Page 89 of Painted Dreams
“Well, honey, you can’t blame her for the way she was raised. That’s what she knows.”
“Sure, but we all have to make adjustments as we grow up and get out in the real world.” He stood and began pacing the living room. Was she capable of changing?Hecouldn’t change her. He couldn’t try to “fix” her. If he wanted a relationship with Kat, he’d have to accept her the way she was.
“You know what I hear? A story of a young woman who’s always been pushed, who feels like she has to be the best, has to perform in order to gain affection from her family. Someone who will feel like a failure if she doesn’t get into the best schools, the best places to work, the top galleries. I feel sorry for her.”
Nick stopped walking and stared at his mother. He let her words tumble around his brain. Only through an achievement did Kat get her mother’s attention.
“Good point, but she’s twenty-eight years old. Seems like she should be able to get past it.”
His mother let out a sigh. “The need for a parent’s approval can go pretty deep. I’ve seen a lot of kids act out over the years just to get their parents’ attention. I doubt she would even realize it still matters to her.”
Nick dropped to the arm of the sofa and raked a hand through his hair. He wasn’t a psychologist or family counselor. He only knew what Kat had told him—and what he saw.
His mother moved beside him.
“I’m not trying to sway you one way or the other. I want you to be happy. I want you to love with all your heart and be loved that way in return. Don’t you dare settle for anything less.” She placed her hands on either side of his face and kissed the top of his head the way she had when he was a kid. “Follow your heart. You’ll figure it out.”
ChapterTwenty-Two
Kat spotted Nana Kitty immediately. Her regal posture and styled snow-white hair stood out in the busy baggage claim terminal at LaGuardia airport Thursday afternoon. With a catch in her throat, Kat nearly ran to the bench where her grandmother waited.
“Nana!” she called a few steps away.
Nana turned with a wide smile. Standing, she enveloped Kat in her arms.
“Oh, darling Kat.” She squeezed her close. “It’s so good to see you.” Long moments later, she stepped back and gave a little laugh. “I can’t believe I’m finally here.” She gestured toward the overnight bag Kat had dropped. “I’m glad you’ve decided to stay with me at the hotel tonight. We can talk all night. And you can have a good long cry if you need to. I don’t want you to suppress your feelings this weekend, honey.” She ran a gentle hand over Kat’s hair. “But let’s try to have some fun, too, okay?”
Kat blinked back tears. “We will, Nana. I promise.” It wouldn’t be easy to forget the heartache and disappointment, but she’d be with some of her favorite people, and she had to rise above bad circumstances. Tonight’s sleepover in Nana’s room would be a good start.
Behind Nana, Kat saw her dad stride toward them looking harried, a bag in each hand. He dropped one, planting a quick kiss on Kat’s cheek. “Hey, sweetheart.”
“Hi, Dad. You got everything?”
“Yep. Lead the way.”
“We can go out here to get in the taxi line.”
They jostled through the crowd toward the exits.
“Mom sure is sorry she couldn’t make it,” her dad spoke up just before they reached the doors.
Kat’s face burned, and she stopped short, gaping at her dad.
“She really wanted to see–”
Kat held up a hand, not caring if they were blocking traffic. “Dad, stop. You can’t keep covering for her. She was never going to show up. And we all know it.”
Her dad’s face turned red. “Now just a–”
“No. It’s time we all stopped pretending. She thinks I’m a failure, and I embarrass her.” Kat’s voice shook, but she went on. “Well, guess what? She embarrasses me. I’m tired of being the one to make the effort. And I’m done.” She sucked in a deep breath. “I appreciate you coming and bringing Nana. You two are enough.”
Kat turned to march out the door but not before she saw Nana rest a hand on her dad’s arm and shake her head.
Though the noise of people, cars, and buses filled the air outside, a heavy silence settled around Kat and her family as they waited in line for a taxi. This wasn’t how she wanted their weekend to start, but enough was enough. When their turn came, Kat’s dad helped the driver load the luggage into the car then the three of them squeezed into the back seat. From the middle, Kat did her best to point out landmarks as the car moved through the city toward their hotel.
At the hotel, Kat’s glance darted around the lobby. No sign of Nick. Hopefully, he’d done the smart thing and booked a different hotel. She registered the little ache in her heart but refused to dwell on it. What she needed now was support—not a challenge to her goals and decisions.
The three of them went to a quiet Chinese restaurant nearby for dinner. For most of the other events that required reservations or advance tickets, Mia would join them.
