Breakaway - A Contemporary Romance Drama Story (9 page)

"Yes."

"Thank you." Kate glanced around the café and saw it looked the same as it did the last time she had been there. The walls were still light blue, the paintings of beach scenes were still the same. A wave of nostalgia came over her.

"Do you remember the last time we were here?" Nathan said.

"Yes," Kate said. "It was a week after my wedding. I brought you here to tell you me and Edward were moving to New York."

"You had a hard time telling me because you were crying," Nathan said.

"I didn't want to leave you and dad," Kate said. "I felt like my heart was breaking."

Nathan reached across the table and placed his hand over Kate's. "You're home now. That's all that matters."

Just then the waitress returned with their orders. She placed the food and drinks in front of them and then left.

Kate looked down at the food Nathan had ordered for her and smiled. "Am I really that predictable?"

"It's what you always ordered," Nathan said. "So yes, you're predictable, but I like that about you."

"If I'm so predictable," Kate said, picking up her hamburger, "what am I going to want after lunch?"

Nathan cocked his head to one side and tried not to smirk. "Something sweet. If my memory serves me correctly you always liked to have dessert after lunch instead of after dinner. It was usually ice cream you wanted."

"What flavor of ice-"

"Chocolate," Nathan cut in.

"You're right," Kate muttered, finding it sad that Nathan knew her better than Edward did
.

Chapter 7

Kate was curled up in a chair in her bedroom Sunday evening, trying to lose herself in a book. All day long she had tried to keep herself occupied so she wouldn't think about the fact that her all too brief vacation from Edward was coming to an end. She had swum in the large indoor pool, watched a movie in the small theater, took Gaby for a walk in the garden and even helped the cook prepare dinner. Nothing worked. Every time she let her mind wander she thought of Edward and his impending homecoming. Her nerves were stretched taunt and her head ached. Tired of the book she closed it and set it aside. Just then Jill knocked softly on the open door.

"Hi, Clara said I could come up. She didn't think you would mind."

"I don't," Kate assured her. "Please come in and sit down."

Jill crossed the bedroom and sat down in the chair across from Kate. She studied Kate for a moment. "You look tired."

Kate smiled wearily. "That's because I am."

Jill looked down at her hands. "I've been worried about you. Is he here?"

"No." Kate glanced at the clock and her heart leapt into her throat. It was a quarter after six. Edward was due home around seven. "But he will be soon. He's been out of town on business since Thursday."

"I bet it was nice not having him here," Jill said.

"It was," Kate said. "It was nice being able to let my guard down for a while and to come and go whenever I wanted to. I took a stroll through the park with Nathan yesterday. Afterwards we had lunch at the Beach Café. For a few hours I was happy. No Edward just Nathan and me. It felt like the old days."

"I still don't know how you're going to be able to keep Nathan in the dark about Edward abusing you," Jill said.

Kate sighed as she pinched the bridge of her nose. "I don't know either, but I have to try. For Nathan's sake I have to try."

Jill nodded. She turned her head and eyed her surroundings. Kate's bedroom wasn't as fancy as she thought it would be. There was the usual furniture you would find in a bedroom, a bed, dresser and two bedside tables. The only other furniture was the chairs she and Kate currently occupied. The walls were a pale purple and there were a few paintings on the wall.

"I prefer things simple," Kate said her eyes sweeping the room.

"I can see you and Edward don't share a bedroom," Jill said. "Why is that?"

"Because I can't bear to sleep in the same bed as him," Kate answered. "Nearly a year ago he – he raped me. He came home from a party drunk. To make a painful story short he wouldn't take no for an answer. The next day I moved to the guest room and refused to share his bed again. Four weeks later I found out I was pregnant with Gaby."

"I'm so sorry," Jill whispered. "Do you think of the rape when you look at Gaby?"

"I did when she was first born, but not now." Kate gazed at a picture of Gaby that was on her bedside table. "She's a precious baby. Would you like to see her?"

"Yes I would."

They got to their feet and Kate led Jill to the nursery. Gaby, they found when they leaned over the crib, was sound asleep.

"She's beautiful," Jill muttered. "I adore babies. Steve and I are talking about having another one. Matt is four now. It seems like the right time." She glanced from Gaby to Kate. "What are you going to do when Edward wants to try for a boy? You told me on my last visit that he wants a son."

"He can force himself on me again and again and it won't do him any good," Kate said her eyes cold. "He won't get a son. I'm not bringing another child into this house."

"Are you on the pill?" Jill asked.

"Yes," Kate said. "Not long after I had Gaby I went to see the doctor and had her prescribe some for me." She rubbed the top of Gaby's head with her fingers. "I would love to have more children. I grew up without siblings. It was lonely at times. I don't want that for Gaby. I want her to have a brother or a sister to play with, but not if it means having Edward for the father."

"If only you had married Nathan," Jill said. "I always hoped that you and him would get married and have a bunch of kids."

"Really?" Kate asked surprised.

Jill smiled. "Yes."

"Nathan would make a wonderful father," Kate said without a doubt.

"He would," Jill agreed. "He's great with Matt." She turned away from the crib. "I guess I should go. I don't want to be here when he gets home."

"I'll walk you out," Kate said.

"No need to. I can show myself out." Jill gave Kate a hug. "I'll talk to you soon. Please be careful. Try to stay out of his way."

"I'll do my best." Kate didn't tell Jill that her best was never good enough. "Don't worry about-"

"Who do we have here?" Edward asked, walking into the nursery.

Kate's eyes widened with distress. He was home early. Unprepared for his sudden arrival, she stuttered, "Y-you remember N-Nathan's sister, Jill, d-don't you?"

Jill turned around and faced Edward. "Hello."

"Hello," Edward said. He looked Jill over from head to toe in a way that made even Kate feel uncomfortable.

"Jill was just leaving," Kate said. "She has to get home to her husband and son."

"That's a shame," Edward said, staring at Jill's chest. "Come back anytime you want."

"I'll do that." Jill rushed past Edward and out of the room.

"How was your trip?" Kate asked politely, doing her best not to show how unnerved she was by his sudden appearance.

"Fine," Edward said. "Did you miss me while I was gone?"

Kate looked into his eyes. "N-no."

Edward smirked. "I had a feeling you would say that."

"You're not upset about it?" Kate asked.

"No," Edward said. "I didn't miss you either." He moved closer to Kate. "I noticed when Tom pulled into the driveway that your car is still here. I thought we agreed you would get rid of it."

Kate took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Unable to meet his gaze she said, "I c-changed my m-mind."

"Something told me you would," Edward said coldly. "You can keep the car, but I want something in return."

Uneasiness settled over Kate as she stood there. She had a bad feeling he was going to want something she wouldn't be willing to give him. "W-w-what do you want?" she asked afraid to hear his answer.

Edward grabbed Kate and hauled her against his body. His arms closed around her tightly, stealing her breath from her lungs. "A son."

"No," Kate whispered.

"I want a son, Katelyn," Edward snarled. "You're my wife. It's your duty to give me one. Now I think I have been patient long enough. Your room or mine, or do you want me to take you here on the floor?"

Fear set Kate's heart to pounding in her chest. She tried to think of a way out of the situation and came up with nothing.
Let him do what he wants,
the voice in her head told her.
There won't be a child. When he doesn't get what he wants then maybe he'll leave you alone.

"I'm waiting, Katelyn," Edward growled.

The thought of him touching her, violating her made Kate's stomach lurch. Trembling uncontrollably, she croaked. "Yours."

Nathan shut off the shower, pulled the curtain back, and stepped out. He took a towel off the rack and quickly dried himself off. Wrapping the towel around his waist, he left the bathroom and walked into the bedroom. It was there that he found Connie sitting on the bed.

"Hi," she said softly. "I hope you don't mind, but I let myself in."

"I don't mind," Nathan said. "If I did I wouldn't have given you a key."

Connie rose from the bed. "We need to talk."

"I know we do."

"I'll wait for you in the living room," Connie said, making her way to the door.

"I'll be down in a minute." Nathan moved to the dresser and took a pair of boxer shorts out of the top drawer. He slipped them on and then opened the closet door, taking out jeans and a shirt. After getting dressed he hurried downstairs to the living room where he found Connie pacing the floor in front of the sofa. "You're going to wear a hole in the carpet."

Connie stopped pacing and looked at Nathan. "How have you been?"

"Okay," Nathan said. "How have you been?"

"Not good." Connie sighed. "Look, Nathan. We both know why I'm here. So lets stop beating around the bush. Have you made a decision?"

Sighing, Nathan ran a hand through his damp hair. "I've been agonizing over this for days."

"And?"

Nathan crossed the room and placed his hands on Connie's shoulders. "I love you."

"Why do I feel there's a but coming?" Connie said.

Nathan grimaced. "Because there is. I don't want to lose you, but I'm not ready to settle down and have children."

Connie's shoulders drooped beneath Nathan's hands. "I had a feeling you were going to say that." She moved away from him and took a seat on the sofa. "I love you and I don't want to walk away from you. I've been so miserable without you these past several days. I missed you."