Wrapped around your finger - Post Malone

1

"Hi, I am here to see Cathy Montegue. I was told she had been brought into this hospital."

"Name?"

"Hazel Montegue."

"Relation?'

"Sister."

"Second floor, room 101."

The nurse looks over Hazel's shoulder and calls the person behind her. She is clearly finished with the conversation. Hazel leaves the front desk and makes her way up to her sister's room. She has not seen Cathy for almost fifteen years. Cathy is a lot older than her and only her half-sister. They share the same deadbeat father - that's the extent of their relationship. So why Cathy phoned asking Hazel to come and see her is beyond her. Hazel's mother had been the housekeeper and had an affair with Cathy's father. When she fell pregnant and their shit was exposed, Hazel's mother was fired and Hazel was shunned by her father's side of the family. She overheard her father once during an argument with her mother refer to Hazel as 'that little problem'. Anyway, it's water under the bridge, Hazel is now 25 and a successful freelance writer. She and her mother were close and she could care less about her father and his hoard of stuck-up self-centered children, including Cathy. She does not know why she is even here. Curiosity? Stupidity? Boredom? Fuck knows - take your pick. She stops outside room 101 and takes a deep breath, well hear goes fucking nothing. She pushes the door open and steps inside.

She is a little shocked at what she finds inside. She had expected a fancy decked-out private room with millions of flowers from family and friends, Cathy on the bed smiling at her with that smug smile all rich people have. Some family sitting around her and maybe a fucking private chef of peek culinarian expertise. Hazel does not fucking know what rich people have around them in private hospitals. But she did not expect what she walked into. A stark sterile room, no flowers or family only Cathy lying on the bed looking sorry for herself. Seems the family had turned their backs on her too. She must have embarrassed them. "Hazel? Wow, you are all grown up," Cathy says and tries to sit up in the bed. Hazel shrugs and moves closer. Cathy looks sick - stupid thought given she is in hospital. "I wish you and I could have had a better relationship. I was never a good big sister to you," Cathy says and pats the bed for Hazel to sit on.

Hazel rolls her eyes and stays standing at the end of the bed. "It's fine, I figured you were just a shitty person so I was never cut up about it," Hazel says. Cathy looks at her with sad eyes and nods her head. Is she agreeing with her? What the fuck is going on here? "I agree with you, Hazel, I have not been a good person in this life I have been given. I have hurt a lot of people and I suppose this is why I am sick now - paying for my sins," Cathy says clearing her throat and then reaching for a glass of water. "Yeah, I don't think that's how it works. But I don't know what you have done in your life so..." Hazel says shrugging. Why the fuck is she here? She feels uncomfortable and wishes this would just fucking be over already. "Look at us - the two black sheep of the family," Cathy comments with a chuckle. "I would not quite compare our experiences. I think I would win," Hazel says. Cathy smiles at her, she does have a lovely smile. Maybe in another life, they could have been friends, but just not in this life.

"Hate to cut to the chase but I have somewhere to be," she has nowhere to be, "why did you ask me to come?" Hazel asks. Cathy takes a shot of her water and clears her that again. "Yes, of course. I don't want to keep you longer than necessary. I am dying, Hazel. Got myself a terminal illness," Cathy says. Hazel feels a stab of guilt and sadness in her chest. She feels sorry for Cathy - getting a death sentence like that is something no one deserves. "I have some wrongs I need righting," Cathy says. "So what? You called me down here to say you are sorry for being a shitty sister? You could have just said that over the phone, Cathy," Hazel says. Cathy sits up straighter and pats the bed again. "While I fully apologize for never giving you the time of day when we were growing up, this is bigger than both you and I. Please come sit and hear my story. Maybe you will find some healing from it too," Cathy explains. Hazel is not convinced any good can come of this but she is a nosy woman, it's the writer's blood in her, so against her better judgment, she sits down and waits for Cathy to start with whatever bullshit story she has up her sleeve.

"I have thought about this long and hard and I know in my heart that you would be the best person for this. I don't know you well-"

"You don't know me at all."

"And I am sorry for that, Hazel. Truly. But I just know that you will honor my wishes and be true to the request I have of you. I have hurt someone very badly. A little girl...I...I don't even know her name and now it's too late for me to fix it so I need you to step in."

"Okay...I am going to need more than that. That was confusing...and a little fucked up so start from the beginning."

"Okay. From the beginning...about ten years ago I met this guy. A Cowboy, a real one. He was in New York for a summit about global warming. He was very passionate about saving land for his cattle or something like that. I can't be sure, we were drinking and what he was saying was boring but he was so hot I put up with his talking. Anyway, we landed up back at his hotel and one thing lead to another if you know what I mean. The next morning the man looked like he was contemplating all his life choices so I left as fast as I could - it was a one-night stand. A few weeks later I found out I was pregnant. So I tracked him down...to Utah of all places."

"Well, that is where all the Cowboys congregate."

"Now that I think about it there were a lot of cowboys around."

"A lot of cows too, I bet."

"You would be right. Anyway, I told him I was pregnant. He was not happy about it, we were both only 18 and he had apparently just taken over his father's farm."

"Ranch."

"Would you please stop interrupting me?"

"Just get to your point, Cathy."

"Anyway! He was not happy but begged me to keep the baby. He said we could make it work, not as a couple but as co-parents. I agreed. I lived in Salt Lake City while I was pregnant and he was great. Was at every doctor's appointment, read baby books, and really got into the whole father role. He was very sullen and serious, I think I only ever saw hints of his smile when the baby kicked or something like that. It was years ago so my memory is a little fuzzy."

"Get to your point, Cathy. Fuck, you are so long-winded. Geez."

"I had the baby, a little girl. But I was 18 and not ready to be a mother so while he was asleep on the hospital chair with the baby sleeping in his arms I slipped out and left. The baby was only a few hours old, we had not even named her yet."

"That's fucked up. Like a lot fucked up. Like shamefully fucked up. Who the fuck does that?"

"I know! I know! But that's where you come in. I have run out of time to fix what I did. I was selfish and wrong and stupid. But that little girl should not pay for my mistakes. Please, Hazel, I need your help. I want you to find her and I want you to be the woman I was too selfish to be for her. Austin Post is the name of the cowboy. He lives in Utah near Salt Lake City on a ranch called Cottonwood Ranch. My daughter should be about ten years old. Please, Hazel."

"I have a busy life here, Cathy. We don't even like each other. Why would I help you?"

"It's not for me, Hazel. It's for that little girl. She does not deserve what I did to her...and, well..."

"Fucking well what?"

"Well...you know what she must feel like. Knowing your parent does not want you. You never deserved to have our father make you feel like that and this girl does not deserve for me to have made her feel like that. You are the kindest, most loving person I know."

"I can't help you. This is your cross to bear, Cathy. You have no right to ask me to do this. I have a life here. Ask one of your other sisters."

"I can't trust anyone else with this. You know that. Please, Hazel. If you really hate me that much then don't do it for me. Do it for her."

"I don't hate you, Cathy. I just...I hate how fucked up this whole family thing turned out."

"Hazel, I am sorr-"

"Don't...Look, I can't promise anything but I will think about it."

~

Cathy died two weeks later. No one was present besides Hazel who had chosen to visit her every day. She was Cathy's only visitor. No one claimed her body so Hazel had her cremated and kept her ashes in a coffee tin.