Chapter 37:
Why Am I Behaving So Foolish?
"Hey, beauty, didn't expect you here?", Daniel greeted walking in.
"Where else would I be?", she replied, ignoring him.
"I don't know, it's almost 11, figured you'd be heading home.", Daniel told her.
"With you?", Kathelina asked.
"No, just thought you'd be tired.", Daniel told her, Kathelina was beyond rude with him and he had not the slightest idea why.
"No, I want to be with the man I love.", Kathelina told him.
"Oh, so uh, did uh, Eve tell you about Dylan's condition? I told her it was up to you.", Kathelina looked at him.
"It should be anyways, you don't care for him, hell you don't care for no one but, yourself.", Kathelina told him.
"Uh, what? Kat, why are you so pissed at me? I thought we were friends?", Daniel asked.
"Friends? Daniel I wouldn't ever be friends with you, you're despicable and a rapist.", she watched as he looked at her confused.
"Oh, I know about the girls you took advantage, one of them was my sister Rachel, you know the 11 year old you stuck it to.", Kathelina told him.
"Beauty, please…", Daniel told her.
"Don't call me that. I am not blind to you, I see you for what you are a play boy, say anything to wow you, rapist. Well, I'm not the person you want to mess with, I will take you down if you take advantage of me, you got that? I am not Rachel, I will not be that naïve, I will not let your swave talk, get me in a daze when it comes to you.", Kathelina told him.
"You bitch, how dare you, Kathelina you know nothing about me. I thought we could be friends, but apparently not, it nice to know that your as fake as all the rest, at least you didn't let me get to close to you.", Daniel told her and stormed off.
Kathelina closed her eyes and breathed in a breath of air, she hated seeing pain in his eyes, hearing pain in his voice. "God, please help me. God, there has to be an explanation, he can't be that horrible."
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Daniel sighed, he didn't need this, he didn't need some self absorbed bitch judging him. 'But, she ain't just any self absorbed person, she's special. She different, she's different, she's just the same as everyone else in this world., she me as troubles, as an embarrassment, as…God, why am I obsessing over Kathelina Crane, I have greater things to worry about, such as Gwen.'
He was so consumed in his thoughts that he didn't se Gwen approach him.
"Hey.", Gwen greeted.
"Hey, uh, everything okay, with Ethan?", Daniel asked, masking his own hurt and frustration.
"Yeah, everything is fine.", Gwen replied.
"Good.", Daniel replied.
"How's Dylan?", Gwen asked.
"The same.", Daniel replied.
"Daniel, are you, okay?", Gwen asked.
"Yeah, I'm fine just fine.", Daniel told him, he turned his attention to the sleeping child. "He's exhausted."
"I know. He went to sleep just as soon as he got out of Ethan's room.", Gwen told him.
"He loves his daddy.", Daniel told her. "He's lucky, you and Ethan aren't together, but he has all the love he needs."
"Well, I worry about Sam, I mean her and Ethan are pretty close, she hasn't left his side, I worry how she will respond to Josh and to me."
"Sam, is a good girl , yeah, she's messed up in the past, but she's a real humble person, she would never treat a child bad, Sam had a bad child hood herself, and her step mother was the devil reincarnated, Sam would never expose a child to that..", Daniel told her.
"You speak as if you know her personally, do you?", Gwen asked.
"Kind of, I've know Sam forever it seems, we use to be lovers.", Daniel replied.
"Oh, really, never would have guessed, you and Sam seem to be like day and night, you have nothing in common, well I guess you do, she's very outgoing as are you and well…I just didn't even think about…Are there still feels between you?"
"You don't have to worry, I have no feels for Sam or no one else in this town, well except you, like I said earlier, I want to get to know you.", Daniel told her. "Not just in bed, but then again I wouldn't mind.", he winked.
"Well…", Gwen began.
"So what do you say, wanna hook up sometime, I mean, we can talk, hang out, have sex?", he suggested.
Gwen bit her lip. "You're just plain out with your attentions aren't you, you don't even try to hide your attentions do you?"
"No.", Daniel laughed. "What you see is what you get."
Gwen smiled. "So you don't front, I mean, you don't hide things from people?"
"No, that's not what I'm saying, I- I uh, I don't hide my attentions, nor my wishes, hopes and dreams concerning you.", Daniel told her.
"And, what would that be?", Gwen asked.
"Not in front of the kid, okay. I'd hate for him to wake up and hear me talking about all the things I have in mind for his mother and myself, because I promise it won't be PG.", Daniel told her leaning and kissing her lips softly.
Gwen laughed. "I- I was afraid of you at first, I mean, I never was one for the bad boys, I thought they live to wild for me, but I am actually enjoy this."
"Bad boy, hmm? Is that what you classify me as?", Daniel asked.
"You're defiantly bad, I mean, here you stand, trying to pimp me.", Gwen told him.
"Actually no, the only woman that I'm interested in is you, there for I am not trying to pimp you, just get to know you, every last delicious inch of you.", he smirked, Kathelina stood there shocked, she thought he was hurt, but apparently not, because if he was then why in the hell was he standing there all over Gwen? She slowly approach the two. "Gwen, mom is heading home and she wanted to know if you wanted her to take Joshua home for you?"
"Yeah, I- I have a few things to do, would please take Josh to Ivy?", Gwen asked.
"Sure.", Kathelina replied, reaching for the sleeping child.
"Thank you, so much.", Gwen told her.
The little boy begin to stir. "Mommy?", he asked.
"Shh, it's me Kat, mommy is going to stay here with your daddy, okay. You get to stay the night with your grandma.", Kathelina told him.
"Daddy? When do I get to see my daddy?", the boy asked. " I want my daddy.", the boy began to cry.
"Shh, you'll be with him soon, I promise.", Kathelina told him.
"No, I want my daddy, I want my daddy. Give me my daddy.", the boy screamed, Daniel couldn't help but, stare at her, he wanted to see how she handled this.
"Shh, daddy is asleep, you don't to wake him do you? Besides, you get to go spends sometime with your grandma..", Kathelina told him, the boy looked at her.
"Grandma!!", the boy exclaimed.
"Yea, and tomorrow you and me get to go get some ice cream. Chocolate ice cream your favorite.", Daniel couldn't help but be amazed by her, Kathelina had got the boy to stop crying and smiling in less than a minute.
"Yum.", the boy replied.
"Yeah, yum, now let's go find grandma, okay.", Kathelina told him.
"Okay.", the boy yawned.
"Okay, sleepy head.", the boy smiled at her.
"She's good with him, ain't she?", Gwen asked, once Kathelina and Joshua had left.
"Yeah, she's a natural.", Daniel smiled, Kathelina had made him almost forgive her for what she'd said, just by the way she treated the little boy. 'My God, she's amazing, I envy her kids she'll have them spoiled rotten. My God, I wouldn't mind having kids by woman like that, she's sweet, kind, caring…wow, slow down have kids. Drugs are frying my brain for sure.'
"My God, you haven't seen nothing, you know Nichole, Theresa and Fox's little girl, that child is beyond stubborn, but look who her parents are, anyways, she cries all the time, except when she's with Kat, I mean, all she does is sit and laugh and coo, it's like she's just a different child when she with Kat.", Gwen told him.
"My God, I guess who ever marries her will be lucky, I mean she loves children, I wish my mom did, hell she thought of us a peasants, especially me.", Daniel told her, biting his lip, he didn't want to tell her all that much.
"What makes you say that?", Gwen asked.
"No reason, I guess I'm just being paranoid or something.", Daniel lied.
"Oh, well, I really hate to do this, but I have something beyond important to do so I'll see you.", Gwen told him. "Don't wait to long though."
"I won't.", Daniel replied. "Bye."
"Bye."
Daniel sighed, things couldn't get anymore complicated he was using Gwen to get back at Rebecca, but was starting to like her, and Kathelina, he felt something for her, but it was complicating, she was his brother's girl friend, Fox's Crane's little sister and he knew Fox would kill him if they ever got together, and besides, how was they ever going to get together, to beat it all Kat had found out about himself and Rachel. 'Face it , Banning, you've got no chance in hell with her.'
"Did Gwen leave?", Kathelina asked.
"Yeah, you just missed her.", Daniel replied, he was a little shocked he figured she'd never speak to him again, but here she was standing before.
"Oh.", Kathelina replied.
"Did you take Josh to your mother?", Daniel asked.
"Yeah, mom took him home.", Kathelina replied.
"Good, so uh, I ain't trying to be rude or smart or….", Daniel began.
"Go on what is it? What do you want to say to me?", Kathelina asked.
"Have you made a decision concerning Dylan?", Daniel asked.
Kathelina nodded. "I have."
"And, what is it? What did you decide?", Daniel asked.
"I have to keep him on it, not just for my sake.", Kathelina rested her hand on her stomach.
"Are you pregnant?", Daniel asked, picking up all the signs. 'God, not only is she off limits, she's pregnant.'
"No, I don't know. I just, I've been getting nauseous in the morning time.", Kathelina told him.
"Oh, that don't necessarily mean your pregnant. And, I don't mean to pry but, didn't you and he use protection?", Daniel asked, she shook her head no.
"I uh, we were so caught up that uh, we didn't.", Kathelina stuttered.
He nodded. "I uh, Daniel, I uh, I don't need this baby. I mean, I'm…",Kathelina began.
"Go get a pregnancy test okay. Maybe your just nervous or have a stomach flu or something.", Daniel told her.
"I hope, I mean from the looks of it Dylan is going to die and I'm going to have to raise this child by myself.", Kathelina told him.
"No, I'm his brother and I will not let you go through this alone. Kat, I know you hate me but, Kat I want to help you.", Daniel told her.
"Just like your going to help Gwen? Daniel, what is up with the two of you?", Kathelina asked.
"We're both single and well, I uh….I like her.", he couldn't tell her the truth that he was using Gwen as a way to get his revenge.
"Oh.", Kathelina replied, he saw that look in her eye again the same look she gave him when she saw him and Gwen earlier.
"What was you talking about earlier, when you called me a rapist? I mean, I uh, I never expect to hear such hatred from you.", Daniel told her.
"I, uh, I was talk to Rachel, you and her, uh, she said that you raped her, she didn't give me much details, but I do believe her.", Kathelina told him.
"It ain't what you think, Kat, I'm not that bad of a person.", Daniel told her.
"I want to believe that but, what reason do you have?", Kathelina asked.
"Can we go somewhere alone?", Daniel asked. "This isn't some way to seduce you or to put the moves on you, I need you to understand."
Kathelina nodded. "Where, do you want to go?", she reach out her hand and he took it.
"To my car?", Daniel asked.
Kathelina nodded, her eyes never left his. "Okay, sounds good to me."
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"You know I just thought of something.", Theresa told Fox as they walked in.
"What?", Fox asked.
"Whitney's got the kids all night, so….we'll be here all by ourselves.", Theresa told him.
"Mmmm mmm.", Fox replied, kissing her lips, Theresa pulled back.
"I want to take things slow.", she told him, Fox looked at her. "I- Fox we can't just jump in bed, we've got a lot of issues to discuss."
"Am I being punished?", Fox asked.
Theresa laughed. "No, why do you think you deserved to be?"
"No, Theresa, I want to be with my wife, in every way possible. I love the fact that we talked you. I think it did me good and you as well. But, there's other ways to communicate.", Fox told her.
"Really? What method is that?", Theresa asked, as he pulled her to him taking her lips with his own, she pulled back and smirked. "I think I like this method of communication."
"Oh, really?", Fox asked, pushing her to the couch. "If you like the small talk you're going to love the deep conversation.", she giggled, just before his lips meet hers, she shot up. "Fox, I - I think this is to soon."
Fox grunted. "Why? Do you keep a doing this to me?"
"Don't you think you deserve it, and besides I have to meet Noah. He's wanting to start working at the recording studio and…"
"Hey, hey, who said he was working at Crane? Theresa, he has no experience and well Kat and you and I have been managing the place, we don't need no more help, I mean, I think we've got it covered."
"Fox, please, Noah is like family and he needs this job. He dropped out of school, his fiancée' left him, he's got a baby on the way, the mother of his child is getting married and possibly going to take his child, if he don't have a job.", Theresa replied, Fox looked at her.
"Theresa, I can't…", Fox began.
"Fox, please, just till he can get another job.", Theresa told him. "Please, Fox, please."
"Theresa, what can he do, hmm? He has no, zero, experience.", Fox told her.
"Uh, he can work as my assistant or he can manage files, do secretary work, answer phones, take messages.", Theresa replied.
"Did he even take a typing class? A business, record keeping? Theresa, he might not be…", Fox began.
"I'll teach him, Fox come on, please.", Theresa replied, giving a fake pout.
"Okay, but, if he screws up, it's on your back. I don't need Alistair getting down my throat because, of deal being messed up.", Fox told her.
"Deal.", Theresa told him. "You won't regret this, promise."
"Uh.", Fox grunted.
Theresa giggled. "You don't trust me do you?"
"Not when it comes to your friends mixing with my business.", Fox told her.
"Our business, there is a clause that reads, Fox, Kathelina and Theresa, we all have a 33.3 percent partnership in the recording studio."
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"Howdy, step sissy.", Rachel greeted as Gwen walked in the living room, Gwen looked at the girl, she was sitting there reading a US Weekly and sipping tea.
"Oh God, what are you doing here?", Gwen replied, rolling her eyes, she couldn't stand the girl, she had never been nice to her or anyone in the family for that matter.
"I live here, well not technically, but still I have more of a right here than you.", Rachel told her, sipping the tea she had in her hand.
"It's almost mid night.", Gwen told her.
"11:45.", Rachel replied, smugly. "If you could read you would know that."
"Uh, Rachel, have you seen mother.", Gwen asked.
"No, I think she's in bed working on her beauty sleep, lord know she needs it.", Rachel told her.
"Where's Julian?", Gwen asked.
"I don't know the last time I checked he was banging the good ol' doctor, but if he's done and the old cogged is up to it you may be able to squeeze in a good row with daddy dearest.", Rachel smirked.
"My God, how does Ivy put up with you? You're such a…", Gwen began.
"Watch it would you?", Rachel told her. "I may uh, I might be a good friend."
"Yeah, what do we possible have in common?", Gwen asked.
"The fact that Daniel Banning has, will ruin our life.", Rachel told her.
"What? Rachel, quit with the games would you?", Gwen told her.
"No game, I'm just saying, he is using you, like uh, does he say all these nice, flattering things, tell you he wants to get to know you? Maybe asks you to hook up sometimes? To have sex sometimes?", Rachel asked.
"Rachel, what Daniel and I do is nothing to you.", Gwen told her. "And, besides, I'm not looking for nothing serious with him, just…"
"You people call me a whore? Look at you, you just same as told me you just want his little friend in your little…", Rachel began.
"Uh, Rachel…", Gwen began.
"Well, either way, wither it's for love or just for the hot passionate sex, you'll end up hurt, see he will move on, hell maybe he's already working on his next conquest? I mean, he is officially friendly with Kat and well he…", Rachel began.
"Daniel, is a good person…", Gwen began.
"Kat and you both are blinded by the man, Gwen he isn't what people see him for he is a monster who took advantage of a little girl, who forced her to do things with him.", Rachel told her.
"Things?", Gwen asked.
"He forced her to put it in her mouth, to fuck him, okay. And, he will do you the same, he's a different person when he's high, he's cruel and he's heartless and he will hurt you.", Rachel told him.
"Rachel, was that girl you?", Gwen asked.
"What does it matter, Gwen jut don't trust him okay, not around you, or Josh.", Rachel told her.
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Kathelina watched as he unlocked the door, then he helped her inside. "Thank you.", she told
him once she'd was seated.
"You're welcome.", Daniel told her, walking around and letting himself in to the drivers seat, he watched the ways her eyes wondered, looking over the car.
"You like my style?", Daniel asked.
Kathelina nodded. "But, ain't it all a lot of money, I mean with the big screen in the back, the fish tanks on the side of the doors?"
"Shh, there ain't no such thing as too much money, when it comes to me.", Daniel told her,
"Really?", Kathelina asked, she watched as he leaned the seat back till he was comfortable. "Lay down.", he ordered and she obeyed, leaning the seat back as well.
"What did Gwen say about this?", Kathelina asked.
"Don't know, she was in her car.", Daniel told her.
"You made her take her car? Not right.", Kathelina told him.
"What, Katherine, haven't heard of such morbid ness?", Daniel asked.
"Don't, don't call me that.", Kathelina told him.
"May I ask why? I mean there has to be a reason.", Daniel told her.
"I'm not worthy of that name, I never was.", Kathelina told him, tears were threaten to spill down her cheeks, he placed his hand in hers.
"I'm sorry to upset you.", Daniel told her, he wanted to kiss the tears away and from the looks of it she wanted the same, she leaned towards him, her lips inching closer and closer to his, then she pulled back and smiled. "It was my grandmother's name. My God, Daniel she was the most beautiful woman I've ever saw, and I never heard a bad thing about her, I mean, I just, I can compare to her.", he placed her hand to his lips.
"Yes, you do, Kathelina, you are one of the most beautiful women I have meet, and you're beauty isn't just in appearance, you have a beautiful soul, you care for people, it doesn't matter how messed up they are, you open your heart to them.", Daniel told her, just being close to her was driving him up the wall with sheer madness.
"I- speaking of past mistakes, Daniel, I need to know what happened between you and Rachel, about how it happened, and most importantly why?", Kathelina told him, he still had her hand in his and she wasn't about to pull away from him, at least not now.
"Beauty, before I tell you anything, promise me…can I uh, Kat, I need to feel your lips on mine, I need to…never mind.", Daniel told her. 'What in the hell, am I doing? I need to feel your lips on mine, that's a good one. What does she think…', his thoughts were interrupted when her lips came crashing down on his, he gently sucked her bottom lip, tasting her melon lip gloss. 'What in the hell am I doing? I love Dylan, he's interested in Gwen, if that's true then why did he ask me to kiss him?', she pulled back and watched as a disappointed look came on his face.
He gave her a gently smile and then sighed. "Kat, let me start by saying I was young and foolish, I was truly stupid and I would never had done it in my right mind. But, that's just it, drugs, alcohol and the influence of my friends, made me think un-clear I mean, I had never had anyone to like me, I had been alone all my life and suddenly these older popular guys were wanting to be my best bud. I mean, Kathelina, have you ever been friendless, I mean that's how I spend over half my life, alone and abandoned, feeling as if I didn't belong, as if I should have never been born or had died at birth.", Daniel told her, she gave his hand a gentle squeeze.
"I know the feeling.", she told him, he looked at her, silently he prayed that she would understand, that she would be there after everything was told.
"Kathelina, when I got with that group, I turned into a different person, I did things I would have never done, I, I let them control me, I did as they said. I mean, I drop out of school, I started drinking alcohol , I started smoking weed, I started partying, I star…"
"You still do it.", Kathelina told him.
"Hmm?", Daniel asked.
"The alcohol, the weed, Daniel, you still do those things.", Kathelina replied.
"Yeah, I do.", Daniel told her, Kathelina nodded. "Why, Daniel, I want to know about the rape and why you did it, but, most importantly, I want to know why you smoke that offal stuff and get drunk and…", Kathelina sighed. "Daniel, I think you're too good for it, I mean, you don't need that stuff, I mean here you sit, you aren't drunk or high and I like you, I like you a lot better like this than last night."
"I need it to sleep, to close my eyes, to…", Daniel began.
"Kathelina, you don't understand. You never saw the person you love more than anything be killed right in front of you, you never had to see them bury that person and know deep down inside it's your fought that she was drinking, that she was blazed.", he begin to cry and she put her head over on his shoulder.
"No, I haven't been through all that, but, Daniel, you've got so many people who love you, your brother, your sisters, your par…", Kathelina began.
"Don't even say my parents, Kat, they despise me, baby, they hate me and as for siblings, the only reason they even speak to me is because, they feel like I'm a pathetic worthless bum, who is friendless and un-lovable.", Daniel told her.
"That ain't so. Daniel, there's a lot things I can call you but, pathetic, worthless and a bum you are not..", Kathelina told him. "And, you've got me as a friend and you're a lovable person."
"God, why do you got to be like this? Why do you got to like me, no matter what I do and what I say and who all I've destroyed, Kat, most people see me as a loser, a low life, but not you, you see me for what I am, a person, who hurts and bleeds just as much as the next.", Daniel told her.
Kathelina looked at him and nodded. "I, uh, I have to go, and uh, I enjoyed this, even though I didn't find out about you and uh, Rach…"
"I'll email you, I'll explain it all, besides it'll do me more good that way I mean, that way if you don't reply, then uh, I know that uh….", Daniel stuttered.
Kathelina smiled to herself. "Tongue tied are we, this is truly a Kodak moment.", she winked, then leaned forward and kissed him on the lips gently. "I suppose to feel guilty for doing that, ain't I?"
He looked at her. "What makes you say such a thing?"
"It's just I love Dylan and I shouldn't be kissing another man, especially not his brother, but Daniel I can't help myself.", Kathelina told him.
"Kat, you're just hurt and I shouldn't be doing this, I mean you may be caring my nephew or niece, I mean I can't do this, I can't act foolish, like some pathetic teenage boy. I'm a grown adult and you are my younger brother's girl and uh, I'm ten years older than you and uh…"
"Yeah, I know, it was a mistake and we both are sorry for it.", Kathelina told him.
"Yeah, sorry buddy.", Daniel told her.
"No problem, pal.", Kathelina told him, her lips were inches from his again. He watched as she licked her lips. 'Damn it why does she always got to be doing that?'
"Well, sorry to leave so soon, but I need to get back to Dylan, I need to…", Kathelina told him.
"Kat, get a first response test, and uh, when you get the results tell me, okay.", Daniel told her.
She nodded. "Okay, I will.", she quickly opened the door of the car and got out.
"Good night, beauty.", Daniel told her.
"Night.", Kathelina replied, she quickly left the darkness and made her way through the hospital door.
He sighed. 'This can't keep a happening, I can't be with her like this, I can't keep kissing her, and enjoying her company like I did tonight. I have to make her hate me, I have to push her away.'
Spoilers for Chapter 38:
Kathelina get the results, is she or is she not pregnant.
Daniel makes an attempt at sending the email, but, decides to wait.
Kathelina, gets bad news concerning Dylan.
Janet leaves town, why?