Page 5 of Revere: A Legacy Novel

“I want to be healthy,” Catherine said, “in my head. I’m so tired of it being dark there—it’s always dark. I want to like who I am, and not depend on others to stand me up on my feet when I crash and burn. I want to be okay again. It’s been a long time since I was okay.”

“Those are good things to want for yourself. Let’s start with why your father decided to lock you down in this house, and finally made a call to my husband to ask for me to make a special trip here for you.”

Catherine rubbed at her wrist again, feeling a tender scar that was finally healed. “I would rather not.”

“Why?”

“Catherine! Catherine, open the door for me, sweetheart! Please let me in!”

Catherine blinked. “He was hitting that door so hard. I thought he was going to put his fist through it.”

“Who?”

“My dad.”

Water edged over the side of the tub—stained pink and turning colder by the second.

Catherine breathed.

In and out.

It wasn’t so hard to do now.

The banging on the door got louder, but she was still staring at a perfect red line on an olive-toned canvas.

“Have you ever self-harmed before that day?” Cara asked quietly.

“Depends on what self-harm includes. I never cut myself before, but I used different prescription drugs—abused them—because it numbed me to things. I knew it was hurting me, but I liked where it took me, too. I figured that outweighed what I was doing.”

“And how long has it been since you self-medicated?”

Catherine ignored the stabbing ache in her heart. “Almost three months now. It was only a couple of weeks after he made me leave when … all the rest happened. Daddy has finally had enough, I think, and that’s why you’re here now.”

“And this he is who, exactly?” Cara pressed.

“My father wants to blame him, you know? That’s the easiest thing for Dante. To say what I did was because of him leaving me. If you can suddenly fix my broken heart, then I’ll go back to being okay again.”

“But you know that’s not the case.”

“No,” Catherine admitted. “I was already broken, and I expected someone else to keep holding me together.”

“Attempting suicide is always a symptom of deeper issues,” Cara said, shrugging. “Certain events can certainly exacerbate depression or suicidal thoughts, but those events are not usually the core issues that led a person to a place where they feel ending their life is the only option. No one causes someone to commit suicide. It’s a choice that’s made by only the person trying to end their life.”

“You should tell my father all of that. Not sure he would agree right now, but hey.” Catherine rested her arms behind her head to use as a pillow, and moved onto something else Cara had said. “I have a few of those—issues, I mean. He helped with them for a while.”

“Again, who is—”

“Can I tell you a story?” Catherine asked suddenly.

“Is it a good one?”

“I think so.”

“What’s it about?” Cara asked.

“A wild boy and a sly girl.”

Cara rested back to the floor with Catherine. “I suppose we do have some time.”