how to find the proof. She hadn’t found this proof, but the real Catherine was here now. This would be the real test for Kurtis.
One thing Tanya was sure of was that she loved Kurtis. She wanted to be the one with him. She twisted the diamond engagement ring on her finger. Surely he felt the same. She was the one with the ring – not Catherine.
***
Back at the mansion, and when all the guests had gone, Kurtis found Catherine sitting in a back room that faced out onto the enormous expanse of garden leading to a small forest which marked the border of the land around the mansion.
The main pieces of furniture in this room were two lavish sofas. They were positioned in the middle of the room, facing each other. Catherine sat in one of them with her legs crossed, hands in her lap. At the side of one of the sofas was a small table with a lamp in the center. It was the only light on. It gave off a faint glow but the rest of the room was in shadows. It wasn't until Kurtis got near to her that he could see Catherine's face completely.
“Is that it?” she asked him.
“Is what it?”
“Is that everyone? Have I got you to myself?” She smiled at him.
“For now, yes, but Catherine, I don't understand. How can this be possible? I've got so many questions,” he said, taking a seat on the sofa opposite her.
“I won't bite you know, Kurtis.”
“I know, but you can see I'm shaken. I can't believe you're really here.”
“And I can't believe that after nearly two years you don't want to hold me.”
“Catherine, things have changed while you were... Things changed for me. I thought I'd lost you.”
She got up and walked over to him, sat beside him and put a hand on his thigh. “I haven't changed, Kurtis,” she said. “I still love you just like I did the day we...”
“The day, I crashed the boat.” He ran a hand over his dark hair, his blue eyes catching the light of the lamp and reflecting back the horror of that day.
“I didn't blame you, Kurtis, I never did and I never will.”
He turned to her. “If you didn't blame me, why did it take you so long to come back?”
“Now there's the thing,” she gave a half smile and then a sadness returned to her green eyes. “I didn't know who the hell I was up until two weeks ago.”
“What?”
“That's right,” she continued. “Someone found me, floating on a piece of driftwood, far out into the ocean. The guy who found me was in two minds about going out that day in his boat, can you believe? But luckily he did. He didn't realize there was even a person holding onto the driftwood and I don't even know how I ended up clinging to it.”
“But where were you all this time?”
“All this time, and you'll be shocked when I tell you, I've been about thirty miles from here. Not far at all. The problem was, I had no identification on me. Nothing. And when I finally regained consciousness, I had no idea who or where I was. The hospital contacted the police. They searched their missing persons files but I wasn't a missing person as far as they knew. No one came to claim me. No one knew who I was.”
“Catherine,” Kurtis said, turning to her and placing his hand on hers. “I'm so sorry. I didn't put out a missing persons report. The ocean police convinced me that you were...that you were gone. Never coming back. I sent boats out, divers out, when the police called off the search. In they end, they told me you couldn't have survived. I waited for you to drift up on a shore and come back to me. Months went by and everyone told me to give up hope. I did. You have no idea how sorry I am.”
“Like I said, Kurtis, I don't blame you. I wouldn't be here if I did – would I? It's just, once I'd finally remembered who I was, I saw an image of your face in my mind and all I could feel was the love I had for you.”
“But...”
“Don't say it.” Catherine lowered her eyes, briefly, and then stared directly into his. “Don't tell me you love her. I don't know
One thing Tanya was sure of was that she loved Kurtis. She wanted to be the one with him. She twisted the diamond engagement ring on her finger. Surely he felt the same. She was the one with the ring – not Catherine.
***
Back at the mansion, and when all the guests had gone, Kurtis found Catherine sitting in a back room that faced out onto the enormous expanse of garden leading to a small forest which marked the border of the land around the mansion.
The main pieces of furniture in this room were two lavish sofas. They were positioned in the middle of the room, facing each other. Catherine sat in one of them with her legs crossed, hands in her lap. At the side of one of the sofas was a small table with a lamp in the center. It was the only light on. It gave off a faint glow but the rest of the room was in shadows. It wasn't until Kurtis got near to her that he could see Catherine's face completely.
“Is that it?” she asked him.
“Is what it?”
“Is that everyone? Have I got you to myself?” She smiled at him.
“For now, yes, but Catherine, I don't understand. How can this be possible? I've got so many questions,” he said, taking a seat on the sofa opposite her.
“I won't bite you know, Kurtis.”
“I know, but you can see I'm shaken. I can't believe you're really here.”
“And I can't believe that after nearly two years you don't want to hold me.”
“Catherine, things have changed while you were... Things changed for me. I thought I'd lost you.”
She got up and walked over to him, sat beside him and put a hand on his thigh. “I haven't changed, Kurtis,” she said. “I still love you just like I did the day we...”
“The day, I crashed the boat.” He ran a hand over his dark hair, his blue eyes catching the light of the lamp and reflecting back the horror of that day.
“I didn't blame you, Kurtis, I never did and I never will.”
He turned to her. “If you didn't blame me, why did it take you so long to come back?”
“Now there's the thing,” she gave a half smile and then a sadness returned to her green eyes. “I didn't know who the hell I was up until two weeks ago.”
“What?”
“That's right,” she continued. “Someone found me, floating on a piece of driftwood, far out into the ocean. The guy who found me was in two minds about going out that day in his boat, can you believe? But luckily he did. He didn't realize there was even a person holding onto the driftwood and I don't even know how I ended up clinging to it.”
“But where were you all this time?”
“All this time, and you'll be shocked when I tell you, I've been about thirty miles from here. Not far at all. The problem was, I had no identification on me. Nothing. And when I finally regained consciousness, I had no idea who or where I was. The hospital contacted the police. They searched their missing persons files but I wasn't a missing person as far as they knew. No one came to claim me. No one knew who I was.”
“Catherine,” Kurtis said, turning to her and placing his hand on hers. “I'm so sorry. I didn't put out a missing persons report. The ocean police convinced me that you were...that you were gone. Never coming back. I sent boats out, divers out, when the police called off the search. In they end, they told me you couldn't have survived. I waited for you to drift up on a shore and come back to me. Months went by and everyone told me to give up hope. I did. You have no idea how sorry I am.”
“Like I said, Kurtis, I don't blame you. I wouldn't be here if I did – would I? It's just, once I'd finally remembered who I was, I saw an image of your face in my mind and all I could feel was the love I had for you.”
“But...”
“Don't say it.” Catherine lowered her eyes, briefly, and then stared directly into his. “Don't tell me you love her. I don't know
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