Page 105 of Revere: A Legacy Novel

“You haven’t talked once about why.”

“Because you’re a safe place for me,” Catherine said quietly.

Cara’s postured softened. “I know that, Catherine, and I will always be that for you. Should you need it, of course. This time, however, I don’t actually think you do need it.”

“How can you know that if you don’t know why I’m here?”

“Your father got in touch with me this morning.”

Fuck.

Catherine tossed her book aside with a sigh. She left New York the night she had confronted her parents. She didn’t bother to call them before she left, either. She assumed someone would figure it out, and clearly, they had.

“You cannot just run when things are not going your way,” Cara said. “You’re twenty-five, not ten.”

“Ouch,” Catherine muttered.

“Child-like tactics deserve appropriate responses, Catherine.”

“I didn’t … run.”

“Oh, yes you did.” Cara strolled across the large living room, and took a seat on the sectional across from Catherine. “It seems, from what I understand, something came up that you didn’t like, and didn’t know how to appropriately deal with. Your first choice was to not deal with it, and so here you are. That, Catherine, is called running.”

“When you put it that way, sure, but—”

“How long have I been telling you to be truthful with your parents about dealing drugs?”

Catherine wouldn’t meet Cara’s gaze. “A while.”

“The entire time I’ve been a part of your life, actually.”

“I said a while.”

“Why did you feel the need to confront your parents in the way you did?”

“I don’t know,” Catherine admitted.

“Or do you, but again, you don’t want to deal with it.”

“You never cut me slack, Cara.”

“That’s not my job. My job is to make you take a good, hard look in the mirror, and own the reflection staring back at you. I give you tools to handle situations in life that upset your delicate balance, so that you can set yourself upright once more. I teach you how to manage your life in a world full of triggers that could set you back. So no, I am not here to hold your hand and let you run from issues that pop up.”

Cara smiled, and crossed her legs before she said, “And that is why I think you came to me. That is why you came here for your break. Everyone else in your life is too busy holding your hand, and walking on egg shells. None of them will tell you what you need to hear, when you need to hear it. They’re concerned they’re going to upset your balance. I, on the other hand, am quite aware of just how strong you actually are.”

“Cross probably would,” Catherine said after a moment. “Tell me the truth, I mean. Put me on the spot. Make me own my shit.”

“Are you still seeing him?”

“Trying. It’s … complicated. I wanted to blame them.”

“Your parents?”

Catherine nodded. “For the shit that happened way back when, you know what I mean? When I figured out they knew what I had been up to, I was pissed because I thought had I just known, I wouldn’t have needed to hide and lie my way through the depression from the assaults and all of that.”

“But?”

“They’re not to blame. I can’t blame them because I made a choice not to speak up, and I was the one who didn’t ask for help. How could they know I was drowning when I wasn’t screaming for help?”