Crushed

"Is she going to be ok? Please tell me she'll wake up."

I could hear my mom's voice faintly as I laid there in my hospital bed.

"She'll be fine Lita. We were able to stop the bleeding and her wounds have been stitched up."

My mom sighed in relief. She then grabbed my hand and squeezed it. "Don't worry baby, your dad has been sent away for a long time."

I wanted to respond but the medicine they had me on kicked in and I fell asleep. I couldn't believe I was still alive after all that hell I went through. I was glad that it was over though. That next afternoon, I woke up to see my mom sleeping in a recliner next to me. I smiled at her sleeping form but then frowned upon seeing her wedding ring missing from her hand. I tried to sit up slowly to get a closer look but the area where my dad stabbed me seared with pain. I grunted and lay back, waking my mother in the process.

"Kat? Hey honey," she said as she got up and stood by my bedside. "How are you feeling?"

I looked at her and tried to speak, but my voice was very hoarse.

"Here baby, drink some water," she told me as she filled a cup with water from the pitcher on my nightstand. I drank it down quickly, clearing up the dry feeling in my throat.

"Can you speak now?" she asked.

I coughed a little and then tried again, "Yes…mom…is dad…"

"He's alive honey, but he'll be going to jail once he's healed." She told me.

I sighed and then tears filled my eyes, "H-h-he tried to k-kill me mom…dad tried to kill me."

She frowned and tried to fight back her own tears. "Don't worry about that now honey. I just want you to get some rest so I can get you back home."

I nodded and wiped tears from my face. "How long have I been in here?"

"Just a week…look, Mark left you something." She said as she pointed to a vase full of pink African Lilies.

I gasped with a smile, "Mark got me those?"

She nodded, "He must really care about you a lot Kitty. Those flowers aren't the cheapest you know."

I smiled at her, "Mom we're just friends I swear. I mean sure he's way older than me but I know how to handle myself around men."

She sighed, "I know you do it's just that…oh nevermind."

"What mom?" I asked.

"It's just that I was the exact same way when I was your age. I got pregnant with you when I was 16 and I don't want you to go down that same path."

I smiled at her, "Believe me mom…we are just friends. If there was something more going on I'm sure you would know about it."

She nodded, "Alright then. Anyways he's been here almost every night to see you."

"He has?"

"Yea. He seemed real devastated when I explained to him what happened…in fact…well maybe I should let him tell you."

"Tell me what?" I asked suddenly feeling like something was wrong.

Just as she was about to tell me, there was a knock at our door.

"Come in," my mom said.

When the door opened, I was very excited to see Mark coming into the room. He had his reddish hair out, hanging down his back. He had his sunglasses over his eyes and a hard look on his face. My mom greeted him with a smile and a hug.

"She just woke up…are you sure you want to do this?" she asked him.

"Do what?" I asked. "What the hell is going on here?"

My mom looked at me in shock, "Katrina Renee!"

"Sorry mom, but you two are really freaking me out." I said.

She sighed and then placed her hand on Mark's shoulder, I'll be back in a few…try not to hurt her feelings alright?"

He nodded and watched as my mom left the room. Mark was silent for a second not looking in my direction at all. I wasn't too sure why but I felt as if he was trying to push me away somehow.

"What's going on Mark?" I asked as I fixed my bed so I could sit up without straining myself.

He sighed and then took a deep breath. I watched silently as he came and sat on my bed, looking down at his lap.

"Listen Katrina," he said. Something about the way he said my full name told me that this wasn't going to be one of those heartfelt conversations we normally had.

"I don't want you to take this the wrong way but…I feel like what's been happening to you lately is partially my fault. I also think that…I've been selfish towards my wife."

"What are you saying?" I asked before coughing a little. "And why won't you look at me?"

He turned his head slightly towards me and then looked in the other direction again. "Katrina, I'm not leaving Sam. I love her and I'm moving back in with her."

I nodded, "Ok…and why are you telling me?"

He chuckled, "Oh please Katrina, I'm not an idiot…I know you have feelings for me and though I thought it was cute before…I think it needs to stop."

I fought hard to keep my tears contained but with him sitting at the end of my bed the way he was and not looking at me…really hurt.

"Look I'm sorry if I led you on, but I can't allow this to keep happening. Your dad already had suspicions about us and that's part of the reason he was drinking so much."

"That's not true!" I said as my voice cracked. "He was pissed because I was doing the talent show!"

Mark sighed, "Katrina don't make this harder than what it needs to be. You will still see me but it will only be whenever you have practice for swimming…delete me from Facebook, and don't peek into my windows anymore…I'm sorry."

I remained silent as he left the room. When I heard the door shut, I laid back on my pillows and cried silently. When my mom came to check on me, I turned away from her.

"Kitty…I'm-"

"Just go away mom. I don't want to talk about it." I told her.

She sighed and left the room, knowing that I needed some time alone. I didn't eat that day nor did I sleep…I just cried that entire night until I fell asleep. I was so angry with him, but at myself as well for ever thinking he was special.