Chapter 6

CHAPTER SIX

KATRINA

Coming here was a mistake. I knew I needed to be checked out due to the injuries I sustained to my sternum, but when they told me they were keeping me for observation overnight, I regretted even agreeing to coming in the first place.

The last thing I need right now is to stay at this hospital.

I planned to get checked out, then taking a car service to the BNB I reserved in Chatham City so I could work things out with Heller.

Now, I’m stuck here for another twenty-four hours while he goes even more insane not knowing the answers I was ready to give him.

Never mind that my son is going stir crazy at the moment. He’s locked up in this small ass hospital room with nothing to do.

Sure, they brought him coloring books and crayons and a few small toys from the children’s ward, but my boy is used to having a home and a yard and doing so many more things.

Add on to the fact he still doesn’t know why his momma wanted to make this long trip in the first place…

“Momma, look,” Katler calls from the small table and chair he’s drawing on.

“What’s that, Mook?” I ask, trying to decipher the picture he’s currently working on. Have you ever seen a five-year-olds drawings? They’re not very legible unless they are some gifted children.

“That’s the man who saved you, Momma,” he informs me. “Can’t you see?”

I pretend I can and answer him as such.

“Momma, isn’t it funny how that man had the sames mark on his eye that I do? It’s weird, right? I’ve never seen anyone with my same marks.”

I take a deep breath, not knowing how to answer. Do I tell him that is his father? Do I wait? I’m now stuck on what to do.

“Knock, knock,” the nurse says as she enters the room, giving me a quick out to answer the pending questions from my son.

“Hey Nancy,” I reply. I met Nancy when I lived here years ago. She didn’t recognize me right away since I died my normally blonde hair light brown and cut its super long length to my shoulders.

“You know, Rina,” she begins. “I wish I recognized you as soon as you came to the ward, but,” she motions her hair up to my head, clearly pointing out my hair, “Why did you change it? It was so beautiful and full and luxurious. We were all jealous of that head of hair you had.”

“Ah, well, I’m a children’s PA now, so keeping long hair was not a good thing. These little buggers,” I say as I pat on my own child’s head, “really like to pull on your hair when you’re trying to tend to them. I’ve found keeping it short makes it less likely to get yanked.”

And I’m not lying. These little assholes I tend to like to administer pain whenever I have to give them shots or examine them. It’s a nightmare at times.

“Well, I can understand,” she answers. “Um, I don’t want to be the bearer of bad news, but you have a guest who doesn’t look a bit happy to come and see you.” At that, she peers at my son. I know she sees, she’s also known Heller as long as she’s known me.

I look between the two of them and sigh. “Can you take Katler to play in the children’s ward for a bit?”

She seems to understand exactly why I don’t want him around for this upcoming conversation and nods her head.

“Mook, why don’t you go with Nurse Nancy? Just for a little while. There’s a ward with just kids and maybe you can have some fun with them.”

At that, my son’s face lights up. There’s nothing more he loves to do than play with children his age. Where we live at home, he comes to work with me all the time just so he can entertain others.

“I’ll give you five so you’re ready,” she states as she grabs my son’s hand and begins to walk out.

“No need,” I reply, “Just send him in. Let me get this over with.”

No need to delay the inevitable any longer. Time to take my punishment and hope that one day, we can work our way up to forgiveness. I sit up as straight as I can in this bed, knowing I need to look stronger than I am feeling.

Heller has nothing he needs to hold back from me, and I’m going to take all he has to give. Then I’m going return the favor and give him all that is me.

Our son.