In The Hands Of The Doctor

Chapter 14: What now?

Katherine's POV

"Kat? Kat?"

I forced my eyelids open to see Clarissa sitting at the foot of my bed. I'm in my room the very room he no longer wanted me staying in so he made me move into an apartment. My head was throbbing and my face hurt so bad. Looking over at the night stand beside my bed I seen it was midnight.

"Kat I'm so sorry." Clarissa had tears running down her face. I've never seen her like this before.

"For what?" My voice came out strained like I hadn't talked in days. My throat felt like a desert probably because of the yelling.

"I didn't know he'd gotten this bad." She started sobbing into her hands. That's when the anger boiled up inside me.

"You hurt me too Clarissa just like him. You're just as bad. Clarissa you might have not physically hurt me like him but you could have helped me, you could have fed me and showed me some remorse." She looked at me as if she really wanted me to feel sympathy.

"Kat... He.. He hurts me too. I didn't know what to do with my frustration so I took it out on you as well. He made me believe that he treats me like this because of what you did and Kat dear I believed him. He started physically abusing me about three years ago it scares me because each time it gets worse. Every time he leaves me bruised I leave and he tells you guys I'm on a business trip because he knows I'll be back. Katherine your father is sick and he needs help. I need help too Katherine, I treated you so bad because I was hurt and that's no excuse in comparison to what you've been through. I care about you and Abby so much but I know I'm to blame as well." Her words shocked me. All this time I thought he only treated me this way.

"Why are you telling me all of this?" The tears still streamed down her face.

"Because Katherine I care about you whether you think so or not. I never knew how to express my love to children because none was ever shown to me so I looked for love in the wrong places. Like your dad. Katherine I love him with all my heart and everything I've done to you has been because of him and it's so wrong. I can't live with myself anymore Kat... I can't do this. I stuck around because he threatened me and told me if I leave no one would ever love me. I've realized that he never loved me." She buried her face into the sheets of my bed.

She's a victim just like me. Yes she starved me but if she fed me dad would find out. Yes she called me awful names but only in the presence of my dad now that I realize it. Clarissa is broken.

I felt warm tears travel down my eyes.
"Where is Abby?" She looked up at me.

"He went to pick her up from the neighbors they'll be back any minute now."

"You have to help me leave Clarissa, if you want to do the right thing please help me." Fear grew in her eyes as my words escaped my lips.

"I.. I. I can't Kat he'll kick me out if you got away under my supervision Katherine he'll leave me." He's brainwashed her.

"Clarissa you need to leave him you can't stick around."

"HOW DARE YOU FUCKING TELL HER THAT. YOU'RE THE REASON WHY MY WIFE IS GONE AND NOW YOU'RE TRYING TO MAKE THIS ONE LEAVE." My dad stormed though the door to my bedroom making me and Clarissa cower into my headboard.

"Dad it isn't my fault she's gone, it isn't so stop saying that you've made me believe that my whole life but now I know, YOU WERE WRONG DAD." I'm not sure how long he was standing outside the door.

"IT IS YOUR FAULT YOU BITCH." He stormed at me and balled my shirt into his fist and threw me off the bed.

"STOP IT DAVID!!" The impact to the floor made me loose my breathe as I heard Clarissa's screams and what sounded like him hitting her.