Our Love is Evergreen

Chapter 83: Hidden Feelings

The next morning, Catherine set out to her brother's apartment. She had no idea what she was going to say or why she was even going. She figured that the right words would come in the moment. Or at least, she hoped they would.
She knocked on the apartment door. It was opened by a woman.

"Hello, Catherine. It's good to see you again. I wasn't aware you were back from New York," the woman greeted.

"It's good to see you too, Bella. We are actually back permanently. We moved our things back into the catacombs just yesterday. Is Gustave here?" Catherine asked.

"Yes. He's just in the other room. Where are my manners? Please, come in," Bella insisted. Catherine stepped inside. Bella continued, "I could go get Gustave if you'd like."

"Yes. That would be great. Thank you."

Bella left and returned with Gustave.

Gustave greeted, "Catherine, it's so wonderful to see you. Are you back for good? How was New York?"

Catherine slapped her brother hard across the face. "What's wrong with you? You moved out just two months after I did. Are you trying to kill our father?"

"What's wrong with me?" Gustave exclaimed. "What's wrong with you? You're the one who went to live in New York City of all places. We chose a nearby apartment."

"You left two months after Pierre, Victoria, and I did. Father was heartbroken. What were you thinking?"

"Oh, like you even stopped for a second to consider how Father felt. Or any of the rest of us for that matter."

"Yes, Gustave, I did. I thought about you all every day. I only moved to please Pierre. He wanted a change. I wasn't going to deny him the chance to enjoy life. Unlike you, Pierre and I are both still very young. We do stupid things without thinking and blame it on our ignorance when things go awry. Gustave, do you really think I was happy to leave Paris? No, I wasn't. I wasn't happy at all, but marriage is about making sacrifices. I was willing to sacrifice my happiness for Pierre because he's my husband and I love him. You moved for your own selfish pleasures. You were the one to go run off without taking others into consideration. Don't you go calling me inconsiderate."

"Now, listen here, Catherine-"

"No. You listen to me, Gustave. God, just let someone else talk for once. Ever since I was a little girl, everything I said was treated like nonsense. You would never listen to me and you still don't."

"That's not fair-"

"Shut up! You have done this to me throughout my entire childhood. You never cared about what I had to say ever. I would try to warn you about things and you would call me a 'silly little girl'. You would claim that I didn't know what I was talking about and you would constantly ignore me. Long ago you promised that you would always protect me. I had to remind you of that constantly. Otherwise, you would just go off gallivanting with that Celeste girl. You were rude and ignorant and arrogant. I used to be so afraid to stand up to you. Well, guess what? I'm not a little girl anymore. I'm no longer afraid of you. I'm sick and tired of you bossing me around and calling me things that I'm not. For heaven's sake, Gustave, listen to somebody but yourself for a change."

"I'm not sorry. You were treated like a little princess and I got blamed for everything. You always had a special bond with Father. A bond that I could only dream of. You inherited Father's deformity, so therefore, he loved you more. Once you were born, nobody cared about me or my happiness. All Mother and Father cared about was their precious baby girl."

"Oh, please. We both know that you were the favorite."

"No, it was definitely you."

"Gustave, let's just drop the matter. In my condition, I really shouldn't-"

"In your condition? My dear sister, does this mean-"

"Yes, it does. I'm pregnant," Catherine replied. She was still slightly angry.

Suddenly, Bella spoke up, "Catherine, this is wonderful!"

"This is why we moved back to Paris. Well, this and also because we missed you all terribly," Catherine remarked with a sad smile.

Gustave embraced his sister. "I'm sorry for everything. I wasn't always the best brother to you and I know it. I was ashamed to admit it before. I am sorry."

"I forgive you, Gustave. I only ask one thing," Catherine responded.

"Anything. Name it," Gustave insisted.

"You and your family have to move back to the catacombs. It will be just like old times. Gustave, we've been parted for far too long. It feels like it's been forever. Please, say you'll come home," Catherine begged.

Gustave glanced at Bella. She nodded her head. Gustave decided, "We'll move back in the day after tomorrow."

With that, Catherine gave her brother a kiss on the cheek and departed. She was so happy that her brother was coming to live with them again. She felt that somehow, if she hadn't left for New York in the first place, non of this would have happened. She wasn't sure if that was a good or bad thing. Catherine decided that everything happens for a reason. "Something good must have come out of our temporarily living in New York. If only I knew what it was," she thought.