9
"Dad, what am I going to do?"
"Katie, the time to ask that question has long passed you by. What you need to do now is take care of you. It's sad really, I thought you and Rick were made for each other. Almost like myself and your mother were. It's been three and a half years."
"Pro's and Con's?"
"Yeah, Pro's and Con's." She looks at him and sees that he looks a lot older than the last time she saw him.
"Con, you are currently unemployed. There might be a slim chance you might get your job back but I would not count on it if I were you."
Jim holds up his hand stopping her from talking. "Q&A later."
"Con, you have lost all of your friends and about the only thing that you have left now is your dignity."
"Yeah, well I'm not so sure if that's even there anymore."
"Ahh remember no talking you'll get your chance."
"Con, your marriage was something that you did not fight for."
"I know that you think that you fought for it, but Katie, you didn't. He would die for you. I mean he'd really die for you. He was the only one who was really fighting for the two of you. He was the only one who did. You just took what he did for granted."
"You don't know how many times I have met with Rick and early on after you decided to counter with the divorce when all he wanted was a trial separation, those times were the darkest days I have never seen the man like this. It's like he lost his way. Katie, he was a mess. He was never sober, I mean I can't even count the times I had to run out of the house go to some dive bar and pick him up. You have no idea how badly the impact of your actions had emasculated him back then, and honestly, I don't think he will ever recover. He once was happy and carefree. He would give anyone anything they ever wanted. Now he never comes out of the loft. He gave up writing. The Nikki Heat series was it for him. I really don't think in the last three years he has even bothered to try to outline a story because it hurts too much."
"Con, whatever it is that has you so wrapped up in yourself it's taking a toll on you. You are not eating well. You look like you've lost about twenty pounds. And that look on you is the look of death. No amount of make-up or concealer could ever hide that. Katie, I'm worried about you."
Jim waved his hand in front of her giving her the okay to talk.
"Pro, I still love him! I've never stopped."
"Pro, my job is the least of my worries now."
Jim looked up at her with a questioning look on his face but kept quiet.
"Pro, while I might not have any friends there is always the prospect of making new ones. I hope that what I have done in the past can be fixed, I've hurt a lot of people."
"Pro, This project I'm wrapped up in... I'm close dad. So close that when it's finished I know that I can walk away from all of it.
Jim leans back from the table and thinks. Some of her Pro's make sense. But overall his Con's trumped her Pro's.
"Katie, What did you mean by your job is the least of your worries?"
"It seems that Rick had had the kindness to set up an account with a percentage of the Nikki Heat revenues for me. I only found out about it this morning."
"Gee I bet Alexis hated to make that call."
Kate was shocked! "Dad you talk to Alexis?"
"Katie don't look so surprised. Most of the times that we went to get Rick she came along grateful for the help I was giving her for her dad. And yes we still talk. They are a part of me. If it was not for them..."
She hated that she had been so wrapped up in this god damned case that it almost cost herself the bond with her father. Still, she could not fault him for keeping Rick and Alexis close to his heart. They were for him a quasi-family of sorts.
"Katie, I know you. I know you all too well. When you set your sights on something you are relentless. You never stop. That quality is good when applied in the right circumstance. Whatever it is that you are chasing, however long it takes you, it's the wrong thing to use. It has already cost you your marriage and you could possibly end up dead. I don't want that to happen to you. That quality is what got your mother killed. If it was not for her digging just a little more she'd still be alive today."
"Dad?"
"Katie, that's another story for another time. Tell me what is it that you want?"
She really wanted to know what he meant about her mother, but he was right that was another conversation.
"Dad I want him back. I know it's selfish and there will be a lot that I'll need to prove to him, but I still love him."
"What if he has moved on?"
"Has he?" She asked.
"No, that you are going to need to find out for yourself. No free pass from me on this one. You hurt him, Katie, don't be that surprised if he won't speak to you...at all."
"Dad, what do I do?"
"Katie, I seriously have no idea."
