She stood on the stage and took a deep breath. The lights were dim and she
could barely make out the faces watching her. Still she knew they were
there. Taking a step forward, she began to dance. The music filled her
every thought as she leapt and spun. Before she knew it, it was over and
the audience roared with appreciation. She curtsied and bowed to the
audience and walked of the stage, panting. In the wings girls in tutus
rushed over to give her hugs and praise. The freedom that she felt when
she danced disappeared and the invasion of other people took over.
Suddenly a member of the stage crew rushed over, pushing through the crowd.
"Ms. Parker, I'm sorry to interrupt but there's an urgent phone call for you."
Katherine was so glad for the interruption but feigned disappointment. She excused herself and followed the young man to the phone.
"Katherine Parker."
"Ms. Parker,' the voice said' I'm afraid I have some bad news for you. It's your grandfather, he's in the hospital, He's had a heart attack and doesn't have much time. We've been trying to reach you for a few hours. He's been asking for you…"
The phone dropped from Katherine's hand, as the world fell away. The stagehand stepped forward to catch her as she dropped to the floor. She was vaguely aware of him saying something to her.
Before she knew it her dance instructor was rushing her to the hospital. Katherine didn't even remember her being there. Before the car even stopped in the parking lot, Katherine was sprinting to the hospital doors. She ran until she found the room her grandfather was in.
A gasp escaped her mouth. The man before her could not be her grandfather. This was not the big, strong man who had raised her since her mother had died. Machines and tubes were keeping him alive. She stepped forward, unable to keep the tears from falling from her eyes. The old man's eyes open.
"My Katherine, you made it. I'm sorry. I never wanted you to see me like this… My beautiful baby girl. Look at you, you've grown up. I never wanted to admit it. I still see the chubby-cheeked baby who wouldn't stop fussing. Your mother would be so proud of you…" his voice grew hoarse and trailed off. A tear rolled down his cheek.
Seeing the tears fall from his eyes overwhelmed her.
"Oh Papa Mac, it's okay...you'll be fine and then we can go home. I can come home with you and take care of you. It's going to be okay." She said reaching for his hand.
He took her hand and squeezed it. "That's nonsense and you know it. You have a career to think about. A life to live. Your mother was just older then you when she had you, she made me promise to let you live the life you should. I know that you want to take care of me, but that's not an issue. My time has come. I can't do this anymore. I've been ill for months…' Katherine looked up in shock, ' Yes for months. I am an old man and you are a young woman who should be out living her life, not caring for me. I have many things to tell you, things you may not like and not much time to do it in. So please just listen. I need you to do that for me." He brought his eyes up to meet hers and she knew that he was serious. Clutching his hand, she nodded, and he began.
"Your mother was very young when she had you, not much older then you are now. She was a very talented young lady with a love for sport. I suppose that it was my fault, I brought her up around wrestlers. She began to teach classes and one day her chance came to be recruited. For six years she wrestled for the WWF and then, just as she was getting to the top, she became pregnant and left to have you. She never regretted it for a moment; you are the best thing that ever happened to us. When she died I took you in and swore I would never allow you to live that life. You never knew about her career and that was wrong of me, but you were such a happy child and I thought that it was just better if you never knew. You had your dance and gymnastics and everything else and I… I… your father was in the business and I …"
"You didn't want him to be part of my life… didn't want me to get hurt." She said.
"He was married and your mother loved him. She didn't want to ruin everything, so she left. Gave up everything she wanted for him. I wish I knew who he was, but she never told me. She thought I would kill him if I knew. I guess she was probably right, 'he chuckled 'however, you have a Godfather and he can help you. You're still so young. He's on his way here now to get you. I'm asking you, as my dying wish, to go with him, learn your past and put to rest the secrets we have kept from you."
"Papa…please don't talk like that…please… you'll be okay." Tears flowed like water down her cheeks. "I love you Papa…I love you so much. Please…" but her plea was interrupted by the beeping sound of the heart monitor. "No please…Papa… no."
She collapsed in sobs, clinging to his limp hand.
A nurse rushed in and felt for a pulse. She shook her head. "I'm sorry dear. We have an order to not resuscitate."
"Ms. Parker, I'm sorry to interrupt but there's an urgent phone call for you."
Katherine was so glad for the interruption but feigned disappointment. She excused herself and followed the young man to the phone.
"Katherine Parker."
"Ms. Parker,' the voice said' I'm afraid I have some bad news for you. It's your grandfather, he's in the hospital, He's had a heart attack and doesn't have much time. We've been trying to reach you for a few hours. He's been asking for you…"
The phone dropped from Katherine's hand, as the world fell away. The stagehand stepped forward to catch her as she dropped to the floor. She was vaguely aware of him saying something to her.
Before she knew it her dance instructor was rushing her to the hospital. Katherine didn't even remember her being there. Before the car even stopped in the parking lot, Katherine was sprinting to the hospital doors. She ran until she found the room her grandfather was in.
A gasp escaped her mouth. The man before her could not be her grandfather. This was not the big, strong man who had raised her since her mother had died. Machines and tubes were keeping him alive. She stepped forward, unable to keep the tears from falling from her eyes. The old man's eyes open.
"My Katherine, you made it. I'm sorry. I never wanted you to see me like this… My beautiful baby girl. Look at you, you've grown up. I never wanted to admit it. I still see the chubby-cheeked baby who wouldn't stop fussing. Your mother would be so proud of you…" his voice grew hoarse and trailed off. A tear rolled down his cheek.
Seeing the tears fall from his eyes overwhelmed her.
"Oh Papa Mac, it's okay...you'll be fine and then we can go home. I can come home with you and take care of you. It's going to be okay." She said reaching for his hand.
He took her hand and squeezed it. "That's nonsense and you know it. You have a career to think about. A life to live. Your mother was just older then you when she had you, she made me promise to let you live the life you should. I know that you want to take care of me, but that's not an issue. My time has come. I can't do this anymore. I've been ill for months…' Katherine looked up in shock, ' Yes for months. I am an old man and you are a young woman who should be out living her life, not caring for me. I have many things to tell you, things you may not like and not much time to do it in. So please just listen. I need you to do that for me." He brought his eyes up to meet hers and she knew that he was serious. Clutching his hand, she nodded, and he began.
"Your mother was very young when she had you, not much older then you are now. She was a very talented young lady with a love for sport. I suppose that it was my fault, I brought her up around wrestlers. She began to teach classes and one day her chance came to be recruited. For six years she wrestled for the WWF and then, just as she was getting to the top, she became pregnant and left to have you. She never regretted it for a moment; you are the best thing that ever happened to us. When she died I took you in and swore I would never allow you to live that life. You never knew about her career and that was wrong of me, but you were such a happy child and I thought that it was just better if you never knew. You had your dance and gymnastics and everything else and I… I… your father was in the business and I …"
"You didn't want him to be part of my life… didn't want me to get hurt." She said.
"He was married and your mother loved him. She didn't want to ruin everything, so she left. Gave up everything she wanted for him. I wish I knew who he was, but she never told me. She thought I would kill him if I knew. I guess she was probably right, 'he chuckled 'however, you have a Godfather and he can help you. You're still so young. He's on his way here now to get you. I'm asking you, as my dying wish, to go with him, learn your past and put to rest the secrets we have kept from you."
"Papa…please don't talk like that…please… you'll be okay." Tears flowed like water down her cheeks. "I love you Papa…I love you so much. Please…" but her plea was interrupted by the beeping sound of the heart monitor. "No please…Papa… no."
She collapsed in sobs, clinging to his limp hand.
A nurse rushed in and felt for a pulse. She shook her head. "I'm sorry dear. We have an order to not resuscitate."