Biding my time

Off we went to Varna to collect the car and take a break away from it all. Valeri was in good spirits so I felt safe for the timebeing.

The car was fixed and running well. It had cost me over 2200 levs(approx £1000) to get it on the road again but I saw it as a means to an end.

After picking it up we set off to Albena as Valeri wanted to register to play in a tennis tournament that was being held there. I was happy to go along with it as I thought he would be less likely to start on me if he had something to focus on.

Valeri was an excellent tennis player and for as long as he could remember he just wanted to play tennis but he was of the opinion that this dream had been  blocked by his family and friends over the years.

Valeri had in the past accused me of not wanting him to be happy and sabotaging his dreams too so this was the perfect opportunity to show him that I was supporting him to achieve his dream which to be fair I felt I had always done. Perhaps his family and friends had too but he did not see it that way!

I had bought him a very expensive tennis racket under duress a few months earlier which he  admitted to me at a later date was not the price he had told me it was and I presume that he had gambled the extra few hundred lev away but I never pushed him on that.. I had also bought him expensive tennis shoes and balls which I hoped now would be used so if that was not being supportive of his dream to play tennis then I dont know what else would be accept to get him to the tournament.

We stayed in a guest house near by in Kranevo for a few days which was cheap and all was ok.  He was in a good place and felt better being out of Byala as did I.

He made all kinds of promises that he would be a better person and not hurt me again as he was now sure that I was not out to sabotage him but I took this with a pinch of salt!

Valeri arranged to have some tennis lessons which I of course was expected to pay for but I just went along with it as while he was focused on tennis, he was not so focused on me and did not have time to get himself into a state of paranoia which would inevitably lead to him being aggressive and horrible to me.

It had been a week and he hadnt had a wobble and had been fairly consistent with his upbeat mood, mainly because I was going along with his every need and demands such as not allowing Lula on the bed, eating where he suggested and what he wanted, planning everything around his needs and what he wanted to do.

Also we were in a guest house full of people so he had to contain his aggression so instead of flare up, one night when he was getting agitated and started, I only had to say to him please dont do this as you promised you wouldnt and instead of continue, he just walked out taking the car and returned in the early hours the next day.

This suited me just fine and I went to sleep and when he returned about 5am  he was in a better place but insisted on waking me up to tell me about the fun night he had had in Golden Sands. I think partly he wanted to make me jealous and feel insecure but I was not in the slightest bit bothered about where he had been or what he got up to but nevertheless I showed an interest and said I was glad he had fun...

To be fair, he was upbeat and on top form, the Valeri who I loved being around as he was witty, positive and all smiles and laughter when relaying the events of the evening with his amusing spin on the story. He said that he wished I had been there and that he wanted us to go together in the next few days which I agreed to.

The next morning we were due to leave but he slept in so I packed up our things and went to load the car which he had parked practically on top of a bush!

When we went to leave the car would not start! I couldn't help but think that it was down to him and how he had driven it the night before based on the way it was parked  but I did not say that to him.  I didnt get chance as before I could say anything, he flew off the handle and told me that he knew I thought he had done it but it was nothing to do with him so I was to stop this bullshit now before I made him angry! Of course I just kept my mouth shut and said I was not thinking anything of the sort!

I suggested that we call the garage who had just repaired it as after paying all that money it was clearly not fixed but he told me it was pointless as they had probably ripped me off and knew this would happen to rip me off again!!

We bump started in the end and went on our way to the next place we were staying but the car was not sounding or driving as it was before.

No surprise really that we ended up breaking down in the middle of nowhere later that day around 7pm when we bumped started it again to go to a restaurant in a small sea village. The car was clearly now fucked and was smoking!

This escalated into a few blown argument when Valeri then turned the tables on me by saying it was my fault as I should never have bought the car in the first place! He then continued with telling me that I had no respect for money and did not look after and care for the things I had including the car so it was my own fault for it now being broken down...

I could take no more so I got out of the car and walked away. He shouted after me to come back right away but I carried on walking and then I turned and said to him FUCK YOU!

I quickly followed up by saying that I was not going to argue and was going to walk to the nearest place to try and find a way back to our room until I could sort it the next day. He followed behind still uttering abuse and insults until we reached a restaurant about a mile away.

Valeri was still being horrible but he did go into the restaurant and appeared after 10 mins with a man who was luckily a mechanic and had agreed to take a look at the car..

I stayed at the restaurant while they went back and when they returned Valeri advised that we would have to leave it for tonight and the mechanic would drive us home and fix it tomorrow as it needed a new radiator..

Valeri was back to being nice when I thanked him for sorting it out and getting us home and he was even sympathetic that after I had just had it fixed and paid so much for it that this had now happened.

I hoped that the next day it would be sorted and I would have the car back working again and Valeri was sure that this would be the case now he had come to the rescue and was taking control of it all.