Fade Into Me

Chapter 4

Dylan

"So tell me about yourself," I said, as I sliced into my steak.

She looked up with her big brown eyes, then looked down and shrugged, as she played with the shrimp on her plate.

"There's not much to tell. My life's pretty boring," she said.

"You can start by telling me about your family, where you're from, do you have any siblings," I offered.

She shifted uncomfortably.

"Katherine?"

She looked up at me.

"It's just me," she said. "My mom died more than a year ago."

"I'm sorry," I said, as I saw the sadness in her eyes.

"Thanks," she said.

"Tell me about her," I said.

She looked at me with hesitation.

I have her an encouraging smile.

"She was not just my mom. She was my best friend. I was her world, she used to say all the time," she said with a smile.

"And rightly so," I added.

She gave me a smile. "She was really beautiful. Even after everything that happened to her, she still looked at life for the beauty of it. She remained positive and optimistic, excited for the future. I wish I was like that," she said sadly.

"You don't think you are?" I found myself asking.

"Not as much as I would like to be. I worry a lot," she said.

"Worry about what?"

"A lot of things. Anything, really," she said with a shrug.

I have a feeling there's more to the story than she's letting on. I wanted to ask her more questions about the matter, but decided not to. I didn't want to push her too much, too soon.

"What about your dad?" I asked instead.

She dropped her fork and I saw the blood drain on her face, as her features hardened.

"In hell, rotting, I hope," she responded.

My eyebrows shot up in surprise at the seriousness of her tone.

I was rendered speechless, and didn't know what to say, or how to respond.

"Katherine..."

"I don't talk about him. Ever," she said, in a tone that leaves no room for further questions.

I decided to let it go. I nodded. "Okay. I'm sorry."

I could tell that she has completely lost her appetite because she never touched her food again after that.

I wonder what her dad did that made her loathe her father. Was it that bad, that she wishes her father rotting in hell and refuse to talk about the man.

Was he abusive?

Was he never in the picture?

She said that her mother has gone though a lot, did her father play a part in that?

I studied her face, and my gut clenched at what I saw.

I saw pain, anger, sorrow, grief, and something else. Something that I can't describe.