Chapter FIVE
KATIE
“Epiphany, please be careful.” My little sister was carrying in a family heirloom that I kept mounted in the small dining room at my old place. It wasn’t actually an heirloom; more like a fairly expensive piece of crystal, my grandmother came across many years ago.
Kyle asked, “So Katie, where is your new husband?” as she wrestled in the foyer with a box marked kitchen.
Instead of offering to help her, I rolled my eyes up toward the vaulted ceiling. My skin crawls whenever Kyle mentions Eric, especially the way she says, husband. It sounds as if she drags every single letter out of her mouth one by one. Huuuusssssbbbaannddd. Ugh, I hated that with a passion.
When I answered her, I made sure my voice was as sharp and aggravated as the look on my face. “Eric is away on business, Kyle. How many more times am I going to have to tell you that?” I thought, you stupid bitch! I didn’t care how nasty I was to her. Maybe now she’ll put down that box, grab her keys, and see herself out. I didn’t want her in my new home anyway. She wasn’t welcomed today, or ever.
I should slap her silly for questioning my husband’s whereabouts, but I’ll try to keep it together for the time being. I promised Daddy I would.
“Eric is always away on business; I’m surprised he even showed up at the wedding.”
Was this bitch serious? Can I help I married a doctor? I thought, of course, he has long hours, and he’s never home. He’s a doctor . . . He’s-AFucking Doctor!
I have to recite those words to myself every night to chase the anxiety away that keeps fizzing in the pit of my stomach.
As I take bubble wrapping off the buddha statute, I start to feel ill. My head hurts; so does my stomach. I miss Eric so badly everything on my body aches, but it’s okay . . . this is normal . . . I’m married to a doctor. That’s why he isn’t here. He’s a doctor!
When I feel the warm tears, I could no longer deny run down my pale face, I ran to the half-bath off the den. I wouldn’t dare let either of my sisters see me cry. I couldn’t let my weak side shine through. No way! I have a perfect life, not them. They didn’t have anything. No husbands, no careers, no real education, nothing! I was the one they looked up to, so I had to keep it together even though I was breaking down at the seams because my husband isn’t here. As hard as I wished that he was here, he isn’t, and there was nothing I could do to change that.
I need him so badly . . . I just want to look at him. Make love to him. Cuddle up next to him. I want to smell his breath. Listen to his voice call out my name. Oh God, I feel like I’m dying without my husband. I’m dying a slow, sick, agonizing death without him, but what could I do? He’s gone, and I had to accept that. I had to face my fears head-on, which was I would be spending another night alone, all by myself. I married a doctor, so I’ll probably be spending most of my days and nights just like this one—hunched over the toilet crying my eyes out.
“Katie . . .” That was Epiphany calling me from the other side of the bathroom door after I bolted inside to get away from them. “Katie, sweetie, are you okay?” Her voice was calm and easy. I wanted to unlock the door, but I won’t let her see me like this. Worst yet, I won’t let Kyle see me like this. I’m a basket case.
“Katie, open up.”
I’m sure she heard me whimpering when I called out, “I’m okay.” I sniffled. “I’ll . . . I’ll be out in a minute.”
No, I’m not okay, and I’m never coming out of this bathroom, at least not until my husband comes home.
I cried harder, thinking about Eric. I needed Epiphany and Kyle to leave so I could go upstairs and cuddle up in our bed with one of his nightshirts to smell the scent he left behind just for me.
I shook my head as the tears continued. What was happening to me? I feel like I’m about to die right here on my knees. This is not the way I pictured my last few seconds on earth would be.
“Katie, please let me in.” I could hear Epiphany turn the gold doorknob back and forth trying to get to me, but I wasn’t letting her in, and I’m not coming out.
“Katie, open this door, right now!”
Kyle? She had some nerve thinking I would let her in here. I’ll die in this bathroom first, which is what I planned to do.
“Katie Morgan, open this door. What is your problem? And why are you crying?”
That’s-it! I’m going to open the bathroom door long enough to slap the wind out of her. I’m sorry, Daddy.
I stood up, grabbed some tissues to dry my wet, red face, adjusted by blouse back to its normal position, and unlocked the door to see my two evil sisters staring at me with their judgmental eyes and mouths full of disapproval. Now they’re laughing at me . . . their bodies shook as their amusement erupted through my three-story home. Look at them; even Epiphany found humor in my despair. But she isn’t laughing. Kyle wasn’t either.
“Katie, what’s the matter?” That was Kyle trying her hardest to sound sincere. Trust me; it’s an act. But before this goes any further, let me set these two bitches straight once and for all.
“Epiphany, let me get something crystal clear with you, honey. I don’t appreciate you budding into my business. That’s number one!”
“Katie, I was just making sure you were—”
“NO! NO! NO!” I cut her off before she could finish because I didn’t want to hear any of what she had to say. My finger waved at her as I shouted, “You are in my business, so you can run back to Mommy and Daddy with a full report of my life in tow.” One down one to go.
“And you.” I glared over at Kyle. “How dare you question my husband’s whereabouts?”
“Katie, I wasn’t—”
“That’s exactly what you were doing!” I cut her off, too. “And that’s so unfair to me because I don’t question either of you about your husbands, do I?” I looked at Epiphany. “Do I?” Then my eyes landed back on Kyle when I screeched, “DO I?!” much louder than the first time. “I don’t question your husbands’ whereabouts because neither of you has a husband for me to question. Both of you are just two lonely, single witches putting your pointy little noses where they don’t belong.”
That will fix them. The next time I say leave me alone, they’ll leave me the-hell-a-lone!
I shot passed Kyle and Epiphany and headed for the staircase. I’m going to lock myself in our bedroom and wait for Eric. He’ll be here soon, and when he does, everything will be perfect again.