Torn (25 page)

“
Sit tight, I’m on my
way.” She didn’t have to ask how things had gone with Branson, the
answer was in Katie’s voice.

“
Please,
hurry.”

A dull but painful ache
crept up Katie’s spine into her heart, spreading to her lungs and
eventually reaching her head. The longer she sat there, the more
intense the feeling became.
I can’t stay
here. I need to keep moving.
Katie stood
and reached for her duffle bag. Her hands were trembling and the
ache had reached her stomach, threatening to make her sick, as if
she had lost her equilibrium and was suddenly falling, tumbling,
down a steep staircase.
Move!
She commanded her legs.

Katie let the duffle bag
drop to the ground after a few steps and inched her body onto a
large rock at the end of the driveway. The air was cool, which
normally would have her shivering, but she was statuesque as she
sat there with the waves of numbness and loss battering her. She
concentrated on breathing in and out as she let the disappointment
of shattered dreams settle in.
We had
plans—traveling the world together, children—two boys and two
girls. How will I be able to erase him from my future? How will I
survive this?
Katie thought.

She carefully lowered
herself from the rock and began walking down the road.
Does he even care that I’m gone? Has he even
looked to see that I’m okay? How can he be so cruel?
She felt fresh, warm tears spring to her eyes and
shook her head in defiance.
I’m over it!
I’m ready to move on! Branson who? Erased from future—check!
Katie made a checkmark into the air as she walked
briskly down the road. All of a sudden the woods began to close in
on her. It was dark, eerie and lonely. She wondered if it had
always been this pitch black at night.
Surely the moon is able to break through the thick trees and
light the path? Or maybe there is no moon tonight? Have you
abandoned me, also?

Oncoming headlights brought a wave of
relief to Katie, but it quickly passed and darkness surrounded her
again. The only sounds were of crickets, bullfrogs, and the lonely
call of an owl in the distance. She walked slowly, her emotions
toying with her.

Rage.

Sorrow.

Despair.

Rage.

Despair.

Gram’s white Lincoln Town car came to
a stop and pulled over.

Katie climbed in the passenger seat
and set the duffel bag at her feet. “Thank you, Gram, I know it’s
late—” She was unable to finish before a wave of nauseating sobs
erupted.

“
I’m so sorry, love. He’s
a bloody wanker. I’ve always known he wasn’t good enough for my
Katie . . .”

Katie raised a hand in protest.
“Please.” As angry as she was at Branson, she couldn’t hear Gram
talk unkindly about him. This was her fault. If she hadn’t run away
from the foster home, maybe things would have been different. If
she had only kept her revelations to herself.

***

Branson sat in the same spot for hours
processing the information Katie had just shared. Everything he
knew about her was wrong. He felt betrayed—it was as if he had just
learned she was a Russian spy, sent to trick him into falling in
love with her so she could obtain something precious. In this
instance it was his heart. He instinctively reached for his chest
as he felt the empty hole where it had been extracted. He could
feel the empty thud mimicking a heartbeat every few minutes in the
hollow space.

He let his thoughts run
rampant.
Why did this have to happen? We
were so happy and had our entire future mapped out. I’ve never
loved anyone like I love her, why did she have to remember all of
this now? And who the hell does Gram think she is, having someone’s
memory erased? I wish she had done a better job of it so Katie
would never have remembered.
My God! Who
could inflict such cruelty on a child? If I ever find out who did
this, I’ll kill them myself.

He let his mind go to the
dark place of imagining another man’s hands on the love of his
life. He envisioned her cries as she was raped and beaten. A wave
of nausea erupted and he instinctively stood to run for the
bathroom. Something clinked onto the hardwood floor as it dropped
out of his hand. He looked down to see Katie’s diamond engagement
ring.
What the—?
He looked around the room. “Katie?” He called through the
house as he walked from room to room. “Katie—?” He entered the
bedroom and saw that Katie’s usually organized drawers were left
open and in disarray. After searching the house thoroughly, he
realized she was gone.

***

Katie climbed under the covers a
little past two in the morning. Gram had given her something to
help her sleep and she waited impatiently for it to kick in as she
lay there in agony. She was barely aware of Gram coming in to check
on her throughout the night, making sure she wouldn’t do anything
foolish.

Katie woke up to muffled voices and
followed them to the kitchen. She overheard Gram say, “No, I don’t
want you to kill him. I’d like to kill him myself, but that
wouldn’t do any of us—” Gram stood. “Good morning, dear. I assumed
you would sleep most of the day.”

Katie tried to smile, but her face
wouldn’t cooperate. It took all of her energy just to breathe. She
squinted as the sun filtered through the windows, burning her raw,
swollen eyes. Pete was sitting at the kitchen table looking through
the paper. He gave her a formal smile, giving away the fact that
Gram had filled him in.

“
I’ll make a pot of
coffee, if you think you’d like to stay up?”

“
I can’t sleep the day
away. I think I’ll be better off if I keep moving. I have to work
tomorrow, so I need to get it together and move on.” Katie picked
up a pair of sunglasses off the counter and slid them over her
eyes.

“
I really don’t think
that’s a good idea. Why don’t you call in sick for a few days, and
take time to heal, dear?” Gram said as she filled the coffee maker
with water and added freshly ground beans.

“
Maybe that’s best. I’ll
call them now. Please, excuse me.” Katie walked back down the
hallway toward her room and returned a few minutes later. “Gram,
have you seen my cell?”

“
No, dear. Have you
checked your purse?”

“
Yes, it’s not there. I
guess I left it at home, I mean . . . I’ll need to get a new one.”
She sighed, her eyebrows naturally turning downward, displaying
sadness. “Has he . . .?”

“
No, I’m sorry, love. He
hasn’t tried to call.” Gram glanced at Pete, silently begging him
to go along with her little white lie.

Before the pain could display itself
across her face, she excused herself to the bathroom. Splashing
cold water on her face proved to be more painful than helpful, so
she slid the dark glasses back over her eyes.

Katie lowered herself into a chair
across from Pete and studied his face. He was a handsome older man
with salt and pepper hair, black eyes, and thick brooding eyebrows.
He emanated danger, but she could see why Gram had been attracted
to him. Katie wondered what Gram’s life would have been like if she
had followed her heart and married him. Gram never would tell Katie
the reason she had denied him, but she had the impression it was
because of his moral choices.

“
Pete, may I ask you
something?” Katie asked.

“
Anything.” Pete answered,
then took a sip of tea.

“
When you found me, did
you ever see or talk to anyone . . . any other girls . . . I’m
curious if you know anything about my friend Ally—did she get
out?”

Pete looked up from reading the
newspaper. He would love to tell her that if Ally had any sized
brain in her head, she would have gotten out when he wiped the area
clean of the controlling pimps, but he kept all emotion from his
face and answered her without giving anything away. “I can’t say
for sure, my only concern was for you.”

Gram poured Katie a large mug of
coffee and set it down in front of her.

Katie sipped the rich
black cup of comfort, slowly letting it bring some semblance of
life back into her.
So this is what a
zombie feels like—no heartbeat, no life, no reason to
breathe,
she thought.

Time passed slowly over the next few
hours. Gram brought a bowl of soup and crackers to Katie’s bedroom,
it was always her favorite when she was sick. Heart sick seemed to
be good enough reason for soup. Gram encouraged her to eat, but
Katie just stared out the window at the sea—it seemed to understand
her. As the waves crashed against the rocks, it wasn’t out of
rage—it was a loneliness that only the two of them
understood.

That night she watched the
lighthouse in the distance as it flashed its light methodically. It
seemed to be repeating the same phrase:
keep breathing . . . keep breathing.
Katie looked back to the heartrending sea and wished she had
the strength to lose herself in it.
How
hard would it be to let go of the railing and fall gently into the
arms of the only one that has never abandoned me?

Gram didn’t abandon
you.
Katie’s subconscious scolded
her.

No, but she lied, and now
my life is ruined.

She lied to protect you.
She wanted you to have a chance at a better life. Think of where
you would be if she hadn’t found you and pulled you out of that
mess!

I’d probably be
dead,
Katie agreed.

She looked around the room
and saw the tray of food on the table.
Pull it together, Katie. She saved your life twice now, be
strong for her.

Katie slowly stood on shaky legs. Her
muscles were stiff and unused. When she finally made her way into
the library where Gram sat reading a book, she spoke in a hushed
tone, “You’ve given me so much, Gram, and I’m sorry to ask for one
more thing . . .”

“
Please, Katie, you know
you can ask anything of me and I’ll try my best to
oblige.”

“
I need to get away from
here for a while, in order to heal. I’m afraid Branson will realize
what he’s done and come after me because of guilt. I don’t want a
pity-marriage, Gram. If you could’ve seen his face . . .” Katie was
surprised at how quickly her body could replenish tears. “I—I’ll
never forget that look. Please, Gram, I’ve got to get away. Far
away.”

Gram rose from her chair and wrapped
her arms around Katie. “My sweet Katie-girl—you’re going to be just
fine, you’ll see. And yes, we’ll get out of here. I’ll make the
arrangements while you pack a few things.”

Katie rolled her small suitcase, along
with Gram’s, to the trunk of the white Lincoln and placed them in
the trunk. After Gram pulled onto the interstate and headed south,
Katie asked about her relationship with Pete.

“
Tell me about Pete
Savalli.”

“
There’s nothing to tell.
We’re friends. He’s happily married, and I won’t do anything to
disrupt that,” she answered matter-of-factly.

“
So why is he here so
much, and why was he generous enough to let us stay in his cottage
on the Outer Banks for as long as we like?”

Gram’s manner revealed an untold
story. Pained eyes turned toward Katie for a moment before
concentrating on the road ahead. “We’re dear friends, mature enough
to put our romantic feelings in the past where they belong. He’s
done so much for us . . .” She trailed off.

Katie wanted to know every detail.
She’d been deceived long enough and deserved to know Pete’s
involvement in her rescue and restoration. But the heartache
displayed on Gram’s face, and the distance in her expression,
encouraged Katie to save the discussion for another
time.

Twenty-Nine

The bar was nearly empty as Branson
lined up his pool stick with the white ball. “Green six in the
right corner pocket.” He took the shot and missed.

“
I hate to take advantage
of you when you’re down,” Mike said, trying to lighten the mood,
“but it’s the only way I can beat you.”

Branson ordered another round of beer
for the two of them as Mike cleared three striped balls. “Clean
shots, nice job.” Branson handed his friend a long-neck Bud
Light.

“
Thanks.” Mike sat and
took a long drink of his cold, refreshing beer. “Your
turn.”

“
I just don’t feel up to
it. Mind if I just sit here and enjoy my beer?” Branson rubbed his
temples. He hadn’t slept or eaten properly in days and it was
starting to take its toll.

“
We’ve been friends for
years, right?” Mike paused for Branson’s answer and continued when
he saw his head nod slightly. “I’m going to shoot straight with you
then. You look like hell, dude. I don’t know what happened with you
and Katie, but aside from sleeping with your best friend—which by
the way hasn’t happened—nothing is worth losing her over. You’re
obviously miserable without her, so drop your stubborn pride and go
after her.”