Forever Hers Ch. 05

Mark had two questions. Firstly, why was weekday Daytime TV such trash? The newest generation can't even be blamed. Daytime TV has always been shit whether it was wall-to-wall soap operas or drama-choked talk shows featuring parental legitimacy. All the same, it was like content creators had a vendetta against the brain cells of those who, for one reason or another, stayed home between 9 and 5. His second question was why did he enjoy it so much? He knew better than to trust anything those 'TV doctors' had to say about anything, but if bleach could not only expire but combust, he didn't want the bottle that had been in storage for nigh on five years putting his fully paid off house at risk. The moment a commercial break came, he was up and on his way downstairs to look for an expiration date when the sight of one of his apartment B tenants standing just outside of his door completely distraught occupied his attention.

"Kate," he said with surprise in his voice. After all, she had just been standing there.

"Sorry!" She placed her hands over her face, clearly not intending to be caught there. "I didn't mean to startle you. I know there's still a month left, but I...I just wanted...to know if...there was any way I c-could break the l-lease early...!"

"Woah, hey!" Like most men, the sight of a woman crying automatically put him in protective mode. The poor, young girl before him had broken down before she could even get her sentence out. He knew what she was trying to ask, but this was no time to worry about that. All he could do was invite her in to calm herself. "Come sit down."

His place wasn't much. No embarrassing odors. No old dishes. He ate too much takeout for that. Still, with it just being him, the only comfortable spot he could offer her to sit was his lazy boy. Meanwhile, he grabbed a stool from the kitchen and dragged it next to her.

"Sorry. I don't know what's come over me," Kate said, wiping at her eyes.

"You're upset as hell. That's what's come over you."

"Yea. Just a bit."

His mind had already jumped to the date she was supposed to have had last night. Perhaps something went wrong; wrong enough for her to want to move out. Thomas didn't seem the type, but Kate wasn't this upset over nothing.

"A bit, huh?" He didn't have any tissues but a roll of paper towels was better than the hem of her shirt. He handed them to her. "So, I could ask you what happened but, given how upset you are, perhaps getting you to recount anything isn't the greatest idea. Especially with me being a man and all. Would you like to call someone or something?"

"No!" she assured. She even rested a hand on his shoulder to show she wasn't afraid of being around him or talking to him.

"Kate," his voice was serious. "Did Tom do something?"

"No! No, Tom's great. He's been great. You've been great. It was..." Pulling her words together was a struggle. "I don't need to call anyone. I mean...I don't know. Something happened, and it was bad, but...well..." Telling him the whole story wasn't her intent. He could have been just as much of a creep as Janeli was, but it all came out regardless. She told him every detail she could remember. How disgusting she felt afterwards and how guilty she felt as well. "I know what happened was wrong, but I don't want Janeli getting into trouble."

He caught her covering up the hickey on her neck. "Kate?"

"You know, it was my fault really. I shouldn't have been so..."

He began to nod as he considered the situation as he stroked the hair on his chin. "I see. I see. We really should call someone."

"No! Please! It sucks what happened, but I don't want either one of us to deal with police and questioning. They'd think it's stupid anyway. How the fuck does a woman even...force another woman to do that anyway?"

"I hear that the pain from something like that never really goes away. Especially when there is no justice." He sat up in the uncomfortable stool. "And you think running away is the answer. She did something to you, and you were going to ask me to kick you out. Is that it?"

"I can't live with her anymore. Not after what happened."

"Then don't. Consider her gone. Where is she?"

"Downstairs...asleep."

"Kate. If you have it in you, go about your day. Not only will she be gone, but there won't be a single shred of evidence she was ever here."

"But, the rent..."

"Forget about it. This house has been paid off for so long. You guys are just keeping the lights on and fueling my takeout addiction, which..." he patted his belly, "I could stand to kick." His attempt in trying to cheer her up with a bit of self-deprecating humor had worked...a little.

"Oh, my god," she started to cry again, but from happiness. "Thank you. I can't even..."

He became serious again. "I just want you to think hard about this. We could call the right people and have her taken care of properly now. But, once I kick her out, she's likely not going to be easy to find again if you change your mind."

"I just want to forget it happened. I know it sounds stupid and cowardly, but...I just want to go back to my life before this happened. Sure, one day I'll need a hell of a lot of therapy once the bed wetting starts thanks to...her...but, things with Tom...I don't want to abandon them."

He patted her shoulder. "Tell me how I can help then."