Lace & Leather [a Damian Priest story]

9 So much time

Damian POV

"Hey, do you want to grab dinner with us after the show?" asked Matt as we made our way back to the locker room from our warm-up workout.

I sighed deeply while pretending to think about it, but in reality I didn't need to. I wasn't in the mood. And by now he should know that too. Because I didn't expect that to change anytime soon.

"No thanks. I don't want to spoil your evening," I finally replied.

"Damian, come on! How long is this going to go on? She's been gone almost a year. You're not doing yourself any favors by mourning her. She's completely broken off contact with everyone and at this point I doubt she'll even come back," Matt said cautiously.

"It's none of your damn business. If I want to be miserable, then let me be miserable. All I want is to understand. And she's got to come back sometime. After all, she still has a contract. Just do me a favor and leave me alone," I snapped in frustration.

Week after week, month after month, I waited for Kat to show up here again. So far without success. 3 months passed, then 4, 5 and 6. All we knew was that the producers of the show she was in were thrilled with her. And now she had been gone for almost a year.

And I missed her so much. I was waiting for that feeling and the feelings for her to go away, but it just wasn't happening. As I said to Matt, I just wanted to understand her reasons. Something had to have happened to trigger this. Only I didn't have the slightest idea what.

A week later, in another city but nothing had changed. Or at least that's what I thought. Until I spotted a familiar face at the end of the hallway. I stopped in my tracks, trying to figure out if it was really her or if I was seeing ghosts now.

"Katja?" I called out and the person froze for a moment before quickening her steps.

"Kat! Bluebell!" I yelled and started to run.

But there was no response. Finally, I managed to catch up with her. Carefully, I grabbed her by the arm and turned her around to face me. Without thinking, I hugged her tightly. Kat stiffened and pushed me forcefully away from her. I looked into her eyes, but there was nothing left of the sparkle that was usually there.

"Bluebell where have you been? What happened?" I asked.

But I did not get an answer. Instead, she simply turned around and walked on. That was not the way to do it. I deserved an answer.

"Damn it, what happened to you? Why did you leave me?" I wanted to know as I followed her.

"You happened! I trusted you and you hurt me!" growled Kat without looking at me.

"What, what are you talking about? The last time we talked, everything was fine..." I replied.

"That was before I heard you talking to Theory about me. You of all people knew exactly how I was with men. That didn't stop you from telling him to try and land me! That I needed a real man! Do you have any idea how much that hurt?" she shot as she stopped and glared angrily at me.

"That's the reason? You left me and ignored me for a year because of bullshit, not-serious guy talk? Are you freakin' serious, Kat? If he even tried to get near you, I would have broken every bone in his body," I replied, stunned.

"You have no idea how that affected me! You didn't care about my feelings. You don't care about me!" she said.

"That's not true and you know it! You were, are damn important to me. Why do you think I tried to call you every day for a year? Why do you think I carry this around with me every day?" I asked as I buried my hand in my pocket to pull out the necklace with the Bluebell pendant that I had been carrying with me ever since that day.

Before Katja could say anything back, the phone she had been holding in her hand the whole time rang. Without paying attention to me, she answered it.

"Yes mom?.... Did something happen?..... I'll be right there." she spoke and then just left.

But she didn't get off that easy. I had the right to defend myself now that I knew such a ridiculous thing had triggered that in her. A second time I let this woman definitely not run away from me.

Kat walked with quick steps towards a room and entered without hesitation. I followed her so that she had to listen to me. But at the sight that presented itself to me, I froze on the spot.

She walked up to the other woman, who based on the resemblance was probably her mother, and took a small, crying baby from her arms.

"It's okay, Hazelnut. I've got you. Everything's all right. Mommy's here." cooed Kat as she began rocking the little bundle back and forth in her arms.