"Katrina?" The stunned woman muttered even as she made her way into the foyer. Dazed, Katrina did not think to stop her. Instead, she gave way and allowed the woman into her son's living room.
"Mother? What are you doing back here?" Ryan came in from behind them having just exited the kitchen. A frown was firmly etched on his face, put there by his mother's continued presence in his house.
"She is here?" Mirena whispered pointing to the visibly glowing girl that was standing before her. "Dominic will kill you!"
"I assure you mother. My father knows exactly where I am." Katrina stepped in to answer her. For all of Ryan's mistakes, Mirena had always been good to her and she felt that she owed her that courtesy if not her respect because of her position.
"And he allowed you to be here? Do you want to get my only son murdered?" It seemed that the woman was not feeling the same way.
"You are exaggerating. My father may be many things, but he is not yet a murderer. That said, my life's choices are no longer determined by him." She answered firmly not cowed by the tone of Mirena's voice.
"So this means that you two are back together?"
"Mmm..." Ryan fished around for an answer. An appropriate answer that would tell his mother what they really were, seeing that he was not really sure of the right word to describe their present relationship. What could he tell her that would not offend Katrina?
"Yes." Katrina answered for the both of them, swiftly taking out the matter from Ryan's hands. " As you are aware,we have a child to raise and we are going to do it together."
"We are?" Ryan whispered just as his mother questioned.
"You are?" She directed the question to her son.
"Yes." He straightened up in order to answer her. He needed to look convincing despite the fact that even he himself was questioning the statement. Did it mean that she had forgiven him? Or had he misunderstood her words. All in all it sounded too good and Ryan was afraid that in his pr sent state, sticking around with his mother about, would eventually ruin things especially now that they seemed to be steadily improving."And now you have to excuse me. My food is about to burn."
With that he dashed off into the kitchen leaving Katrina with her estranged mother in law to talk things out.
What to do? Katrina mused. Well...she thought dismissively. Might as well invite her to stay. It's son's house after all and I am the stranger here.
"Please do sit down." She said pointing out at one of the black leather sofas that congregated around a painted white round coffee table. "I am quite sure that he is cooking enough for three, so the food will surely be enough." She smiled, laughing inwardly at the pun and the fact that Ryan would definitely try and do so. Cooking for three that is, especially now when everything he did was done with the baby in mind.
"Well...thank you. I really don't deserve your kindness." The woman told her after a moment of pause reflecting on the words of the one whom they had treated so terribly. "And I am sorry too. For everything." She added as an after thought.
"You didn't do anything to harm me so I do not see why you should apologise. Your husband on the other hand..." Katrina trailed off. She did not need to say it though as they all knew it. Of the crimes that have been wrought against her and despite the feelings she still harboured against the man, his wife Mirena did not try to defend him and it made her wonder how things were now within the Thorpe family. If ever there was a dysfunctional family then this family was one and top on that list too. She knew that her own family had issue but unlike Marcus, Katrina new that her father was acting out love, stifling and misdirected as it was and for that she could never fault him. Either way she needed to establish her independence and thus, the actions she was were actually necessary.
"You are wrong. I should have done something." Mirena paused. "And because of it I have already lost a grandson, but no! It won't happen again." She added with a new resolve shining in her eyes. "I will do everything in my power to make sure that this grandchild is not lost."
Of course that issue would come up again. Katrina was only too aware that the reason why that even Ryan wanted her around was because of the baby and a small very paranoid part of her worried, wondering to what lengths this family would go to keep this child. Would they try to take him? No. She would not allow it. She could not put it past the Thorpes to try using underhanded tactics though. They had done it before and would probably do the same thing now that they had set their minds to it and to keep safe, Katrina knew that would have to be clever. She would have to make sure that she was always several steps ahead of them, to play the game right and come out on top. At the moment, the ball was in her court and the fact that this family greatly underestimated her would go a long way in playing things out for her own benefit.