Catherine's Secrets

Chapter 4

Steve walked up the beach after his morning swim his thoughts swirling. He just couldn't wrap his head around the fact Catherine didn't tell him about these two beautiful little girls. He had tried again this morning to call her with no luck. He knew in his heart that she had to have a good reason for this even if it was cold and cruel. At least he hoped. He turned the outside shower on and began washing the sand off his feet.

"Good morning, Steve." Steve whirled around to see Stephanie standing there in her pink silk pajamas with tears ready to fall.

"Good morning, Steph. What's the matter honey? Why are you up it's six a.m." Steve's expressions soften when the little girl starts crying openly. She had barely slept that night between being in a new environment and her own thoughts keeping her awake.

"Baby, what's the matter?" Steve walks over and engulfs her in a hug as he walks her into the house and sits her down on the couch. Stephanie continues crying until Steve squats down in front of her grabbing her chin and making her look at him.

"Talk to me Stephanie, I can't help you unless you communicate."

"Why doesn't my mom love me? She could've just come home and I could still be in Columbus. I didn't wanna come to this stupid island! Not one person has asked me how I felt about any of this! I understand I'm just some dumb kid! But I'm not a baby and I should have some votes in stuff." Steve's heart angers at the thought of her thinking her mother doesn't love her. He too had felt that feeling. She also had a good point no one had communicated anything with her or explained anything it was just saddle up and pony on.

"Honey, of course she loves you and you aren't a dumb kid. But you are a kid and you can't live on your own yet. I understand you are frustrated. I know the feeling. Believe me I do. We can also have a conversation about the move here and what we can do to make this easier for you and make you happy."

"Really, Steve, I'm pretty sure she doesn't I've seen her like five times in my entire life and I'm almost fifteen years old. She hasn't even shown up yet for the death of her own mother. She doesn't care about me or Julie. All she cares about is herself. We have no one left to love us. She doesn't even know where to find us." Steve wipes the tears falling off he face hugging her again.

"Hey, don't you dare say that okay I love you and you have plenty of people who love you."

"How can you say that Steve? I barely know you. I don't understand how you can already love me."

"You're my baby that's how I look at you and I see a version of myself and my heart outside my body. You'll understand when you have kids sweetheart. Now as for your mother I don't really know the reason why honey I've been trying to get a hold of her but I've had no luck she's on a secret op right now with naval intelligence." Stephanie knew she could get a hold of her mother, she had given her a number in case of emergency.

"I have a number for her. She told me to never call it unless it was an absolute emergency and said I couldn't tell anyone the number because if the wrong person got it she could get killed." Steve's eyes went wide as he looked at the ceiling.

"I'm gonna need that number kiddo." Stephanie nodded and walked to the counter and wrote it down handing it back to him.

"Steve, I'm really sorry for the way I've acted the last couple days. Can I please have my phone back? I've been completely uprooted somewhere where I know no one and I haven't spoken to anyone my own age." Steve studied her face and could tell the apology was sincere. Crossing his arms over his chest he looked down at her.

"Yes you can have it back but no more attitude okay or I'll take it right back but first I want you to go lay down for a little bit you look exhausted kid." Stephanie nodded and headed for the stairs before she stopped.

"Steve, how do you know how to get a hold of Catherine? Especially if you haven't seen her since Julie was born?" Steve sits down on the couch not ready to tell her the truth. How does he tell his child that the mother she thinks doesn't love her openly kept them away from him while having a relationship with him.

"Come sit." Stephanie cocks an eyebrow before she obeys and sits.

"You're mother and I have been dating off and on for almost twenty years. She had settled down on the island for a couple years and I was getting ready to propose to her but she up and left again."

Stephanie couldn't begin to describe the rage she felt boil in her chest.

"Wait a minute so she knew where you were this entire time?"

"Yes she did."

"That lying bitch. She told me she didn't know where you were after Julie was born. I'd been asking about you for years. So she was just gonna sit and live a posh life with you and forget about us. That's nice."

"Watch your mouth, I understand you are mad and you have every right to be but she's still your mother."

"That's no mother, Steven." Stephanie looks down and begins picking at her nails.

"I know how you're feeling."

"You can't possibly know how I'm feeling."

"Let me tell you about my parents." Steve then begins to tell her the story of how his mother faked her death and later came back into it.

"Wow we both got bad mom's. I have a question you don't even seem fased Catherine kept us away from you. She lied to you or more so never told you about us. Aren't you mad?" Steve laughs and pulls his daughter up to her feet.

"Sweetheart the way I feel about that situation angry doesn't begin to cover it. But that's between me and your mother. Now I want you to go lay down for a bit okay." Stephanie nods and goes to walk up the stairs but not before turning around to hug Steve.

"Thank you for not abandoning us."

X

Steve sat at the kitchen table looking at the phone number. He had to think about what he was gonna say if she answered. He knew if he didn't have some kind of plan he was gonna fly off the handle. Sighing he dials the number listening to it ring before his heart drops when the phone is answered. He wasn't ready for this conversation.

"Hello? Who is this?" He heard Catherine's silky voice register through the phone. As mad as he was at her he missed her.

"Hey Cath, it's Steve." Catherine's heart caught in her chest only a handful of people in this world has this number. Steve wasn't one of them.

"Hi Steve, how'd you get this number?"

"Catherine you have a lot of explaining to do. I think you'd better come home." Steve rubbed his eyes elbows planted on the table.

"About what Steve?"

"I don't know maybe because you've lied to me for the last fifteen years about our two children." Catherine felt her heart rate increase as she tried to fan her shirt off her body sweat suddenly dripping down her body.

"Steve how'd you find out about that?"

"You're mom died. She left them to me." Catherine immediately pukes.