Bitter Sweet Revenge

by Donna Jay

  “I love all things ginger.” Gillian’s mother bustled into the room. She was a buxom woman with wide hips and an even wider smile. “You must be Katie. It’s nice to finally meet you.”

  “It’s nice to meet you, too, Mrs—” Katie searched her brain for a last name. After a beat, she remembered a voice saying, ‘Gillian Baines, come give your uncle a hug.’

  “—Mrs Baines.”

  Gillian’s mum headed for the kitchen. “Now we’ve got the pleasantries out of the way, how about a cold drink and a slice of ginger crunch? Fresh out of the oven.”

  “Sounds good.” Katie felt her waistline expand but figured she could burn it off at the gym.

  “Where’s Tyler?”

  “Gone for a bike ride with his mates. As much as he doesn’t like to admit it, he’s missing his little brother terribly. Sadly, it’s going to be a long time before they are doing stunts on their bikes in the backyard again.”

  Gillian handed Katie a tall glass of ice-cold water.

  “What’s he got again?” Katie asked.

  “Perthes.”

  “Right,” Katie said, having no idea what that meant.

  As if reading her mind, Gillian picked up where her mother left off. “It’s a disease where the hip bone rots away and a new one forms. He’s in splints right now. When he comes home, he’ll be in plaster casts for two years, and then on crutches for another two.”

  “Wow. That’s awful.”

  Mrs Baines chuckled. “You have no idea. The worst part will be keeping him entertained. The hospital staff have been wonderful, but when he comes home, Lord help us. Keeping a boy off his feet who couldn’t sit still before all of this is going to test our patience and creativity.”

  “Did he go to your grandpa’s funeral?” The minute the words were out of Katie’s mouth she wished she could take them back. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to be insensitive.”

  Mrs Baines tilted her head, studying Katie. “Way I see it, you’re being sensitive, so thank you for asking. And, yes, he came to the funeral.”

  “Almost stole the show. Didn’t he, Mum.” Gillian grinned. “Doing wheelies in his wheelchair.”

  Her mother shook her head. “That boy never could sit still.”

  After putting the empty plate and their glasses on the kitchen bench, Gillian picked up a Tupperware container. “Ready?”

  Ignoring the butterflies that made a reappearance, Katie plastered on a smile. “Sure.”

  “You don’t like hospitals?” Mrs Baines asked, and Katie wondered for a minute if she’d voiced her fears out loud.

  “They’re not my favourite place. Haven’t been since I had my tonsils out.” All the ice cream in the world couldn’t make up for the terror she’d felt when the big black balloon descended over her face like she was going to be sucked into a vortex and never wake up again.

  “Told you you’re sensitive. It’s admirable that you can overlook a fear to spend time with my girl.” She beamed at Gillian. The affection that flowed between them was palpable.

  “You don’t have to come,” Gillian said, as if realising for the first time Katie was stepping outside of her comfort zone.

  “Nonsense.” Mrs Baines ushered them toward the door. “What’s the point in hiding from an unpleasant memory? Go tackle it head-on.”

  The irony of her words wasn’t lost on Katie. She’d tackled a worse memory and came out triumphant. This would be a walk in the park.

  “Cujo, stay here.” Mrs Baines held him by the collar as they made their escape.

  On the way to the hospital, Katie happily listened to Gillian talk.

  “We’re taking turns visiting Mitchell, so Mum and Dad don’t get worn out, and Tyler doesn’t feel neglected. He likes to visit too, but he gets bored pretty quickly.”

  It was hard for Katie to wrap her head around a disease she’d never heard of, let alone the fact such a young boy would be off his feet for so many years. “What’s it called again?”

  “Perthes.”

  “Is it rare?”

  “Very. And it generally affects boys.”

  Katie pulled to a stop at a set of lights. She turned to Gillian. “I really am sorry for your family, it has to be tough on you all.”

  Gillian smiled, showing off her perfectly straight teeth. “We’re a strong family. We’ll get through it, together.”

  The words sent a shiver up Katie’s spine. “You’re parroting my father.”

  “Huh?”

  The light turned green and they were off again.

  “I’ll tell you once we’ve parked.” Katie wanted to look Gillian full in the face when she told her what she’d done.

  “Not fair.” Gillian huffed, green eyes sparkling.

  Just as Katie pulled into the hospital parking lot, a station wagon pulled out leaving plenty of room for her to park her Hillman Hunter.

  Once she shut off the engine, she turned in her seat and took Gillian’s hands in her own. They were warm and soft, like her smile.

  “You said you’d give me time to come out, right?”

  A nod.

  “How long?”

  “As long as you need.”

  A huge smile split Katie’s face. “I did it…last night.”

  “Did what?” Gillian stared at her blankly.

  “Came out to my folks.”

  Her eyes went wide. “You didn’t?”

  “I did.”

  When Gillian’s face fell, Katie’s heart plummeted. Had she said something wrong? Done something wrong. “Aren’t you happy?”

  “I’m worried…for you.”

  The elation she’d felt moments before vanished in a heartbeat. “Now you sound like my mother.”

  The gentle caress of Gillian’s thumb on the back of her hand soothed Katie’s nerves.

  “Just because you told your parents doesn’t mean it went well.”

  Katie tore her gaze off her whitewashed jeans and met Gillian’s concerned gaze. If she had any doubt whether she’d done the right thing, it disappeared in that instant.

  After a quick glance around to check if there was anyone nearby, Katie leaned over the console and kissed Gillian on the lips.

  “You’re one of the most caring people I’ve ever met. Always thinking of others before yourself. I’m okay, and my parents will be. To quote Dad…and you, ‘we’ll get through it together.’”

  Finally, a beaming smile lit up Gillian’s features. Her eyes sparkled, making Katie’s heart melt all over again.

  “I have news too.” Gillian gave her a sheepish smile. “I wasn’t going to tell you today, because I didn’t want you to feel pressured into coming out.”

  That had Katie’s undivided attention. A myriad of crazy thoughts ran through her mind. When she settled on one, her stomach dropped. “Have you changed your mind…about us?”

  A wide grin dimpled Gillian’s cheeks. “Anyone ever tell you, you have an overactive imagination?”

  Despite the anxiety swirling in her belly, Katie managed a small smile. “Come’s with the self-doubt. Now spit it out.”

  “Paul phoned this morning. Not long before you arrived, actually.”

  Fuck.

  Katie braced herself for the blow. She knew what was coming.

  “He spoke to Anita.”

  Why couldn’t she just fuck off and stop stirring the pot?

  Not trusting herself to speak, Katie nodded for Gillian to continue.

  “She bawled her eyes out and said if he loved her, he would make his cousin—me—stop seeing the dyke who picked on her—you.”

  “No way!”

  “Yeah, I think she forgot for a minute the cousin she was referring to is gay.”

  Katie thought back to the gym when Anita had made a similar slight about her.

  ‘Shit, sorry. I forgot who I was talking to for a minute there. You just seem so…normal.’

  “Yeah, for someone who thinks she’s clever, she’s not very bright.”

  A siren put a tempo
rary hold on their conversation. They both watched an ambulance zoom out the driveway and disappear from view.

  “What did Paul say?”

  “He told her good riddance.”

  “What!” Katie’s voice was shrill. “He didn’t?”

  “He did, told her she was a manipulative cow, and she would never be as classy as his cousin.”

  The sparkle in Gillian’s eyes lit up Katie’s insides. Her vivacious personality was infectious. Her positivity admirable.

  “How’d she take the news?”

  “She got nasty, Told Paul she didn’t want red-haired babies—whatever that was supposed to mean—and she was going to dump his arse anyway.”

  Glowing on the inside, Katie gave herself a mental high-five for planting the seed about red hair.

  Keeping a straight face, she shook her head. “What a bitch.”

  “So’s Karma. She got what was coming to her. And, in case you were wondering, I didn’t utter a word to Paul about what happened at the river. I didn’t have to.”

  “Sounds like she ruined that relationship all by herself.”

  Chapter 26

  The hospital didn’t smell as bad or look as scary as it had when Katie was five. But what did she expect? She wasn’t the timid little girl she’d been thirteen years ago.

  As though familiar with the layout of the hospital, Gillian located the children’s ward with ease.

  “In here.” She stopped outside double, swinging doors.

  There were four beds, three were currently occupied. Each of the young boys in some form of leg brace or traction. A man sat in a chair next to the bed on the far right. His expression lit up when he saw Gillian.

  Although Gillian had some of her mother’s features, she was definitely her father’s daughter. His hair was dark brown, his eyes replicas of Gillian’s, and his smile was every bit as infectious.

  The boy on the bed, Mitchell, gave Katie a sheepish smile.

  As she crossed the room, Gillian gave a finger wave to her left, “Hi, Max.” A finger wave to the right. “Hi, Jack.”

  She kissed her brother on the top of the head. “Hi, trouble.”

  He snickered.

  “Dad, this is Katie.”

  Katie held out a hand. “Hello, Mr Baines.”

  He ignored her hand, stood, and pulled her into a bearhug. “Good to meet you, kid.”

  “You too,” Katie said, surprised her hackles didn’t go up when he got in her personal space. He was the first man, other than her dad, to hug her so closely. And it felt right, fatherly. Odd.

  “This is Mitchell.” Mr Baines smiled at his son.

  “Hi.” Katie tried not to stare at the traction on his left leg, anchored with a weight over the end of the bed as if to stretch his joints.

  Mr Baines plucked up a newspaper and tucked it under his arm. “Right, I’ll get out of here.” He pointed a finger at Mitchell. “Behave. I don’t want to hear any more stories about what you two have been up to.”

  The young boy in the next bed, who looked to be about six, snickered and pulled a sheet over his head.

  Mitchell pouted, and Katie wondered how much trouble he could get into confined to a bed.

  “Mum will be up tomorrow,” Mr Baines continued. “I’ll be back on Tuesday after work.”

  Gillian dangled the Tupperware container in front of her brother. “What have you been up to?”

  He folded his arms across his scrawny chest. “Nothing.”

  The bed frame creaked when Gillian sat on the side. “Tell me, or no cake.”

  She poked him in the ribs, and he burst into a fit of giggles.

  Katie turned to Mr Baines. “Sounds like Mitchell’s a handful.”

  “He is, but we wouldn’t have it any other way. Our kids mean the world to us. So does their happiness.” His expression softened. “Gillian talks about you a lot. I hope you know you’re welcome at our house anytime.”

  A lump formed in Katie’s throat. His acceptance meant the world to her. “Thank you.”

  ***

  After Mitchell told them all about how he got into trouble for firing paper darts around the room, and how a nurse made him eat a piece of paper as punishment, Gillian gave him a slice of ginger crunch.

  The two other boys looked on expectantly. Gillian, with her big heart, turned to Mitchell. “Can they have a slice? That will leave you one piece instead of three.”

  For a moment, Mitchell seemed to contemplate the idea. He pursed his lips, looked at the ceiling, glanced out the window where a bird perched on the ledge, and finally returned his gaze to his sister.

  “Okay, but only if you do a colouring in with me.”

  “How about Katie does one with you. She loves to colour in.” Unsure how Gillian had come to that conclusion, Katie snorted.

  Seeing the look of hope in Mitchell’s eyes, she relented. “Is it okay if I go outside the lines?”

  “Yep.” He nodded vigorously. “I do that.”

  The first page they turned to was of a herd of cows standing near a barn. “My big bro works on a farm,” Katie said, handing Mitchell a red crayon.

  He glanced up. “I’ve got a big brother too. He’s ten.”

  “I know.” Katie smiled. Mitchell was as charming as his older sister.

  Once the barn had been coloured in, he handed Katie a black crayon. She started to colour in the cows and made a mess of it when Mitchell kept fidgeting.

  When she glanced up, his face was pinched like he was in pain. Alarm tore through Katie. “Are you okay?”

  Gillian glanced up from the chart she’d been perusing at the end of his bed. “What’s up, big guy?”

  “I need to pee.”

  For the first time since arriving, Katie noticed he wore a white linen napkin tied at the sides. It hadn’t even occurred to her there was no easy way to get underwear on and off with his leg strapped in a split.

  “No prob.” Gillian moved to the head of the bed and picked up a white bottle.

  Not wanting to add to his anxiety, Katie made her excuses to give them some privacy. “I need to use the loo, too.”

  After a quick run-down of where she could find the public restrooms, Katie navigated the corridors on her own.

  ****

  When she exited the bathroom, she felt disorientated. She wanted to blame it on the stench of bleach and the bright overhead lighting, but the truth was, she’d never had a good sense of direction. It was one of the reasons she’d run in circles at the river and dug herself into a deeper hole.

  No, she wouldn’t go there.

  Taking a calming breath, Katie followed her feet back the way she thought she’d come. Relief coursed through her veins when the nurses’ station came into view. With her gaze locked on a sign announcing Children’s Ward, Katie didn’t see a woman exit a side room. Their elbows collided and files went flying.

  “Shit, I’m so sorry.” Katie scrambled around on the floor, scooping up what looked like patient charts. Flustered, she stood at the same time as the woman she’d careened into straightened.

  When their eyes met, Katie’s world tilted on its axis. Why now? Why today, of all days?

  Because you’re at the hospital, and so is she. Idiot.

  “Katie.” Tracy’s voice was so soft it was hard to tell if it was a statement or a question.

  She was a whisper of her former self. Thin and pale. It would be easy to mistake her for a patient. But her name tag implied she was an employee.

  Katie thrust the papers at her. “Here.”

  “Can we talk?”

  Anxiety churned in Katie’s belly. No matter how curious she was about why Tracy had let her get away, she didn’t want to relive that day again.

  “I’m here with a friend. She’ll be wondering where I am.”

  Tracy stared at her, eyes imploring. “Some other time? Please.”

  Reminding herself if it hadn’t been for Tracy, things would’ve ended very differently that day, Katie exhaled a heavy sigh
. “Fine. When?”

  At that moment, Gillian appeared in the corridor. Damn, she was gorgeous. One glimpse of her coppery curls and fierce green eyes and Katie was grinning.

  “There you are. I thought you must’ve got lost.”

  “I did,” Katie admitted.

  “Friend?” Gillian looked from Katie to Tracy.

  “Not exactly.” Having no reason to lie, Katie added, “This is Tracy.”

  It took all of ten seconds for Gillian to put the pieces together.

  “You two need a minute?”

  “No. It’s fine.”

  “I’d like that,” Tracy said at the same time.

  “Sweet.” Gillian pecked her on the cheek and sauntered off, leaving Katie wondering why Gillian had thrown her under the bus.

  Because she’s smarter than you and knows you need closure.

  “You’ve got five minutes.” Katie clenched her jaw.

  “Follow me.” When Katie didn’t move, Tracy turned back to her. “There’s an empty room up ahead.”

  Katie trailed behind her, feeling like she was being lured into a lion’s den. Her heart was in her throat, and she had no clue why. Tracy was the meekest of all three. She had nothing to fear, other than not being able to catch her off-guard like she’d done with the others.

  “How have you been? You look good,” Tracy said.

  You look like shit.

  “Can we cut the crap?”

  Tracy lowered her gaze. She looked so fragile, vulnerable, Katie immediately felt bad. “Sorry.”

  “It’s fine. I just wanted you to know, I’m really sorry about that day at the river. It’s haunted me ever since.”

  Unmoved, Katie scoffed. “Were you scared of your own shadow for months? Did you have to hide who you were from everyone you knew, doubt you’d ever be accepted by friends and family because you might not conform to societies expectations.” Her blood heated. “That’s what it’s like to feel haunted.”

  “I understand why you’re angry.”

  “Don’t fucking patronise me,” Katie gritted out the words. “You have two minutes.”

  A small nod. “After that day, I spiralled into depression. I started sneaking my parents’ booze and was an alcoholic by the time I turned seventeen.”

  Ah, so there was some truth in what Anita had said about Tracy going off the rails.