Time, Death & Scar Tissue...

30. Surprises

“So what are you going to buy today?” His voice was still a bit gravely from sleep. They had been back at the apartment for several days and Kathryn had risen early, painfully early, to shop for something to wear for New Year's Eve.

“I have NO idea.” She laughed softly and curled up next to him. It was always strange to be dressed and stretched out in bed next to him, but she wouldn't have given up those few moments for anything. “I never know until I see it. Whatever it is will undoubtedly give my Uncle David heart failure though.”

“Oh? Why is that?” His hand slid under her sweater and Kathryn arched a bit.

“Because he handles my investments and trust fund and he's convinced that I spend too much money. He doesn't seem to grasp that I only spend a portion of what I've earned.” She laughed softly and snuggled against him. “He'll lecture me, I'll ignore him and he'll get over it.”

They rarely discussed money; it always seemed slightly vulgar and unnecessary. Kathryn was fairly certain that this was the first time she had mentioned her trust fund. He ignored the comment, as she expected that he would. She didn't expect the hungry way he kissed her though. The thought of protesting occurred to her, but the urgent way he pressed her back into the mattress made her forget her objections.

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“You're late.” Corey said, a little pout blooming around her lips. “I was starting to think that you turned into a little puff of smoke as soon as the sunlight hit you.”

“I haven't gotten quite that immersed in my books yet. I just got a little...um...distracted as I was leaving.” She couldn't help but smile a bit. They walked into Formal Expressions, Kathryn's favorite shop for anything very formal.

“You mean you got fu-”

“I mean, DISTRACTED.” Kathryn hissed, blushing deeply. Corey smirked a little.

“Uh huh, so that's why your skirt is all twisted around?” She said. Kathryn checked the mirror quickly and Corey laughed. “I knew it.”

“Guess I've been corrupted.” Kathryn laughed and started browsing.

“So he really wants to go the old bag's party huh?” Corey wandered around a bit. Few people would have guessed that Corey grew up in the same social circles that Kathryn had. Corey managed to reject the manners and standards completely. It was Kathryn's opinion that all of the wild and shocking behavior was to get her father's attention. It was the only time he had paid attention to her when she was a child, now it was the only way she knew to get noticed. Corey's mother was what Kathryn called a vestigial woman. She was there, but seemed to serve no discernible purpose in anyone's life.

“I don't know about that exactly, I know that he said we would be going but not really how he feels about it.” Kathryn stopped in front of a mannequin wearing a cobalt blue gown. She circled it slowly and then walked away.

“Oh well, as long as he TOLD you that you were going.” Corey rolled her eyes. Kathryn had noticed that she was remarkably reticent about making comments and she couldn't quite convince herself that was entirely natural. Sometimes she slipped back into her old self though.

“Is there something I can help you with?” A saleswoman asked.

“Not just now, I need to browse a bit first.” Kathryn replied.

“It's not like that. Grandmother told him about it when she invited us, I'm sure that he didn't think it was polite to say 'thanks, but I'd rather stick a red hot poker in my eye.'.” Kathryn hadn't told Corey or anyone else about the incident that followed the invitation. She was still embarrassed about it herself. “Are you going?”

“After Waiter-gate?” She snorted, referring to being caught with one of the wait staff in a very compromising position at the last ball she attended. Kathryn was shocked too but seeing Charlotte hyperventilating and repeating ‘why the help?’ over and over had made the evening worth it. Corey hadn’t been to another New Year’s Eve snorefest since. “What about this one?”

Kathryn looked over at the cacophony of lavender organza ruffles Corey was standing next to, a little grin tugging at her lips.

“Oh sure, I would love to look like a mad confectioner dressed me. You are going home, though.” She found a black gown that had possibilities, she like the look of the corset laced back, but the way the back of the skirt was gathered in places didn't appeal to her.

“Yeah, I guess. I tried to tell Andy I didn't want to, but he insisted.” Even though Corey had called her parents by their first names since she left home, it always took Kathryn a minute to remember who she was talking about.

“Well that proves that he wants to see you.” She said, still circling the black gown slowly. It did have its good points.

“It proves that he thinks he HAS to see me.” Corey stopped in front of a simple red dress that actually appealed to Kathryn. “Probably not formal enough for C.W.”

“Unfortunately no. It's beautiful though, and I bet it would look great on you.”

“Eh, where would I wear something like that?” She walked away from the dress.

“To your father's Christmas party.” Kathryn stood in front of a simple deep gold gown with a beaded bodice. It was close and she might try it on if she couldn't find anything else.

“I was planning on hiding upstairs, wouldn't want him to be embarrassed or something.” Kathryn knew by the dark tone she had just had a fight with him about something or other. Her father had never been good at expressing his feelings, and Corey seemed to have a hard time accepting that his clumsy gestures were the best that he could do.

“He loves you, Corey. He doesn't know how to say it, and he doesn't know how to tell you that he's sorry for not being there for you.”

“I tell myself that Kat. Then he 'reminds' me that I could get arrested if I bring drugs on the plane. Do you know how long it's been since I've had anything besides alcohol?” She wandered over a two piece jacket dress that looked like it would suit an octogenarian. “What about this?”

“As you're so fond of saying, I'm not a hundred yet.” Kathryn laughed softly. “Did you ever think that's his ham-handed way of saying that he's concerned about you? I mean, there were a few months there when you were pretty much oblivious most of the time. I don't know how many times he called me and wanted to know if you were alright.”

“Why didn't he call ME?” She stood in front of a black velvet strapless gown that hugged every curve and ended in a dramatic fishtail. “You would look so good in this.”

Kathryn walked over to her and circled the dress slowly.

“Maybe, but I think it's a little too Morticia Addams for me. And he tried to call you, but you kept hanging up on him.”

“He only preached.” Corey walked away again and Kathryn lost her amid a loud bridal party for a few minutes. Kathryn had to suppress a laugh when the bride pointed to the lavender nightmare and told her bridesmaids that THAT was the dress they would be wearing. They took the news better than she would have, meaning no one resorted to assault.

“He doesn't know how to do anything else Corey. Didn't you say his dad was really overbearing?” Kathryn's eye was caught by a royal blue gown that had crystals clustered around the high neckline and cuffs. It was very close, but still, not quite what she was looking for.

“I don't see what that has to do with it.” Kathryn could hear the little pout in her voice.

“When you were growing up he did what he knew, and what he knew was wrong. He knows that now, but doesn't know how to change it so he fumbles around and you get mad at him and he pulls away from you because he thinks that's what you want.”

“It IS what I want.”

“Really? Then why do you expend so much energy telling him how much you hate him? If you really wanted him out of your life you could just cut off contact. Since you don't, it seems to me that you still want him and need him in your life, it's just neither one of you knows what that relationship is supposed to look like so you argue and fight and hurt each other.” Kathryn could hear the bridesmaids talking about other dresses and trying to change the bride's mind about her choice. Corey was silent.

“You make it sound like we need therapy.” She smiled a little.

“You do.” Kathryn smiled a little. “Just go home and try to hear what he means, not what he says. And buy the dress, it'll look great on you and I know it'll fit in at his party.”

“Did they put you on the payroll here?” She laughed softly.

“No, but Grandmother always says, change your outfit, change your outlook. What could it hurt? You can still go hide in your room if the evening is too awful and he will see you making an effort.”

“Alright, alright. I'll try it on. But I'm promising nothing more than that.” She said, smiling a little.

“Good. I can tell Uncle David you were buying something too and I felt left out when he yells at me.” Kathryn laughed softly.

“Sure, make me the bad influence.” Corey laughed a little. She wandered over to something burgundy, but Kathryn wasn't paying attention. Her eyes were fixed on a dress on the other side of the store. Corey trotted after her.

“That's it.” She said firmly, motioning for the saleswoman.

“Are you sure Kat? It looks kind of, well, old fashioned.” Corey said.

“It's perfect.” She turned to the saleswoman. “I want to try this on and it'll probably need some alterations.”

After finding Kathryn's size she led her into the dressing room.

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Kathryn spent the next hour standing on a little pedestal in the fitting room while the dress was tucked and pinned in just about every conceivable place so that it would fit her properly. The process always annoyed her and she always ended up feeling like a pincushion, but she could tell already that the dress was going to be perfect. When she emerged again, Corey was sitting down, flipping through a copy of Modern Bride and rolling her eyes. There was a bag by her feet and Kathryn smiled a little.

“It fit you perfectly, didn't it?” She said.

“Yeah. You were right, I mean it's kind of conservative, but it looked damn good on me.”

“See? Conservative isn't automatically the kiss of death.” Kathryn laughed softly and scheduled another fitting. She handed the saleswoman her credit card.

“Oh no Miss Paige.” The saleswoman handed it back to her. “Everything is taken care of.”

“Taken care of? Am I the millionth customer or something?” Kathryn laughed a little, but it was nervous laughter.

“No, a Mr. LaCroix requested your purchases be billed to him.” The middle-aged woman's professional demeanor turned to motherly concern when Kathryn looked shocked. “You do know him, don't you? I mean, he isn't some kind of stalker? We can call the Police if-”

“No he's not a stalker or anything, I'm just a little surprised.” She felt herself blushing.

“So it's alright then to-”

“It's what he wants, so, yes.” Kathryn smiled and took the evening bag she had chosen.

“It's what he wants, so yes.” Corey said when they got outside, her tone mocking.

“Stop it.” Kathryn was still blushing. “I was just surprised.”

“I can tell. I guess dinner's on you.” She said.

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Kathryn returned to the apartment at a little after eleven and she still wasn't certain how she felt about Lucien's gift. Part of her knew that he wouldn't have done it if he hadn't wanted to, but there was still that nibble of guilt that had persisted through the rest of her shopping and dinner with Corey. She decided that she shouldn't have mentioned Uncle David's holiday fit. If she hadn't he might not have felt compelled to protect her from it. Kathryn put away the few things she had bought for herself and wrapped the gifts she had bought for others while she turned the evening over in her mind. She knew she wasn't going to get anything done until she talked to him.

She smoothed her hair in the mirror and traded the sweater she was wearing for a burgundy blouse. Even with the heels she stepped into the outfit was a little conservative for the club, but she wasn't going to be in there long enough for it to matter.