Chapter 6

" Truths and roses have thorns about them." - Henry David Thoreau "I do not understand..." Katrina frowned as she inclined her head to look out against the cliff valley and the valley that was spread below. She had returned to the drawing-room once again and this time her grandmother accompanied her to listen to her play. However and despite how much she tried Katrina could not concentrate as her mind was on Ryan's words, the words that he had spoken to her earlier on that day. For some reason, these words kept replaying in her head and eventually they saw her put her violin down and give up playing altogether. In the end, she left her station and pitched camp at the window, staring hard into the valley as if it possessed the very answers that she was struggling to obtain. "What don't you understand?" her grandmother finally asked her. Katrina had been very quiet about that particular episode and apart from asking her to call Mrs. Beufont to cancel their appointment, there had been no other words shared between them about the issue. Now, the older Mrs. Maracheli found that she could not make up her mind whether her decision to allow Ryan to see Katrina had been a good one. Her doubts were many and so were the regrets but still and at this point, she knew that she had little say concerning the issue that was between Katrina and her husband. Their confrontation had been long due and now, the old woman knew that it was time. It was time for her little girl, the little girl that she nursed since her mother passed away, to fully grow up into the marvelous woman that she was and confront her demons. Hadn't she told her son the same? Dominic was stubborn and she knew that it was hard for him as her father, but they allowed it to her. To give her a chance to plot her future and to do so without interference. To plan her child's future and that, that could never happen if they kept on running to save her every time something bad happened. For all she knew, they were the cause of all the misery that this girl had to endure. They had tested it then, toyed with the idea, but as time had proved it to her, some things needed to be left alone for nature to run its course. "It was something that Ryan said..." Katrina said as she turned to regard her grandmother with green thoughtful eyes. "Grandma? Why would Ryan talk about a divorce?" "Because things are not so great between the two of you?" "No... Things have never been great between us, period. So why now? I looked into his eyes and what I saw... I am now fully convinced that he was telling me the truth when he mentioned those divorce papers." "Oooh... Crap!" her grandmother cursed in a most unladylike fashion. "Katrina..." she started to explain. "What did you do?" The girl's eyes widened as she exploded into a fit of rage that was so much unlike her. "Katrina, I--" her grandmother started again but was cut off by her granddaughter who was now seething with rage. "Was it you, or dad?" "Katrina! You wouldn't think that I would do something like that to you?" "Come on grandma." Katrina laughed half-heartedly. "I do not need to be a genius to know that you had something to do with it." "Take that back Katrina! Take that back at once! " the older woman scolded her. "Fine! But this is not the last you will hear of it." with that Katrina stormed out of the room and marched up the stairs, her feet stomping as she the stairs in a hurry, fueled by her anger and the sudden urgency to confront her father with that piece of news. She came to his door but her feet stalled. Her hand raised, her fist curled ready to pummel the door, but her knuckles drew back hesitant as to how she would do this. "Am I really doing this?" She hesitated again, then made up her mind and pushed the door as if to answer the inner turmoil. The doors responded and moved forward. Fuelled by the momentum of her adrenaline-laced hands, the dark varnished mahogany double doorways slammed against the walls surprising both her father and Katrina who had just performed the act. In Dominic Maracheli world, nothing was always as it seemed. He had long learned to always expect the worst and be prepared for it, but when his daughter barged into his office unannounced, the shock of it was not something he had been prepared for. For how could he when the very action was untypical of his very mellow and calm daughter. What was even more surprising was the expression that was on her face. The rage that he could see there. The unspeakable hurt had him wondering if it had something to do with that ruffian from earlier in the day. "Princess, what happened? Did he hurt you? Do you want me to..." the words hurried out of his mouth as he rose to meet her. "Dad!" she stopped him with the palm of her hand and took a step back out of his embrace. "What--" "What did you do dad?" she cut him off to accuse him and slowly, Dominic Maracheli found that his temper was steadily rising. "Look here, princess! His voice rose a notch higher. "I am your father and you will NOT barge into my office and disrespect me." "Fine dad." the girl smiled ruefully. " if you will not listen to me then l'll... " " You'll do what? " the man thundered. If there was anything that this Maracheli hated was threats and the fact that they were coming from his daughter did not make that any easier. " Then I'll leave! " Silence. Then more silence as both father and daughter digested the words that had just been spoken. "Katrina..." a soft voice and concerned called from the doorway and the pair turned to look at the old lady. "you cannot possibly mean that..." The words had come out of Katrina's mouth in a rush. The last result of a drowning man that was clutching at straws, but as Katrina continued to think about it, the more convinced she was that that was the thing that she wanted to do. "Yes, I am leaving. I am not a puppet that you two can draw strings and play around with. I am human and you..." she pointed at the both of them. "... cannot continue to control every little aspect in my life." "And where will you go?" her father laughed as if laughing at the rantings of his three-year-old child. "Dominic!" His mother scolded as she moved to stand in between him and his daughter. "Katrina's sentiments are right. Look at what you are doing to her now?" "So she has your blessings in this?" "Not really, but to be fair we have wronged her." "Does that include you mum?" he laughed incredulously. "Yes," his mother held up her chin high. "I was wrong in mentioning to you about where Katrina's affections lay and in that I allowed you to instigate that alliance. I agree that I should have worked harder to stop you." "Oh mother..." Dominic laughed again as he turned back to walk to his seat. "When you two are done, could you please shut the door on your way out? I have work to do. Real work that pays your bills and allows you to have the luxury to seat around and become sentimental."With that, he turned back to his computer and continued working. "Come on Rina... Think about it. You know how your father is..." "I know mum and that is why I am doing this." Katrina replied as she threw in yet another item into her suitcase. "But Rina..." "Mum." Katrina stopped what she was doing and turned to face her. "You have been good to me and you know, had it not been absolutely necessary I wouldn't have done this." "Then don't." Alice, the younger Mrs. Maracheli retaliated. "I know that I am not your real mum but, you are the closest thing that I have to a daughter, a child even and I really do hate to see you go this way." "It is not like I have a choice. I can't keep on waiting when it is obvious to everyone that he will never change his mind about me." "And the baby?" Katrina smiled as one hand lifted slowly to cradled her growing belly. "He, she... They. Whoever they are, they are the real reason behind everything. I have thought about it and the more I do, the more I am convinced that this is the best thing that I can ever do for them." she explained with a smile and it was true. This baby had given a sense of purpose and added meaning to her otherwise senseless life. This new purpose gave a direction and an understanding of what it was that she needed to do to make things right. "Is there no changing your mind then?" the woman that she had come to call mother asked her? "I am afraid not. My mind is already made up." "Then I won't try to stop you and you know, if you do ever need anything, I am just but a call away." "I know mum," she smiled, brushing off a stray tear from her eye. "but I must decline the offer you gave. I know what dad is like and I want to create a situation with you and dad. He finally found someone, you after a very long time and I wouldn't want to jeopardize that for anything." "Aaaw... You're so sweet, but I am dead serious. I can handle your father otherwise I wouldn't have married him if I couldn't." "Look at you mum! " Katrina laughed. "I am so happy to hear that. It makes my leaving you here much easier, that is knowing that you can handle yourself and all." "Quit making fun of me Katrina." Mrs. Maracheli laughed. "Who? Me?" she pretended to look around dramatically. "I would never!" "Does this mean that you've changed your mind about leaving?" the older Mrs. Maracheli appeared with a silver tray in her hand. On it was a glass of water, some tablets, and a white envelope. She proceeded to place it on the vanity before turning back to the pair. "Hardly. It seems that her mind is already made up." Alice replied as her face took on a skeptical look. "Huh! So all this was just a ploy?" Katrina accused as her eyes swang from one to another. "You can't blame us for trying. We care about you. But then again, we should have known, after all you are father's daughter." "True." Alice agreed. "When I was told, I did find it rather hard to imagine that our sweet and mellow Katrina was the one who stood up and spoke out her mind in front of him." "But you also do it. All the time in fact. " the old lady pointed out to her. "Yea, but that is me and I do it in private, not the way this little spit fire did today. " "Come on... Give me a break. It is not something to be proud of. The way you ladies are putting it, you are making me sound like the rebellious daughter of Mr Dominic Maracheli." "Aren't you? And you know what? It is never too late to go and make amends." "Mum... We've been through this already. I am a married woman and I have an obligations." with that Katrina turned around and continued folding her dresses. Behind her, the two older women shared a look between themselves and the older one nodded at the younger, before taking off to walk out in haste. After a while, Alice turned around and clasped a hand on Katrina's shoulder. She squeezed it and before she knew it, she had pulled the girl into a tight all-encompassing hug. Slowly, she let go and took a step back, her eyes now shiny as they brimmed with unshed tears threatening to spill out. "Mum..." Katrina mumbled as Alice shook her head. Without a word, she turned around and followed the old lady out leaving Katrina to muse and puzzle over their sudden change and the weird behavior that they were now exhibiting.