Page 13 of The Sandbar saga

Chapter 5

Two days before schoolstarted, Katie's mother showed up again and interrupted her appointment with Dr. Conner. Katie's toes curled inside her sneakers, and she wrapped her arms around her middle, pressing against the back of the chair. Her mother had stayed home two days before going to Baltimore to spend the rest of the summer with a man with the first name of Steve.

Steve.

That's all she'd been told. She knew what they were doing and why her mother wanted to be with a man. During that brief stay at home, she'd overheard her mother on the phone, saying gross things.

She hated her mom.

What her mom was doing with that man was wrong. Her mother would've never done those things to her dad.

"We still have twenty minutes until we're done." Dr. Conner closed the folder on his lap.

Her mother looked down her nose and ignored the doctor. "This will only take a moment."

Dr. Conner dipped his chin. She knew all his expressions having learned them over the summer, but she'd never seen his eyes harden in the corners and his lips thin.

Her mother moved toward her, standing an arms distance away from touching her, but she refrained. "Katie, you won't be going to Langly this year. I've enrolled you in St. Mary's private school where you will live in a dorm. It'll be easier for you, because you'll be right there on campus to attend your classes, and though you're young, it'll look good on your records for when you go to college. Ms. Gray has all the instructions and will pack what you need to take with you. She'll also take you across the bridge to Washington where the school is located. Once you settle in, I'll call, and we can discuss whether you'll stay on grounds during the holidays or come home. I will be leaving in the morning, so if you have any questions after Ms. Gray talks with you tonight, have them ready for me at breakfast."

"I don't want to go to a new school." She jumped from her chair. "I want to go to Langly."

"The matter is already done."

"But...but, what about Dr. Conner? How will I make our meetings?" She looked to Dr. Conner for help in convincing her mother to not send her away. "I can stay by myself here. I can walk to the bus stop. I don't need help."

"This isn't up for discussion. You're a child. I'm an adult. You'll have the best education, the best care, the best chance at having a productive life away from Astoria." Her mother turned to leave.

"I wish it were you who'd died," she yelled at her mother's back.

Her throat constricted, trying to shut down what she'd held in since her father had drowned in the water.

Strong arms circled her from behind. She lashed out, trying to run after her mom. To push her. To hit her. To beg her to love her.

Dr. Conner held her tightly and put his whiskered cheek against the side of her head. "Let it out, Katie."

Sobs shook her body. Her legs folded.

Dr. Conner picked her up and set her on the chair. She curled, hugging her knees to her chest to keep herself from breaking into a million pieces and disappearing.

The doctor walked out of the room, shutting the door softly behind him. Alone, she squeezed her eyes shut. Anger filled her. In her mind, the sky crackled. Rain poured down, pounding the windows.

Overwhelmed with desperation for her mother to love her, she gasped, unable to breathe. Drowning in sadness for a father she wanted alive again, she had nobody who cared.

Raised voices broke through the hiccoughing sobs beating her body. Afraid her mom would make Dr. Conner go away, and she'd never see him again, she untangled her limbs and went to the door.

Sniffing and wiping her face, she held her breath and eavesdropped.

"You can't tell me how to raise my daughter." The venom in her mother's voice burned Katie's ears.

"As her psychologist, I can. Not only is she not healing from losing her father at a young age, but Katie has also dealt with neglect, abandonment, and rejection from the one person in her life who should be supporting her." Dr. Conner paused. "You."

In that instant, Dr. Conner became her champion.

She had no idea what all the big words stood for, but the accusations were aimed at her mom, and it felt as good as if she'd said the words herself.

"If you care so much about her, continue counseling her. That way, you don't lose your income I'm providing by having you fix my daughter."

"I don't need your money."