Three
The doctor came out from the room and both Kath and her mother ran to him, " doctor how's my father?"
" He's okay, it's just a minor attack, he just needs his rest"
Kath breath a sigh of relief, her mom hugged her with tear-filled eyes.
" I'll be on my way, for now, he should not be upset by anything," the doctor told them and she nodded, " thank you Doc"
Both Kath and her mother went into the room when the doctor left, he opened his eyes when they entered,
" Don't cry dear" he rasped, looking at her teary mom when they entered, her mom wiped her eyes with the back of her palms and hugged him.
Kathleen stood there lost for words,
" Dad, I'm sorry" she managed to gasp out from her already clogged throat. He glanced at her and turned his face away from her without acknowledging her, she moved towards him and her mother nodded in encouragement.
" If you're really sorry them you'll agree to keep Dave in your life" he turned towards her and gazed at her coldly.
Kath stood still, she couldn't believe he was still insisting on her and Dave, she kept mute.
He regarded her for a few seconds, " I thought as much, don't come here saying you're sorry when you're not, please I need to rest" he turned away from her.
Kath felt hurt, she slowly walked out of the room to see her mom standing by the door.
" Please Kath" his mom looked at her beseechingly. She stared at her mom, she looked so pale and frail, "why don't you give in to his demand?"
" Mom" Kath felt like she was drowning, " I'm not discussing this" she made to walk past her mother but she followed her
" This was the man that took us in when we were living on the street with nothing to hold on to, he accepted me and gave me his love, can't you grant him this favor?"
" Dave is just not the man for me mom"
" Who then is the man for you?" Her mother shouted angrily, " a scallywag who doesn't have a penny to his name?"
" I can't believe you're saying this to me mom"
" I love your father and I will do anything to make him happy"
" What about my happiness mom, doesn't it count?
" You'll be happy with Dave, give him more chance, he'll change, please do his for me" her mother pleaded, looking at Kathleen tearfully.
That night, Kathleen didn't spend the night at home, she went to her best friend, Tasha, she couldn't understand why everyone was seeing her and Dave as the perfect match, even Tasha believed that she and Dave are a match made in heaven.
She had returned home from Tasha's the next day to see Dave chatting with her parents in the living room.
" Kathleen, look who's here" her dad looked at her in disapproval, perhaps because she didn't sleep at home last night. " I'll excuse you so that you can have a proper discussion with him" her father stood up and walked past her but not before "whispering do no mess this up" to her.
Her mother looked at her pleadingly before following her father out.
Kathleen stared at Dave but made no attempt to go close to him, he came up to her, his gaze no longer held remorse about his action, rather he looked cocky, she wondered what her parents must have said to him.
" Look, why don't you just forget about what happened, and let's move on" he trailed his hands down her cheek and she quickly moved out of his reach. He narrowed his gaze on her, " you are mine, do you hear me and I won't let you leave me" he made to grab her but she stepped out of his reach again.
" Dave please, cut it out" she fumed, " we wouldn't even be having this conversation if not for my parents"
Dave's face became contrite, " I said I am sorry, why can't you just let go?"
" That's always the issue Dave, you're always sorry but never change"
Dave moved and grabbed her hands," I'll change this time Kath, I was just so jealous because of how much I love you, can't you see that?"
" I love you too Dave but I just can't put up with your attitude".
He smiled broadly," you love me? You have no idea how happy I am to hear that" he grabbed her and placed a sound kiss on her lips, " I'll change, I promise".
That week, Dave actually became a changed person and Kathleen was very Happy, this relationship could work, that week she had peace with even her father but unfortunately, the happiness didn't last long as Dave proved to her again that he can never change. They had gone out on a date and she had gone out to wait for Dave while he settles the bill, she had only just stood there for a minute when a guy approached her to ask if she had seen any kid around, she was just about to answer when Dave came out and punched him, "stay away from my girl"
" I wasn't doing anything with....." Before he could finish his statement, Dave made to land another punch on him but Kathleen quickly grabbed his hand," Dave, stop it, it's not what you think"
" You're such a control freak," the fella said before taking off.
Dave turned to her, his face set in an angry line, she tried to calm him down, " Dave calm down okay, he was just....." But she didn't get to finish her statement before Dave slapped her, her cheeks burned from the slap, " Dave?"
" You're such a slut"
" Stop it right now Dave".
" Get in the car" he all but pushed her into the car and drove off.
Kathleen sat quietly in the car, she couldn't believe this was happening again, " where are you taking me to?" She demanded when she noticed that was not the route to her house.
" To my house," he said simply
" Take me home right now" she gritted out.
" We have to talk" his eyes still on the road, he made no attempt to give in to her demand
She was beyond hurt at what he just did, he had even called her a slut, this wasn't the kind of love she dreamt of. She had always envisioned her prince charming treating her with respect, a love where trust wasn't lacking, someone that she would think of and smile in happiness, Dave just wasn't that person, he had hurt her numerous times, her heart felt like it would explode from her chest as tears gushed from her eyes, she suddenly felt drained and the fight gone out of her, if her parents want her to be in this reasonable relationship, then so be it.
Dave packed in front of his house and dragged her inside, " I see you've yet to learn to stay away from other guys"
" Dave, I don't even know him, why won't you listen to me?"
Dave snarled at her, he grabbed her and pinned her to him, his other palm on her neck, tears well in her eyes, she had to find a way to get out of this mess, she tried pushing away from him but to no avail, she was choking already, she pounded his chest with her fist," Da...Da...v..." She managed to rasp in between chokes, he suddenly pushed her away and she fell on the sofa coughing.
" I'll teach you never to disobey me again, I'll make you fully mine" his hands went to his belt as he started undoing it.
" Don't do this Dave, I promise to be a good girlfriend to you, but please not this" she cried desperately
He snarled at her, " you would flirt with all those guys but refuses my advances, I want you fully mine"
" Even if you have your way with me, you can only have my body, what about my heart, it will hate you with passion forever" she spat
" I will make you mine, body, and soul" he finished unbuckling his belt and made to grab her, she pushed him with and he lost his balance for a moment, a moment is enough for her as she dived for the door, she grabbed the door but it wouldn't budge, his laughter echoed behind her, she turned to him In dread, "Dave please let me go, don't do this to me"
He came towards her menacingly and Kath ran to the other side of the sofa and tripped, she frantically made to stand up, her hand touched something cold lying by the sofa, a club, she quickly wrapped her hands around it and brandished it, " do not come any closer" she warned, he smirked and kept coming, he made to grab her and she hit him with the club on the side of his head, he fell down, holding his head and groaning in pain, she ran to where he had pulled his trousers, lifted it and checked the pocket, brought out the key and quickly opened the door, " come back here, you'll pay for this" he wheezed in pain but Kath never looked back as she left him there wheezing and groaning.
*
*
" How could you do that to Dave?" her father fumed at her the next day, Dave must have informed him of what she did, and knowing him, he will say it in his favor.
" Dad, he was...." The connection of her father's palm on her cheeks stopped her mid-sentence, the force of the slap staggered her backward and she fell on the ground, hands-on her cheek as tears welled In her eyes.
" Why are you so stubborn? Stop giving excuses young lady and get your act together"
Kath glanced at her mother standing quietly behind her father, as usual, she's in support of her husband, " Dave has filed a lawsuit against us" she chipped in looking at Kathleen with disappointment.
" What?" Kath gasp in annoyance, "he tried to rape me"
" Money speaks louder than any voice in the society will live in, do you want to go against someone as rich as Dave? We don't have the money nor the ability"
" But mom....."
" Enough of this"her father barked, " better go to him, do the necessary and apologize to him" he walked out of the room as Kathleen's shoulder slump as sob racked her whole body. The quiet footsteps of her mom leaving the room echoed in her ears, she had never felt so alone like she felt right now, she went to her room, lay down, and folded her knees to her chest as she allowed herself to cry, she wept till she dozed off, the pounding on her door woke her from slumber, she slowly got up and opened the door to see Tasha standing by the door, she couldn't contain the tears that welled anew in her eyes as she hugged her tightly and cried her eyes out.