Chapter 27

Kimberly was meeting the other members of the cast for the first time and she was still in panic as Gary's blatant stare tore through her clothes. He'd said a polite hello to her and had taken his seat far from her, nothing to remind her of the incident at Dakota.
The Director and the other crew members introduced themselves and so did the Casts. Gary extended a hand to her and she took it.
"Really nice to be working with you again__only, there's no Joe Hamilton this time around__"
" So you'd ruin your reputation entirely fighting over Kimberly Foster?".
She asked sarcastically. He dropped his hands and clenched his fists on his sides. Kim watched him.
" Or, maybe this time your little fantasy of having Kimberly Foster might actually come true__ oh, dear, how hilarious!"
She spoke in a whisper and it amused her to see Gary turn white.
"I have no such intention, Kim. I don't fantasize about you anymore. Well, I thought Joe was having bites of you in the dark and I figured I could have a bite too before__"
" Oh, poor dear, You must have been really foolish. It actually took you such a short time to stop fantasizing!"
He was staring at her in Shamed surprise when the Director began to speak again. They took their seats without throwing as much as a glance at each other's direction. Kim, oddly satisfied with the way she'd handled the man.
Kim was tired by the time she got home. The Patterson's invited her down for another dinner but she declined politely, Mrs. Patterson's sobs from the previous time was still vivid in her memory and she detested the thought of making her cry with another version of her sad stories which she would definitely tell once she sat at the dinning with them .
She drank water and convinced herself that it was enough to serve dinner. She woke up to a grumbling stomach and a weakness resulting from hunger.
Her phone rang and she reached for it swiftly.
"Mom?"
"Good morning Honey. Kim dear, how are you?"
She asked with the tone of voice that she'd heard Mrs. Patterson speak before she'd started to cry.
"I'm okay. What's up"
She found herself asking coldly. Her mom didn't call her and even if she intended to, an early morning call was not ideal to Kim.
"Kimberly dear, did you move? Did you relocate?"
Kimberly snorted In derision
" How do you even care? "
There was a brief silence and then her mother spoke.
"It's your father. He's had a heart attack ".
Kimberly was surprised beyond words.
"How's he?"
She asked, her insides suddenly melting in sympathy.
"He's not in the best shape. This is not the first time he's had an heart attack".
" So why did I just learn about it for the first time? Why did you decided to tell me now?"
" Kimberly, we couldn't afford to distract from all you're doing for yourself over there. You deserve the space, the time__"
" And the purpose of your call?"
Her mother's voice had grown from panick to hoarse, almost like she was suppressing threatening tears.
"Please visit home, kimberly".
"That's absurd. I was there with you guys only less than Two months ago__" she sighed. "I'll come".
She spent the day in apprehension dredging and looking forward to her visit home. The neighborhood was abuzz with activities as usual. Kids ran to catch school buses and parents rushed to work. People trooped in and out of coffee shops and eatries and young women__ seemingly newly weds_ went about with shopping bags.
Kimberly looked down on the street from the comfort of her two bedroom flat apartment with roof to ceiling windows and a large beautiful fire place. She loved the place and settling in hadn't been a problem to her. Tomorrow, she would take the earliest flight out from New York to Mississippi.
Her home was the same. Serene and devoiding the chaos and bustles of a big city that she'd grown accustomed to. The house brought nothing but old memories that she'd rather not remember of forget entirely to her. She'd come with a rental car from the Airport this time and as the car pulled to a stop, she could almost swear that Harry was stunned to see her __ too stunned to say an instant Hello. Maybe he hadn't been counting on seeing her so soon again or that she'd never come home Without having him chauffeur her back home.
" Good day, Harry"
She greeted.
"Good day, Kim. Welcome"
Harry replied before reaching to collect the one tiny bag that she'd come with.
"Oh no, it's fine, don't worry about this, Harry".
She said. Harry nodded and stepped back. He promptly went back to the car he'd been cleaning before Kim arrived.
Kim walked into the Airy living room and there was no one in sight. Last time she'd visited, Harry had told her the butler had gone home to attend a sick wife. Perhaps, the wife was yet to recuperate from the illness and the butler was yet to resume his duties. She walked quietly down the hall, to her room and set her bag on the bed. Her mother came in through the door she'd left ajar.
"Welcome home, dear. You didn't mention that you would be coming today".
Her mother spoke as she walked towards Kimberly, to the bed.
"I treated your call with the urgency that I felt it demanded. You sounded worried and agitated. Hope I've not taken you unawares".
Her mother sighed. She sat on the bed and clasped her hands on her laps.
"I'm glad you're here, Kim. Callister made good meals before leaving today. I could help microwave some of whatever meal you choose. Take a bath dear".
Kim watched as her mother spoke. The woman had just offered to help heat her meals and amused more than delighted her. She shook her head
"No, thanks. Where's dad?"
She asked instead.
" He's in his bedroom. The doctor's treating him here at home. No need to have him hurdled to the hospital where I might not have full custody of him. And he recently talks about his hatred for the smell of hospitals".
" Oh, I see. I want to go see him".
Kimberly said as she started out the door. Her mother promptly followed behind. She tapped on the door of her Father's bedroom once and heard him call from inside.
"Come in!"
She opened the door and walked in, her mother right behind her
Her father sat in bed holding a cuisine magazine in front of him and his reading glasses just on top of his nose.
" Kimberly. You didn't inform us that you would be visiting so soon!"
Her father said as he set the magazine away from him.
"Pleasant or unpleasant surprise?"
She asked as she walked to him.
" A pleasant one, I suppose. It's not everyday that I get to see a beautiful celebrity like you!"
Her father beamed. Kimberly recoiled. Did they know about CRADLE already?
"Come on now, don't halt in your tracks".
Her father said. She walked the four feets up to him and scrutinized him like the heart attack had happened to his physical body.
"The doctor wants me to have a lot of rest".
Her father supplied even though she hadn't asked.
She stood for a while, wondering why they were suddenly not too formal with her. Why they were okay trying to play ' friends ' with her and shrugged.
"You really should rest. No one wants you out of bed for any reason".
"Right?"
" Right".
She stood there looking at her father whose state didn't look terrible but scared her more than she would ever admit. Her mother began to speak then.
"Kimberly, you should go freshen up and get ready for lunch".
Kimberly looked at her wristwatch, it was 10:30Am in the morning and she smiled.
"That's so nice of you ma. How was your vacation?"
She asked, surprising herself with the broad smile that slowly lit up her face. She wasn't facing either of them in particular and so they exvhaged glances before saying I'm unison .
"It was great!"
"I thought so.".
"You will come with us next time. The cottage in Texas is amazing. The Tranquil and the sun all at once is almost euphoric!"
Her mother fussed. She smiled again. She was smiling so much now. Surprised at how relaxed she was around them, all the anger and reproach she felt for them had suddenly melted when she stepped in and saw that they were both alive. Better to have parents than none at all she was suddenly relieved at finding them in health even though their sudden kindness amused and amazed her.
"For some absurd reason, I enjoy being in a busy town...a busy neighborhood. The only place that needs to be calm is my bedroom".
She replied. Her parents exchanged another look and started to laugh. They looked at peace. They looked at ease. There was no tension in the air, not this time. Kim did not get to see Callister before she left. Her mother had been all around the kitchen, making nice dishes Kimberly never thought she'd ever be able to. Kimberly had had to ask at a point.
"When did you start cooking mum?"
"Just weeks ago when your father and I went for that vacation in Texas. Cooking feels nice, it's a new hobby of mine now".
She'd replied, her hand still gripping the spatula with which she stirred her pancake batter. Kim wanted to ask how she'd survived all other vacations without having to cook. She wanted to ask why cooking was suddenly interesting to her at her age but she refrained from asking. Her mother had finished the cooking and had held her hands tenderly__ something Kim couldn't remember happening between them all through her late teenage and Adult life.
"I've been envious of Callister. I see how better a mother she is than I am. She is __"
" That's laughable, Callister's been a staff here for way too long only for you to start drawing similarities and differences between you two now".
She said. She rolled her eyes and carefully extricated her hands from her mother's.
"I want to be a better mom. I want to be able to do for you all I couldn't do earlier".
Kimberly shook her head as if to say ' that's a ludicrous thing to say'.
"It breaks my heart to tell you mom, but it's too late. There's nothing you and dad would want to do for me now that I can't do on my own. I since stopped caring if you too were only concerned about yourselves and never me. I stopped receiving money from you _ if you haven't noticed_ and I definitely don't come to you two for emotional support. I'm wondering what you could possibly think I might really need from you two. Nothing. Not even good meals, not when I'm a good cook....thought by Callister".
She said. Her mother's face fell and she could see the furrowing of her brows, indicating that she might cry but for reasons kimberly didn't quite understand, she didn't feel remorseful for the piece of truth she just dished out or wished to take back what she'd said. She watched her mother carefully lift her head and wipe her only misty eyes before exiting the kitchen.
Kim's thought had been enough to keep her company back to New York which was why she didn't see Austin Lancelot, her ex boyfriend until she almost collided into him.
"Wooh, look at you damsel!"
He exclaimed. Kimberly took off her shade immediately and blinked rapidly. Austin was in New York and she'd run into him at the Airport!
"Hey, Austin".
She greeted casually. She wasn't nervous as she spoke and it didn't bother her that the man didn't give her the butterflies anymore. She was grateful, if anything.
"My flight just touched down. I'm coming from Mississippi, I went to see my parents".
She said when Austin continued to look her Over without saying a word, leaving her to wonder if it's been years since they last saw each other.
"Oh, I see that. I have a flight to catch. New Jersey Is my destination. Do you live in xNew York now?"
He asked as he took her hands without waiting for her to extend it. He held them firmly but Kimberly was wise enough to quickly pull her hands away before the grip got firmer.
"Yeah. I'm living in New York now".
"Now that's the real thing!"
He said, ignoring the fact that she'd pulled her hands away from his.
"Seen and heard much about you recently. You're the real star".
He enthused. Kimberly smiled and said a small formal thank you. Austin didn't let her leave until he'd gotten her complimentary card.
"I'm definitely catching up with you once I'm back from this trip. And yeah, you didn't ask but I'm based in New York too!"
He walked briskly past her and she exhaled.
The rest of her journey back home was uneventful and uninterrupted until she got to her flat. She quickly rummaged in her bag to fish out the house keys, heart skipped a beat and she thought for one splitting moment that she'd misplaced her keys. She inserted the key and heard heavy footsteps thumping up the stairs so hurriedly. She turned impulsively and her eyes landed on the lady that had stalked her in south Florida. She stiffened.
"Oh, Hello".
She greeted. She stood with her legs spread like that of a man. She had the heavy jacket on and a pair of tight fitting jeans and knee high boots. Kimberly thought for a moment that she could be another of the many people in the neighborhood, a coincidence that she met her again.
"Good day, ma'am"
Kimberly greeted back. Her hand was still gripping the knob of the door and a part of her wanted to run inside and slam the door shut but that was the greatest height of Cowardice a woman could ever muster right in front of another woman. She Chided herself for having such thought and dropped her hand from the knob. She would stand and talk to this athletic looking woman who hasn't mentioned why she's stalking her.
"We've met; In south Florida, If you recall. I happen to be a resident in this town and I kinda found out you live here and so I wanted to say hi to you".
" Oh, I see. Care to let me know why it's so important you come say hi to me? You know, the last time we met, you didn't exactly say much. You could follow me on the virtual space without necessarily having to show up like this in my__"
" No harm meant, none at all. I already told you, I'm a big fan".
They looked at each other for minutes, the athletic Cathryn Ford looking menacingly at Kim even if a faux smiled plastered permanently on her lips. Kim refused to be intimidated. She stared at the lady long unwavering before finally breaking the Ice.
"I really do love my privacy and I'd appreciate if you don't show up unannounced again... Have a good day my dear Cathryn Ford".
She said. The lady began to retreat backwards and only turned to take the stairs back down the way she'd come.