by S Lee

Disclaimers: As with the first story, these characters and this story are original

Sex/Language: There isn’t much sex, but there is language and some angst.

Author’s Note: This story picks up thirteen years after the first story, “Three Days.” While you could read this one alone, it would help if you read the first story. Kat has become a mega-superstar and the couple have another daughter, Scout. The third part of the Kat and Beth series, “That Friend of Mine” will be out soon.

Musical Notes: “Always on My Mind,” Willie Nelson; “If I Needed You,” Townes Van Zandt; “Last in Love,” J.D. Souther and Glenn Frey; “Love Like This,” Pat Bunch, Pam Kennedy, and Mary Ann Rose; “Take You With Me,” Susan Gibson; “Whenever You Come Around,” Vince Gill; “Lover Please,” Melissa Etheridge.

Acknowledgements: My beta-readers: Julie, thank you for your help and your dear friendship. Both are invaluable to me. Patricia, you make such a difference in my writing and you make me work much harder. Thank you for that. Maria “W”, I am so happy to have you as a new friend and beta-reader. May this be the start of a long friendship and working relationship. The time and effort y’all put in to help me create the best story I can, humbles me. I thank the three of you from the bottom of my heart.

Your feedback is very welcome and appreciated. You can contact me at: s.lee@e-scribblers.com

Join my Yahoo Discussion Group for early previews: Shannon Lee's Li'l Darlin's or check out my web site www.shannon-lee.com.

Copyright © 2004 by S Lee. All Rights Reserved.

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She turned to the women she was with. "Hold that thought ladies. I think that's the champagne I ordered and then we can really get down to business."

She stumbled to the door, opened it, but didn't find room service on the other side. Instead, it was her partner of twenty-three years, Beth. Kat didn't know what else to say but, "Shit."

Beth walked in the door. She had known about her lover's affairs for a long time. She was furious, but kept her emotions in check in order to maintain her dignity. "I can tell you weren't expecting me." She nodded in the direction of the half naked girls. "Do you think you can take a break so we can speak privately?"

Kat looked at the younger women. "Okay girls, party's over."

The women got their clothes and left. Kat faced her wife. "Sweetheart, I know this looks bad. They were here when I got in. They paid the hotel employees off. I tried to get them to leave but........"

Beth held up her hand. "Don't. I know exactly what you were doing. I've known for a long time." She looked at the liquor bottles and shook her head in disgust. "Just who the hell are you? I don't know you anymore."

Kat walked over to her wife and put her arms around her waist, trying to be charming. "Oh baby. I'm the woman you love." She tried to kiss Beth's neck.

The angry woman pushed the singer away. "Leave me alone! Don't touch me!"

Kat shook her head. "Yeah, that sounds familiar. You say that a lot you know."

"Look at yourself in the mirror sometime or maybe smell your breath and you'll know why. I can't do this anymore."

Kat was confused. "What are you talking about?"

"I'm tired of the cheating while you're on the road. I'm tired of your drinking. You've become an alcoholic. I've begged and pleaded with you to get help. You're never home. Presley and Scout never see you. I can't take it anymore. I'm leaving you and going home to Austin."

"You're what?"

"I'm leaving and I'm taking the girls with me."

"Whoa, wait a minute. You can't take my daughters away from me."

"What the hell do you care? You're never around. You know nothing about them. And until you clean up your act and stop drinking, you won't see them without supervision. I won't let you keep hurting them or me anymore." With that, she began to walk away. Kat grabbed her arm roughly.

The singer snarled, "You don't walk out on me. Nobody walks out on Kat Green. I'm not letting you go. You're mine and you always will be."

"Get your hands off me!" Beth jerked her arm free. "If you ever lay a hand on me, you will never see me nor your daughters again ."

Kat took a step back. "Fuck you! Fine. Go. See if I care. But you aren't taking my daughters away!"

Beth walked out the door. Tears fell down her cheeks as she made her way down the hallway. As much as she didn't want to feel anything anymore, seeing her lover like that caused her heart to break into pieces.

Kat picked up the bottle of Jim Beam from the desk and threw it against the wall, shattering it into pieces. The singer lifted a chair and threw it into the television. She grabbed an empty bottle of beer and smashed it against the door. She called in her bodyguards who were supposed to be watching out for her.

Kat raged at the team of six, "Who the fuck let my wife in here? Why didn't anyone warn me she was here? You're all fired! I never want to see your lazy, sorry ass faces again!"

She opened the door and the burly men walked out. Kat slammed the door behind them. She began to cry angry tears and opened another bottle of Jim Beam, slid down the wall, and began drinking until she passed out.

Suffering from a crushing headache, the singer woke the next morning to pounding on the door. She was still sitting on the floor with an empty bottle in her hand. She opened the door and her road manager walked in.

"My God, Kat! What the hell happened in here? You smell like a distillery."

Holding her head, the singer looked at her manager. "Hello to you too sunshine. Beth came here last night. She said she's leaving me."

He nodded. "Yeah, I know. Your security team stopped by my room last night. I had to smooth things over with them. Beth also called me this morning. But damn, did you have to do all this? We're going to have to pay for your temper tantrum."

"Just do what you do. That's what I pay you for. I'm going to go take a shower."

Kat stepped into the hot water. It began to hit her; Beth was leaving. She was leaving and taking the girls. The singer thought about Presley with her dark hair, rebellious spirit, and musical abilities. Thanks to a donation from Kat's look-alike cousin, the thirteen-year old was the spitting image of the singer. She thought about her younger daughter who was named after a character in To Kill a Mockingbird. Scout was only nine years old. She was blonde, a ballet dancer, loved books and loved to write.

Kat became overwhelmed with emotion as the tears of pain began to fall. Images of Beth throughout the years flashed through her brain, causing her heart to hurt so badly, that the singer held her chest. The pain nearly choked her. She stepped out of the shower and reached for instant relief; a vodka and orange juice.

Without speaking to anyone, she stepped into her private bus and waited to leave Atlanta. Her road manager entered and sat beside her.

"The hotel will send me a bill when the damage has been assessed. You can't keep doing this."

"She's leaving me, John. She doesn't love me anymore." She began sobbing and he put his arm around her. "How can she give up on us like that? I feel like my heart is being ripped out. I guess I deserve it. There were two women in my room last night when she came in."

Her old friend shook his head. "Damn, Kat."

"She says I drink too much. She called me a fucking alcoholic."

"Could she be right?"

Kat sat up. "Screw you. Whose side are you on? Just remember who pays your damn salary."

He raised his hands defensively. "Hey, calm down. I'm just trying to look out for you."

"Well, I don't need any fucking lessons on drinking from you, thank you very much. So where are we playing tonight?"

"Raleigh."

She grabbed a beer from the refrigerator and walked to the bedroom in the back, shut the door, and went back to sleep.

Beth stepped off the plane in Austin and into the arms of Amy, her best friend since college.

"Hey there, pal."

The distraught woman hid her face in Amy's shoulder. "Get me out of here please."

"You got it. We'll go back to my place before you go to your parents' to see the girls."

Nodding, she whispered, "Thank you."

Beth stared out the car window at the familiar surroundings of her hometown as they drove to Amy's house. Once inside, the two women sat down as the old friend put her arm around the blonde.

"So, tell me what happened. I assume you told her that you've left her."

"I got there and she was drunk." Beth began crying again. "There were two young women in their twenties, topless, on the bed."

Amy shook her head. "Oh shit!"

"I know. I was angry, but calm. She proceeded to give me this story about the women being there when she got there and paying off the staff. But I didn't even want to hear her excuses. I knew it was going on, but to actually see it, I thought my heart was going to stop. We had a huge fight and she grabbed my arm." Beth showed her the bruise.

The concerned friend hugged her tightly. "I'm so sorry this is happening to you. I never would have guessed you and Kat would ever split up or that she'd be doing the things she's been doing."

"Neither did I. I made the decision to leave a few months ago, but waited until the kids were out of school for the summer."

"What are they saying about all of this?"

"Presley's having some problems with it. She's angry because of the alcohol and the fact that her mother is never home. Scout is confused and feeling insecure. They never saw her drink all that often, simply because she was around so little. But they saw enough and they know what's been going on. They were sad about leaving their friends in Nashville, but they've always loved Austin. I found the girls a private school where they'll start in a couple months."

"And you're going back to the university?"

Nodding, Beth answered, "Yes. I'm taking on two undergraduate courses and one graduate class."

"Are you going to sue her for palimony or child support?"

Beth shook her head. "No."

Her friend tried to reason with her. "Oh, come on. She's worth tens of millions. You helped her with her career all these years. You're entitled."

"I'm not interested in asking for anything. I'm sure she'll want to help provide for the kids. I have my own income from my books. I'm ready to move on. I'm tired of the lies, the alcohol, the cheating, and the public attention. I'm tired of hurting. I'm tired of waiting for a phone call telling me that she's driven into a telephone pole. I can't do this anymore; it's killing me. I hate seeing the hurt on the girls' faces. I simply want out. I want this to be all over with. I want her to be a part of the girls' lives, but I seriously doubt her involvement will be much more than birthday gifts, phone calls, and occasional visits."

"I can't get over it. You were so happy together."

"I thought we had it made. Twenty-three years together is a long time. I want to concentrate on getting settled here and starting a new life away from the cameras, the music business, and the tour buses that go by our house. I simply want a normal life again."

"Would you take her back if she cleaned up her act?"

Beth sadly shook her head. "No. It's been so long since we put any effort into the marriage. I would plan a romantic dinner alone after the girls went to bed and she would drink too much and fall asleep, or she would get a phone call from the label or one of her managers and go into her office or studio and work. It's too late. I hope she gets help for her own sake. We share two daughters; she will always be a part of my life. My feelings for her have changed. I'm not in love anymore. It just died." That realization hit Beth hard and she cried into her friend's shoulder. Later that evening in Raleigh, Kat sat in her dressing room, getting ready to play for a packed arena. She picked up the phone to call her wife and kids. She was ready to do anything to keep Beth from leaving her.

Beth answered, "Hello, Kat."

"Hi." The singer replied. "Are you in Austin?"

"Yes."

"Are you alright? Do you need anything?"

"I'm fine. I have everything taken care of."

"I wanted to call to tell you that I'm sorry and I love you and I don't want you to move. I want to work this out 'Scilla. You can't leave me. I need you. I'll make things better."

"It's too late. There's too much pain. The girls and I can't do it anymore."

"God, baby. I'm sorry I messed up. I swear I'll never do it again. Please, you promised me forever."

The singer's words fell on deaf ears. "And you promised me that you'd be faithful. Let's just part as friends and try to be parents to the girls. You don't have room for me in your life anymore, not with the entourage that is around all the time. We both wanted a family. I'm tired of waiting for you to be a part of it."

Kat began to cry. "I'll never see the girls if you stay in Austin."

"You never see the girls now."

"Don't do this to me Beth. We'll take a vacation after this tour is over on New Year's Eve. Maybe you and the kids can come out on the road with me for the summer. Please, we can be happy again. Didn't I give you everything a woman could possibly want?"

"All I ever wanted was you."

Kat paused for a few seconds. "So you're sure about this? This is a done deal?"

"Yes, I've already found a school for the girls and I have a position teaching at the university."

"How long have you been planning this?"

"For a few months. I didn't want to make any moves until the kids were out of school."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

Beth shook her head. "I tried and I was hoping we could work things out. You didn't listen. Your drinking and business were always in the way. You never listened to me anymore. The final straw was last night. I found you with, not one, but two women. You grabbed my arm so hard, I have a bruise. I can't take the chance it will escalate. What if you lose control and hurt me or the kids?"

Kat was stunned by Beth's concerns. "I would never do that! I uhhh...I left a bruise?"

"Yes."

Feeling defeated and guilty, Kat continued. "I guess we need to start separating things. Get yourself an account, and call my sister with the information. I'll have a couple million put into your account to start with."

"That's not necessary, but I appreciate it."

"I'll do anything Beth, please don't do this. We can make this work. I want to work this out."

Beth resisted easily. "No, Kat. Damnit, just accept it. I'm gone."

"Hold off on decisions about the furniture and stuff in Nashville. I'll be in touch and we can settle things more permanently." Kat sniffed and wiped the tears from her eyes.

Beth agreed, "Alright."

"Can I talk to the girls?"

"Of course. Hold on a sec."

Kat stopped her. "Hey, Beth?"

"Yes."

"Do you think you could ever forgive me?"

"It's too soon to ask me that."

Kat nodded and fingered the drink in her hand. "Alright. Can you go ahead and get the girls please?" She wiped the tears off her cheek.

Presley came on the phone. "What?"

Kat responded in a motherly way. "Don't 'what' me young lady. I called to see how you girls were doing. Are you doing okay there in Austin?"

"We're fine. Can I go now?"

"Hey, you don't speak to your mother that way."

"You're not my mother. You're a drunk who makes my mother cry. I hear her at night and it's your damn fault."

The words cut through Kat's soul. "I'm not going to force you to talk to me. I love you regardless of what you believe, or how you feel about me. I was your mother before you were born, I am now, and will be until my life and your life are over. You can be angry all you want, but I am still your mother."

Presley rolled her eyes. "Whatever." The teenager set the phone down and walked away.

Kat's younger daughter, Scout, came on the phone. "Hi, Mom."

"Hey there baby girl. How are things in Texas? Are you having fun?"

"Yeah. We've been doing lots of cool stuff. Where are you?"

"I'm in North Carolina honey."

"Mom says we're going to live here now and you're going to live in Nashville."

"It looks like it, Scout."

"Well, if you live there and we live here, when are we going to see you? Are you still gonna be our Mom?"

Kat had to keep her voice from breaking. "Of course, baby girl. I will always be your Mom and I will come to see you as often as I can."

"What if you stop loving us or something, because you never see us?"

"That will never happen. I will always love you."

"Why do you have to work so far away? Why can't you get a different job where you can spend time with us?"

"I don't know honey."

"Don't you want to be with us anymore?"

"Of course I do."

"Why can't you stop drinking and come home? We can be a family again."

Kat's heart broke at her daughter's words. Her road manager knocked on the door and stuck his head in. "Kat, it's time to go."

The singer reassured her daughter. "Listen Scout, I've got to get on stage. Everything is going to be alright. I love you and your sister very much. I'll talk to you soon baby."

She hung up the phone and looked at the drink in her hand. She killed the glass of Jack and set it down. She wiped the tears from her eyes and checked herself in the mirror before walking out. The words of her children rang in her ears. Her entourage led her to the stage, before walking out she turned to her manager. "Get rid of all the booze by the time I get done. Get me somewhere tonight before I change my mind. I need to get clean before I lose my girls too."

"What about the tour?"

"Just do it, please."

The manager reacted to the desperation in her voice. "Alright. There's a place in Asheville. I'll get the number and we can get there tonight."

"Thank you."

The singer stepped out on stage as the crowd cheered and roared and chanted her name. She faked a smiled as she cued her band to start. She pulled out everything within her and sang for the excited audience. After an hour and a half, she unexpectedly stopped the band between songs, sat in front of the piano and adjusted the microphone. She began playing alone.

Visions of Beth ran through her head. She remembered when the girls were born. She thought of Beth's smile and her deep green eyes. Her voice grew stronger as she sang to her wife.

Her voice broke as she finished the last verse. The audience applauded and cheered. She couldn't stay on stage any longer. She waved to the crowd and spoke into the microphone, "Good night and thank you."

She walked off the stage, sobbing. Her manager wrapped her in his arms and led her to the limo waiting outside and shut the door behind them. Kat cried her eyes out. "How long until we get there?"

"We'll be there in a couple of hours and they're expecting you. It's a four week program. I know people who have been to this place. It's tough, but it works. I'm going to reschedule the tour dates and you'll finish them at the end. I'll take care of everything. The band is going to be told about everything and given some paid time off."

"I've got to get my family back. I can't lose them. I've been with Beth since I was eighteen. I don't even know how to be without her."

"You need to get better first and then you can take care of everything else. I'll call Beth to let her know what's going on."

"God, I need a drink."

"I know, but hang on and relax. Try to get some sleep."

Continued in Part 2

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