The Battered Heiress Blues - By Laurie Van Dermark Page 0,50
Seeing them from my windows, pile in and out of the car, without conversing, was becoming ridiculous.
I knew that we had a hard conversation ahead of us. Our words would undoubtedly turn to analyzing Kate’s motives. What he didn’t realize was that I would be as equally disadvantaged as him. Speaking as someone with a track record for being spontaneous and irrational, Kate was even more over the top than me. Her likes and dislikes had the potential to change daily. I’m only surprised that she had invested so much time into Gabe and his family if leaving was going to be her final act.
I started becoming a stalker, watching for an opportunity to initiate a truce with him. I saw them heading down to the beach with Mattie’s kite and decided to follow. I had purchased a beach play kit for Mattie and brought it along to surprise him. Nervousness overtook me on the walk. I became afraid that he would blame me for introducing him to Kate. My opinions on the matter had softened over the last couple of weeks. I’d come to realize that not everyone has the coping mechanism to deal with life’s big curve balls. Not too long ago, I was counting bathroom tiles and walking laps throughout the house. Perhaps, that is why God entrusted Mattie to someone like Gabe and not to someone like Kate. Not everyone has the patience and understanding to realize Mattie’s greatness.
Why do people want the world to be filled with only vanilla, when chocolate, strawberry and mango are so much more interesting? Who wants an army of sedate kids that aren’t in any way interesting? I love mango. Mattie was mango.
When I turned down the path to the beach, I could see their kite soaring against the blue sky. Gabe noticed me approaching and didn’t offer a friendly wave. He simply turned back towards the ocean. Unsure of what to do, I decided that I’d obligated myself to continue since he’d already seen me. Moving slowly, I tried to decide the best course of action. Our meeting would be hard no matter when it took place. Leaving would just delay the inevitable. Getting the strained conversation out of the way would be a relief.
I walked up next to Mattie and dropped the beach toys in the sand, kneeling down to hug his neck. He began lining them up, as if doing his usual inventory. I looked back at Gabe and gave him a guarded smile.
“Where have you been hiding?” I cautiously inquired, testing the waters.
He motioned for me to step a few feet from Mattie. I was afraid of what was coming next, especially considering that his words weren’t suitable for Mattie’s ears. I was hoping that he wouldn’t ask me to leave, realizing that I needed all the friends I could get lately. Kate leaving for New York made me keenly aware that I was all alone.
“What’s going on with Kate?”
“Well…straight to it then. I wasn’t expecting the direct approach.”
“She started acting aloof when her brother left. She was different- distant.”
“Kate is different, Gabe.”
“That’s not going to pass for an answer.”
“What are you asking then?”
“What did I do?”
“This may not be so much about you. I think this has a lot more to do with me. Henry and I had a terrible fight.”
“She mentioned that, but what does that have to do with me and her?”
“Henry and Kate are very close. They always have been. She’s upset with me. Her desire wasn’t to get away from you. She just wanted to get as far away from me as possible. You’re simply a victim of location. Knowing Henry, he probably demanded that she go to New York and show some allegiance to him. I don’t know, but make no mistake, Gabe; she’d fall on her sword for Henry every day of the week and twice on Sunday. She may be smitten with you, but she loves her brother more. I don’t mean to be hurtful, and maybe she’ll return in a week and make amends, but it is very hard to tell with Kate. Her free spirit is one of her greatest strengths while at the same time being her most challenging flaw.”
“If I ask you a question, will you answer me honestly?”
“I’ll try.”
Gabe looked serious and sad as if he truly didn’t want the answer.
“Did this have anything, at all, to do with Mattie?”