Finally Grounded (Sequel To The One Who Grounds Me)

Chapter Eighteen

Tiana

Couple hours later

Our flight back to New York, went by in a flash. Soon we were cruising down, the highway and heading towards the Memorial Hospital.

I was really impatient, I wanted to get, there as soon as possible. Just to see, how Cathy was holding up. Tristan squeezed, my knee and I leaned my head against his shoulders.

We still had much to discuss, but we decided to wait. Until after the mess with Cathy, has been cleared up.

**********

When I walked, into the room, Cathy was staying in. Everyone turned to look at me. I was suddenly the center of attention. The door closed behind me. I should have asked, Tristan to accompany me. God I hate attention.

"Such a shocker, to see you here." Cathy said, sweetly.

My attention snapped, towards her. A fake smile, was plastered across her lips.

"I came as soon as I heard." I said, stepping further into the room.

"Right."

"Um... please excuse us. I'll come to check up on you, before my shift ends." The doctor, handed his clipboard to the nurse. They left the room, shortly after that.

The tension in the room, was so thick, you could cut into it with a knife.

"Tell me Tiana, how was your little trip back home?" She asked.

"It was alright."

"I'm sure it was..." She said, drily.

"What's with the hostility?" I asked, quizzically.

Cathy pursed her lips together. "Are you fucking serious right now? For once in your miserable life, why don't you tell the truth?"

"Where the hell is all of this coming from?" I asked.

"Cathy, I think it's best...."

"Shut the fuck up!" Cathy intercepts.

Martha snapped, her mouth shut, a guilty look was on her face. I was confused. Why wasn't she making eye contact with me?

"All those times, huh, you were sneaking out to go and see him! All this time.... you've been fucking around with that abomination behind my back!" Cathy said, incredulously. She snorted a laugh. ".... I was so blinded by...." She trailed, off.

"That man has a name." I said, feeling a little bit offended. I fisted my hands at my sides. Calm down Tiana. This was bound to happen, anyways. The truth always comes out.

"Oh please forgive me. You need to fucking break it off with him!" Cathy said, pointing her fingers at me.

That was when I noticed the restraints on her hands. I could also see the outline, of two white bandages. Tristan never told me, she slit her wrists.

I shook my head, now is not the time to get distracted. The only that worried me, was the fact that she would go through such lengths, because of me. "Break it off and then what happens?"

"You move on find somebody else to date. I forbid you to continue this farce of a relationship with that monster."

"Who the fuck do you think you are? My mother. Sorry Cathy that role is fucking taken already."

"Now now you both, we can all be civilized about this!" Martha scolded.

"Mom just stay the fuck out of this!" A sinister smile, appeared on Cathy's lips. "I was the one who took your broke ass, in when you had nowhere else to go. I was also, the one who helped you with your semesters last year when you were fucking short on cash. I did a lot of things for you without asking for shit in return."

"I fucking paid you back in full! This is why, I was so reluctant to accept your offer."

"Tiana I care about you."

"No you don't, you don't give a fuck about me. If you did, you wouldn't be telling me to leave Tristan."

Cathy tugged on the restraints, hissing in annoyance. "I care about you a lot, j.... just I don't want to fight just break it off with Tristan, and let's just go home. I'll forget this ever happened and...."

"Go fuck yourself. I'm tired of you and everyone telling me what to do! I am not a fucking child I am a grown ass woman. I can make my own mistakes and I can learn from them." I said, furiously.

Cathy turned to me, with unshed tears in her eyes. "Why must you do this to me? I've always been there for you! Always! You're just a means to an end for him! Don't you see, Tristan doesn't care about you! He's just using you!"

"Why don't you leave Tristan out of this huh? I consented. It's not like Tristan held me down and shoved his dick inside of me."

"How much is he paying you?" Cathy asked, sniffling. ".... I'll double the amount."

Wait. Did she just... oh my god. "Excuse me?"

"How much is he paying you?"

"Are you fucking serious right now Cathy! I... I...." Screwing my eyes shut, I tried to calm myself down. "He isn't paying me anything."

"Yeah right. A girl like you would do anything for money. You're poor and poor people always, do whatever it takes to put themselves in the arms of a rich man or woman."

"I'm not like that."

"Aren't you?" Cathy snorted, a laugh. Her gaze was cold and distant, as she stared at me. "...I mean immediately after meeting my brother you both started to fuck. I mean come on, isn't that what they call being a little too desperate."

"Typical Cathy. Why am I not surprised." I said, starkly.

"Can we all just, please calm down." Martha said, butting in once again.

"Calm down? I am calm mother! I'm fucking calm!" Cathy turned her attention to Martha. "Mom... I also wanted to thank you for being real with me. I never believed what you were saying to me. Until I started to browse through Facebook and Instagram.... so thank you for that."

I felt my legs buckled, the nausea once again returned. Martha's face was pale, the guilt was evident in her eyes.

"Y... you told her?"

Martha's shoulders, slumped. "... Yes. I was the one, who told her."

******************