Katherine dabbed a bit of concealer under her eyes to hide the puffiness. The redness she could do nothing about so far. She relived the conversations that had just taken place, starting with the fight with Dale.
He'd come in with such high expectations for what he considered a romantic evening. Dinner followed by cuddling on the couch, watching Court TV and debating the psychological merits of each case. Normally that would've been fine with her, but since her visit to her parents' house she'd been feeling...restless. She hadn't been able to put her finger on why until he'd shown up at her door tonight, wearing the same white shirt and tan slacks he always wore for their "quality time" together, holding out the same red rose and cradling the same bottle of merlot. Something in her had just snapped.
Looking back, she realized that her feelings for Dale didn't run that deeply. That hurt her, but not as much as she'd thought it would. Analyzing herself, she realized that during the course of their 7-year courtship she'd never even once made a move to introduce him to her parents, despite his hinting, and, finally, insistance. As far as her family knew, she wasn't even dating. She'd told herself that it was because she didn't want her zany family in her business, asking Dale all sorts of questions, speculating on when they'd get married and have kids of their own. Deep inside, though, she knew it was because she was afraid of the look she knew she'd see on her father's face. Daddy was sensitive to her moods, he knew her better than anyone. And he knew the vibrant, loving Kathy she hid each day behind the Doctor Kreuger mask. The safety, the refuge she took in her work. Dale was one of those safefalls, she knew. And her Daddy would know the moment he laid eyes on Dale.
Which was why she was taken so by suprise when Dale swept in, planting a massive kiss to her lips. He wasn't demonstrative by nature; he seldom even held her hand, not even in private, most especially not in public. His kisses were perfunctual, almost like he was bestowing an expected favor. To see this side of him suprised her, happily, she had to admit, even as it disturbed her somewhat. She couldn't put her finger on what was bothering her, but he hadn't given her time to think. He'd tucked the rose behind her ear, raced excitedly to the kitchen to put away the wine, then came back to the living room, taking her hands in his.
"We need to talk," he'd announced, while she was still trying to form words. He'd led her to the couch, setting her down, then sitting beside her. "I've got great news!"
Kathy looked at him and finally found her voice. "What is it Dale?" She'd never seen him so animated; she wondered what was up. His face lit up as he regarded her. "I've been thinking about this, I've given it a lot of thought, in fact. And I've decided that we should be together. Married. You and I."
He smiled triumphantly at her; Kathy was stunned speechless. I've been thinking...we should be together...married. She blinked, this had hit her like a ton of bricks. She focused on slowing her breathing and his words. He was, in fact, still talking..as he got down on one knee. Kathy started to panic even as he pulled the velvet lined box from his pocket, opening it.
"Will you marry me, Katherine?" His eyes bore into hers, seeking. Katherine was reeling. He's never once called me Kathy. Katherine, or Doctor Krueger, but never Kathy. Funny what you think of at times like these. "Well?" His voice had taken on an annoyed timbre; his face was coloring slightly. So she retreated behind Doctor Kreuger, listing the definate pros of such a union. Their combined income would be staggering. They both had job security. They had a lot of common interests. Her friends liked him, the few she had. She was sure, in time, her family would come to love him too. Whether she loved him or not never entered the picture. She just nodded numbly, and the excited light came back into his eyes. He whooped for joy and slipped the ring on her finger. She dumbly noted that it was a simple ring, plain gold band with a tiny, sensible, square-cut dimaond resting in the center. He babbled on and on and finally her numbed senses caught up with what he was saying.
Dale babbled on about the wedding, how they had to be sensible about things. How once she moved out of her house into his they could get started on building their lives. How she would have to get rid of those tacky bric-a-brac collections her mother insisted she keep, how it would clash with his things. How she'd have to sell her car; of course he had the perfect one already picked out for her. His mother had already picked out what dress she would wear, and of course they couldn't honeymoon right away because of their work, but they'd find a nice little bed-and-breakfast in a year or two, his mother knew just the place. And as he continued to rant, she gathered a few thoughts. He chose everything. Where they went to eat, what movies they saw, he even ordered for her at the restaurant. What she had originally thought of as confident masculinity she was now seeing as obsessed perfectionalism. And all in the space of a few minutes. Dale leaned in again, catching her lips in another kiss. Kathy was stunned by the action yet again and whimpered in confusion; Dale mistook it for something else, because he suddenly grabbed her, mashing his lips to hers forcefully. Kathy struggled to breathe, Dale mistook her intentions again and rose, sweeping her into his arms. His face was flushed, his eyes had a gleam she didn't much care for. She struggled, finally finding her voice. "Dale, Put. Me. Down!"
He released her, more from surpise than anything else. "What's wrong baby?" He trailed his hand down her cheek; she felt mildly repulsed. "I...I don't want to do this," she stammered. He stared at her indulgently.
"But why not? After all, we're engaged now! Ah, I understand.." he smiled at her as if she was a slightly retarded child. "You've never been with a man before, and it's okay. It's just what I expected of a woman like you. But we'll need the practice of course, if we're ever going to have kids of our own."
Never been with a man before...woman like you...KIDS?!? Hold the FUCK up!! Kathy backed up a few steps, glaring at the pig. "Now wait just a minute! Who said anything about kids? And what do you mean, a woman like me?" She was panting with her anger now, and the fact that he was still smiling that hated, indulgent smile made her blood boil even more.
"Of course you want kids, Kathy, all women do, don't they? I mean, did you really expect to do that horrid show all your life? I'll let you work until you're pregnant, of course, but after that...no woman of mine should be expected to work when I'm making enough to support my family." He thumped his scrawny chest at "my" like he was some jungle man. Kathy lost it.
"What the FUCK do you mean I'll ALLOW YOU TO WORK?!? This isn't the '50's, you ass! I don't want kids. I don't want to give up my job, or my show, and right now I sure as hell don't want to be married to you!!" She struggled with the ring as Dale just looked at her, perplexed.
"What are you talking about Katherine? Now you're just being silly..c'mon upstairs and we can..talk..about things.." He gave her a heavy lidded smile. She finally managed to tear the ring from her finger and threw it in his face.
"Get out, you bastard," she snarled at him as the ring bounced off his chin and clattered to the floor. She spun around, preparing to storm upstairs when his voice, quiet with rage, stopped her.
"Katherine Krueger, you march your ass back down those stairs and pick this ring up now. Then you're going to put it back on your finger and apologize to me. Then, if I decide to accept your apology, we'll go upstairs and I'll teach you how to make it up to me." His voice was so quiet, yet it literally reeked with chauvanistic rage. Katherine didn't know whether to be outraged or afraid. Outrage won out as his words penetrated. She spun around, knowing her next words were the wrong ones before they even left her mouth, but he'd pushed her too far.
"I'm not even a virgin, you twisted, chauvanistic, pathetic pig," she said, her voice matching his in quiet intensity. Things seemed to go into slow motion at that point. Katherine watched as his eyes grew wide; his face turned so white, so suddenly that for a moment she was worried for him. Then his hand lifted and time sped up again as it caught her solidly across the face, in a backhand that sent her reeling, sprawled out at the base of the stairs. Then he was standing over her, shouting, a handful of her hair in his hand, hitting her over and over. Kathy was stunned. She'd never been hit like that before; her father had spanked her once when she was 6, then was so guilty he'd cried most of the afternoon, then spent the rest of the day drowning her in ice cream and gifts. She didn't have time for the memory though. Dale wasn't finished with her.
"You cockteasing whore. All this fucking time I was gentle with you, waiting for the right time to make love to you when I could've had you any time I wanted. How many men have you fucked before me huh? How many times have you made a fool of me?" Kathy couldn't reply even if she'd wanted to, as Dale hit her again, the pulled her to her feet by the handful of hair. She screamed, striking out at him. Her reward for that was another savage backhand as he started to drag her up her stairs, still yelling, shouting obscenities, and her brain tried to make sense of the sudden change in him. It made no sense...and to think she had actually considered tying herself to this man....she couldn't think, she couldn't breathe, but she knew for sure she couldn't let him do what he planned to do, to take her upstairs, to let him force himself on her this way. Acting on reflex, she punched out, catching him in the throat. He went down, gasping for air, but she went with him as his hand was still clenched in her hair. The hit the ground hard, but Kathy was already struggling to her feet, screeching in pain as his grip on her hair tightened. She lashed out with her foot, catching him in the groin. He let go of her this time, and she raced into the kitchen, working on impulse. She heard him get to his feet to give chase and she grabbed the first thing she could and hurled it at him. The heavy vase she'd thrown caught him in the forehead and down he went again, but she didn't stop to make sure as she entered the kitchen and grabbed a butcher knife. She could've sworn she'd heard a ghostly chuckle then, in her head, low and full of cruelty and glee at her plight, but she shook that off as she hefted the knife. Its feel in her hand felt right somehow, as if she were supposed to be holding it, using it...she shook off that feeling too, and just in time, as Dale entered the kitchen after her, holding his bleeding head and roaring. He stopped short when he saw the knife, however.
"Katherine...Kathy...c'mon, let's be reasonable here. Put the knife down and let's talk." Kathy wasn't buying the gentle, placating tone. Dale took a step toward her and she swung wildly, slashing his shirt and cutting his chest. He howled and lunged at her; she swung again and he backed off. "You bitch. After all I've done for you," he snarled. "Get out," she breathed. "Whore," he responded. "Do you really think that anyone else wanted you? Do you really think you can do better? Everyone at work laughs at the Ice Princess; don't look so suprised. You know damn well what they say about you. I did you a fucking favor. I fucking saved you from being old and alone and this is how you repay me you whore?" "Get OUT! Get out or I swear to God I'll kill you Dale get out getoutgetout!!" Dale backed away, a strange smile on his face. "This isn't over, bitch. And don't even think about telling anyone what happened tonight. You know you'll lose this fight." He turned and walked from the kitchen, Kathy followed slowly to make sure he truly was leaving. She kept her eyes, and the knife, trained on him until the door slammed behind her, then she raced to the door, throwing all the locks, then dropping the knife and throwing herself on her couch, sobbing for what seemed like an eternity. Then she got up stiffly, groping blindly for the phone. Only one person could she ask for help. His face was the only face she could think of as she dialed the number.
"Alan? This..this is K.Kat...hy...Kreuger. Please come." She couldn't say anymore; she dropped the phone and wept.
And all the while, evil eyes watched her plight with glee.
