Page 37 of Broken

“I am. I really am.” She says confidently with a smile on her face.

“And your daughter? She's good?”

“Yes, McKenna is amazing.”

“McKenna?” I lift a brow, studying her face. “Why would you name your daughter that?” I ask, straightening up to look her in the eyes.

Her eyes dart to the door. “Don't you have a bride to be out there?” She clears her throat and motions for me to leave. “You wouldn't want her to think you were all alone in the bathroom with your ex girlfriend, no would ya?”

“You named your daughter McKenna?”

“Go find your fiance, Westley.” She turns away from me, and I fall back against the sink, my fingers gripping the porcelain tightly.

“Why?” I ask her again.

“Because it's a beautiful name.” She snaps, turning to face me with anger in her eyes, “Now leave, or I'll leave and then let you explain this away to her.”

“You shouldn't have used that name.” I stand up staring her right in her soul crushed face, she almost looks sad now. “That name wasn't just yours.”

“No? What was I supposed to do then, huh? It was the only name I could think of. You left, you went to college, I was left alone and scared.”

“You pushed me away Katherine!” I close the gap between us, my heart racing rapidly against my chest.

“You shouldn't have used the name we picked out while we were living a high life dreaming of a future that you never planned on living.” My words are laced with venom. “You stole that name from a happier time, why? So you didn't feel guilty for ripping my fucking heart out?”

She doesn't say anything as the tears swelling in her eyes are blinked down her cheeks, falling until they disappear. She turns and storms out of the bathroom and I chase her down “Katherine, wait.”

I'm stopped immediately as I rush through the door by perfectly manicured pink nails and blonde hair, “Why the heck was she in there with you?”

“Not now Hilary.” I remove her hand from my chest and run after Katherine, only to lose her in the hall of the second floor. Fuck. I look back and forth three different times, looking again to make sure I didn't miss her.

There's a soft sound of laughter when I walk down the hall, the dark rooms greet me as I go. But there's a light coming from our old biology class.

“Kitty Kat?” I hear Knox's obnoxious voice as I reach the room. “Why are you crying?” He asks.

“Go away Knox.” She says. I look through the window in the door to see him walking towards her. She's sitting on one of the tables, staring down at her phone.

“Whatcha watching?” He asks. “Is that your little girl?” He asks as he reaches the edge of the table. “She's beautiful. Like her momma.”

“She has more of her father in her than me.”

“You know who her father is?” He asks, taken back at her response.

“Yes, I've always known who her father is, he just never cared.”

“She's still not mine right?”

Katherine laughs as she wipes away a tear. “No Knox, she's not yours.” Katherine's face glows from the screen and the way her face lights up shows me just how much she loves her daughter.

“Why are you up here crying by yourself?” He asks, moving his hand to her knee.

“I wanted to forget.” She replies, looking over at him. Her cheeks still wet from her tears.

“How can I help?” He asks. He seems nicer now, than earlier. Like maybe downstairs was all an act? Or maybe this is all an act? Who knows Knox has always been a piece of shit, so it's probably the latter.

“Help me like you used to.” She replies, sitting the phone down after shutting the screen off. She’s asking him to do what he used to do to her? Seriously?

“Like I used to? Awe pet. I never stopped.” He grabs her by the throat and slams her to the table.