A Sense of Guilt ✔

Chapter 36

'Of course, you can stay here Kat,' Danielle said dumping Katherine's overnight bag behind the back of the sofa.

'I wouldn't want to impose,' Katherine said although that was exactly what she was doing. She'd sent Danielle a hasty text as she was getting into her car, begging to stay the night. Surprisingly Danielle had agreed without pressing her for details, she must have caught her when she was busy.

'You're not imposing,' Danielle said. 'What are friends for.'

'You and Eva don't have much room,' Katherine murmured looking around. She'd always thought their home was cosy but as she stood in the living room and realised she could almost stretch her arms from one wall to the other she knew it was too cramped for three people. 'You only have two bedrooms.'

Danielle shrugged. 'Eva's not here very much, since she got together with Kieran I rarely see her.'

'You're just saying that,' Katherine said but she breathed a sigh of relief all the same. It was all well and good walking out on Joe but she hadn't thought through the practicalities of it. 'I promise I'll be out of your hair ASAP, I just needed to get away from Joe to get my head together.'

Danielle smiled gesturing for Katherine to sit down. 'One, I'm not being polite, Eva would be out of here if she didn't think it would leave me in the lurch. And two, what's actually happened? With you and Joe?' She looked at Kat, her face expectant.

Katherine slumped down into the chair not knowing where to start. When exactly had her life began to fall apart?

'Joe's been having an affair,' she said her chest tightening. 'I guess you've already figured that out?' She didn't dare look at Danielle. 'He's with her now, and I'm done trying to fix things.'

Danielle's face was unreadable but Katherine could see she wasn't surprised. She'd probably put two and two together before she had.

'Does Joe know you've left?' Danielle asked as she fiddled with one of her fingernails.

'No, he left this morning.' She took a deep breath. 'It was obvious he was going to see Shannon after she left the club with Donnie last night, and he's not come back. I've tried calling and he's ignored all my calls.' Her face heated up and she could imagine her blood bubbling away in her veins. 'He wouldn't even take my calls to put me out of my misery. He sent a text saying he was going to his mom's.'

Danielle scoffed. 'God, he's such a coward! You're well rid of him.'

Katherine looked up at the ceiling, noticing a cobweb around the light fitting. 'Yeah, I guess I've dodged a bullet.'

So why did she feel bereft?

'Come on, Kat, he's shown you who he is. You can't fix this.'

Katherine's eyes narrowed as she looked at the cobweb, trying to see if she could spot a spider. She realised Danielle was looking at her waiting for a response.

'I know I can't fix this,' she admitted swallowing hard. 'I did everything I could, you name it, I've tried. I was willing to forgive him, to put this behind us but he didn't want to.' A sob escaped her and Danielle pulled her into an awkward hug.

'You'll get over this Kat, better to have found out now than after the wedding. Honestly, Joe's done you a favour.'

'It doesn't feel like a favour,' she said wiping her eyes and trying to hold onto her anger.

'If it hadn't happened now, it would have happened later.'

'Or maybe it wouldn't have happened at all,' Katherine said bitterly. 'If Shannon hadn't come back into his life.' They should never have invited her to the wedding, she should have put her foot down.