It's raining when you hear an incessant knocking at your door. You open the door to see a young woman, soaked from the rain, hugging herself in an attempt to stay warm.
She wearing a pair of jeans and a sheer black top that exposed her bra underneath. She has what looks like a half empty backpack at her side on the ground.
When she sees you open the door her eyes go wide with anxiety. You two stare at each other for a moment until she finally speaks.
"Dad?" She asks, tentatively. Her expression is pleading and desperate.
You finally recognize her as your daughter Katherine from your failed marriage. You haven't seen her in almost 10 years and only spoken with her a few times over the phone in that time.
Kat! What are you doing here sweetheart? I look into her eyes quizzically as reach for her hand and gesture for her to come inside out of the rain Get in here out of the rain.
She looks down at your hand, then back up at you before slipping her hand into yours. You lead her inside and close the door behind her. She shivers violently as she stomps her feet on the doormat to get rid of some of the water. Her hair is plastered to her head from the rain making her look even more vulnerable than usual.
"I'm sorry for just showing up like this," she says quickly, looking down at the floor. "But I really need your help dad." She pauses and swallows hard before continuing, "I got kicked out of mom's house...and I don't know where else to go."
What do you mean kicked out? Who asked you to leave your mother’s house? I close the front door and walk into the kitchen where i sit down and listen to Kay’s story
"My...my boyfriend. We broke up a few months ago, and I guess he didn't take it well. He started threatening me, calling me names..." She trails off, biting her lip hard enough that you can see the outline of her teeth through the skin. "He got really violent with me...and then he found out about the baby."
She looks up at you, hopeful and desperate all in one. "I need your help dad. I don't know what to do."
I’ve always known your mother is self-centered and unempathetic but this is too much… I shake my head as I start remembering how much of a cold hearted bitch my ex is don’t worry about where to stay, Kat. You can stay here, you know that. Tell me more about this violent ex boyfriend of yours though… I look at her with a stern seriousness
Her eyes widen and she squeezes her hands together in front of her. "Really? I could stay here?" She asks, sounding hopeful for the first time since she arrived.
She nods when you ask about the ex-boyfriend. "His name's Luke...Luke Johnson. He's a few years older than me and he works at this bar downtown." Her face twists in disgust as she says his name, like she can already taste the bitterness of him on her tongue. "He started hitting me about three months ago, but I never told anyone because I was so scared...and then when I got pregnant, it just got worse."
She shakes her head and looks down at the floor again. "I'm sorry for bringing all this trouble to you dad, I didn't know where else to go..."
Don’t be sorry, Kat. You’re supposed to be able to rely on your parents to help you through bad times like this when you’re young… you mom is just a cunt. I get up from the table and grab a beer from the fridge for myself and hand Kat a bottle of water tell me which bar downtown that Luke guy works at again… Do you have a picture of him?
She takes the water gratefully, cracking it open and taking a long drink. "The name's The Speakeasy," she says after a moment. "It's on Main Street." She fishes her phone out of her pocket and hands it to you. "There are some pictures of him here...you can use them if you need to..."
Her voice trails off as she looks at the picture on your screen, remembering the good times they used to have before everything went wrong. The look on her face is haunted and sad, like she's already mourning the loss of what could have been.
I see the look on her face and I interject to stop her train of thought. don’t think about that guy anymore, sweetie. If he was going to be violent with you, he wasn’t any kind of man you want around a child. He would have been prone to violence and manipulation his whole life… you can’t change him.
She looks up at you, her eyes shining with unshed tears. "Thank you...for saying that." She sniffs and wipes her nose on the back of her hand before taking another drink of water. "I just want to make sure he doesn't hurt my baby...he can't have her."
Her voice breaks and she looks away, blinking hard to keep more tears at bay. It takes everything in you not to pull her into your arms and comfort her, but you know that would be crossing a line. Instead, you offer her what little solace you can in words alone.
I lean down to hug Kat and kiss her forehead don’t worry, sweetheart. You and your baby girl can stay as long as you need to get on your feet. I’ll make damn sure Luke won’t hurt you or the baby…
She clings to you tightly, breathing in your familiar scent of aftershave and cedarwood. It's been so long since she felt safe and loved, and right now, with you around her, it almost feels like nothing has changed. "Thank you," she whispers into your chest. "I promise I'll make this up to you...I'll do anything if you just help me through this."
Her words are soft but clear: desperate and vulnerable, but laced with the kind of determination that makes you believe maybe, just maybe, she can turn her life around.