SOUL DEEP
1.
KATE & RANA
How could you…..
Kate rambled around the kitchen of the flat she once shared with Luke and now Alya. "You shouldn't have told him," Ran through her mind like a lighting rod, the pit of her stomach sick from the stale beer she had drank with Aiden the night before she wanted to cry her heart ached thinking back to the way she pushed Rana to the side, exposing her by telling Zeedan. Kate shook her head tightly, "What could I do," Echoed through her mind the buzzer to the door sounded she almost hated to answer it, "Hello," She could barely get the words out. "Kate, please let me in," Rana stumbled she thought momentarily, "Please Kate," She heard that familiar faint voice gnawing at her like a bad habit, she buzzed the door alarm letting her in.
The climb up the stairs was slow for Rana, several days had past since the painful reveal she kept herself sheltered at Imran's only venturing out to work. Rana stopped at the window by the doorway looking in Kate's figure stood there her face sunken into the palms of her hands. Rana reached for the knob with some hesitation she opened it, Kate looked up. "How could you do what you did to me?" She questioned swallowing hard. Kate didn't want to look at her she was hurting worse then she had in the recent past, "Kate," Rana voiced again. Kate gulped braving up to witness the one thing she never wanted to see, a devastated Rana, "It couldn't be helped, I had no choice, Zeedan attacked Robert and wanted to beat and batter the other male workers, what should I have done?" She questioned dropping her hands to her side.
Rana cautiously looked away, "Did he threaten you?" She asked with a tremble in her voice, the dry streaks of tears left lines on her face she licked her lips to keep them moist she could still taste the salt from her tears. "No, but he was angry, so angry, he trusted me as his mate and I hurt him badly," Rana quickly interjected, "We both hurt him badly Kate," She winced. Kate moved to the sofa and motioned for Rana to join her, she did sitting across from her face to face. "I never meant for you to be hurt, not in this way, but he needed to know Rana," She tried to be assuring. Rana pulled a tissue from her purse and dabbed her eyes, "I told him that I was in love with someone else," She bowed her head as she spoke the words, "I know," Kate extended a hand to her shoulder. Rana pulled back, Kate locked her hands together, "I'm sorry, sorry this ever happened, falling in love and all, you have to admit we were both at fault," There was some reasoning in Kate's sad voice.
"I wasn't ready for Zeedan to know it was a woman, it will only be a matter of time before my parents find out and disown me," She sobbed, Kate wanted to hold her but felt it wouldn't be right. "I don't understand Rana," Kate began Rana looked into her eyes the gleam she had always saw, had vanished. "What don't you understand? That my life is ruined and I'll be all, alone, no family to support me in my time of need," She remarked. "You told me you were in love with me, you were going to leave him, you left me at the gate so many times, you were never going to leave him, I waited and was fooled by your false promises," She replied coldly. "It wasn't the right time, Luke, Alya," She begged to differ. "It was never going to be the right time, I couldn't take it anymore, all the lies, deceiving our mates," She wept in saying. "People on the street will know before too long, Zeedan's been in the Rovers quite a bit, he's loud and rude," She complained. Kate listened remaining as calm as her outer façade would allow her to, "When I left for Devon, it was good for me, it gave me time to think, I pondered everything, what I would lose, what I would gain and I knew deep inside that you would never tear yourself away from him, but for a glimmering moment I thought you would be there, waiting for me, a rush to open arms," She rehearsed the air thick with tension.
Rana bowed her head she found it difficult to speak, "I have a lot to think about, right now I just need to focus on my job, how I'm going to handle my parents, Zeedan," She replied her throat parched from the words she spoke. "Do you still love him?" Kate asked knowing the answer, "I do love him and I still have feelings for him, it's not so easy, you're unattached and free, I made a commitment," Kate raised her hand, "Please Rana, I don't want to hear anymore, just go and leave me be, my heart is broken and I feel gutted," She stood up from the sofa and walked to the door, "I hope you can straighten your life out and above everything, I hope one day he can make you happy again," Rana gazed at Kate with the darkness of her eyes she wanted to speak but couldn't manage it she left without another word a chapter had ended in their lives. Kate rushed to the sofa falling back to it in uncontrollable sobs, "Oh Rana," She cried out her voiced cracked, the one person she truly loved now devoid of her life.
Michelle wiped the bar off in steady strokes she looked up to see Kate entering dressed for work, "Hey," Her tone bleak as she eyed the dismal look on Kate's face, "Is he here?" She questioned about Zeedan, "No he's not," Michelle relayed and then motioned her to the office they embraced. "Now. Now," Michelle tapped her back, Kate didn't want to cry she wanted to be brave her emotions took over as she shuttered, "It's going to be alright," Kate pulled back, "It'll never be, it's such a mess, a shitty mess, Zeedan's, my mate, we've hurt him," Michelle grasped her tightly by the shoulders, "You fell in love," Her voice stern she sighed deeply, "Was it a good idea?" Her question painful, "Probably not," Michelle winced answering herself her thumbed tracing the tear under Kate's eye. "Rana's in the worst ordeal of her life Kate," Kate griped her lip with her teeth, "I should've known better, letting her in my life, I went against my better judgment," Michelle drew her to the sofa they sat down, "You knew what you were getting into," She replied calmly, "When Rana kissed me the first time, I, I," Michelle looked at her strangely, "What do you mean?" She asked, Kate had some explaining to do.
"Rana showed up to the flat drunk she had been out with Sophie and Rosie she kissed me," Kate looked away, "What," Michelle was shocked, "Why look so surprised? Rana pursued me," She felt caught off guard. Michelle groaned, "And I thought her and Zeedan had the perfect marriage," Kate pursed her lips, "Obviously not, I didn't know how to react, especially after we kissed she got me to thinking and one thing lead to another," Michelle crossed her arms giving Kate a slight role of the eyes, "Robert is pissed needless to say, Zeedan and all," Her grimace making Kate somewhat uncomfortable, "I can't help it and its going to be tough, Zeedan won't be able to look at me let alone speak," She shrugged her shoulders. Michelle attempted a grin, "Don't worry somehow we will work it out, but I have to ask ya' do you still have feelings for Rana?" Kate wanted to cry her heart raced, "I love her Michelle, but I realize it won't work, Rana's family will never accept me or this relationship and she truly believes they'll disown her," She remarked honestly. Michelle stood up and looked down to Kate, "It's going to be a long hard road, not only for Rana, but for yourself and it won't be easy, Zeedan is angry and there'll be no reasoning with him, people will say things and you have to prepare for what's about to happen," Kate shook her head with a sad stare.
"Where have you been?" Zeedan demanded waiting at the stoop of Imran's flat, Rana looked at him with disdain, "Out, why?" She furrowed her brow, "Sneaking to see your lover?" His tone crass, "I told you its over," She raised her voice. "Such a liar and a dirty cheat," He obnoxiously complained. "What do you want Zee?" Rana looked away from him fumbling for the keys to the door, "You need to get your things from the flat, I don't want any reminders of you," He smirked, "I'll ask Imran to help me, I'll come by this evening," She turned the key in the lock and cracked open the door. "Fine, the sooner you get your things the better off I will be," He slipped his hands into his jacket pockets as he turned and walked towards the Rovers. Rana's eyes followed him she felt even more, sicker than earlier with Kate, she hurt bad enough to want to collapse in the doorway. "Sister," Imran grasped her by the shoulders, "Are you alright," He looked beyond her to see Zeedan headed for an afternoon of drinking. "Zeedan must have been here," He pulled her into his chest shaking his head as she sobbed into his sweater. "Come on, I'll fix you some tea," He helped her into the flat.
Imran sat across the table from Rana, "Feeling any better?" Rana wiped her eyes and shook her head negatively, Imran extended his hand to hers, "I know it must be hard, difficult," Rana lowered her shoulders picking up the tea cup, "I don't know what to do," She winced in a deep sigh, "Do you love him?" He asked with a sharp stare of the eye. "I do," She hesitated, "But you're not in love with him," Rana slowly peered up at him remaining mum, "I asked you earlier which of the two you would choose," Rana's demeanor quickly changed, "I can't focus on who to choose Imran," Imran interjected, "I get that but, Kate," His facial expression soft and caring, "Kate Connor is a snake," She hissed in anger, "And Kate is not totally at fault, the last time I checked it takes two to make a relationship," He replied causing her to lower her head and look away. "You've managed to confess to your husband that you are in love with someone else, devastating enough, but with a woman," Rana cut him off, "Yes, I'm in love with her, I can't do a thing about it," She pushed back from the table escaping to the bedroom and slamming the door.
Kate untied the apron she had wrapped around her waist, "Lunch crowd tomorrow?" Robert questioned, "Yes," She looked at him sheepishly still feeling a little uncomfortable about the situation she found herself in, "Zeedan?" Kate started to mention, "I haven't heard from him, I've left the spot open for him, but the shape he's in at the moment," Robert frowned as if to scold Kate. "I feel really bad Robert, I never meant to hurt him or anyone," Kate scoffed a bit, Robert stared not speaking momentarily, "You're not totally to blame Kate, Rana played a part in it too," She lowered her head, "Go on home, get some rest, I'll see you tomorrow," Kate nodded leaving out. Sophie crossed the cobbles catching up with Kate, "Hey, been waiting for that drink," Kate groaned under her breath, "I've been a little busy as of late," She followed Kate to the door of her flat, "I see, I," Kate interrupted her, "Care to come up? I could put on some tea," Sophie smiled brushing the bangs from out of her face, "Sure, that is if you aren't busy," Kate furrowed her brow. "Stop messing about," They both giggled. "Here ya' go, how are things at the garage? Your dad found a replacement for Luke yet?" Kate asked trying to keep the conversation light.
Sophie found it hard to talk about Luke, "Uh, yeah, a couple, but no one yet," She sipped her tea, "A shame about Luke anyways," Kate wiped a tear from her eye, "It's going to be difficult for Alya when she comes back around," She added. "Saw Rana earlier," Sophie brought her name up, Kate swallowed hard her breath became shallow, "Yeah, uh, haven't seen much of her since the funeral," Sophie gazed at Kate with seriousness. "She wasn't very talkative, strange actually," Sophie shrugged her shoulders saying. "I guess she just has a lot on her mind, ya' know, Alya and all," Kate replied feeling a bead of sweat breaking out on her forehead. "Yeah, I guess so," Sophie couldn't shake what she saw in Rana, a distant and cold stare encompassed her actions. "Enough about Rana," Kate started to say, "Finish your tea and I'll change, we could head over to the Rovers for that drink I've been promising you," She quickly left the room as Sophie patiently waited. "Wow," Sophie tweaked her eye watching Kate re enter the room, "Ya' look great," Kate smiled widely for a brief moment she could forget about Rana. "Don't be silly, its just jeans and a turtle neck sweater," She teased back.
Imran walked beside Rana as they passed the flat she had shared with Zeedan and Yasmeen, "Its not worth the stare, come on," Imran noted clutching Rana by the elbow, "I can't help but worry about him, he is my husband, still," Rana was determined. "Rana," Imran tried to calm her, "I don't think it's a good idea," Rana pulled away from him, "I'm going to check on him make sure he's alright," She remarked sternly opening the door to the flat, it was dark and quiet. "Ya' think his alright?" She questioned staring at the stairway, "A bit hung over I would guess," Imran decided, Zeedan slowly stumbled down the stairs, "What do you want?" He asked grasping the bannister and steading himself, Rana's text chimed she felt clammy, her eyes affixed to the screen, "I'll fix you some toast," Imran looked at Zeedan, "It's mom and dad and they're on their way here," She grasped the phone tightly in a panic, "Great," Zeedan answered running his hands through his hair he looked disheveled and untidy, "Please don't say anything to my parents," Rana begged, the tears welling up in her eyes. "Hmmm, why not? Then they'll know what a slag you really are," He rudely remarked, "Zeedan, it would be wise to keep it quiet until Rana can tell them," Imran mildly warned.
