his shoulder. She said "Sorry this is just all of it is hitting me. You looked for me. You said you loved me, me Michelle." He said "yes Michelle. Not in love. But you're the only friend I've ever loved. And I took your friendship for granted I guess. Cause I didn't realize till you were gone." Sydney said "oh my God wait, Anna I asked her if she knew who your friend was. She said yes. So she knew I'm the friend." Tom said "yes honey."
Sydney said "So can you please just start from beginning. Anna wanted teach me a lesson." Tom said "yeah because I had spent the whole time she was gone with you, cause I was grieving so hard, and the only time I felt peace was when I was with you. Chellie I wouldn't have gotten through my dad's death if it wasn't for you. So anyway she came home she look baby I don't want to hurt you. I was a jerk ok. I was a horny teenage boy, who was attracted to big breasts, and sex ok. I'm sorry I didn't fall in love with you. I'm sorry. I mean I thought you were beautiful, but I guess not like oh look at those breasts, cause you hid yours. You had self esteem issues. You I just didn't think about having sex with you ok. I'm sorry. Baby you have got to believe me. I regret ever meeting Anna. Ever having sex with her. I hated her after that night."
Sydney said "wait wait wait you told me once that you only dated her like 6 months, 10th grade year, that you dumped her. Erin said that you dumped her and hated her and that she was begging you to take her back, promising you she would do anything, she was desperate to get you back." Tom nodded. he said "yeah I dumped her at the prom." Sydney said "What the prom that prom?" Tom said "Right after you left. Once I got the tape and the videos I kicked Steve's ass, and I dumped Anna called her a bitch, called her a whore, told her I hated her, and that I never wanted to talk to her again, and I didn't. Except to tell her to leave Erin alone."
Sydney said "ok go back I'm sorry I'm all over the place." Tom said "no I totally get it. I'll answer any questions you have." Sydney said "ok she came back mad." Tom said "yeah her friends had told her and so I was grieving, I was a horny teenager and I wanted sex, so I went over to hook up, and she refused. Said that she wouldn't have sex with me because of what she had heard. I told her you were just my good friend, but she didn't care. She wanted teach you a lesson, said that she wouldn't have sex with me, unless I played a little joke. I didn't want to, but I said ok I'll do it, thinking that I could maybe let you down easy, or talk her out of it."
Sydney said "so she wanted you to set me up ask me to the prom then all the while you would take her." Tom said "yeah but baby you got to believe me. I wouldn't have agreed but I thought she just meant ask you then not take you. So I thought ok I don't want to do this, but I really want sex, so I'll agree to it, and then I can just tell you like a month before prom, hey I'm sorry but Anna and I are back together."
Sydney said "but Anna said no to that" Tom said "right after I agreed, I decided I didn't want to hurt you like that, but then Anna made it clear to me. That if I didn't do it you would pay the price. When she told me how it was going to go down, that I was actually supposed to make you walk to prom alone, and I'd be there and kiss her. She had her friend watching for you. When I refused, she told me to come over she had something to show to me. When I got there, she made it clear if I refused what would happen. She said Steve had one of his sex tapes to show me. It made me sick, cause it was him, and it was you. I mean it wasn't you. He put your face in it to make it look like it was you. Syd he was having you doing things I mean things you'd never haven't done to me and I'm your husband ok. I couldn't let that tape get out. I mean baby I knew it would devastate you. I first thought I could just kick his ass till he gave me the tape, but he said that wouldn't work Cause he said that he had a second tape and it was in his dad's office. That if I touched him he'd get that tape. They said if I didn't do it, that tape would be all over, guys would see it, think it was you, and they would call you up, show up at your house. Chellie I knew how you were upset about your mom having sex, how you were scared of those guys that she brought home. You called and talked to me when they were over. I knew you would have been horrified but scared if guys started showing up asking for sex. I couldn't let them do that to you."
Sydney said "oh God Tom I had no idea." Tom said "honey I wanted to try and explain. I thought I could, take you somewhere and we could talk, and I could let you know what I had to do and why, and I tried but you remember I took you to the beach, so we could talk, and I said I had something I needed tell you, and then" Sydney said "yeah you got a phone call, you were upset about the call, and said you had to go right then." Tom said "yeah it was Anna. She had bugged you. I mean she had put a listening device attached it in your purse, and on your clothes, when you weren't looking, she heard us talking, she said that if I told you, the sex tapes and shower tapes would be shown."