She Wanted It All - Kathryn Casey [130]
While Celeste had been occupied with Donna, Kristina had also started to consider the way her mother treated her, acting like she was an employee or a servant, someone to be ordered about. From Timberlawn, Celeste had continued calling and ordering her to do things, yelling and screaming. Both the girls considered the family sessions they had with Dr. Gotway a joke since Celeste coached them on what to say and what not to say. They weren’t allowed to mention Donna, for instance, or the parade of men coming and going from Celeste’s bedroom.
Not only had the time and distance allowed Kristina to take a good look at her life with her mother, but Justin pushed her to consider it as well. “She shouldn’t treat you like that,” he said. “She has no right.”
For the first time, Kristina began to believe that he was right. She deserved more.
“I don’t work for your mother anymore,” Donna told Kristina that evening on the telephone. “If you have any questions, you need to talk to her.”
Then Donna thought about Celeste and what she was capable of. “Listen,” she said to the teenager. “You and Jennifer do whatever you need to do to stay safe.”
After she hung up, Donna called Celeste. She’d been looking for a way to get out of the mess she was in with her, and this appeared to be the answer.
“We need to call this off,” she said. “Kristina is asking too many questions. She wants to know what’s happening with the money. Sam got nervous and took off with your money. We both got played.”
“God damn it!” Celeste screamed. “I’m getting out of here now!”
“You’re a liar,” the nurses heard Celeste blare at Kristina over the telephone. “You fucking little bitch, I told you not to talk to Donna. Now, come get me. I’m checking out of this hellhole tonight.”
Kristina was silent.
“Kristina, you and Justin drive up here to get me now. I told you I’m getting out.”
“No,” Kristina said.
“No? I told you to come get me now!” she screamed. “I want you and Justin to drive up here tonight and get me. I’m coming home.”
“No,” Kristina said again. “I won’t.”
“If you don’t pick me up, you’ll regret it,” Celeste threatened.
“I won’t,” Kristina said.
When she hung up the telephone, Kristina was both frightened and exhilarated. It was the first time she’d flatly refused to do as her mother ordered; it felt at the same time liberating and terrifying.
Minutes later Jennifer’s cell phone rang while she and Christopher were eating dinner in a restaurant. “Jennifer, I don’t know what’s wrong with your sister,” Celeste told her. “I need you to come up here right away and get me. I’m checking out.”
“We were just—”
“I don’t care!” Celeste screamed. “Get in your car and come get me!”
When Christopher and Jennifer arrived at Timberlawn three hours later, Celeste had her suitcases packed and was ready to go. “Take these,” she ordered Christopher, thrusting them into his hands. Then she ran for the elevator, not even bothering to sign herself out. In the car, Christopher drove with Celeste in the seat beside him. In the backseat, Jennifer stared at the back of her mother’s head, panic eating away inside her. She’d feared an event like this for weeks. Too much hung over all of them. Bill Mange, the prosecutor, had contacted Christopher and had a meeting scheduled with him later that same week. Jen knew her boyfriend wouldn’t lie for Celeste. He’d tell Mange everything. She wanted to talk to the prosecutor, too, but she was frightened. Every time the police came up, Celeste shrieked at her, “You don’t talk to them, ever.”
Like Christopher, Jennifer knew she wouldn’t lie for her mother. She had to tell the truth. When that happened, she knew Celeste would take revenge. But now the situation had become even more complicated; Celeste was furious at Kristina, and when her mother got this angry, bad things happened.
“I don’t know what’s gotten into Kristina. That little