What They Don't See

Chapter 24 - More Secrets

A few hours later, the mess in the kitchen had been cleaned up by those responsible, and everyone sat gathered in the living room, snacking on some fruits while talking. The family wanted to get to know Kate a little better and asked her all sorts of questions about her current life and her childhood. Most of her answers were a little vague so as not to scare them too much, but she was as honest as she could be. She told them about her dad and how she first met him, and about what it was like growing up in a huge house where her only friends were the two children of her father's bodyguards and the son of one of her father's business associates that would visit occasionally. 

Next, Sara wanted to know about how she and Logan had met. Kate had a hell of a time telling the story this time, club, contract, and all. In the beginning, Sara gasped and smacked the back of her son's head a few times, but when Kate got to the part about the accident, she got up and hugged both Kate and Logan. 

"I had seen the story on the News, but Logan had said it wasn't too serious and you were both alright so I wasn't too worried but oh gosh, you poor souls," Sara had said as she hugged Kate again.

"It's alright, I promise. Besides, it brought us closer together in the long run," Kate replied, patting her back as she spoke. 

After her conversation with Sara earlier, Kate felt more comfortable around her and found that she really enjoyed talking to Sara. She was like the mother figure that Kate never had in her adult life.

When that thought occurred to her, Kate couldn't help but feel a little guilty. Her mother wasn't a bad mother, she had made the best out of the lot she was given. She had just never been the best at giving affection. Kate knew that deep down her mother feared her. In the same way that she feared Kate's father. That made it difficult to show affection. Kate couldn't resent her for that, but it made loving her a little harder. But she also couldn't just leap at the chance to replace her. 

So instead Kate chose not to think about it at all, pushing it to the back of her mind. Besides, it wasn't like Sara had offered to replace her mother.

"Alright, I need to go to the grocery store. Kate, Logan, you wanna come with me?" Sara asked as she got up and began walking to the door.

When what she had asked registered in Kate's mind, there was suddenly a look of horror on her face, which she quickly tried to hide. But it was too late. Everyone saw it.

Logan chuckled.

"What? I thought we talked," Sara looked a little put off.

"It's not you mum. Kate just has a fear of supermarkets," Logan informed the room as he continued to laugh.

"Not all supermarkets. Just the American ones," Kate mumbled as the rest of the room's occupants began to laugh as well.

"Wait, why?" Max asked after a moment.

"Well, when I first got to America, I needed to buy some shampoo, so I went into a Target to get it, thinking 'How hard could it be?' But two hours later I still hadn't found the shampoo and my cart was full! I don't even know where the cart came from! The fact that I had been tricked so easily scared me, so I swore off all American supermarkets for the rest of my trip," Kate explained, which only caused more laughter to erupt. "I don't know what's wrong with the ones here, European supermarkets aren't nearly as complicated!"

"Alright then dear. Logan, will you be joining me?" Sara asked once she finally caught her breath.

"Yeah, I'd be happy too. Do you need anything babe? Shampoo maybe?" The room burst into another round of laughter at this, and Kate smiled goodnaturedly.

Once the laughter finally died down and Logan and Sara were off, Kate turned to Max.

"Your brother tells me you refurbish motorcycles."