If there was a time like the present, Catherine thought as she started to tell Glen her secret. “Well—”
Glen couldn’t hold back anymore. “Like the fact that you are James Martin’s niece?” He stepped further toward her as Catherine stepped further away.
“How did you find out?” Was all Catherine could say.
“Jack Har—Who cares how I found out? How could you lie to me? After everything, you lied this whole time to get information. I believed you. I told you about my parents, you met my family, and I eve—It doesn’t matter anymore. Nothing matters.”
“Just let me expla—” Catherine started to say as she was stepping back and was almost to the door.
But, Glen cut her off and bellowed, “No. You’ve done enough. I trusted you and look where that got me. Get out of my office! No, get out of the building! You’re fired! Fired. Get out!”
Catherine started crying and ran out of the office, picked up her purse, and hit the elevator button. She hit it so many times, but thought it would never come. So, she decided to take the stairs all the way down to the bottom floor. But, she didn’t even make it that far and lied crying between the ninth and tenth floors. She tried to get it all out so she would be able to show herself as she exited the building and perhaps even try to put on a smile.
While Catherine was sitting in the stairwell, and all had somewhat settled down and everything was in the open, Catherine reconsidered what Mrs. Upman had told her before. Glen was having her, personally investigated by Jack Hammond. Catherine realized at that moment Glen probably didn’t even like her from the beginning. Maybe he was getting close to her just to find out more about her Uncle, maybe he knew all along. How can people in this business act this way? She thought Glen was sweet and kind, but the whole time he was trying to get information from her as well. Catherine felt hurt and upset but knew it was her fault to begin with. She knew she deserved it, but in her own heart wished Glen wasn’t acting at all and felt something near the way he was acting. How could he do that? But, Catherine had to keep reminding herself that she started the whole thing, deserved it, and just wanted to get to her apartment as soon as possible. Even though it was not her apartment to begin with, she felt a small amount sanctuary within it, since she came to live there. Now that everything was in the open, Catherine knew that first she needed to speak with her Uncle. This had to be the low point of her life and Catherine couldn’t even bare the thought to see that despicable man.
She pulled herself enough together to get up. As she came to the bottom flight, Catherine smoothed everything down and practically ran through the lobby through the door. She was convinced too much of a scene wasn’t caused just as she hit the curb and the rain hit her hard. It was pouring, which was appropriate to Catherine’s feelings. She didn’t even have the energy to hail a cab but for some reason, one stopped anyway. At least one good thing happened today and she climbed in and gave the driver her Uncle’s address. It only gave her five minutes to calm herself down before she reached the destination.
When the cab stopped, Catherine felt as she was getting her second wind and hoped it was enough energy to speak with her Uncle. She got out, paid the driver, and walked to the front door. By the time it was reached she was thoroughly drenched. Herbert opened the door as she got there and Catherine stepped inside onto the mat.
“You are here to see Mr. Martin, ma’am?”
“Yes, please.” She said shivering outside the house.
“I will get him, perhaps it is better if you just stand here.”
The butler stared at Catherine like she looked like a wet mop. Being frustrated, she just replied as sweetly as she could, given the circumstances. “Actually, I would prefer to talk to him in private.”
“Very well, ma’am, please follow me.” The butler told Catherine as he worried about how her wetness might ruin the furniture.
Herbert directed her to the sitting room and Catherine sat at one of the chairs. Catherine thought the butler must have been feeling very happy with himself since he was able to get a blanket down on the chair before she sat to avoid ruining the cushion. It just wouldn’t do if she ruined the priceless chair, Catherine thought with repulsion. A good forty minutes later Catherine was undoubtedly getting sick, still being wet, and her Uncle strolled into the room disgusted by her appearance.
“Don’t you have any manners Catherine? You really need to look after yourself, people could see you here.”
God forbid if people saw me with you, since I look so horrible, she thought, not wanting to be associated with him either. But, because she couldn’t think of any other way, Catherine was direct and apologetic even though she could actually care less, “It wouldn’t really matter, no one would relate me back to you. But, maybe they will now, Mr. Serentini found me out.”
“What do you mean found you out?”
She approached him cautiously, but firmly and said, “Remember when I told you about the letter I typed about the person giving out information?”
“Yes.”
“Well, an investigation was launched and somehow they found out I was related to you.” Catherine said having to throw herself at the mercy of her Uncle.
“How would they find out? Did you tell Serentini? Did you conscience get the better of you, Catherine?”
“No—”
“It’s no use. Don’t even try and say something else. I’ve been getting information that you are becoming quite friendly with Serentini’s son.”
“Well, that’s the CEO. Isn’t that what you wanted anyway?” Catherine started getting more upset. What did it matter how close she got to Glen? “And I actually never said a word to Serentini. I suppose they found out whom my mother was and that she was your sister. I guess it isn’t that hard to put two and two together after that.”
“Do you think they’ll press charges?” Was the first thing on her Uncle’s mind.
“Well, they have no proof of your involvement, so I suppose not against you. But, maybe they could file something against me—”
Martin cut her off yet again. “No matter, as long as they can’t place my involvement, it does not matter.”
“How can you say that, I know you don’t like me, but I am your niece. Don’t you even care about me?”
“Catherine, don’t talk back to me. Really, I thought you had better manners than that.”
“But—”
“Well, thank you making me aware of your screw-up. Now, you are excused.” Martin motioned for Catherine to leave by slanting his eyes toward the door, impatiently.
Cautiously, she started, “But… Uncle, what about the art, the store, the house?”
“You can forget about it, all of it. You didn’t come through, so our deal is expunged. It all goes under. It’s took bad I mistakably trusted you in the first place, but I thought you might have come through. But, it is over for you now. I can’t even think of the damage repair I’m going to have to do in the morning. But, perhaps the money I will gain will sooth the loss I had from trusting you and I do believe I can make quite a profit on all that art and selling, no renting out the house.”
All the hostility pent up inside Catherine just poured out at that moment. “You can’t do that! Everything is rightfully mine and I treasure all of it. How could you sell it and try to make money on the things that were once my mothers? Don’t you have any loyalty to my mom, your sister, at all?”
“Actually, no loyalty really exists anymore; remember, your mother is dead. Now, you are excused Catherine.” When his niece didn’t make any moves toward leaving, Martin added, “Oh, and don’t even think about trying to take me to court over this. As I have explained before, I have a legal team and can keep you spending so much money on legal fees and so much time tied up in the court system you will be broke and still not even win. So, leave now Catherine. It is too bad you are just like your mother, a waste of space.”
Catherine leaned slightly forward and slapped her Uncle, “You bastard.” The
n she ran out of the room onto the street. As a horn blared, she carefully backed up and wondered if the same kind of thing occurred with her mother. Obviously, she could see by her own experience what kind of affect her uncle had on people. If he could do something so horrible to his own family, what was he really like to strangers or even enemies? Catherine got a cab, faster then usual, and the moment it pulled away, tears came to her eyes. She sniffled and willed them to not come for at least a little while and waited the fifteen minutes to get to her apartment, got inside, and then she felt the release and her tears came to her eyes. Just before she could crash onto the couch, Catherine heard, “Rrrwrrr, Hello!”
Quickly, she remembered the bird. Catherine hadn’t let her out in over three days, when she used to be played with everyday. Catherine walked over the cage. “Oh, Sweetie. You might just be the only thing I’ll ever have to remind me of mom. You promise not to go anywhere?” She was able to stagger out, with her tears starting to flow.
“Sweetie!”
“That better be a yes!”
Catherine took out the bird and massaged her neck feathers just to calm her nerves. When she put Sweetie back in her cage, Catherine realized all she was fighting for was now gone. She couldn’t hold back any longer and cried for so long Catherine fell onto her bed in a pool of her own tears.
Chapter 14
After two hours of sobbing and thinking with Sweetie cuddling next to her on the bed, Catherine decided there was nothing she could do about anything except to leave. She thought maybe she would find some of her father’s relatives overseas. Even though they never tried to contact her or she them, maybe they would accept her; maybe they could love each other. Catherine’s mother explained to her at a young age that her father’s relatives avoided contact with them after he died. Her mother supposed it was because he was living in America with her instead of in England, when they thought he should be with them instead. They thought that was why he died. Catherine ignored those problems and thought she could still make a life with them. She was just about to pick up the phone to book the soonest flight when the phone rang itself.
The doorman spoke into the phone, “Miss, there is someone here to see you, a Ms. Rhoda Upman.”
“Send her up.” Catherine muttered.
A moment later Mrs. Upman was upstairs and in the apartment, “Hello, dear.”
“Hi, I guess you heard what happened.” Catherine half said and half asked as she walked over to her closet and started piling clothes onto the bed.
She followed into the bedroom, “Yes, I did. Actually, I went to see Mr. Hammond and guessed the rest. I figured I had better come over. It seems that was a good idea.”
“Well, I’m fine,” she muttered.
Mrs. Upman could see Catherine was indeed, not fine. “No your not, dear. But, surely you didn’t expect a completely good reaction?”
“Actually, I didn’t get to say anything at all and there was no type of good in the reaction I got. He just screamed at me, didn’t let me say a word, and didn’t let me explain at all. He didn’t even let me say I was sorry.”
“Well, that is a bit more of a bad reaction then I thought.” Rhoda Upman sat down on the chair in the bedroom half watching Catherine, half wondering what advice to give at this point.
“I don’t know why it was that horrible either. He did have me investigated, so I’m sure he suspected something, in fact I know he did. I’m even sure he was trying to get information from me. So, shouldn’t I have a right to be somewhat mad? He didn’t even let me talk, nothing.”
Catherine started tearing again and Mrs. Upman held her and said, “It’s okay, dear. Cry all you want. All you want.” Rhoda didn’t know what happened to make Catherine suspect Glen of any wrongdoing at all. She didn’t know what everything else going on was about either. Why was Catherine throwing her clothes out of her closet, anyway?
She held back her tears and barely got out, “I’m leaving. I can’t take this anymore.”
“Where are you going to go?”
Catherine started moving about the room again. She found a suitcase in the back of the closet and started piling the things on the bed into it as well as taking more from different drawers. “After all, I don’t even have that much. Everything I want is at my mother’s house and none of that is mine now anyway. All I can say is completely mine is the clothes in here. Even this furniture isn’t even mine.”
“Calm down for a moment. Just sit down, dear. Why don’t you explain?”
“Well, as I told you before, my Uncle took over everything; my mother’s house, all of my valuable possessions, the art, the store, every single thing. He made me forgo on everything I have ever believed in and ever considered mine until the deal was done. Then he wouldn’t take any pity at all and gave me nothing.”
“Nothing?”
Catherine repeated some of her conversation with her Uncle the shortest way possible to Mrs. Upman. “Yes, the deal was if I came through the full six months and gave him information, I would get everything back, but he gave me nothing because I was two weeks short. Then again, he probably wouldn’t have given me anything anyway. He would have said something like none of the information was valuable, but I guess that doesn’t matter now. Then he said I was a waste of space like my mother. He was so horrible.” Catherine bawled out.
She was crying again and this time couldn’t bring herself to stop. Then she heard a noise, “Arrrrrr!” and quieted down. Of course, Sweetie had perfect timing. “What am I going to do with Sweetie? I can’t leave her here! I’m going to have to take her on the plane with me.” She walked over to the cage, “Do you want to fly?”
“Sweetie!” The bird walked back and forth around the cage cooing to Catherine.
“I wonder how much a birdie plain ticket is?” She cooed to Sweetie. “Mrs. Upman, you don’t know, she’s been such a godsend. She was my mother’s before she died.”
“She’s a beautiful bird.” As Catherine started packing again Mrs. Upman calmly asked, “But, where are you flying to?” Mrs. Upman could see how things had gotten way out of hand and needed to fix things, especially on Albert’s son’s behalf. She didn’t see how he could have been so stubborn and not even let the girl have a chance to speak.
“Overseas, to my father’s family. I should have gotten in touch with them ages ago, but didn’t. It is time to reunite, I believe.” Catherine spurted all this out while zipping her suitcase up. “Sorry, Mrs. Upman but I have to make a call to the airline to book a flight.
“I wouldn’t do anything rash just yet. Please, wait a couple of days at least. Promise me you won’t make any plans for at least three days.” She made a move towards the door.
“I don’t know if I can do that. I really need to leave, to get out of this town.” Catherine sat down on the bed.
“Please, promise me you won’t book anything for three days. After that, I won’t stop you, but I do think you need to make this decision when you are calm.” And when I have a chance to put some sense into Glen’s brain, she added to herself.
“Alright, I wont. I promise. But, I’ve done such a horrible thing. I forgot, I said I would meet with Lauren, that’s Glen’s sister, as if you don’t already know. I’ll have to cancel that as well. I’ve just let so many people down, I feel so badly, about everything.”
“I know you feel bad, but, it wasn’t entirely your fault, know that. Now, don’t leave, alright?” Mrs. Upman said at the door.
“I won’t, yet. But, the third day I will be gone, just so you know. I don’t want to stay here any longer than I have to. But, I will humor you, since I consider you a true friend. If I don’t see you before then, please come over before then so I can say goodbye. You are the only person who’s really listened and I do love you for that, for everything. Thank you and I am sorry, for lying to you as well.”
“I love you too, dear, like my own daughter and I will come to say goodbye, if it comes to that. But, for now I have some things to take care of.
I will see you soon, dear.” Mrs. Upman walked out of the apartment to the street and grabbed a cab. She called Mr. Serentini, senior and asked him to meet her at the Café Lambord on Main Street which was about five minutes from the office. He agreed and they were scheduled to meet in a half hour. So, Mrs. Upman sat down at the café with a cup of coffee and sipped it during the remaining ten minutes she had to wait before Albert Serentini arrived.
When he stepped inside, Albert reached Mrs. Upman, took her hand and kissed it, and said, “Hello. I was wondering when you were going to call.”
“Well, you can relax Albert, this is about your son, not us.”
“You called me Albert, that’s at least a start. It’s much better than Mr. Serentini, boss, or whatever you called me around the office for years…” He paused and said, “Wait? About my son? What could possibly need about my son? No matter, it’s not important. I would like to talk about us for a moment. I know you said there would be no ‘us,’ but I talked to my children and it seems it is time for me to move on; everyone agrees but you. I would like for us to be an us. So, please let me take you out to dinner tonight. I really do care for you and would like to explore my feelings, our feelings, further.”
“I don’t want to talk about this now.”
“I don’t want to hear that Rhoda. I know you care for me, I can see it in your eyes. So, let’s go further and—”
“Okay, this is just not the time. But, I promise, we will talk about that some other time. But, right now we have a small problem. Catherine and Glen are over, at least in Glen’s eyes.”
“What are you talking about?” Albert didn’t understand, just the other day he gave his son a family heirloom engagement ring and then everything was great in the relationship.
“Well, you know about the mole in the company?”
“Well, yes…”
“It was Catherine.”
Furious, he stammered, “How could such a nice girl turn out to be so, so…? Well, I completely understand why my son did what he did.”
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