My Best Friend's Heart (GirlxGirl)

Chapter 4- Parts I and II

Chapter 4

        Part 1:

        Natalie was gone by six that evening, claiming to need some thinking space and different clothes. Kathryn numbly nodded her head, struggling to get around the idea of having a girlfriend. She already knew that she loved her, but how long could she convince Natalie to join her for life? 

        Kathryn wandered aimlessly through the apartment, picking out the little things that Natalie placed there throughout the years. How could she know that this woman would thoroughly plant herself into Kathryn's heart? She walked up to a Homer Simpson Pez dispenser. She smiled a little at the useless bobble. She would never have thought to add that into her apartment. Truth be told, she never kept useless things around her because it reminded her too much of home.  

        She vowed to herself ten years ago that she would never think about her past again. But the memories were flooding back ever since that voicemail message. 

        "Katie? This is your mom. Your father had a heart attack yesterday, he's-he's in the hospital. T-The doctors say he w-won't make i-it. C-Can you c-come back soon? Say goodbye? I know you h-hate him a-and me but I need you, love." 

        Kathryn took a deep breath, recalling the message. She hated that bastard and what he did to her and her family. He was a prick, a tall lying prick. Ugh. Although Kathryn didn't want to face her family again, her sense of familial duty was calling to her heart. She wouldn't be going back for that bastard, but back for her sisters and mother. Back to Montana.

        Shit. She forgot to call Natalie. The only flight she could get catch was at 8:30. That only gave her an hour or so to pack. She was already on the airplane and had taken a small sedative to get through the flight. It was at that moment when she realized that she had forgotten to call Natalie. Sleep overwhelmed her consciousness and she was subdued without another thought.

        Where the hell was Kathryn? Natalie was standing outside her door with takeout food. She shrugged and used her emergency key. She figured she would hear the shower going off but it was silent. She walked into the kitchen and placed the food on a counter.  

        "Kathryn? Where are you?" 

        She walked into all the rooms and she wasn't there. Did she already regret her decision? A pang hit Natalie's heart at the thought. Then she heard a beep. Voicemail? 

        "Katie, it's Kelly. I know mom called you and begged you to come home. Now I'm begging you. Dad is really sick and he isn't going to live for very much longer. He suffered a heart attack and his aortic valve clogged up, he's living on machines right now. I know you hate us, mostly dad actually now that I think about it. Jut remember that I don't hate you. You're my sister and I'll always love you. Please come home. I know you and dad never got along after-after. We miss you, though. Please just come. *sob* I need you, big sis." 

        Natalie found tears were streaming down her face. That's where she went. She knew that Kathryn had problems with her family but didn't know they were this bad. What could have made her move thousands of miles away from home? Natalie decided to wait at Kathryn's apartment. Wait until she heard.

        Part II:

        Kathryn arrived in the early hours of the morning. Flying never sat right with her stomach so she first set off to the bathroom. She didn't tell anyone she was on her way. She didn't want them to know. She walked over and rented a car and drove to a hotel. She check in at the closest one to the hospital and then drove over to visit her worst nightmare.