Page 104 of Revere: A Legacy Novel

“You didn’t think you should tell us,” her father shot back.

Catherine’s hackles rattled.

She rose to the bait.

“All this time, you’ve known. So I guess you were just, what, getting a good laugh about it all? Silly little me with my head in the sand, right?”

“No,” Catrina said, “of course not, Catherine. We just—”

“Whenever I asked about Ma’s business, you both shut me down. Whenever school came up in conversation, I was pushed in that direction. I kept this quiet because I felt like I had no other choice. Yet, I did have a choice. You both knew what I was doing, but shit, maybe you wanted me to do something else, so you just opted to say nothing. What, did you fucking hope I would eventually let it go if you didn’t speak up?”

Dante frowned. “Now—”

“Can’t you just answer a question?”

Her shout echoed in the quiet house.

Neither of her parents said a thing.

Catherine’s anger bubbled higher. “You know what, this is ridiculous. You’re both ridiculous.”

She turned to leave already done with a conversation her parents couldn’t seem to have with her. She was not wasting her time more than she already had.

“Catherine!”

“Go to hell,” she shouted over her shoulder.

“Catty, wait,” her mother called.

“I guess that’s our thing, right?” Catherine asked at the front door as she pulled on her ankle-high boots. “We’re all fucking liars here. I lie, you lie, and we all lie about what we’re lying about.”

“Catherine, are you even listening to yourself?” Dante held up a hand to keep Catrina from coming further down the hall. “You’ve come here to fight with us about something that doesn’t even need to be a fight. Tell me what the real problem is, please.”

Fuck him.

He didn’t even get it.

“It’s a damn shame, Daddy. Had I known years ago that I could have come to you when I needed you the most without fear of your anger or judgement, it might have saved me from everything. Had you given me someone to come to, like I needed, I wouldn’t have tried to hide how fucked up I was. Don’t you get that? You didn’t tell me, so I didn’t think I could tell you!”

“I don’t understand.”

“Of course you don’t,” Catherine spat, more frustrated than ever. “You don’t know anything about me at all! I never felt like I could tell you!”

“Whose fault is that, Catherine?”

“When are you going home?”

Catherine looked up from the book in her hands. Cara stood across the living room with her hands on her hips. Despite her posture, Cara did wear a small smile.

“Soon,” Catherine said, “but I need a break, that’s all.”

Cara nodded. “Everyone does once in a while. At first, I was fine and happy to accept that excuse from you when you didn’t want to talk. Now, not so much.”

Catherine frowned. “And why is that?”

“You’ve been here, oh …” Cara waved a hand, and finally said, “Five days, now.”

“So?”