Lasting Effects (Sequel To After Effects)

Chapter 10 ~ Lest We Forget (Part I)

There was a car parked on our pavement.

The smile which had been on my face slowly fell and my eyes went to the house where someone was pacing. It was Jake, but he didn't seem to see us as he paused, ran a hand through his hair and then went inside.

All of a sudden, my anger, at him, at them, when I had heard about what happened, came rushing back. However, before I could even think to calm myself, without taking my eyes off my house,

"Thanks for your help Riddian and Mr. Jones. Have a good night," was spewing from my mouth as I opened the door and left the car, my mind only on one person right then.

Marching up to my front door, I tried to take the high road. I tried to convince myself to be calm about this situation!

I opened the door and slammed it shut behind me.

I tried, but I didn't say I succeeded.

Jake who was heading down the hall and towards the kitchen from the front door, stopped and spun around.

"Kat!"

"Where is he?"

Worry filled his features as my voice went deadly low, too low for his comfort.

"Katherine before you do anything rash-"

"Kitty?"

I looked to my left to see another male coming out of the formal dining room of the house. My features flattened.

He looked the same.

"What are you doing here?" I questioned without another thought.

"I came to see you," my brother, Grayson Harrington, replied with a frown, looking away... well that was if he even kept the name 'Harrington'.

"You come to see me and now dad's in the hospital," I snapped at he who couldn't even look me in the eyes for long.

"Kitty are you really going to do this right now? It was... an accident. Dad's in the hospital and we... we haven't spoken in years. Let's not do this right now, please."

My eyebrows furrowed in anger as I tried to not laugh sarcastically at what he said as well as not get even more upset with him for calling me 'Kitty'. I wasn't sure we were close enough now for him to keep that nickname for me. Plus... now I knew how Riddian felt in the times I had shot him, almost drowned and splashed water on him by accident. That wasn't a very good excuse.

"Trust me, this is the time to do this, and I don't care if it was an accident. Even it was one, it could have been avoided if you hadn't come to the house! We all know how you and dad love arguing and you still came here!"

"Katherine-"

"Stay out of this Jake!" I snapped, turning towards him in the second he tried to speak and glaring at him, tears most likely forming in my eyes with the anger and worry that bubbled inside me. I pushed it all away and turned back to Grayson, adding, "I'll deal with you later" to Jake.

My only brother and only sibling, the same one who had left dad and I when we were at the breaking point of our struggles, stared back at me with pain in his eyes. I was supposed to feel something from that, but I was already feeling enough.

"Kitty, please. I came to see you. My sister! Jacob told me that's where you'd be so I went there. Of course I remember the relationship dad and I had in the past but it's been five years, I grew up! I didn't think my visit would be a problem!"

"Oh wow, five years since you left and you grew up. Look how proud you are to say that!" Never had I thought this was the way I would reconcile with my brother but as the tears continued to line my eyes, I couldn't stop the words that tumbled from my lips.