Revenge sometimes blurred the sense of reasoning; Matthew told himself that Catherine had met her downfall without having to face his wrath, but upon further contemplation he realized that nothing he could have done, would ever meet the cruelty of her addiction.
So Matthew bit his lips, trying to fight back the part in his brain that told him that she deserved every moment of her self-torture. Maybe she did deserve it, but who is he to judge?
Wiping his hand across his mouth, Matthew pointed towards her room. "Go pack yourself a bag with clothes," he ground out between tightly clenched teeth.
Catherine looked at him, confused. "Wh-what?" she choked out brokenly.
"You are going to pack yourself a bag and then I'm going to drive you to a rehabilitation centre. You're gonna sign yourself in and get your f*cking self cleaned," the words came out firmly as he was forcing himself to get them out.
Catherine's eyes widened as she blindly took a step away from him. "I- I can't," she stuttered, eyes wildly searching.
Matthew inhaled a deep breath and watched her with fiercely narrowed eyes. She moved to one corner on the room, leaning against the wall as she bit her nails and shook her legs.
Her eyes flashed to Matthew. "You- you really care about me that much Matthew?" she asked softly with a mirthful gleam in her red rimmed eyes. "After everything I've done?"
"I'm doing this for my own peace of mind Catherine," he bit out abruptly. "Now go."
She managed a weak and wavering smile as the shimmer of sadness smarted her eyes again. She nodded and timidly walked from the room.
Matthew immediately slumped to the old garbage filled sofa. He brought his palms to his forehead, wandering into deep thought as he contemplated on his choices. When did he become such a person wanting to help his enemy? Matthew thought in dismay. When had he changed? What changed him?
The questions created a puzzle in his thoughts and he found that he wasn't equipped with the answers to solve them.
Catherine emerged a few minutes later with a small suitcase lagging behind. She swallowed visibly, while using her free hand to hug her shoulder. Matthew released one last sigh and shook his head pitifully before he moved towards the door.
#
Parking outside the huge rehabilitation centre, they both stared at the building for a few moments, Catherine especially, who looked lost to the world.
Turning to Matthew, she moistened her cracked lips and cleared her throat. "Thank you," she announced barely audible.
Matthew stiffly nodded and watched as she opened the door to go outside. "And Matthew..." she paused and spun around to look at him. "I'm really sorry," she sniffed as a tear made a trail down her ashen skin.
She then got out, reaching for her suitcase, which was in the back. She pulled it out with much effort and flashed Matthew one last weak smile before she strolled off. Matthew watched as she entered the building before he drove off.
#
"This one looks nice. Do you like this one?" Kaylyn asked Sapphire excitedly. They were both lying on kaylyn's bed, with legs in the air, while they strolled through a baby magazine.
Sapphire twisted her mouth and expelled a "hmm", as she patted her small finger against her chin in deep thought.
Kaylyn stifled the laugh that bubbled up from her chest. "Kinda looks too old," she disapproved. "How about this one?" she squealed excitedly, pointing at a white crib.
"Eh- sure," she agreed hesitantly.
Sapphire smiled triumphantly and rolled over on her back, with her hands behind her head-staring up at Kaylyn. "So how was lunch with your dad?" she asked, and Kaylyn smiled, suddenly remembering how good it was to talk and laugh with her dad like old times.
They had talked for hours while enjoying the delicacies they ordered for lunch. She tried not to remember how frailer her dad was getting by the day; she only looked on the good side, taking great comfort in his laughs that wrinkled the edges of his eyes and tilted his head back. That was the father she knew and loved.
"Kaylyn, are you OK?" Sapphire asked concernedly upon realizing that Kaylyn had drifted off into her own world.
Kaylyn suddenly jolted herself from her faze. "Hmm?" she shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts. "Yes, of course honey," she smiled reassuringly. "And lunch with dad was great, thanks for asking," she pinched Sapphire's cheeks.
Sapphire grinned. "Your dad is cool, but your mom is a bi-" she suddenly stopped herself from saying the last bit. "Not so nice person," she completed hastily, bursting out a laugh after.
Kaylyn laughed and began to tickle her, bringing Sapphire to tears.
Matthew watched from the door, a smile curving his lips as he watched the display. For the first time, he was hearing a real laugh from Kaylyn, a laugh that came from her soul...erupted from her heart. Her orange mass of hair fell in all direction as she writhed beneath Sapphire's tickles. With her face flushed and her eyes almost close with joy, Matthew watched admirably. His gaze drifted to Sapphire who was above Kaylyn, trying to administer tickles to her arms, but Kaylyn was also tickling her and so she laughed, with the few missing teeth at the front of her mouth, adding to her cuteness.
For the first in a long time, Matthew was finally able to see her true happiness and it brought joyous warmth to his heart. His stomach knotted upon realizing that this was all he needed. Two people whose happiness made him happy.
A hiccup interrupted Sapphire's laughter and Matthew chuckled, but it waned when he realized he had made his presence known.
He swallowed, watching the two break apart with laughter still evident on their faces. Kaylyn's tousled hair now fell to her face in the most attractive manner Matthew had ever seen. Her cheeks were red and her small mouth slightly agape with the evidence of her laughter. Matthew, no longer cognizant of the fact that he had been caught, only smiled as he stared at Kaylyn.
Sapphire, seeing his father completely love-struck, cleared her throat. "Dad, are you OK?" she grinned, causing Matthew to swiftly flash his head towards her.
He momentarily glanced at Kaylyn whose face had gone redder. Matthew cleared his throat. "Yeah, I'm fine pumpkin. Kaylyn, may I have a word with you?" he asked.
Kaylyn nodded as she eased up on the bed. "Sure."
Sapphire, seeing that the conversation wouldn't involve her, got the gist and rolled from the bed. "I'll be back," she announced, strolling from the room after flashing Matthew a smile.
Matthew moved closer and pulled up a chair closer to the bed where Kaylyn sat.
"What's going on?" she asked upon seeing the tension in his features.
Matthew met her gaze. "I went to visit Catherine today," he announced abruptly, pausing to see the reaction on Kaylyn's face.
He saw how the cords in her neck moved and the way her shoulders stiffen, but she didn't say a word, only glanced away from him.
"I went to work and found the Belle's in my office," he continued. "They were pleading with me to go see her..." Matthew trailed off, mustering within himself the courage to continue with what he had to say next.
"Catherine has a drug addiction," he blurted and at that immediate moment, Kaylyn's head flashed up, as her piercing grey eyes widen with shock.
"What?" she gasped, appalled.
Matthew nodded. "They asked me to talk some sense into her. They said that I might've been the only person to get through to her, and Kaylyn..." Matthew exclaimed as his words grew more passionate. "As much as I wanted to see and laugh in her face for the trouble she has caused you..." he confessed with a visible swallow.
"She was almost unrecognizable; she was nothing like the Catherine we both know. A mess would be too nice a word to describe her and the situation she was in."
Kaylyn swallowed the painful lump that formed in her throat. "Wh-" she cut herself off and cleared her throat. "What did you do? she asked."
Fearful of the reaction he would gain from his declaration, Matthew sat silent for some passing seconds. "I drove her to a rehabilitation centre to get herself cleaned," he finally blurted.
An awkward silence fell, Matthew dying to hear a reply from Kaylyn...to see a reaction, but all he got was a face void of emotions.
"Kaylyn, I'm sorry. I know that Catherine deserved every single bit of torture for what she did to you, and I understand that you must be feeling betrayed even..." Matthew ranted on, trying to bring forth solace in his words to make them seem less harmful.
"Matthew," Kaylyn interjected and finally Matthew stopped, his mouth slight agape with the words that paused on his lips. "It's fine really," she reassured him, smiling when Matthew's reaction turned to one of utter shock.
"What?" Matthew choked, as he wondered if he was hearing correctly.
"It's fine. I'm not mad if that's what you're worried about," her voice trembled with laughter. "We aren't perfect; no one is, and while I may not have liked what she did..." She trailed off and scratched her head. "What I'm trying to say is, you did the right thing by helping her. My shock really came from the fact that you helped her," she smiled.
Matthew, recovering from his shock, choked out a laugh. "You're really cool about this?" he asked in disbelief.
Kaylyn nodded. "I won't say I've forgiven her, but she certainly doesn't deserve to suffer you know," she shrugged. "I'm proud of you," she smiled.
Matthew grinned, thinking of the unexpected turn of events. "You're really amazing, you know," he grinned whilst moving towards her.
With arms outstretched, he pulled her in for a hug, smiling contentedly. Sapphire startled them both, by creeping up behind and yelling, "Group hug!"
They all laughed, revelling in the happiness of the loving embrace.
____________________________________
Hey guys!! So that's it for this chapter! I hope you all enjoyed it.
So it turns out that Matthew offered Catherine help, and Kaylyn wasn't angry with him...Who's angry with me? Lol
While some of you may be upset with me for having them take it so easy on Catherine, I'd like to justify myself and my decisions.
I believe in forgiveness and here we had a person who sought happiness in something that could bring her to the grave; just because she wasn't happy with herself or her life. Addiction should not be taken lightly and while some might've said, she should have suffered more, I beg you to critically analyze the situation. She suffered when she inhaled every bit of coke, which brought her to the point of thinking that it was making her better, when really it was killing her.
You think she deserved to suffer more? Imagine being addicted to something and then checking into a place where you can't revel in your addiction. Every moment of wanting and not having that substance will tear her apart. Her withdrawal will tear her apart.
So you think she should have suffered more?...Think again. This might've been the worst possible punishment.