Page 123 of Meant to Be

CHAPTER 28

Cate

I’m not sure where the photographer was hiding or how long-range his camera lens was, but he caught every second of our fight in the park—onvideo,no less—including the part after I left, when Joe sat back down on the ground and cried, his face in his hands.

I never actually saw the video, but Elna and Curtis and Wendy did, along with everyone else and their mother, after the film and photographs were sold toEntertainment Tonightand dozens of other outlets. I asked my friends to give it to me straight—and they did, reading aloud the headlines, ranging fromHunk Dumped to Cate Hateto the simple and succinctIt’s Over!

It was the biggest shitshow to date, proving once again that bad news outsells good. The only silver lining was that things finally seemed black and white. Our caught-on-camera fight crystallized my gut feeling that I couldn’t marry Joe. If the press went this crazy over a fight in the park, I couldn’t imagine what they’d do when they discovered the truth about my father. It would be unbearable for everyone involved, not to mention the damage it would do to Joe’s image and political career and relationship with his mother. Bottom line, the tabloids got it right, for once.

Itwasover.

Meanwhile, I hid from the world as photographers staked out my apartment and my phone rang off the hook. I screened my calls, ignoring everyone, including Joe, who left several pleas on my answering machine.

The only time I picked up was when I heard my mother’s voice droning on about how sad she was to see that Joe and I were in a fight. Overcome by rage, I grabbed the phone with one hand as Elna held my other.

“Don’t ever call me again,” I said, my voice low and steady.

“Cate? Is that you?”

“Yes,” I said, closing my eyes, determined. “And listen carefully—because this will be the last time you ever hear my voice.”

“What in the world is going on? I’m so confused—”

“Really, Mom? Are youreallygoing to sit there and play dumb with me?”

Silence filled the airwaves.

“I metDean,Mom,” I said. “In the park. Too bad the paparazzi didn’t get a video ofthat,although I’m sure it’s only a matter of time before they break that news, too—”

“Oh, Catie…I’m so sorry—I just wanted to protect you….”

“Bullshit, Mom! That’s the biggest load of crap I’ve ever heard. You haveneverprotected me. Never! Not once in your life.”

“Catie. Please. I’ve tried—”

“No, Mom. If you wanted to protect me, you would’ve left Chip. You wouldn’t have married him in the first place. I grew up with a monster who completely eviscerated my self-esteem because you, Mom, are a coward. A selfish coward,” I said, my voice now shaking.

Elna was still holding my hand and squeezed it as hard as she could.

“I’m sorry,” my mother sobbed into the phone.

“How could you lie to me like this? About my own father? How?”

“Cate, please! Try to understand. You were a little girl. A baby. I didn’t want you growing up knowing that your father was in prison—”

“So you tell me he’sdead? How about a nicer lie, like, say, he moved to Africa to feed starving people?”

I was mostly being sarcastic, but my mother missed it, saying, “But then you’d have hope that he’d come back.”

“Well, surprise! Hedidcome back!”

“He wasn’t supposed to,” she said. “They said life with no parole.”

“Oh, for fuck’s sake, Mom! Do you hear yourself?”

“You were so little—”

“Okay, well, what about when I grew up? When I was a teenager? When I left home? It never crossed your mind to sit me down and tell me the truth?”

---