The Aftermath

After finding a lawyer to take Katelyn's case, Madeline rushes to the hospital. She knows Stan won't be happy to see her, but she wants to make sure Katie is alright before she heads to the jail.

She's walking toward the front door when she sees the ambulance bay on her left. It'll be quicker if I go through there.

"You can't go in there, lady." A paramedic says, popping his head out of the vehicle.

Madeline jumps from the sudden noise. Try and stop me. She quickens her pace. Stepping through the doors, she darts down the hall.

She sees Stan standing outside a small room a little further down. Taking a deep breath for courage, she anxiously walks towards him. Let the fighting begin, she sighs, drawing near.

With fire in his eyes, Stan growls through gritted teeth. "You have some nerve showing up here after what you've done."

"She's my daughter too, Stan," she argues bravely. She sees him ball up his fists. She leans in and whispers. "Hit me in public, Stan. Do it. I dare you."

Noticing a large group walking by, he drops his hands to his side. With fire shooting from his eyes, he says, "You sure didn't act like a loving mother at my house, letting Katelyn beat Katie to a pulp."

"I didn't let her do anything."

"You sure as hell didn't try to stop her, now did you?"

He's right. I didn't do anything to save my little girl. She's been replaying that horrid scenario over and over in her mind, trying to figure out what caused her to react the way she did. Why she let her fears get the best of her. "I...I was scared, Stan I..."

"So you let Katelyn pound on our baby to save your own hide? Some mother you turned out to be. Mom was right about you. You're a poor excuse for a wife and a mother." Stan's mom hated her from the moment they first met. She let Madeline know as much every chance she got. "Well, no thanks to you, Katie is going to be alright."

"Oh, thank god," she says, breathing a sigh of relief.

"I still expect you and Katelyn out of my house when I take Katie home in the morning."

"Surely, you don't mean that, Stan," she cries, glancing up at his reddened face.

"Damn right I do. I want you both gone by the time we return."

"Daddy?" a frightened voice murmurs from the room.

He peaks his head through the door. "I'll be right there, Princess."

Madeline steps into the room. "Hi Katie, honey. I'm so glad you're going to be alright."

"I never want to see you again, mom, never," Katie tearfully screams.

"Please don't do this to me, Honey," Madeline begs.

"You did this to yourself when you chose her over me."

"I didn't choose her over you, I..."

Stan steps in between Madeline and their daughter. "You heard her. She doesn't want to see you. So you need to leave."

Madeline darts around Stan. "Please, Honey, let me explain."

"How could you let Katelyn beat me up, Mom? How could you?" she bawls.

Stan steps between them again. "I think it's best if you leave."

"I want to see my baby," she yells, pushing Stan out of the way.

His rounded body stumbles sideways, smacking the edge of the tray. He and it tumbles to the white-tiled floor.

Hearing the commotion, an officer runs to the door. "Is there a problem here?" a security guard questions stepping inside.

Stan pulls himself off the floor. "My daughter doesn't want to see her, but she's refusing to leave,"

The officer turns towards the patient. "Is that true, miss?"

"I never want to see her again," Katie tearfully blurts out.

The officer turns towards Madeline. "I'm going to have to ask you to leave, Ma'am."

"I want to see my daughter; I want to see my daughter," Madeline cries.

The officer grabs her arm. "I'm sorry, but I can't let you do that right now."

"Please, Katie, please tell them I can stay."

"Go be with the one you love." The young girl sobs.

"I love you too, Katie. I do. I love you with all my heart." Madeline cries as she's being escorted out the door.

***

Joe walks back and forth in the interrogation room, strategically planning his line of questioning. A fluorescent light flickers dimly above him, adding to this unnerving feel. In all of his years on the force, he's found this strategy gets suspects to talk quicker than any other. Rachel is standing off to the side, waiting for her cue.

Tears are running down Katelyn's blood-streaked face as she tries to explain. "All I wanted was for her to leave me alone, but she wouldn't go away, she wouldn't go away." Katelyn bawls.

"So you threatened her with a bat, and when that didn't work, you lost your temper and started hitting her with it?" Joe leans across the table to where they are face to face. "Correct?"

"I didn't use a bat. I used my fists, see." She shows Joe her bloody knuckles.

"Then why did we find one in the hallway with her blood and your fingerprints on it?"

"I... I don't know."

"Why does your dad claim you were hitting Katie with it when he ran up the stairs?"

"Dad is lying; he always lies about me." She sobs.

"Why do you think he does that, Katelyn?" Rachel questions. Sitting down beside her, she places her hands on top of Katelyn's shaky ones.

"He hates me. He's hated me from the moment I was born," she bawls. Stan frequently tells her what a huge disappointment she is. Often comparing her to his precious Katie.

"Does your mom hate you too?" Joe asks.

"No."

"Then why did she say she saw you with a bat?"

"Mom wouldn't say that."

"I have her statement right here." He lays the paper on the table. "Read it for yourself."

Katelyn skims through it. "Dad probably threatened to beat her if she didn't side with him." She shoves the statement away.

"I think you started hitting Katie with your fists, she said something that really pissed you off, and you grabbed a bat and started hitting her with it. The way you saw your dad to your mom."

"No, that's not what happened, it's not, it's not. I'm nothing like my dad." Katelyn bawls.

"Then explain to me how it ended up a few feet from where Katie was lying.

"I don't know how it got there, honest I don't," she cries.