Hard love - Love, belonging, differences

by Edit Torma

  - We picked up on the photos they’ve taken of you and we’ve got an idea about how could you popularize your foundation – and how were these two things connected with each other? – Heni was even more wondering.

  - And how? – she asked surprised.

  - We were considering of taking photos of you in swimsuit. That way men also will pick up on you and they may see to your foundation so more givers could be – Heni couldn’t even begin to speak through some seconds. As an addition, the man had to continue it – It fascinated people that how much soon you regained your shape after childbirth and people praise your beauty too.

  - Really? – Heni laughed shyly. She couldn’t say anything more.

  - So what do you say to that? Will you accept taking photos?

  - Well, I don’t know… It came so suddenly.

  - You would like me to call you back later?

  - It’s not necessary. Ok. I’ll accept it.

  23

  Laurence was just telling about how well Delilah was bearing up her first day at school, and then he realized how happy Heni was.

  - I also missed something while I wasn’t at home?

  - Imagine what happened! I was just thinking of two years later Heni already will go to school! It was so incredible to think of this and I was so happy about I will be so young when I will be a mom of a schoolgirl, and just like they would see through my thoughts, a guy called me who thought of me like a completely young girl! – she was smiling happily.

  - And you’re happy about this? Didn’t he nag you? – the man was shocked.

  - Certainly not! – she was laughing – He just offered me to taking photos of me in swimsuit to popularize the foundation in men’s circles too.

  - And what did you say?

  - I was completely surprised! – she was laughing again – I didn’t count on this. Only because some people like me and I’m a movie star’s wife? Surely because almost every world star’s can only have star wives.

  - But what did you answer to the offer?

  - Of course I said yes! – she was rejoicing about this – I didn’t count on I will have a chance for anything like this, being in my age! When I was a teen, I would like to be a model, but I was too small, fat and shy to this. Now I can experience something similar during taking photos!

  - Is it surely a good idea? What this has to do with your foundation?

  - I’ve already say this. I’m going to advertise this in other circles too. That man said that they’ll see to what kind of foundation I set up so they also can give.

  - But these “other circles” won’t be something perverted swines, will they? And later they’ll ask you to yield consent to taking photos in lingerie and nude… - Laurence was afraid already in advance. He didn’t want to suffer this again what he has suffered because of Montana. He couldn’t lose also his wife. Even if Heni isn’t going to fall into depravity, maybe other men would want her and one of them could be succeed to get her…

  - You know that I’m not going to accept anything like this!

  - OK, I would like to be there at those taking photos. I won’t let them to try to take something vulgar photos of you.

  - In the end it will be easier if two of us will protest against this if they want something like this – Heni agreed.

  Because of Laurence’s presence, the photographer wasn’t trying to persuade her to take her bikini top off even only with back on the camera or drawing downer one side of the bikini bottom with one of her hands or to wear very little swimsuit. The photos were duly restrained; they showed only as much as it was necessary. And when they appeared, even more people began to give money to the foundation. Some middle-aged, mostly old women said she shouldn’t undress for a good cause. But in what does it differ from that people go to the beach? As an addition, her mother was calling her now! She was quite capable phoning her from Hungary to began scolding her like a child!

  - Yes, Mom, I go to the Kingdom Hall.

  - And do you preach a sermon too?

  - No, Mom, I haven’t been christened yet.

  - And why not?

  - Mom, I have two babies and a kindergarten child! They take up a lot of time of me!

  - In spite of this, you had enough time for that undressing.

  - That didn’t take so much time. Besides, you don’t undress on beaches???

  - Well…

  - As an addition, I did it to help people. And because I could taste being a model at last …

  - Well, OK, now, when I called you, let’s talking about anything else too. I’ve seen you on TV that Laurence got his first Oscar and the TV camera was showing you too. I was seeing that you were pretty much exciting and you looked like a teen girl in that little-girlish dress next to Laurence. You could choose a better dress too.

  - I know, they’ve written this on the net and in a magazine too, I’ve talked this over with Laurence too, I don’ want you to talk about this!

  - Well, it wasn’t a good impression at the first awards ceremony you took part in.

  - Give me a break! You could see I was how much exciting without this thing too! I almost fainted!

  - Well, OK, I can imagine this. And what way were you celebrating? Not in something depraved company, were you?

  - Mom, you said we will be talking about something else?

  - So you won’t even answer?

  - No, everybody was pretty normal! Mom, Laurence is a middle-aged guy, he doesn’t take part in depraved teen parties!

  - So that’s OK. I’ve seen on Facebook the little Henike how much has grew. It’s unbelievable that I already have a so big grandchild like this! – she was laughing – When will you come at last to show me Loretta and the little Laurence?

  - Mom, Laurence is a world-famous movie star! He isn’t going to travel to Tatabánya with her wife to show his children to their grandparents!

  - So come alone with the children! As an addition, I have seen Henike still personally only once! And you could sometimes call us; it’s very expensive for us to telephone to America from here!

  - OK, I’ll call you back now.

  - OK, but I’ll put you through to Dad.

  - Ok. Bye.

  - Bye! Look after yourself and the children! – they finished the conversation and Heni called her back how they agreed with each other on this.

  - Hi.

  - Hello! So didn’t Laurence tick off from your photos? – her father began to speak.

  - Why would he ticked off? – Heni was who ticked off instead of him – Besides, he was also there to they don’t try to persuade me to do anything what I didn’t want to!

  - Well, I thought that it couldn’t be gratilying him that already didn’t only her daughter undresses but also his wife…

  - Don’t say „undress”! I only changed my clothes to bikini like I would be on a beach! – Heni was indignant.

  - And also, you were posturing pretty much.

  - Any photos isn’t vulgar at all!Or you think they’re vulgar?!

  - OK, you’re right. And can you still control the children? – he was smiling.

  - Now, when Laurence is at home again, it’s much easier – Heni talked to Tímea too and the little Heni also talked to her grandparents and to her aunt.

  24

  - Today I talked to my parents and to my sister – Heni said during going to sleep – It’s so queer to talk to them, we talk to each other so rarely and they take back my old life’s reminiscences.

  - And is it positive or negative experience?

  - My parents didn’t change at all. They’re as irritating and quarrelsome as they were.

  - You surely got a lot of thing from them. And I don’t mean bad things. For ecample I have my mother thank for I reached there in my life. I still used to hate then that she constantly used to drag me to the actin gcourses but if she didn’t do it, we didn’t meet either.

  - It’s so good that I alreay live with you! I love my parents too but you are who I love the most in the wo
rld an dtaht thing that I have talked to them again, remembered me of my old life when you still didn’t even know that I exist – she was stroking Laurence’s chelst – I have met them only two years ago last but I missed you so much through six years! – Heni embreaced her husband and she continued stroking the man’s chest and arms and Laurence was stroking his wife’s face and back durin these.

  - I’ve considered about what you said – Heni bagan to speak next day, during having lunch.

  - Why, what did I say? – Laurence asked.

  - Nothing, just it came into my mind how much proud I was of my daddy because of his two colege graduetes and I almost every time used to listen to his advice because he was so smart, he used to give a relation every time, about everything what just croped up, he could talk so much about everything. But I have also my mother thought for the most because she acquainted me with this religion.

  - What’s your religion?

  - This is what I mean! I hardly deal with it. I also will forget this in the end! Now, when you’re also at home, and help me to lok after the children, I could pass the Bible exam at last and I could be christened in order to can preach a sermon!

  - I thinik your mom said it to you.

  - She only asked me if I preach a sermon and I said I still haven’t have enough time to be christened because of the children but when I answered to my dad that I already had more time, it came into my mind that I already could pass the exam.

  - We don’t know how much time this period take when I’m at home. I can whenever get a new role in a movie and then you will be alone with the children again.

  - But I will utilize this time, it will maybe enough, if not, I will try it at the next chance when you will be at home or I will ask Jenny for more help then usual to look after the children.

  Heni brushed her knowledge of Bible up and passed the exam. Laurence was in Africa as UNICEF ambassador just then, when her wife was christened. heni began to go to preach a sermon so she used Jenny’s babysitting more times and when she was at home, systematically teached the little Heni the Bible too. After Laurence came home, he got a role in a movie.

  When Laurence was already on filming, a man called Heni in his flat when she was preaching a shermon. This was the last location that day and her companion had another duty so he didn’t have time to go in. Heni was happy about they have found an inquirer at last. But what happened then, was rather scary.

  - I was looking forward this moment since I saw you in that magazine! – the man said when he pushed her to the wall. Heni tryied to push him aside to get away – What happaned you bitch? You were so temting in that bikini yet – he tried to tear her clothes off and Heni shouted for help and overturned the table to him. An old neighbour, who was wearing blue-ish green dress, came into the flat and asked what happaned – The lady just got very frightened because I overturned the table to myself by chance – Heni couldn’t even begin to speak by the consternation. The neighbour left, Heni was trying to get away again but the man already holded her arms and feet on, he was caressing her breasts and kissing her neck and chest. Heni was shouting again, then another neighbour, a younger, blond man knocked on the door and came in. When the man let Heni go, she striked a vase to him, still before his very eyes, and ran away. She was running home with fuzzy make-up, then called Laurence because she wanted to hear his voice to calm her down and because she thought he would make a businiess from this if she told him only later what happened. The man left the filming and went home to Heni who already tidied her look and she was just trying forget the events in front of the TV.

  25

  - I’ve told you that you wouldn’t have to come home because of this. You can see that I’m alrady OK – but this wasn’t the usual happy welcome either while they didn’t meet for weeks. Only Heni’s glassy look was there instead of the happy welcome.

  - It doesen’t seem to be ike that to me.

  - It’s so good that you’re here! – she was running into her husbands arms and tears were flowing on her face again.

  - Have you called the police department yet? – Laurence asked during stroking his wife’s hair and they were still embracing each other. heni shaked her head – OK, I’ll call them – then the bell rang. Laurence answered the door, Heni was staying in the middle of the living-room. It was the police department. laurence didn’t understand this. Heni said she didn’t call the police.

  - Good afternoon. I regret this is the situation when we have to meet a big star like this but we have to take your wife to the police station.

  - Since when have you arrest those who was already raped?

  - We don’t know what rape are you talking about. What we know, is that she alegedly caused a serious head injury to a certain man who reported her.

  - I don’t believe it! I came home from a filming to be next to my wife who was frightened to death because they almost raped her! – Laurence shouted.

  - Maybe it’s true but that man sustained a serious head injury when your wife defended herself from this. If you will report him, we can may arrest him too after he recovers. If he will recover at all – Heni was even more trembling and even more pale like a dead person by this. They marched her off and they seat her into the police car. They interrogated her in the police station and she told everything precisely that way how it happened – Do you want to report him?

  - I wanted to help those unlucky girls by this taking photos! How can anybody abuse this?! Yes, I want that man if we can name man at all, to being put to prison! But I hope he won’t die because I couldn’t forgive even myself if I killed somebody! I went there exactly to save that man too! – she was sobbing.

  It wasn’t even necessary to tel them what happened because the two stories were the same.

  - We still can’t let you go til we’re interrogate the two neighbours, we can’t say anything more for the time being – they ran her into the cell and summoned the neighbours.

  Heni couldn’t believe that she was in a cell. Mainly that she maybe will a murderer soon. She never could absorb the fact that somebody died because of her. And also, she hadn’t even time to make him to turn over unbelieving. He will turn into an object because of her, a human will stop like he wouldn’t even be born. Forever. Without resurrection. She was constantly keeping asking questioning herself why didn’t she hit him less. But she couldn’t thinking in that moment. The only thing she knew was that she wanted fleeing. She never could imagine to be in any intimate connection with anybody, even voluntarily who wasn’t Laurence. Even is she was married, even if she wasn’t.

  The neighbours arrived. They interrogated them one by one too. The old, blue-ish green dressed woman sat down to Heni’s place first.

  - Is she who you saw with your neighbour? – they showed a photo of Heni to her.

  - Yes, she is. I remember of her because I’ve seen her on TV too.

  - And what did you see when you came into the flat?

  - I saw my neighbour while he was climbing out of the table and he said he overturned it to himself by chance and this was why the girl shouted.

  - Didn’t you hear the noise when the table overtuned?

  - I did hear something, I think that was this.

  - Was it before or after the shouting?

  - I don’t know, I don’t remember.

  - Overwork yourself please, this is very important!

  - I think she shouted before it. I don’t think that nice girl would lie, mainly about that big that they almost raped her. And that young man…

  - How do you know him?

  - We haven’ met too much but I think he can be something sexaholic because women always have rambled through his door into and out of his flat.

  - Thank you, you helped a lot with this.

  Then it was the blond man’s turn.

  - Is she that woman who saw at your neighbour?

  - Yes, she is.

  - Would you tell me what happened in that kitchen?

  - It was pretty unambig
uous. The guy was just trying to rape her and she knocked him down in order to can get away so she succeeded to run away.

  26

  Laurence was startedly sitting in the living-room through lon thime after they took her away. Later he took measures in order to the world get to know also the reason of Heni attacked that man. As an addition, it wasn’t her who attacked him. She just defended herself. He informed the press about they would rape his wife if she didn’t knock him down with that vase and that the police department also surely will find it out and to don’t rumour anything else, till then neither.

  The little Laurence and Loretta began crying like they woulf feel the tension. Then Heni wasn’t there to look after them, although, Laurence also looked after them sometimes. He still felt this situation surreal that her wife was in custody. It came into his mind that it was the time for them to having a bath and sleeping so he bathed and put them toi sleep but they were still crying and it took more time for them as usual to calm down and fall asleep. By his actor’s talent, he was trying not to showing before the children how much nervous he was. It seemed like it was efficient because the little Heni didn’t realize anything of this all thing when he took her home from the nursery school. The reason of Loretta and the little Laurence were so restless, was surely that the man couldn’t paying attention to them with one hundred percent, only Heni was on his mind, that they arrestd her while she was innocent.

  He called one of his friends and told him what happened to Heni. Ne needed someone ho he could talking to about this.

  - Where is Mom? – the little Heni was coming out of her room when Laurence just finished the conversation.

  - She’s not at home now – the man answered tensely. He just began calming down, then he had to face their child didn’t know and also couldn’t get to knoww what Heni got involved in.