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Ms. Bows:
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Hello, Doctor.
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Dr. Balis:
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Hello, Sylvia. Hmm. Are you feeling okay?
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Ms. Bows:
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It's been a hard week, Doctor.
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Dr. Balis:
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The twins?
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Ms. Bows:
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That too. I'm getting very tired now. Days seem to grow longer and harder. Sometimes I feel like this pregnancy will never end.
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Dr. Balis:
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You're at 34 weeks for one and 32 for the other. I think the end is nearer than you think.
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Ms. Bows:
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I try to look at it that way too. But I'm just so big and so uncomfortable. And I'm understating the uncomfortable. But it's not just that.
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Dr. Balis:
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Oh?
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Ms. Bows:
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It's Tom.
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Dr. Balis:
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Hmm.
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Ms. Bows:
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And it's Richard. It's like they waited for this week...god, don't they have any compassion? I was beginning to feel like Tom really cared about me and the boys.
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Dr. Balis:
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What happened?
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Ms. Bows:
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Just everything. Well it started with Richard showing up at Rene's.
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Dr. Balis:
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What did he want?
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Ms. Bows:
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He wanted to know just exactly what was going on between Tom and me.
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Dr. Balis:
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At one point we discussed that you and Richard needed to have a talk about your situation. You never did that?
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Ms. Bows:
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No. It just never happened.
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Dr. Balis:
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So what did Rene say to Richard?
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Ms. Bows:
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Basically she told him that, against her better judgment, Tom and I are attempting to reconcile. Rene said that even though she was against it, I wanted to reconcile to create a family for the boys.
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Dr. Balis:
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Sounds like Rene is really against this.
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Ms. Bows:
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She is. And she let her opinion be known. But she does think that we need to put some kind of closure on our relationship, just for our own peace of mind--even if it won't work.
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Dr. Balis:
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So trying to make it work is putting closure on a relationship?
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Ms. Bows:
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Rene really means well and I hope, with time, she'll see that she might have been wrong about this. Although the whole thing is rather moot.
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Dr. Balis:
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Moot? I interrupted your story. How did Richard react?
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Ms. Bows:
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Rene said that he turned ashen and stood there completely frozen until Rene finished telling him about Tom and me. Then he thanked her and left.
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Dr. Balis:
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Did he try to contact you?
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Ms. Bows:
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He called me that evening and asked if I loved Tom.
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Dr. Balis:
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What did you tell him?
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Ms. Bows:
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I told him that if he wanted to know if I wanted to get back together with Tom, the answer was yes. He hung up.
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Dr. Balis:
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But you never answered his question Sylvia. Do you love Tom?
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Ms. Bows:
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Doctor you keep pressing me on this issue too and for now I don't...I just don't want...let's just drop it. Really Doctor, I don't want to talk about it.
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Dr. Balis:
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At some point you will have to answer this question, even if only to yourself.
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Ms. Bows:
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I know. But not now.
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Dr. Balis:
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Okay. Let's move on. I'm rather surprised that Richard let you go just like that. Didn't you tell me that he believes that the twins are his?
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Ms. Bows:
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Richard didn't let it go at that, Doctor. He is suing me for the custody of the boys.
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Dr. Balis:
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What?!
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Ms. Bows:
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Richard thinks that he can prove that he is the genetic father of my twins.
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Dr. Balis:
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But since you were and are still legally married to Tom...
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Ms. Bows:
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His argument is that I made him believe that Tom and I were in the process of getting a divorce. And that I accepted his marriage proposal.
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Dr. Balis:
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Did you?
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Ms. Bows:
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Of course not. Sure we...he talked about it. But I was and am still married to Tom and I hope to stay that way.
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Dr. Balis:
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Do you think that Richard has a chance of getting the twins?
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Ms. Bows:
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Oh God. I don't know. He is using the same arguments as Tom--I'm irresponsible, I'll jeopardize the happiness of these children by keeping them in a loveless home, and so on. Richard even implied that Tom might do harm to them as a revenge for my indiscretions. And then he listed most of the men I slept with and the approximate dates.
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Dr. Balis:
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I don't see how that information is in his favor.
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Ms. Bows:
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His suit is full of tables of probabilities with the conclusion that he, Richard, is the only possible father.
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Dr. Balis:
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Wouldn't the DNA testing prove that conclusively?
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Ms. Bows:
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It probably would. But I think he has to try to convince the judge there is a reason to go that far. But I don't really care about that right now.
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Dr. Balis:
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It's Tom, isn't it?
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Ms. Bows:
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He saw the suit.
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Dr. Balis:
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I imagine he didn't take it well.
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Ms. Bows:
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It's worse than that Doctor. For some bizarre reason he assumed that Richard was the only one.
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Dr. Balis:
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The only one who could be the father?
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Ms. Bows:
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No. The only one period.
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Dr. Balis:
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You mean Tom thought that you only had one affair--with Richard? And that there was no one else?
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Ms. Bows:
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I don't know why he thought that. I never said anything to indicate that I chose Richard as the father. I specifically wanted the parenthood of the babies to be ambiguous. I didn't even keep track--I didn't want to know who the father was.
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Dr. Balis:
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But Tom thought you chose Richard.
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Ms. Bows:
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I don't know why it should be such an issue. I would think that having multiple one-night stands is better.
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Dr. Balis:
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Better for Tom?
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Ms. Bows:
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Sure. It proves that I didn't particularly care about any of them.
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Dr. Balis:
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Tom clearly doesn't see it that way. Maybe that's why Richard put in that information--to try to break up your reconciliation with Tom.
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Ms. Bows:
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It's like Tom lost any feelings or respect he had for me just by looking at that stupid chart. He said that he had tried desperately to understand me and to forgive me. But that now there was nothing to forgive--I was nothing more that a whore and had just acted my nature. Doctor, he was so cold, so distant. It's like the bridge that we were so carefully building collapsed with one stroke into an impassable chasm. He told me that he wishes me luck with the birth and that once they're born he fully intends taking custody of the boys. He said that I could stay here at the house until I go into the delivery and that he expects that I won't come back here after I leave the hospital. I feel like my head is about to explode, Doctor.
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Dr. Balis:
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Did you try to talk to Tom again?
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Ms. Bows:
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He left. I don't know where he is. I keep saying to Maria that I desperately need to speak with him.
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Dr. Balis:
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You think Maria knows where Tom is?
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Ms. Bows:
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He hired her. I assume she tells him everything.
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Dr. Balis:
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I see.
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Ms. Bows:
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I don't know what to do, Doctor. I feel helpless--completely out of control. I want to go look for him but I'm trapped here. Trapped!
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Dr. Balis:
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Look, Sylvia. I know you feel overwhelmed right now. But your priority is still the twins. You have to take a deep breath and put this on hold for the next couple of weeks until they are born. All of this...no, look at me Sylvia! All of this, Tom and Richard, can wait. Tom is reacting to unexpected news. He'll get over it. He needs time to appreciate the situation and learn to live with it. His current reaction is not necessarily how he'll end up thinking and feeling on this issue. But he needs time. Let it be for now. Concentrate on the boys.
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Ms. Bows:
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It's easy for you to say this, Doctor. But...
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Dr. Balis:
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That's not important. You know that. You are an extremely intelligent woman, Sylvia. Please try to look at your situation from another perspective. You and Tom were beginning to find each other again. Tom is reacting to something that happened in the past and that he was already willing to forgive you for. Just let it rest for now.
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Ms. Bows:
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You make me feel better, Doctor. But when you're gone and not by my side talking to me and calming me down, I'll have to face another night alone.
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Dr. Balis:
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I know it's hard, Sylvia. But you can do this. You can get though it.
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Ms. Bows:
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I know it's going to sound comical Doctor, but I've got to get some food. Let's just end now. Okay?
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Dr. Balis:
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Sure, if you like. Just please call me, day or night. I promise to be here for you.
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Ms. Bows:
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Thank you Doctor.
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Dr. Balis:
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Goodbye Sylvia. If I have an opportunity to talk to Tom, do I have your permission to talk about some of these issues?
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Ms. Bows:
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Oh yes, Doctor. That would be great. Explain it to him, won't you?
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Dr. Balis:
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Let me think about it, Sylvia. But I really think you need to relax. I'm not sure if Dr. Malleson would approve, but I don't think a glass of wine each night would be amiss.
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Ms. Bows:
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Thank you, Doctor. Goodbye.
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Dr. Balis:
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Goodbye, Sylvia.
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###
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Doctor Balis' Notes on this Session
Transcripts of Sylvia Bows' Therapy Sessions
