306: IT’S OKAY LUKE’S POV I bolted out of my room, and the next thing I did was sprint towards Catherine’s room. The scream echoed in my cars, driving me faster. What the hell was going on? What could be the reason behind that scream? And this morning? Goddamn, something was not right around here, and I needed to get knowledge of it. Fix this whole damn situation before shit happens. Bursting into her room, I found Catherine huddled on her bed, trembling and crying out in fear. Without hesitation, I rushed to her side, enveloping her in a tight embrace, trying to soothe her frayed nerves. “Catherine, what’s wrong? What happened?” I asked urgently, but she continued to shake uncontrollably. I settled beside her, wrapping my arms around her protectively and murmuring words of reassurance. “Shh, it’s okay. You’re safe now. I’ve got you.” Despite having no idea what was happening around here, I had no interest in it in the least. And if I had the power, I’d put an end to it immediately. I was patting Catherine as I continued to comfort her, and then my mother rushed into the room, her face etched with concern and worry. “What’s going on? Is Catherine alright?” She asked, her voice fraught with anxiety. I glanced up at her, my own worry mirrored in her eyes. “I’m not sure. She’s really scared. Something must have terrified her.” As my mother rushed into the room, her face etched with concern and worry, I could feel the tension mounting. She took a step closer, her arms outstretched, a clear intention to comfort Catherine evident in her movements. 70 My mother’s gaze softened as she approached Catherine’s trembling form on the bed. “Catherine, sweetheart, let me take care of you. Tell me what happened,” she said gently, reaching out to touch her shoulder. But Catherine recoiled, her eyes wide with fear as she shrank away from my 2/4 mother’s touch. “No! Stay away!” she cried, her voice quivering with panic. My mother’s expression fell, hurt flashing across her features before she masked with a look of understanding. “Catherine, please; I just want to help you. You don’t have to be afraid,” she pleaded, and her voice was filled with desperation. But Catherine shook her head vehemently, her whole body trembling as she clung to me even tighter. “No, no, no! I don’t want her. Near me! Please, just leave me alone!” She begged, tears streaming down her checks. I felt a surge of helplessness wash over me as I held Catherine close, torn between wanting to comfort her and respecting her wishes. My mother stood there, her heartbreak evident in her eyes as she slowly backed away. ‘Alright, sweetheart,” she said softly, her voice thick with emotion. “I’ll give you some space. But please know that I’m here for you whenever you’re ready.” With a heavy heart, my mother turned and was about to leave the room. She was about to leave Catherine and me alone in the suffocating silence. I continued to watch her as she slowly walked to the door. I felt really sorry for her and didn’t want things to go this way. Perhaps this was why she needed my help in talking to Catherine. She knew she couldn’t do this alone. My mother stood there, her hand on the doorknob, ready to leave Catherine and me alone in the tense atmosphere. But, you see, I couldn’t bear to let her go. Something inside me urged me to stop her, to bridge the gap between them, even if I didn’t fully understand what had transpired between them. Although I had asked her about it, she refused to tell me a thing. Damn, that was still bothering me. “Wait, Mom,” I called out. Desperation was present here, present in this room, present at this moment. She turned back to look at me, her eyes brimming with at mixture of sadness and hope. Turning back to Catherine, who was still clinging to me, I took a deep breath, gathering my thoughts before speaking. “Catherine, I know you’re scared, and I don’t blame you for feeling that way. But Mom, she’s just worried about you. She loves you, Catherine, just like I do.” Catherine’s grip on me tightened, but she didn’t respond, her tear–streaked face 306 115 OKAY buried in my chest. I continued, my voice gentle yet determined. “I don’t know what happened between you two, but whatever it is, we can work through it together. You don’t have to face this alone, Catherine. Please, just give her a chance.” My mother remained silent, her eyes fixed on Catherine, silently pleading for her forgiveness. Catherine finally lifted her head, her gaze meeting mine with a mixture of fear and uncertainty. “But I can’t, Luke. I can’t forgive her,” she whispered, and I could. barely hear her voice. ht 1 felt a pang of sadness at her words, but I refused to give up. “Catherine, forgiveness doesn’t mean forgetting or condoning what happened. It means letting go of the anger and pain so that you can move forward. Please, for both of our sakes, give her a chance.” Tears welled up in Catherine’s eyes as she looked from me to my mother, her emotions warring within her. My mother took a hesitant step forward, her eyes filled with hope. “Catherine, I’m so sorry for whatever I’ve done to hurt you. Please, let me make it right.” Catherine hesitated for a moment, still gazing at my mother. I could see the hurt in her eyes. What could this woman have done to her? My mother continued with her leaden steps. “Catherine….” “Don’t come closer!” Catherine snapped. My heart sank as she snapped at my mother, refusing to let her come any closer. I held Catherine tighter, trying to convey a sense of calm amidst the chaos within her. “Catherine, please. You don’t have to keep pushing her away. Let’s talk about this; let’s find a way to work through it together.” But Catherine was relentless, her body stiffening against my touch as she attempted to push me away. “I don’t want to talk about it, Luke. Just leave me alone.” I refused to give up. No, not now. “No, Catherine, we can’t just ignore this. Whatever happened, it’s tearing you apart. You need to face it and confront it head- 306: IT’S OKAY on.” But she shook her head adamantly, her eyes filled with pain and anger. “I can’t, Luke. I can’t do this right now,” she cried, and her voice began to break. 4/4 I could feel my frustration mounting–a desperate need to break through the walls she had built around herself. “Then tell me, Catherine,” I implored, my voice rising with each word. “Tell me what my mother did to you that’s caused you so much pain. We can’t move forward until we address the root of the problem.” The room fell silent, the weight of my words hanging heavily in the air. Catherine’s eyes darted away from mine, her silence speaking volumes. “Catherine, please,” I begged, my voice softer now, with a hint of pleading. “I need to understand. We both do.” Tears filled Catherine’s eyes as she finally met my gaze, her expression filled with anguish and vulnerability.
