Hi.

38. Blue Valentine.

Valentine's Day, 2015

Valentine's Day, Kitty awoke to Kathy shaking her awake. "Kitty?"

"Kathy? What's wrong?"

"Hungry." Kathy whimpered, holding her belly. Kitty sighed. The last time she and her sister had eaten was on the eleventh. Since then they've managed on stale, cold food. Kitty sat up as best as she could and pulled her sister into a hug.

"Okay. I'll see what I can do." Kitty said. "Maybe Phil will let us out."

Kitty had asked Phil the other day if she and Kathy could get out of the house. And with good reason.

"She needs fresh air! She's a child and needs the fresh air! She can't just stay down here all the time with this crappy dust bunny air!"

Of course Kitty had been slapped in the face in response, but she hoped that Phil would listen to her and let them get some air. Even if were for ten minutes every night. That'd work for Kathy.

Kitty stalked up the stairs to the kitchen, knowing that Phil was passed out drunk after last nights...well...unwanted bed activity from the other bedroom upstairs. Inside of the kitchen Kitty grabbed some pop-tarts and two bottles of orange juice and a large bottle of water. Kitty began heading back down when she heard her name being called.

"BITCH!" Phil's voice roared.

Kitty ran to the basement faster, but Phil caught up and pulled her ponytail. He stopped her this way and pulled her back into the wall. Kitty began shivering.

"Listen...deal breaker. The baby brat and you come out tonight, in disguise, and every night as soon as it gets dark, at any time you want out, you can stay in the backyard, AND ONLY THE BACKYARD, for an hour." Phil spoke with sober, but his eyes lurked evil in the back. Kitty could see the icicles dancing in the back where his soul would be, if he had a soul.

"I get the air, what do you get?"

"Sex." He replied. "Anytime of the day, except during your air time. No screaming, no nothing. All consent. Deal?"

Kitty didn't know what to pick. One would say 'deal' so that Kathy had fresh air and Kitty could deal with the rape. But Kitty could always sneak Kathy out of the house, just as soon as Phil left the house to go to the bar for hours and hours.

Her freedom, or Kathy's?

Over in Lima, Will awoke empty in the bed in the morning. He had thought Emma would be there but instead found the bed empty, made up on her side and a small note card.

Out. Home later.

xoxo Emma.

Will tossed the note to the side as he rolled back onto his back, looking up at the blank ceiling and just wondering about nothing. What was he suppose to do? He had plans, he made plans back in December about the upcoming holiday events him and his girls could do. Now they were useless as two of his three girls weren't with him.

This sucked.

After a while Will managed to get up, even though he wanted to stay in bed and just stay there. Maybe forever. Maybe until he got word of the girls. Will had reached that point. That point where he knew Phil had them and he'd do anything to get his girls back.

Will didn't even make eggs like he usually made. Instead he just sat there at the table with a bowl of cereal, not even eating a lot of it as most of it was used by his spoon and twirled around. It was too quiet in the house. Whether it was an older girl screaming or a smaller girl laughing, he had noise in the house. Now it was too quiet.

Will threw his half eaten bowl in the trash then in the sink, he showered and dressed and just sat down grading papers. He didn't feel like grading them but had to keep himself occupied with something.

Emma arrived home about two hours later, carrying groceries bags and two other bags. Will helped carry them in and start putting foods away, but couldn't help himself but peek into the two other bags. One bag contained different clothes, small girl clothes and older girls clothes, the other was a purple teddy bear with a red bow on the ear.

"Emma, why did you get another bear for Kathy? She already has a million of them." Will told her.

"Oh, well...you know when the girls get home they'll have some nice things," Emma replied rapidly. "And on the way out I saw the bear and thought of Kathy in a matter of seconds and bought that too—"

Emma was soon talking rapidly fast. Something Will knew all too well at times. Will put the bear down, walked over to Emma and gently said, "Emma, stop." Standing behind her and putting his hands on her wrist. He gently turned her towards him and once so Will put his forehead against Emma's. "Emma, buying things won't bring them back quicker."

"I know, I know, but I thought if I just got something...maybe there will be some some hope in them." Emma answered.

"Em—"

Emma grabbed the milk and cheese and asked, "Put these in the fridge for me, please?" Will didn't get a second to answer as she already put the food products in his arms then grabbed the two bags and carried them out.

Will sighed. "We need a miracle."

"How's the food, Kathy?" Kitty asked, adjusting her sunglasses a bit over her face.

"Yummy. I like mac n cheese, Kitty." Kathy replied happily. "Kitty want some?"

"No," Kitty replied with a sad tone. "I'm okay. Phil's going to come here and get us in a while."

"Okay." Kathy answered, biting into her food. "Kitty sad?"

"No." Kitty lied, tears being held back from behind her sunglasses. "I'm perfectly fine."

Uh oh, Kitty made a choice. And not a good one...and poor Will and Emma :(