"Those who don't pick roses in summer won't pick them in winter either. -
German Proverb
After several weeks of planning Katrina's business was ready for the official opening. It was just as well since all her items had auctioned off at a very fast rate and she had been able to complete all her house's remodelling in just about a week. This time however, there would be no house warming party or any other parties for that matter. This was her home. Her sanctuary, the place where she could retreat to and remain safe from the rest of the world and all it's worries. Her business on the other hand deserved all the limelight it could get. How else could she get to reach to the clients that she was looking for? Therefore with Alice's help as her new partner and also her coporate lawyer and with her grandmother's backing as one of the investors, she managed to turn the shop into a gallery and organise one of the biggest parties that was happening that time of the year.
"Are you sure about this?" Her stepmother questioned her.
"Yes." Katrina said as she filed away the sheave of papers into a red folder. One that matched her long sleeved lace ball gown and the hidden flats. "Why should I wait? The longer we stay this way, the longer I get to carry that title of the monster that destroyed his life. So today, with this party I have planned, I plan to celebrate not just the official opening of my business but a new beginning in every area of my life."
"Right, but are you really really sure though?" Alice asked her for the second time that evening. "I mean, he seems to have changed alot. His manner towards you is completely different from before."
"Different how? You seem to have forgetten that Ryan is the type that can carry on with a facade for as long as it suits him. I applaud him for the change though but I am not letting down my guard again."
"Katrina..." Her heart went out to her wounded daughter. They had failed her as well. As her family, they had failed to see the torture that their little princess had been taken through. Not until she had been abandoned and the truth could no longer be hidden. "I am sorry for not noticing. I may not be your birth mother but I should have been able to see it. The signs that is and for that I am terribly sorry."
"It is okay mom. Apparently I did a very good job of hiding it. And if you have forgotten, I'll remind you. I was the one who avoided you people. Maybe, if I had not closed myself off then maybe your help could have reached me in time, but then again, my guilt could not have allowed me to allow you to save me." She tried to assuage her mother's guilt.
"Possibly, but we will never know now. Anyway, do you think that this agreement will satisfy him?"
"I have allowed him free access to the child and when he is older, he can always take him away for a weekend or so, maybe even a holiday. So I assume that should be enough. After all this is also for him. I am only freeing him to be with whoever he wants to be with."
"And you are completely sure that you yourself are okay with this?" She insisted again. Not that Katrina's explanation was not plausible but because she was worried about her daughter's feelings in all of this.
"It doesn't matter. You can't force love. After all it takes two to tangle and I refuse to continue to suffer within the confines of a loveless arrangement."
"Fair enough. Speaking of that devil..." She turned to look at the door and the grinning face that that had just emerged from behind it and was now approaching them swiftly. "Though from here, he actually looks like an angel."
"Mom..." Katrina laughed.
"What? I am only saying what I am seeing. I am sure that there is a part of you that wishes that this child will inherit all that golden hair."
"What hair?" At exactly the same time, Ryan said as he came to stop before the two of them. "By the way your guests are already arriving and they will soon be asking for you." He said as he pointed down through the third floor office window that was overlooking the front of the business establishment.
"I'll leave you to it." Alice said as she gave a look at her daughter and the hard grip she had on the folder. Now was the moment. She read from Katrina's manner and quickly excused herself to leave the two enough space in order to talk it out. "See you around Ryan." She added with a smile. With that she walked off leaving the puzzled man behind to wonder at the two and what was it that had changed their demeanor in such a manner.
"Katrina?" He questioned.
"I am setting you free Ryan." The puzzled frown on his face etched deeper. What kind of response was that?
"I do not understand. What do you mean by that?" Even then, he had already seen the folder in her hands and was already panicking.
"I am done being the monster that wrecked your life and that life we had is not something that I want for this child, so I am now letting you go."
"Letting me go?" He laughed bitterly. "Have you even considered that I may not want to be set free like you like to put it?"
"I understand that you are worried about this and therefore I have also written an agreement. Like I said before, I will not keep you away from this child and therefore I am giving you full access, full visitation rights and if you want when he is older-"
"She." He corrected.
"Fine. She can even stay with you as we coparent." She said handing him the folder for him to read the contents of the said agreement . At first, she thought that he would not take it but he surprised her when he did, but did not open it. Instead he remained silent staring at it without looking up.
"Do you hate me that much?" He finally whispered after a moment of pause. "Is that it? For all the things that I did to you?"
"No. I cannot hate you when it was also my fault. This is me doing the only thing that I can do to rid myself of all that guilt." Katrina explained hoping that he would somehow understand her and not take it, like it was some sort of declaration of war.
"Fine." He finally told her. With that he walked off leaving Katrina to only stare at his back, watching as the final piece of her heart was torn away.