For Even A Night ❉ Newsies

You're Not Sorry

May 4th, 1889

8 year old Katherine Pulitzer sat in the window seat in her room, reading a book.  She heard a soft knock at her bedroom door and looked up.

"Hi mommy." She said before turning back to her book.

"Katherine honey," Her mother said, walking over and taking her hands, setting the book aside, "Do you know I love you?"

Katherine nodded, "And I love you!" She said proudly.

Her mother wiped a tear.

"Why are you crying?" Katherine asked worriedly; her dark brown eyes widening.

"No reason." Her mother said softly, giving her a smile that didn't quite meet her eyes, "Go ahead and get back to your book sweetheart." Her mother gave her a tight bone-crushing hug longer than any hug she'd gotten.

Katherine nodded slowly and opened her book back up to continue reading.

She watched her mother walk out of her bedroom from the corner of her eye.  The front door opened and closed a few minutes later and Katherine sat up on her knees, looking out the window from her 2nd story bedroom, pressing her hands against the windowpane.

She watched her mother walk down the sidewalk, her once brown hair pulled into a ponytail as she wore a blue dress, carrying a suitcase beside her.

"Mom?" Katherine whispered.

Kate Pulitzer didn't come home that day.  Or the next.  Or the next after that.

Katherine walked into her father's office a few days later, playing with the collar of her purple dress.

"Where's mommy?" She asked, "And why is Lucy crying in her room?"

Pulitzer looked up from his paperwork and leaned back in his chair, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Come here." He said in a tone softer than Katherine had ever heard him speak to anyone.

That was the day all of their lives changed.  That was the day Katherine knew she'd never be the same person.  She cried for many nights.  It wasn't until she was 11 that she stopped crying at night.  She figured it wasn't worth it anymore.

Katherine took the steps up to the Pulitzer's mansion two by two.  Not that she was excited to be there; heck, she had better places to be.  But her father told her to meet him there later when he had visited her at work that day.  Her boots hit the stairs before she opened the door, surprised to see it was unlocked.

"Dad?" She called, her voice echoing down the halls.

Katherine walked upstairs and went down the hallway til she reached the closed door of his office.  She knocked hesitantly before walking inside.

"You wanted to see me?" She asked, her voice sounding small in her own ears.

"Yes Katherine, take a seat please."

Katherine took a seat in one of the chairs opposite of his desk as he spun around in his chair to face her, resting his hands clasped on the desk.

"You know that 10 years ago we had a-- complication with our family."

Katherine swallowed hard and nodded, knowing exactly what he was referring to.

"And you know that I'll always want what's best for you."

"I don't understand. . . What are you saying?" Katherine mumbled, afraid to look him in the eye.

She saw Pulitzer motion towards the door out of her peripheral vision.  Katherine looked up to see a blonde woman walk in.  Her hair was up tight in a bun and her brown eyes were layered heavy with makeup.