Page 60 (1/2)

"Get out," Kate says quietly from across the kitchen She says it so very quietly, and yet the anger in her tone causes me to jerk in surprise

Michelle just swivels her head toward Kate slowly "What did you just say?"

"I said get out of this house," Kate replies

Michelle’s mouth drops open, just for a brief moment, before her eyes narrow at Kate and she says, "Just what gives you the right--"

Kate cuts her off as she starts stalking across the kitchen toward Michelle Her voice is low, though, so it doesn’t carry into the living room, where Ben can overhear "Who in the fuck do you think you are to lay judght to dictate the way heabout him or the pain he’s still in You don’t see the way he keeps Gina’sabout her so their little boy never forgets You don’t know a fucking thing about Zack and you certainly have absolutely no right to voice your opinion in thisto , so I will repeat once again…you get out of this house right now or I will throw you out myself"

This last statement is made as she rounds the corner of the kitchen counter and comes nose to nose with Michelle

I’m shocked stupid, so I just sit there and watch as fury blazes fro ith her

She’s not going to win this one, though

Finally, Michelle’s gaze drops in defeat and she pushes off the stool she’s sitting on Kate takes a step back to give her roorabs her purse and heads for the front door We both watch as she doesn’t turn back to look at us or say a thing She merely leaves quietly, and I wait until we hear the front door open and then close before I let out a deep sigh of relief

"Fuck," I h my hair, all the way to the back of my neck, where I rub at it hard to relieve the stiffness

Kate doesn’t say a word, but calain

In a total replay,her wrist She turns to look at ht nohen twenty seconds ago she was ready to thron

"You didn’t have to say those things," I tell her

Kate shrugs "You shouldn’t have had to listen to the things she said She’s wrong"

So rattles and then breaks free from deep within my chest I can’t identify what it is, but suddenly I accept what Kate says