(picture of Aunt Barb's expensive necklace above)
*Katie's POV*
Chris helped me sell Aunt Barb's house and the furniture inside. I let my relatives pick over what they wanted, which wasn't much. I found her expensive necklace that she got when she visited Spain, she used to get it out and show me but I was never allowed to touch. I still don't allow myself to touch. Aunt Paula, with fresh scars from my mother's nails, found out about the necklace and she tried to shame me for taking that necklace without permission. Mama punched her right there in the middle of my Aunt Barb's living room and told her that everything belonged to me and the rest of our family was stealing from me. That was the only time Papa talked to me. He told me to take the necklace with us.
What I learned later that day at dinner, Papa and Mama had collected ALL of Aunt Barb's most expensive riches as soon as they heard of my favorite Aunt's passing. In Aunt Barb's will, EVERYTHING was left to me. Her house, life savings, expensive riches she bought in Spain after she retired from being a nun, her beat up old truck, and her furniture.
When Chris and I left to go back home to Cali, I owned over 3.7 million worth of valuable stuff. Chris told me that I needed to put in it a safe somewhere and that he would help me protect my money. I'm glad I have Chris here with me. I wouldn't have thought that considering my previous thoughts from the night before. Chris has been taking extra care of me since he stopped me from cutting my belly fat off. His words still ring in my head, breaking my heart the way it did when he first said it. This is going to be my baby's home. How dare you call it disgusting or nasty! Its beautiful like my future wife.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I stand on Chris's back porch, string out at the city's bright lights at night. Copper pants at my ankles, nudging me with his nose. Chris, Andrew, and Scott all watch a movie from inside the living room. I can feel Chris's eyes on me from out here. I sigh into the phone.
"Sir, I apologize for the inconvenience." I say to Mr. Blanchard, who is furious with me for quitting short notice on her. "I would have called in earlier but we were off all week."
"Well, I'm going to make sure you never get into anywhere decent in this town! Or any town in this state!" Mr. Blanchard screams through the phone.
"Well, I'm sorry, but you do have more than enough of grammar error correctors." I say to him calmly, "And I also want to mention, by my NEW boss, that your company will no longer be funded by Christopher Eaton Enterprises. Have a good night, sir."
Mr. Blanchard starts to mouth at me but I hang up. I sigh heavily, sitting down cross-cross-applesauce with Copper's head in my lap. He licks my bare thigh, cellulite visible on my inner thighs. So ugly. But I still hear Chris's warning like words. I could never forgive you. Don't do it. Just don't.
The slide doors open. I shake those thoughts from my mind, faking a smile for Chris. I turn to see not Chris, but Loni standing there. She wears a camo t-shirt, black jeans, and matching combat boots. She lingers at the door, biting her inner cheek. She slowly makes her way over and sits down next to me. I scratch behind Copper's ear, making him stomp his foot happily.
"So," Loni awkwardly nods her head as she stares out at the city's bright lights "you tried to kill yourself?"
A loud groan escapes my lips. Anger boils up in my chest. I DID NOT TRY TO KILL MYSELF! I tried to cut my fat off, there's a difference.
"I did not try to kill myself." I say annoyed, tearing up. "I tried to cut my disgusting fat off."
"Well, Chris says that you tried to hurt yourself....which it sounds like you were." Loni rolls her eyes, "Chris is really shaken up."
"Well, he shouldn't be." I say softly, still not making eye contact. "He stopped me anyways."
"I've never seen my big brother so terrified in my life." Loni says in a small voice, "Well, that's a lie. I have seen him scared once before, but not like this. He's really scared. It takes a lot to make a man like Chris this scared."
"He shouldn't be." I look down into my lap at Copper, playing with his soft ears.
"Listen, I don't know why you did what you did. Nor do I care, but my big brother has never cared this much about anyone else other than his own dick." Loni says softly, "Chris really loves you, I can see it. He's scared to lose you."
"Well, he shouldn't." I whisper.
"I once tried to kill myself in high school." Loni says emotionlessly, rocking back and forth slowly. "I was super skinny in high school. Everyone used to make fun of me for being anorexic, which I wasn't. Anyways, it got so bad that I decided to raid Dad's cabinet and I went into the bathroom and tried to swallow all the pile whole. Chris found me in the floor half unconscious. He stayed with me until Mom and Dad got there. They had to revive me and pump the drugs out. I was in the hospital for days before I became conscious again...all because the cutest boy in school told me he would never date a skeleton and that I should go kill myself."
Craporito. "I'm sorry."
"Why are you sorry? It's not your fault." Loni says defensively, annoying me.
"I know you and your mom hate me." I say softly, "I just want you two to like me."
Loni remains silent for a long time. "Chris mentioned that you wanted us to like you and maybe that was the reason why you tried to do what you did."
"No." I say, "it's not you. It was...others."
Loni stares at me expectantly. "AND? You're going to stop mid-story?"
"I thought you didn't care why I did it." I pay Copper's head again.
Loni rolls her eyes at me. "Why DID you do it?"
"After the funeral, when we got back to my parents house, my cousin Paulina, my Aunt Paula, and other Aunt, Carmen, ganged up on me when they knew Chris or my Mama wasn't in ear view. They shamed me for bringing an older, rich white guy to my Aunt Barb's funeral. They told me I brought dishonor and that I wasn't good enough. Aunt Paula even grabbed me and" I show Loni my wrist wounds "then Aunt Paula did this to scare me. Aunt Carmen told me that I was a porker and that I should just cut my fat off so the cameramen wouldn't have to photoshop my cellulite and fat stomach. That I don't look good enough to be a billionaire's wife."
Loni is quiet for the longest time. "Jesus. Those bitches—sorry."
"No, it's okay." I crack a small smile, "But that's why I did it. Not because of Chris."
"Sounds like we're a lot alike in that aspect." Loni says in a small voice, "And you're NOT fat. You're not skinny or toned, but you're not fat."
"I used to be." I finally look her in the eye, "I just want to be everything Chris deserves. Everything he wants." m
"Chris loves you, a lot." Loni says nods to me, "He would really be broken if he lost you. So I have to ask you something that mom doesn't realize that I do now."
I look to my lap. "And what's that?"
"Please don't hurt my big brother." Loni says in a begging like voice, "Chris has screwed all of his relationships up once they start to head somewhere. He's asked you to marry him, you make him happy and it's like he can't enough of you, and then you go and do this." Loni lets out a shaky breath, "He blames himself for what happened. What for, I don't know. But please don't hurt him. He's fragile enough as it is. If you don't love him, then just tell—"
"I do love Chris." I say with teary eyes, "I just don't feel good enough to be his wife."
Loni's blue eyes fall to the grass. "Chris thinks you are. He's madly in love with you."
"I am madly in love with him too." I wipe my tears, Copper catches what tears manage to fall down my cheeks. "He's the only guy I've ever—been with."
Loni gives me a look. "Like, THE ONLY?"
I roll my eyes. "I never even kissed a boy, much less seen a man naked."
Loni stares at me in disbelief, shock. "Got diggity damn!"
"It's it THAT surprising?" I say annoyed, holding Copper close to me.
"Considering your kinda hot? Ugh, yeah!" Loni says loudly, "No wonder Chris is obsessed with you. You're a full package."
I give her a confused look, wondering if she's insulting me or flirting with me. "Excuse me, but WHAT?"
"Well, you've got what most guys usually want but never find. You're young and kinda hot and you got a pretty big rack and a good sized ass." I squirm at Loni's words, "You're all that AND a good girl who had never been f**ked before? Honestly, any guy would have loved to have been in Chris's place if they knew you came with such a great package deal."
My cheeks blush red at her very inappropriate words. Flattery may have been Loni's attempt, but it did not come out that way. I clear my throat, speechless. Quite the heart to heart it's become.
"But you should tell Chris about what your bitch ass Aunt's did to you." Loni nods, "It would put his mind at ease."
BẠN ĐANG ĐỌC
In Your Arms
Fanfiction"I didn't want a fight." I look down in my lap sadly, "That's one of the reasons why I didn't want to tell you." Chris walks over and sits next to me. He puts an arm around my body, pulling me closer to him. He kisses the top of my head. I...
