Endearment

Chapter Nine

The next morning Katherine woke up to Clara shaking her shoulder gently.

"Kath? Kath wake up."

Katherine sat up suddenly her whole body tence with fear for some reason. It wasn't until the memories of the night before came flooding back to her did she relize why.

"Oh Kath..." Clara said sadly and gently patted her shoulder as Katherine tried hard not to burst into tears again.

Her head hurt from crying and it felt like her night robe wouldn't stay on her, it kept slipping down her shoulders making her feel exposed. There was a strange sensation of uncomfortableness between her legs as she tried to get to her feet.

"Hey, take it slow." Clara encouraged helping her friend to her feet.

"Ow... it hurts." Katherine mumbled feeling more sore than anything else.

"Oh I know, I'm sorry Katherine. Let's get you in a bath, yea?" Clara asked.

After her bath Katherine had pulled herself together and the uncomfortable soreness had subsided slightly. Clara didn't say much as she helped Katherine get dressed, it was as if she didn't know what to say. Katherine's dress was pink and purple and made her look older some how. She supposed it was fitting considering her childhood had just been ripped away from her.

"Today you'll go to breakfast with Jack, your father, and Patron Medda. Then you are free to do what ever you want for the rest of the day." Clara said in a forced cheerful voice.

"Until I'm trapped in this room again." Katherine muttered darkly.

Clara pursed her lips but didn't say anything. After that Clara walked with her down to the dinning room silence heavy between them. Soon they had reached the big oka doors to the dinning room.

Katherine thanked her with a hug and bravely entered the room. On one side of the grand table was five empty plates ready to be filled with eggs and bacon of the most delicious smells. She didn't particularly want to talk with anyone at the moment -espcaly Jack- if the case may be but as soon as she entered she was greeted by a mouth full of hot pink feathers.

"Oh Katherine my dear! It's so good to see you!" Medda said happily. Katherine hugged her back remembering the things Jack had told her the night before. This must have been a good day for Medda because her face seemed to glow and Katherine could hardly believe that she had a terminal illness.

"Good to see you too Miss Medda." Katherine said a small smile on her face.

"So how are you feeling?" Medda asked leading her over to the table.

"Great." Katherine lied.

"Oh that's wonderful!" She said "Where is my son? How come he isn't with you?" Medda asked looking over Katherine's shoulder as they sat down next to each other at the table.

"Um... I don't know actually." Katherine said slowly wondering too why he hadn't stayed the night with her. She wasn't sure if she was glad he had left her after what had happened, or if she just felt abandoned.

"You don't know? We'll surely he had to of see you this morning, your married for goodness sake! Where has he gone?" She asked.

"I-I don't know, h-he uh, was with me last night but then he left and didn't come back. He just-" Katherine stuttered trying to tell Medda what had happened but feeling an over powering emotion fill her bones. She wasn't gonna cry. No, she couldn't cry ever again.

"Oh Katherine my dear how are you?" Joseph Pulitzer asked coming into the room, Elizabeth was right next to him and she smiled at her daughter which made Katherine feel a little better.

"I'm doing good." Katherine said as they sat down across from Medda.

"And where is Mr Kelly?" Pulitzer asked noticing his son-in-laws vacant seat.

"Fashionably late as always." A fimiluar voice said striding into the room.

"Jack Kelly! Where on earth have you been?!" Medda asked.

Jack smiled but Katherine could tell it was forced because he wouldn't meet anyone's eyes.

"Sorry Medda I went for a run and lost track of time." He said walking over to her and kissing her cheek in a friendly way.

"A run? Honestly boy, when will you learn that Kings arnt allowed to run around the place like its a racetrack?" Medda asked her voice teasing him but still firm. Jack ignored her and greeted Katherine with a kiss on the back of the hand.

"G'morning m'lady." He mumbled looking straight at her, Katherine didn't have it in her to look back so instead she adverted her eyes to the salt shaker on the table. She felt as if she'd shrunk into nothing over night and felt like she wasn't worthy to sit at the table with all of them.

Jack shook hands with her father and greeted her mother before sitting in the seat across from Katherine. Elizabeth sat next to Katherine and patted her shoulder, Katherine made a point not to make eye contact which only caused her mother to purse her lips.

The food was delicious as always but it didn't make Katherine feel any better. She tried hard not to participate in the conversation as much as possible and wouldn't make eye contact with Jack. She could steel feel the unease between her legs and wondered if he knew how much pain he'd put her though. She also wondered why he had left her the night before. Where had he gone? Was he really that shallow that he'd just screw her up then leave? Then again she knew he wasn't really that shallow, from the brief conversation they'd had last night she could tell there was definetly more to this Jack Kelly than met the eye.

"What do you think about it Katherine?"

She snapped out of her thoughts surprised by the fact that she's been addressed to directly. What surprised her even more was the person who'd asked her the question. Jack.

"What?" Katherine asked and she could feel her mother disapproving gaze on the back of her head. Katherine had been raised to pay attention an to participate in any conversation dealing with men do to this reason.

"I was wondering what you thought about Germanys new proclamation against Mexico." He asked his blue eyes full of carefully calculated emotion. He wasn't angry at her for not paying attention which relieved her.

"Oh," Katherine said surprised that he was interested in her opinion at all. She swallowed carefully and chose her words precisely. "Well... I think you should stand back and see what Mexico does about it. I mean... if their willing to accept then there's no reason to jump the gun about a war."

There was silence and Katherine feared she'd said to much and crossed the line. On the contrary Medda slapped the table with a hand and grinned at the two men across the table.

"She's right! That's the best idea I've heard yet Katherine well done!" Medda said.

Katherine hid a smile behind her hands and silently thanked Jack for not ignoring her like she thought he would.

Maybe he wasn't such a bad guy.

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AUTHORS NOTE: Well, this was put together in about 10 minutes so it's very sloppy and ended horribly. Please forgive me. Next chapter will be better I promise. Anyways, comment below and let me know what you think! Thx