Incomplete (Hollow Sequel)

Chapter 24 - Elastic Heart

"Katarina, behave," Maria Elena reprimanded, her eyes narrowing in my direction. 

Flashes of my childhood came to me. I knew those eyes. She was getting pissed. As a child, she would have probably backhanded me or did something else to discipline me. Now that I was older, we both knew there was little she could do to keep me in check other than belittle me. And after Victor's words, my long walk and my own determination, she wasn't going to get very far with that tactic this time. 

"Abuela, you can't stick me with Emilio anymore, ask my mommy," I smiled at Sarah with as many teeth as I could. 

"What does she mean?" Maria Elena's face turned sour as she looked at her daughter. 

"Katarina, stop," Sarah focused on me as Victor entered the room, trying to warn me not to keep talking. 

"What's wrong mommy?" I chuckled softly. "You didn't tell Victor about the deal we struck?"

"What deal?" Victor smiled at his wife, unaware of what she had done. 

"Nothing," Sarah muttered, slightly rolling her eyes. I wasn't sure if it was aimed at me or at her oblivious husband. Probably both.

"Hmm, I thought you told each other everything in a marriage," I hummed, adding more fruit into my mouth before I said something I didn't actually mean to say. "Well, I guess that's why I wasn't able to make my relationship work." I playfully snapped my fingers, mocking disappointment.

"You're tired," Sarah spoke up, walking over to me, taking my arm around hers, her other hands rubbing up and down my bicep, as if she were trying to soothe me. Almost like she was actually a concerned mother.

For a tiny second, I felt that. I felt like a young woman in need of her mother and her mother was loving enough to be there. Just for a second. As soon as we rounded the corner, she gripped my elbow as tightly as her fragile hands could, spinning me around to face her. And there she was. The mother I had come to adore. 

"You need to stop," she fumed, nearly shoving me into the wall behind me. 

I hid the tears that always threatened to pour from my eyes whenever we fought and just smiled instead. "We had a deal, Sarah." I reminded her. "I didn't virtually give up all my money for you to allow abuela to keep bringing Emilio around."

"Stop being so fucking dramatic, Katarina. Everything is a damn novela with you!" She groaned, tapping two of her fingers against my temple as hard as she could. 

Without thinking, I shoved her hand away, instantly regretting it, like I usually did. As much as I couldn't stand her and as much as she did to me and my sister, she was unfortunately still my mother. 

Again, I wanted Harry. I wanted to be whisked away to safety. Away from such a treacherous woman. And that thought alone made me curious. Never before was I dependent, on anyone and, still, I just wanted Harry. It always came back to him. 

I wanted to talk to him. Tell him everything I was feeling. Take out my frustrations on him. Just breathe the same air as him if that's all I could get. I'd settle for that. 

I reached up to touch the cross necklace that had, for many months, been housed around my neck, but it wasn't there. I began to panic internally, then I remembered where it was. I'd thrown it at Harry the night of his sisters engagement party in a fit of anger. It was a stupid gesture now,  but in the moment, it was a necessity.

My lip trembled ever so softly which I easily disguised with a purse of my lips, but I feared nothing was going to stop the stream of tears that wanted to fall down my face or the sob that wanted to come out but was being contained by the lump in my throat. 

"I give you everything," I managed. "Everything. All I ask of you is, peace. Please, mom." I begged. My emotions overpowering my pride. In reality, I was hoping she'd hear the hurt in my voice and some magical event would occur and her motherly instinct would kick in and she'd just hug me. Even for a moment. 

But, that was wishful thinking. I don't think Sarah Rivera was programmed to have any motherly instincts. Or any affection for that matter. 

"You want to bring up deals?" She hummed. "If that's what you want, keep up your end. In that deal, I'm no longer your mother. So this, is no longer your home or your family."

She stood before me, making sure I understood before disappearing back to the family room. My eyes rolled to the back of my head and my body collided with the wall behind me, sliding down slowly until my bottom hit the ground. I hugged one knee close to my chest while the other outstretched as far as it could. I suppose she had a point. One I had never thought of before. 

Paying for my freedom had a higher price than money. 

Was it even worth it at this point? Without Harry, there was no point in waiting for love to roll around. It just wasn't possible. He had been my last chance at love and I didn't even want him. How bad could it be being married to Emilio? He was good looking. And that's probably all I had in the pros list. It would be a smart merger. His family and mine. Not to mention the joy it would give Max to see his empire grow. It was a win for everyone. 

"Kit," Chris called me out of my train of thought. "Are you crying?" He asked, instantly kneeling before me, forcing me to look up at him. 

I shook my head and pushed his hand away. "I'm not crying, I'm just tired. I didn't have a good night." 

It was total honesty. 

"A little weed would fix you right up," he joked, wiggling his brows. 

"Never again," I chuckled, pushing him aside to get up, not willing to re-live the experience from this past summer.

As soon as I was vertical, I was smothered against his chest, his arms wrapped tightly around me. I tried to push him away, but soon gave up, my body going limp, accepting his hug. It wasn't what I had been silently praying for, but it was welcomed. 

"That's enough," I sighed, nudging him away, forcing myself to suck back my emotions. 

"Feel better?" He rubbed my arms, not ready to fully let me be on my own. 

"I'm fine, Chris. Promise," I assured him, tapping his elbow so he'd let me go. 

"Just- don't do anything stupid. I know that look you have, it's never good thoughts, so whatever you're thinking, stop."

"Can we just go to the fair already? It's going to get late."

He nodded in agreement, though he wasn't completely convinced that everything was okay, but he also knew it was as good as it was going to get.