7. Chapter 7
Kaitlyn
I pull into my dad's driveway. I know he's at work, and he said Helen is out shopping, so it's just Linda and her little spawn of Satan here right now. Sitting in the pit of my stomach, is a big knot of dread.
Maybe, I should have listened to Dana and Gray and just not done this. What is the point?
Even though this is more my house than hers, I was born and lived here my whole childhood, but I still feel like a stranger. So, I knock, and she opens the door, as her face goes cold. She steps aside for me to come in.
"Your dad isn't here," she says.
"I know he's at work. I'm here to see you."
"Why?"
"I want to take you to lunch."
"I have no interest in going to lunch with you," she snaps.
Taking a deep breath, I try not to lose my cool. I'm doing this for Dad.
"Why not?" I ask her.
She laughs, but it's more of an I can't fucking believe you laugh than a ha ha funny laugh.
"You are unbelievable," she says.
"Listen, you and your mom moved into my house, and I was nothing but nice to you, even after all these years of you treating me like shit. Now, I’ll ask you again. Why don’t you want to go to lunch with me?"
"Because I’m stuck here taking care of my mom and your dad, while you are off having a life." She uses air quotes around having a life.
I stand there in shock. There’s only so much I can take, and the doing this for my dad thing is ridiculous. Then, my shock quickly turns to anger.
"You aren't taking care of anyone, you spoiled brat! You and your mom are both here mooching off my dad with your son, who no one knows who the father is, and who is the most horrible kid I've ever known. He’s so fucking spoiled that he's been expelled from three kindergartens!" I yell.
I turn and slam the door behind me, which is followed by Zion’s screams, as I storm off to my car.
Once I get in and drive out to the main road, I stop to catch my breath.
That didn't go well at all. I guess I should tell my dad, before he hears about it from the step monsters. If I had to guess, I’m sure Linda is on the phone with her mom right now, figuring out how to spin the story.
Making the fifteen-minute drive to Dad’s office, I head straight to his office and close the door behind me.
"I went to talk to Linda," I say, as I sit down.
"How did it go?" He asks.
I guess he hasn't talked to Helen or Linda yet. Thank God for small miracles, but that doesn't erase any of my anger or hurt.
"Well, since you lied about her even caring that Zion broke the most important thing I had left of Mom, I'm sure you know how it went."
No matter how much I try, I can't rein it in. I'm still mad, as I recap our conversation down to my parting jab and the door slam. As soon as I'm done, I burst into tears.
All the years of holding it in for my dad, it just comes out. I can't do this anymore. I can't be strong. Now, I'm a grown woman, an adult, and I’m done being a pushover. When I'm at Oakside, I'm this strong woman and nurse that helps even the most hardened patients, and I take pride in that.
Then, I come home, and I'm this pushover, letting these two walk all over me.
I hate myself for it and cry even more. I'm done, and I want to be that woman at Oakside all the time. No more backing down. When I make that decision, I swear I can hear my mom saying how proud of me she is. That’s what gives me the strength to look up at my dad and wipe the tears from my face.
When I finally look up at him, Dad's eyes go wide, because I’m normally so levelheaded. In fact, I know only one other time that I went off on someone like this, and it was when I was in tenth grade.
"I'm sure you just misunderstood what she said," Dad says.
Of course, he's going to stick up for them, because he has no idea how horrible they have truly been to me. That's on me, but I'm not taking it anymore.
"No, I'm sure I didn't, but fine stick up for her yet again," I say and stand up. "I know you still talk to Grayson, so maybe, you should ask him what drove us apart all those years ago. You seem to trust his word over mine." For the second time today, I walk out of a room without looking back.
This time I don't slam the door. I just go straight to the elevator and ignore my dad, calling my name behind me.
Going straight ahead, I cross the parking lot to Grayson's building. I need someone on my side right now no matter how wrong I may be, but I don't feel like I'm mistaken in this. I know Dana is spending time with her soon to be in-laws, and I don't want to drag down her pre-wedding bliss.
Plus, if I'm being honest, I want nothing more than to be in Grayson's arms right now, and to let him hold me like he did last night, because I never felt safer.
As soon as I’m in the lobby, I remember Gray telling me about the security that he does, so I decide to text him, instead of trying to get upstairs, which I'm sure I won't be able to do.
Me: I'm in your office lobby and need to talk. Got a minute?
Grayson: I'm on my way.
Grayson
With Kaitlyn showing up like this, I'm guessing the talk with Linda didn't go as well as she had hoped. I had a feeling it wouldn't. That girl was nothing but trouble all those years ago, and if the rumors on base are true, she's only gotten worse.
The elevator door opens, and she looks pissed off and on the verge of tears at the same time. Walking over, I take her hand. Since I don't want to have her break down here, I take her out to my truck and open the backseat door.
"In you go," I say. Then, following her in, I reach into the front seat, start the heater, and turn to her, pulling her into my arms.
"Okay, lay it on me," I say, and she does.
She tells me everything from the conversation with Linda and going off on her to slamming the door and making Zion scream. Then, she tells me about her talk with her dad and how bad it went to her deciding not to be a pushover anymore. Finally, she starts crying.
My heart breaks, because I know in this moment, there’s nothing I can do to make her feel better. So, I just hold her, while she cries. When she’s all cried out, she pulls a tissue from her purse and cleans her face up. She isn't wearing any makeup, but even if she was, she'd still look beautiful.
"Let me take you to lunch," I say, and she just nods.
I shoot off a quick text that I'm going to take the rest of the afternoon off, and then help her around to the front passenger seat.
Then, I have a fun idea in mind, and shoot off another text, before I get in and start driving. She begins talking, before we’re even out of the parking lot.
"Before all this, I had already agreed to Christmas breakfast with them the day after the wedding. I wish I could just cancel it, as I really don't want to go, especially if I’m alone. Hell, I don't want to go at all after today."
"I’ll go with you, Starshine. Take all the attention off you and be your excuse to get out of there as fast as we can."
"I can't let you do that. It's like leading a man to the firing squad. They’ll eat you alive."
I know she's right, and I'd rather do a seventy-two mile hike with a rucksack and use my survival skills, than be in the same room as Linda and her mom, but this is for Kaitlyn. For her, I'd happily walk in front of a firing squad to save her.
"I can take it, Starshine. I'm going, so end of discussion."
"Thank you." She takes my hand, as we pull into my driveway.
She chuckles, "Lunch at home?"
"Kind of. I have an idea for a little fun, if you’ll trust me."
She just nods but says nothing.
Inside are two plates with some sandwiches my housekeepers set out for us.
"Eat up. Then, we are going to go outside for some fun." I sit her down at the counter.
She digs right in and doesn't notice right away the key next to her plate.
"What's this?" She finally asks.
"That's your own key to my house. Move your stuff in after we’re done, so I can have you here with me."
She gives me a half smile, which I’ll take as a win. Then, she adds the key to her key ring, and we finish eating.
"Okay, now, what's your big plan?"
Taking her hand, I lead her outside and down a path to the side of my property that comes out at the top of a hill. We’ve had a few light dustings of snow, but having a snow machine, made things easier.
"What did you do?" She asks, taking in the snow-covered hill.
"We’re going to go sledding." I motion towards the sleds, and a huge smile overtakes her face.
"Then, we’re going to go inside and have some hot chocolate, and I'm going to spend the night making you forget everything that happened today," I whisper in her ear.
"Can we skip to that part?" She asks.
"I want to show you I’m with you for more than just sex, because the sex is great, but I want you , all of you. So, we’re going to have some fun and release some stress."
That earns me a smile that lights up her face, as she turns and heads towards the sleds.
"Fine, but you’re pulling my sled back up the hill for me," she says.
I laugh, "Our sled, because we’re going down together."
Taking the sled, I sit down, leaving space in front for her. When she’s finally settled, having her wedged between my legs is both heaven and hell. I love her there, but it makes me so hard, that I know she can feel it.
We sled for a good hour, and by the time we go inside, she’s lagging, but smiling again, just like yesterday.
Hot chocolate is waiting for us, along with freshly baked cookies, as we make ourselves comfortable on the couch in front of the fireplace.
"Peppermint?" She asks, after taking a sip of her hot chocolate.
"That's your favorite, right?"
"Yes. I'm surprised you remember." She daintily licks her lips and takes another sip.
"I remember everything, Starshine. Even if I tried, I couldn't forget one moment of my time with you. Those moments were what got me through deployments, and even the months after my parents died."
"I didn't know about their deaths. I would have come back for the funeral, if I had. They were always so nice to me." She says, setting her hot chocolate down.
I put mine down too and pull her into me.
"I wasn't in a good place, so it's best that you didn't. This is right; this is our time. I feel it in my gut. Now, let's get upstairs and make you forget, because I do believe we have a wedding tomorrow."