Since she ran away from her wedding, she hadn't heard from her mother again, she had no idea her mom had her phone number, she hadn't bothered contacting her mother also, her mom had chosen her husband over her daughter, tears welled in Kathleen's eyes when she recalled all that they both went through together, she had never known her biological father and her mother had worked tirelessly just to put food in their mouth and when Kathleen had was ten years old, she had joined her mother in hustling for their survival but unfortunately, they were just able to feed at least once in a day and couldn't afford paying rent, they slept on the street before her mother had become a dancer, that was where Donald found her and fell in love with her but he never accepted Kathleen, he took them in and gave them shelter and Kathleen had done everything to win his love and affection but not once had he looked at her with affection, he beats her at any slight mistake and her mother was just too weak to defend her, in the end Kathleen had realized that he would never like or accept her no matter what she does.
"How are you? Her mother's voice penetrated through her thoughts and she blinked, clearing the clog in her throat, "why have you called?" She asked
"I saw news of you in the papers, Donald wanted me to reach you, he has been...."
"I see" Kathleen interrupted her, her heart squeezing painfully, once again, even after so much time apart, it was about Donald, her mother lives to please her husband and that's all there is to it. She was calling because her Darling husband had asked her to contact her, he had probably seen she married Deloux heir, he would let no opportunity pass him by.
He had wanted to force her to get married to a beast, all because of his wealth, not carrying about her own happiness and when she had run away, he made no attempt to reach her, he doesn't care what happened to her, seeing that she married someone rich, he decided to contact her,
"It would have been nice if you had called out of concern for your daughter"
Her mother's voice was frantic as she quickly replied, "of cause, I... I"m concerned about you also"
Kathleen scoffed, "really?"
"You're my daughter, so it's natural I'm concerned" her mother paused for a while, perhaps thinking her next sentence, "you might think I don't give a damn about you Kathy, but, believe me, I care about you, and everything I did is for you"
Kathleen's eyes filled and she felt bitter, how humourous of her mother to claim she did everything for her.
"Everything you did mom, is for dad and never for me, it was never about me, sometimes I wished we were still living on the street, at least then I had my mother's affection" Kathleen hung up before her mother could respond, her inside twisting, life is so unfair, especially to her, tears running down her cheeks, she watched as her mother kept on calling but made no attempt to pick the call, she was reminded of all the pains, her chest constricted painfully, she missed her mom but she has to accept the fact that she had lost her mom.
Kathleen's mom stared at the phone in her hands for a moment, her throat clogged, she knew that Kathleen, her very own Kathy was still angry with her, she blamed her for being a weak mother and she couldn't fault Kathy at all for thinking that she picked Donald over her, but what could she do? It was Donald who brought them out from that slum they were living, it was he who took care of her despite knowing that she was a strip dancer with a kid, he made sure they were well-fed, how could she go against him? She wasn't blinded to how he treated Kathleen but she just couldn't do anything about it, she doesn't want her daughter to go back to being homeless and begging for food, so she turned a blind eye to everything he does, she could only wish Kathy would forgive her for her fault.
*
*
Kathleen went downstairs, she was about to go outside, she needed to talk a walk and relief her aching heart, the evening breeze could help soothe her. Her eye drifted towards Michael Deloux room, it's been a while since she last saw him, even if she had only seen his unconscious form, for some reasons she felt like looking out for him, although, Marcella was doing so already, she wondered if there's any improvement on him, unconsciously, her feet carried her there, she carefully opened the door and as usual, his eyes were closed, thank God Marcella was not in the room, she walked towards him and sat on the bed, taking his frail hand into hers, his hands were cold, two cold and Kathleen frowned,he wasn't looking any better, perhaps he would need a change in medication,she heard scuffle from the next room, that must be Marcella's room, she had not ventured enter into the room, she walked towards the connecting door,for once,it was Ajar, she peeped and saw Marcella, she was sitting on the couch with her back towards Kathleen and was making call, Kathleen couldn't hear what she was saying and she strained her ears,"that child is your only hold on Derek" Kathleen's eyes widened when she heard those words, she was apparently speaking with Nicole, so she was still keeping contact with Nicole. Marcella suddenly laughed wickedly, "my dear son doesn't know the child who will inherit his properties is not his, that will be his lesson for daring to go against me"
Kathleen couldn't believe what she just heard, Nicole wasn't pregnant for Derek? And they were planning to pin the pregnancy on him, she couldn't stop the gasp that escaped her mouth and Marcella turned immediately at the sound she just heard, ending the call.