Always Darkest (14 page)

“Okay, now tell me everything.
 
What’s up with the limo?”

Tori started at the beginning, going over how Ben had hit her over the head and tried her up and how she kneed him in the groin at the most opportune moment.

Kathy said.
 
“That’s my sister.
 
I told you those Krav Maga classes we took weren’t a waste of time.”

“I kneed him in the balls sis.
 
It’s not rocket science.”

“Go on,” Kathy encouraged.

Tori finished her tale, leaving out only she had desperately wanted to stay with Mason.

“Wow! That is a lot to take in.”
 
Kathy said with a quizzical look on her face.
 
Tori could tell her sister didn’t know whether to believe her or not.
 
“Do you think he drugged you or something?”

“I know he didn’t.”

Tori took off her cardigan and showed Kathy the mark Mason had drew on her arm.
 
Kathy inspected it and then shook her head.
 
“I’m just glad you are okay.
 
I love you so much and I thought you were dead.
 
I don’t know what I would have done without you with mom and dad dead.
 
I just don’t know….”

“It’s okay, I’m fine.
 
Did you say they caught Ben? ” Tori said changing the subject because she knew if she didn’t her sister would start crying and she would follow.

“Yeah it happened Friday night.
 
He got in a car accident and the police found blood in the back of his van along with rope, duct tape and God only knows what else.
 
They didn’t release all the details but he is suspected in the rape and murder of five women.
 
I reported to the police that you had a date with a man named Ben and you didn’t come home.
 
You should make a report to them. I called them after you called me to let them know you were found, but it may help to prove a case against him.”

“Maybe, I just don’t want to think about it now.”

Kathy glanced at the clock on the wall.
 
“Oh it’s nearly three in the morning.
 
You must be exhausted.
 
I’ve got the guest room all made up for you.”

“Sleep sounds divine.”
 
Tori said and it was the truth.
 
The physical, not to mention the emotional toll of the last few days had left her exhausted.

Kathy led her to the guest room and gave her one last hug.
 

The gust room, which also doubled as Kathy’s craft room was cozy.
 
It had a full size bed with lots of pillows and a quilt.
 
Tori noted that Kathy had even laid out a pair of comfy flannel pajamas for her and wondered how in the world her sister
be
so thoughtful and get so much ready in the thirty minute notice she had given her.

None the less, Tori
was
thankful.
 
She quickly got out of the dress Willa had given her and into the soft flannel pajamas.
 
She slipped under the covers and turned off the lamp on the bedside table.
 
Within minutes Tori was fast asleep.

When Tori woke up the next day, light was streaming in through the windows.
 
She looked at the alarm clock and noted it was
twelve thirty
in the afternoon.
 
Tori couldn’t remember the last time she had slept this late.
 
She got out of bed and hurried to the bathroom and then made her way to the kitchen where her sister was busy in front of the stove.

“Good afternoon sleepy head.
 
There is coffee ready.”

Tori went and got
herself
a cup and took a seat on one of the barstools that surrounded the island.

“Good afternoon, I didn’t mean to sleep so late.”

He sister made a dismissive gesture with her hands.
 
“Shoot, after all you been through, I wouldn’t have been surprised if you slept all day.
 
Are you hungry?”

“Uh, huh,” Tori said still waking up.
 
The caffeine suddenly hit her brain and she realized that she needed to call into work.
 
“Oh shit, I need to call in to work.”

“No you don’t, I took care of that for you.
 
They don’t expect you back until after Christmas break.
 
I already filed the FMLA claim. Randy brought your car back from the Old Castle Inn, it’s in the garage when you need it and here is your replacement cell phone.
 
Randy went and got one for you this morning and I called and got it programmed with your old number.”

Tori looked at her sister in astonishment.
 
“How did you? How long have you been up?”
 

“Since seven this morning,” Kathy relied.

“Do you secretly take crack or something?”
 
Tori said laughing.

“I’m just taking care of my baby sister.”
 
Kathy said has she handed Tori a plate loaded with hash browns, scrambled eggs, and two buttermilk biscuits. Tori began devouring the food.
 
She was absolutely ravenous.
 
Kathy just went about putting the dishes into the dishwasher and wiping down the counter.
 
When Tori
was
done she handed Kathy the plate.

“I needed that.
 
Thanks, sis,” Tori said.

“You’re welcome. Now I thought after you shower and get dressed, we could go over to your place and get some of your clothes and other things.
 
I figured you might want to stay with me a while considering.”

“No.
 
It’s nice of you to offer, but I think I just want to go home for a while.”

“Are you sure?
 
We would love for you to stay.”

“I am.”

“Okay then.”

“I think I’m going to go get that shower now.”
 
Tori went straight to the bathroom, stripped and turned on the water as hot as she could stand it.
 
As the hot water ran over her, she thought again of how warm and reassuring Mason’s hands were.
 
She thought about how passionate his kiss had been and how he had pleaded with her to stay.
 
Thinking the water would drown out the sound of her sobs she let go and cried and sobbed until the water ran cold and she had to get out.

She wrapped the oversized fluffy towel around her and ventured out into the hallway and almost ran into her sister right outside the bathroom door.
 
Kathy was holding a neatly folded stack of clothes and handed them to Tori without a word.

Tori went into the guest room and quickly dressed in the black tank top, pink, hooded, zip up top and matching lounge pants her sister had given her.
 
When she was dressed she went down the hall to see if Kathy had a comb she could use.

“Are you positive you are okay?”
 
Kathy asked with a look of disapproval on her face.

“Yeah, I’m fine.
 
I just need to dry my hair and I’m ready to go.”

“Bullshit!
 
I heard you crying.”

“I’m fine.”

“Victoria Nicole Clover I am your sister and I call bullshit!
 
Fess
up,
did that man hurt you more than you told me?”
 
Kathy had uses the “mom” voice that she adopted when their parents had died.
 
Tori knew there was no use arguing because her sister would not let up until she was satisfied that Tori had told her everything.

“I met someone when I was over there.
 
Remember I told you about Willa’s grandson?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, I felt something for him and I had to leave.”

“Did you…?”

“No but we kissed. And it was the best kiss I have ever had.
 
He was nice and, well, he’s not here.”
 
Tori found she was unable to stop the tears from slipping out of her eyes.

“Oh honey, I’m so sorry.”
 

“I’ll be okay.
 
I only knew him for a couple of days, right?
 
I couldn’t have really been in love with him.
 
He was just a very handsome, kind man who helped me out during a very emotionally vulnerable state.”
 
Tori said trying to convince
herself
more than she was her sister.

“That’s probably true.”
 
Kathy said in a reassuring tone of voice.
 
“Let me blow dry your hair for you and then we’ll go over to your apartment.”

“Thanks.”
 

Kathy took her sister to her room where she had a full vanity set up and sat her sister down in front of the mirror.
 
Then she went about blowing out Tori’s hair until it was nice and straight, and then went over it with a flat iron till it was shiny and silky.
 
Tori could tell that she was taking her time, but she let her.

“Your hair looks good.
 
You want me to do your makeup too?”
 
Tori recognized the stall tactic, but she complied.

After a full makeover including a pedicure and manicure Tori finally decided she better stop her sister before she could think up more beauty treatments.

“I better get going.”

“Okay, but I’m going to follow you over to your apartment and make sure you get in okay.”

“Sis, that’s not necessary.
 
You know it is only five minutes away.”

“See, it’s not a big deal. No arguments.”

She and Kathy went out to the garage and just like Kathy said it would be her car was sitting there beside her sister’s SUV.
 
It even looked like he had taken the time to wash it.
 
When she got in she noted the full tank of gas and shook her head.
 
She really did have a great family.
 
“I wonder if he changed the oil too.” She mused aloud.

Her sister followed her to her apartment and walked in with her.
 
Kathy even went about checking all the closets and under the bed.

“Kathy, you said they caught the guy.”

“Well, you can’t be too careful in this day and age.”

“Sis, I love you and thank you for everything.
 
Now get out.”
 
Tori said laughing.

Kathy acted hurt.
 
“Well, I can take a hint.
 
Remember we are only a phone call away.”

“Okay, love you, bye.”
 
She said as she ushered her sister out the door.

Chapter Eighteen

When Kathy finally left Tori alone in her apartment, she ran into her bedroom, flung herself on the bed and cried.
 
She cried until she couldn’t cry any more, ruining the perfect makeup application her sister had so carefully done.
 
When the tears ran out she just lay there in her bed thinking.
 
How was it possible to miss someone she barely knew this much?
 
Maybe she was going crazy.
 
Never in her life had she been so attracted to anyone.
 
He asked her to stay and he was obviously attracted to her.
 

Her sister had been as worried as she knew she would be.
 
She had to believe that she made the right choice in coming home and leaving Mason.
 
Maybe all those things she told Kathy were true maybe she was just in an extremely emotional vulnerable state and that had heightened her emotions, making her think she was in love, when under ordinary circumstances she might not have felt anything for Mason at all.
 
The counselor side of her, the one that remembered the countless hours of psychology classes, tried desperately to convince her that was the case.
 
Her heart still ached and the counselor was fighting a losing battle.

Eventually hunger got the better of her and she got up and made herself a Healthy Choice Pizza in the microwave and grabbed a bad of Baked Lays sour cream and onion chips.
 
She sat on the couch watching whatever was on the first channel she turned on, throwing her own little pity party.
 
She fell asleep on the couch and was awakened the next morning by a knock at her door.

“Hey sis, open up it’s me.”

“Just a minute,” Tori said as she rolled off the couch.

She opened the door and Kathy stood there dressed in her workout clothes.
 
“Come one, get dressed.
 
We are going walking today. Drink this.”
 
She handed Tori a cup of coffee in a travel mug.

“What? I don’t want to go walking.”

“I don’t care.
 
I’m not going to let you get depressed on me like you did when mom and dad died.
 
You were impossible to be around and it took you months to find joy in anything.
 
I ain’t putting up with that again.
 
Depression is like getting fat.
 
It’s easier to nip it in the bud before it becomes a problem.
 
It’s easier to shed five pounds than a hundred.
 
So come on, no excuses. Your buds getting nipped weather you like it or not.”
 
Tori could see Kathy taking in the chips and frozen food carton sitting on the coffee table.
 
“Exercise boosts your endorphins.
 
Come on, chop, chop, get dressed and eat something, you need breakfast.”