Ruthless People
Chapter I
Kate Todd held her head high and her eyes focused forward, but was all too aware, painfully so, of the stares and whispers as she walked through the terminal. Three months had passed since she’d publicly confronted Dave, and still they were the hot topic among the stewards and desk clerks. She wouldn’t be surprised if they had bribed security to copy videos of the entire thing, despite their fight being small as compared to what it could have been; it was something to keep them entertained for a while.
She was only grateful that her son, Kevin, didn’t ask too many question and wasn’t too traumatized by having witnessed it all. She didn’t really want her four year old son seeing his dad as anyone than his hero. Her daughter, Lucy, was different. She had been witness to far more than either Kate or Kevin had, and Kate hadn’t yet spoken to her about it. She’d have to do it soon, she realised, because Lucy was starting to shut her out.
Upping her pace a little, Kate made it to the arrivals gate just in time to see the person she was waiting for walking towards her; Gillian Murphy - best friend, confidante and older sister. Kate had called her first, after the confrontation with Dave, and told her everything. Gillian had offered to drop everything and fly out then and there, but Kate put her off. She thought she could keep on top of everything, and not completely wreck her children’s lives, but events in the last few weeks had made her seriously reconsider.
Kate could feel tears building up at just the sight of her sister. Gillian had always been the stronger one, more confident and now here she was, pulling her baby sister out of another mess which, for a change, was not her fault. When Gillian was within hugging distance, she dropped her luggage and pulled Kate tight against her. When Kate’s shoulders began to quake with her silent sobs, Gillian ran a hand through her hair and wished she could take away all her pain the way she used to when they were kids, but she knew this was something no band aid and cookie could heal.
“Katie, you‘ve got to hold it. Okay? You’ve got to keep it together, just hold it.”
“Gilly.”
“I know, honey. I know.”
They stood together in the middle of the terminal, forcing the crowds to move around them. Gillian could see some of the staff giving them the occasional glance and felt she had to get Kate out of there, because she didn’t want Dave hearing about this. But on the other hand felt he should, just to see how much damage he’d done.
When she felt calm enough, and her sobbing reduced to small hiccups, Kate pulled back from Gillian’s arms. She felt better now that she’d had a small emotional break, it was overdue and just what she needed. She’d had to maintain a cover of being strong for the sake of her children and forgo putting her emotions on the frontline. Work was a suitable distraction for her, what with a stabbing and a major road traffic accident coming through the hospital doors on the same day. Even if she had wanted to lock herself away, she was needed.
“Where are the kids?”
“Caro’s, getting some chocolate therapy and saying goodbye. Lucy packed up her room and I done Kevin’s this morning. All that’s left is everything else.”
“Ever helpful Saint Caro. What did she have to say about this?”
Kate laughed, brushing away the mascara she felt running down her cheeks, and remembered exactly how her sister-in-law had worded her opinion of her brothers actions. There were a few choice words that Kate would rather say in private than in front of witnesses.
“She’s not happy, put it that way.”
Gillian was pleased to see that her sister’s good humor hadn’t vanished and she was still able to laugh at the small things. But Kate’s happiness faded as fast as it had appeared and once again she was looking like the sad and lost little girl who just wanted to be loved. Her decision to move closer to her family was one of the better ones she had made in her life and Gillian was more than willing to help her get out of LA once and for all.
Picking up her bag, Gillian wrapped her arm around Kate’s waist and led her from the airport. They were still being given looks, and the idle gossip mongers were obviously waiting for the continuation of whatever Kate was going through, so they could pass it on, in all it’s twisted glory to Dave; despite everything he was still a favorite amongst his co-workers and obviously being kept in the loop by someone judging by some of the calls and emails Kate had received.
The thought that kept forcing itself to the top of Kate’s priorities, was her father, and what his feelings were. If she herself felt she’d screwed up her marriage and her kids lives, then god only knew what he thought. As they walked through the car-park, Kate finally gave voice to that niggling thought.
“Daddy must be so disappointed.”
“No, sweetie. He’s proud of you, always has been.”
***
It was very late in the night, or very early in the morning when Gillian was finally able to sit down and rest, the jetlag finally kicking in. Since they arrived at the house earlier that afternoon both she and Kate had been hard at work packing boxes, emptying cupboards and trying not to be too spiteful when working around Dave’s belongings. At least they hadn’t cut up his clothes, but they may have accidentally on purpose broke one or two of his sports trophies.
Kate carefully navigated her way around the boxes and suitcases cluttering the hall, carrying the last bottle of merlot and two glasses. They’d finished the first bottle earlier over a Chinese takeout and photo albums. The second bottle would surely be consumed under the pretence of celebrating Kate’s new job, but would really be an excuse for drowning her sorrows over her cheating rat of a husband.
Settling down next to her sister, Kate poured out the wine while Gillian wrapped herself up in the cashmere blanket she’d stolen from Kate’s bed. She knew she was cold through what her body thought was lack of sleep, so she was very grateful Kate was moving back home. It would take her days to get back into a regular sleep pattern and let her body clock settle, but by then she’d be back on the East coast and have to go through the whole rigmarole again; it wasn’t worth the hassle trying to get some sleep now. Even more worthless since Lucy’s Chihuahua pup, Nacho, decided to play tug of war with the tassels of what Gillian believed to be a very expensive blanket. Accepting the glass from Kate, Gillian threw the remainder of the blanket over her sisters legs and started getting into her business-like headspace.
“What are you doing with the house? I mean, it is your name on the mortgage after all.”
“Yeah. And I’m transferring it to his name, he can deal with it all now.”
“And what about the kids? What‘s going on with them?”
Kate took a fleeting glance at her sister, who knew fine well Kate hadn’t really taken the upheaval of their lives into account, before sipping her wine and finally making up her mind on where they would be while she fought her ass off with Dave.
“They’ll fly back with you on Monday while I clear things up here. They‘ve already seen too much as it is, I don‘t want them scarred for life.”
“That’s not what I meant, Katie.”
“What do you want to hear? Lucy walked in on her dad screwing that trollop in our bed, and I don’t know how to talk to her about that. Kevin…Kevin witnessed one of the worst things a child his age should have to, and that‘s my fault. They’re scared and confused, and right now I think it would be best for them if I try and get them settled in DC before making any other changes to their lives. They may hate being there, hell, they may even hate me, but it‘s the only choice I have.”
Gillian let the matter slide for the sake of saving her sister from anymore tears and herself from an injury. She could’ve pushed it but the last time she did, she’d ended up having to get their brother to hold her hellion of a sister off her, unless she wanted what would probably have been a cracker of a black eye.
As Kate was about to apologise for jumping off the deep end, she was silenced by a knock at the door. She looked to Gillian, who was as puzzled as she was as to why she’d be getting a visitor at two in the morning.
“I’ll go.”
***
Gillian couldn’t believe it when she opened the door to find the devil himself on the other side. Judging by his attire, he’d just come back from wherever it was he’d flown to, heard something from someone and went straight to Kate’s. She knew exactly how her sister would react to seeing him there, and decided to let Kate fight it out with him and only interfere when she thought some harm may come to her. She didn’t really care if Dave got more than a slap this time; he‘d been married to the woman for fifteen years, if he didn‘t know how volatile she was when backed into a corner it certainly wasn‘t Gillian‘s place to tell him.
“I want to see her, Gill.”
“Dave, just leave. She doesn’t want to see you and quite frankly, neither do I.”
She was about to close the door when Dave’s hand pushed against the glass pane, forcing the door open again. Gillian stepped back as he stormed down the hall, shouting for Kate to explain herself as to why she hadn’t told him of her imminent departure.
Kate was already on her feet by the time Dave entered the TV room at the back of the house and more than able, if slightly unsteady on her feet, for a fight. He may have been bigger and decidedly more stronger than she, but Kate had more fear of her mother than she did of her ex.
“What are you doing here?”
“I want to know why you think it’s okay for you to take my children, and move to the other side of the continent without talking to me first.”
Kate let out a whole-hearted throaty laugh at the idea of Dave coming over the doting father. It had been hard enough to get him to take an interest in the kids before all the scandal came to light, and now that she was leaving the state he had suddenly changed.
“That…is hilarious! So, because you had half a hand in creating our children, automatically means they’re your property? Let me remind you who it was that spent a grand total of 34 hours in labour with them, while her husband was flying halfway around the world on both occasions.”
Dave ran his hand through his hair, already seeing he’d get nowhere with Kate while she was in that kind of mood. She was being a bitch and refusing him the simplest of requests because he’d had a little fling. At least he’d forgiven her indiscretion and never left her. She wasn’t even giving him a chance.
“Let me also remind you, husband of mine, the court granted me sole custody since your sorry ass is never around this state long enough to even know how to raise a kid, let alone two.”
“Kate. You’re drunk.”
“Yes! I believe I am.”
He found she was frustrating enough when she was in this mood, but the alcohol only exacerbated it. Dave knew she’d reach her breaking point soon and he wanted to see just how far she would go. If it came to it, Gillian was always there to step in.
“Cut the crap and just tell me why you’re doing this to me? You can’t take my kids away!”
“Can’t I? You lost the right to tell me what to do when our fourteen year old daughter walked in on you fucking that..that whore. You‘re the one that needs to tell me why you done that.”
Dave smirked, and decided that if Kate wanted to play with fire the way she was currently doing, he was going to let her have it. The past few months had brought out a different side in her, and although he knew it existed on some level, he hadn’t realised just how vicious his wife could be.
“I went to Roxanne, Katie doll, because she gave me what I wasn’t getting at home. And unlike someone I could mention, she loved every minute.”
“You’re such a pig!”
Kate took a step forward, intending on hitting Dave, but he was too fast and had her arm pinned behind her back before she could blink. He held her with such force that she couldn’t even struggle enough to free herself. She’d never known him to be violent, not even when he was as angry as he was now, so obviously the divorce had affected him on a much deeper level than her. But in the end it was his own doing.
“Get your goddamn hands the hell off me!”
“Or what?”
Gillian moved into the room, realising the situation was escalating faster than she thought it would and somehow found the strength to pull Dave away from Kate. If his betrayal hadn’t made her hate him enough, then his attack on her sister definitely rooted the hatred deep. Behind her, Kate was breathing shallowly in an vain attempt to control the feeling of nausea that swept over her, but only a few minutes later she ran from the room and the sound of the bathroom door slamming shut echoed around the near empty house.
“Congratulations, Dave. Just when I think you can’t do much worse, you pull this from your sleeve.”
“Gillian, just stay out of this. She may be your sister, but this is my children’s lives were talking about; I’m never going to see them.”
“You should’ve thought about that before. You knew, last year, that Kate had been offered a position in Washington; she turned it down for you. She’s not stupid enough to let an opportunity like that pass twice. At least give her a reason for doing what you did, you owe her that much.”
“And I don’t deserve a reason for why she done it?”
Gillian looked at Dave as if he’d grown to heads. She couldn’t understand why he was dredging up things that had been resolved already. If it was for spite, he was doing a pretty good job and Kate wasn’t even in the room, but Gillian remembered how hard it had been for them to overcome that blip in their relationship.
“Once. One night, she slipped. At least she had the gumption to tell you when it happened. You were carrying on behind her back for a year and she had to hear it from her daughter. Think about that the next time you‘re with Roxanne.”
***
Having successfully removed Dave from the house with little hassle, Gillian went to check on Kate. She found her pale and crying, leaning against the bath with a washcloth wrapped around her wrist. Kate looked up at her with bloodshot eyes and sighed heavily, removing the washcloth to reveal dark purple bruising already appearing around her entire wrist.
“I always did bruise like a peach. Is he gone?”
Gillian nodded and sat down against the cabinets opposite Kate, who crawled over and lay down with her head in Gillian‘s lap. Taking the hint, she threaded her fingers through Kate’s hair, reverting again to their childhood comforting techniques.
“I sent him on his way with a few meaningful threats against his manhood. He amazingly agreed not to show up until you were gone.”
“Not that he keeps his promises, but thank you.”
Kate moved around until she found a more comfortable position against Gillian, who continued stroking her hair. She knew they would fall asleep there, and wake up in the morning with sore backs and whatever else, but it was apparent neither she nor Gillian had any energy left to make the move upstairs. Gillian had other ideas.
Pushing themselves off the floor, they slowly made their way upstairs followed by Nacho and had just enough energy left to change their clothes before falling getting into bed. Gillian thought it odd Kate was so willingly sleeping in the bed where “it” occurred, until it was explained that Kate had bought a brand new bed when she found out.
“I loved him so much, Gilly.”
Gillian wrapped Kate in her arms again, like she’d been doing throughout the day, as the walls crumbled and Kate cried herself to sleep.
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. No money is being made from this work. No copyright infringement is intended.