A/N: I published the last chapter of Apologize one year ago (May 29), FF has a Dec date listed because of a note I had to post, but 5/29 is the official anniversary of the last chapter. I already had this scene pulled out to work on and I thought what better time than as an anniversary posting?
These 'scenes' would've taken place in the arc of chapters 16 and 17; when the pressure finally got to Jim and he argues with both of the women in his life, leaving Johanna an emotional wreck and Kate taking on a more defined role in caring for her mother in a less distant way. The ice was beginning to thaw, helping them to move on. I hated to part with these scenes that included Lanie, but I was still unsure then how far I could push the limits with word count without losing my readers.
Concern – Deleted Scene
"Hey, stranger," Lanie said as she glanced up from her work and caught sight of Kate as she walked through the door.
"Hey; do you have a minute?"
Her friend nodded. "Yeah I can take a break for a few minutes. What's going on with you today?"
Kate blew out a breath. "A lot of things."
"Do you want to narrow that down?"
She took a seat and told Lanie about her father's outburst and his subsequent fight with Johanna. She told her about her own harsh words toward her mother and the fact that the strain seemed to be affecting Johanna physically.
Lanie gave her a sympathetic smile. "You have a full plate to deal with."
"That's putting it mildly."
"Is there anything I can do?"
"That's kind of why I'm here," Kate remarked. "I was hoping you could do something for me."
"Name it."
"I was hoping you could stop by my place tonight and give my mother a little check up."
Lanie studied her. "Do you think it's necessary?"
"Yeah, I do. I told her that I'd drag her to a doctor but that could be more trouble than it's worth so I figured I could just bring a doctor to her. And if I have to handcuff her to the chair while you look at her, I know you'll overlook it and won't turn me in for abusing my mother."
Her friend gave a soft laugh. "Your mom might not want to be examined by an M.E., some people might find that creepy."
"She'll do what I say," she replied. "Besides, you have a little black bag full of things that enables you to treat the living if need be…I know because you've patched me up a few times."
"You can't force her to submit to a medical exam, even a minor one."
"Wanna bet?"
Lanie smiled as she shook her head at her. "Tell me again what's going on with her."
"She's been having migraines for days. She's had them in the past but I don't remember it ever hanging on like this. She's pale, she's not really sleeping and she's not eating much. She says her stomach is upset and that it's her nerves…but I don't know. I think she should be checked."
"Honey, the symptoms you described are all very common reactions to stress…and she is under an incredible amount of stress, you know that better than anyone. You also said that she's upset about a fight with your dad…and we know things aren't sunshine and rainbows with you."
"Lanie, let's not go there. I just want her checked to be sure. I don't know what kind of health she's in now."
"What kind of health was she in before?"
Kate thought about it for a moment. "I'd say she was in excellent health. She didn't get sick often…when she did, Dad and I would hover over her wondering what we were going to do until she got better," she recalled softly. "The worst thing I remember her having was bronchitis."
"And how has she been since she's moved in with you?"
"The same," she answered. "She looks like she's stayed in shape and she doesn't appear to have any problems."
"Does she take any medication?"
Kate shook her head. "I haven't seen her take anything except Advil."
"It sounds like she's still in pretty good health then."
"But she's older now, Lanie. My mother is 61 now…the last time I saw her she was a few weeks shy of 48. Maybe she's different now…I mean she has reading glasses!"
"That's not so unusual," Lanie replied gently. "There are kids who have reading glasses."
"I know…but my mom never had glasses and now she does. I know they're only to read small print but she never had trouble with that before. I don't know what problems she might have had during the last thirteen years."
"You could ask her."
She shook her head. "I can't…I just can't."
"Why? Because it's a little too much like getting close to her? Too much like letting the ice thaw?"
"Lanie…"
"Kate," her friend said sternly. "It's okay to be concerned about her and it's okay to open the door to her a little more. I think she'd tell you anything you want to know."
"I want you to ask her about her health…"
"You want to take the easy way."
"I'm not taking the easy way. I'm going to do what I can for her. I'm going over to talk to my Dad after work and see if I can get anywhere with him while Castle stays with my mother. I hate seeing her this upset and knowing the things that Dad said to her…especially after his lectures to me about how I treated her. I hope I can get through to him somehow and that he'll fix things with her…that would take care of her emotional state in one area."
"And in your area?" her friend pushed.
"I'm giving her as much as I can right now, Lanie; she knows that and she's been accepting it. Will you come over and look at her just for my peace of mind…please?"
"You really are concerned," Lanie said; her voice a mix of gentleness and some sort of soothing sympathy.
Kate opened and closed her mouth twice before she finally admitted defeat. "Yes, I am…I don't want anything to happen to her. I'm supposed to protect her…and I feel that means looking out for her in every aspect."
"Because she's your mom and you love her."
The detective blew out a breath. "You're relentless today."
Her friend gave her a smile. "Sorry; you know I get like that when I don't have much company from the living to punctuate my day."
She gave her a teasing grin. "I'll tell Javi to come visit you."
"Now is that the thing to do to a friend who is going to do you a favor?"
"Does that mean you're coming over?"
The M.E. nodded. "Give me a call when you're ready for me to stop by."
"I'll wait until after dinner," Kate remarked. "She's usually somewhat mellow after she cooks."
"Whenever you think is best; chances are you'll catch me as I'm getting off work. This is my day to work into the early evening."
"Alright; I better get back to work and let you do the same. I'll call when we're ready. Thanks."
"No problem," Lanie answered. "That's what friends are for…and you'll owe me one."
Kate smiled. "When you think of something to return the favor, let me know."
"Count on it," her friend laughed as she left.
Kate observed her mother throughout the course of dinner, noting that she seemed to be making an effort to eat a bit more than she had been. She wondered whose benefit her mother was doing it for though, although she supposed it didn't really matter as long as she was putting the food in her mouth instead of pushing it around the plate. Her spirits had seemed to lift a little once they had made plans to escape the confines of the apartment for a shopping trip the next day; perhaps the outing would improve her mother's appetite and cure some of what ailed her.
"Something on your mind?" Johanna asked as she took a bite of her salad.
"No; why do you ask?"
Her mother shrugged. "Just seemed like you were thinking about something important…I'm willing to listen if you want to throw something at me."
She shook her head. "It was nothing; just thinking about the day in general."
"Is there anything else I need to know about your visit with your father?"
"No…I'm sorry it didn't get the instant results I was hoping for."
"Jim doesn't give instant results when he's angry," Johanna remarked. "He has to work things out for himself; it's always been that way."
"I had planned to be a little more intimidating…but it seemed like one of those brick wall scenarios."
She nodded. "Your father's good at acting like a brick wall; he gets that from his mother."
"Is this the part where I get a comment about sharing that gene pool?" Kate asked.
"No…I refuse to see any part of Elizabeth in you with the exception of your hair color. I'm sure she's probably lurking in your DNA, but I love you enough to pretend that it isn't there."
"That's nice of you."
"It's all a part of being a mother; you'll see one day when you overlook a face your daughter makes that reminds you of me."
A slight smile touched Kate's lips. "What are you saying, I make faces like Grandma Beckett?"
"Just the one…"
"Which one."
Johanna glanced at her. "Are you sure you want to know?"
She pondered that for a moment. "Maybe not."
The older woman smiled. "I didn't think so."
After a few minutes, Kate looked at her mother. "It's not this one, is it?" she asked, putting on one of her looks of annoyance.
"No; you get that one from me."
"This one?" she asked, displaying another expression.
"That's your father."
"Are any of them my own?"
"Yes, but I'm not telling you which one."
"Why not?"
"Because you might stop doing it and then I might not be able to read you as well."
Kate frowned at that thought and Johanna gave a soft laugh; 'And that my dear, is Naomi McKenzie."
She smiled. "I'm glad I got one from Grandma."
"You certainly did…you have her nose too."
"So do you."
A touch of melancholy flicked across her features again, making Kate frown once more. "What's wrong now?" she asked her.
Johanna shook her head. "Nothing. I just miss my mother."
"Oh…"
Afraid that the comment could send the conversation in a bad direction, Johanna got up from the table. "I'm going to start cleaning up."
"I'm finished too," her daughter replied. "I have a call to make."
"You miss Rick already?" Johanna said lightly as she began stacking the plates.
Kate smirked…the one look of her daughter's that always brought Elizabeth Beckett to Johanna's mind. "I'm not calling Rick…but I have to say that his visit with you seemed to improve your mood a little."
"He excels at being amusing."
"I can't deny that. I'll dry the dishes after I make my call."
Johanna waved her off. "Don't be silly; I can take care of everything here. Take a break and relax, you worked all day."
She gave her a nod and left the room, pulling her phone from her pocket as she went. It was time to bring Lanie in for her house call.
As predicted, Lanie had just left work when Kate called and it didn't take her long to reach the apartment.
"Did you tell her that I was coming?" Lanie asked in a hushed voice as her friend opened the door and let her inside.
"No; you never give her too much warning when it comes to doctors," Kate replied.
"That doesn't sound promising."
"Don't worry; I think I've got her nice and mellow. It shouldn't be a problem."
"I'm getting the feeling that she isn't big on being seen by doctors."
"It's just a minor little thing," she said; pretending that her mother's dislike of going to the doctor wasn't legendary.
"Uh huh."
"Don't worry; you're my friend, she'll take that into consideration."
"Katie, was someone at the door?" Johanna called out from the kitchen.
"Yeah; but don't worry, it's a friend. We're coming."
Lanie followed Kate into the kitchen where Johanna had just finished putting away the dishes. "You remember Lanie," Kate said to her mother as she caught her eye.
Johanna nodded. "Yes, of course. It's nice to see you again, Lanie."
"It's nice to see you too, Mrs. Beckett," the M.E. replied as she sat her bag down on the table.
"Just let me wipe off the counter and I'll get out of your way so you can have your visit," Johanna stated as she hurriedly wiped off the surface of the counter.
"Actually she's here to see you," Kate commented.
Her mother eyed them warily. "Me? You don't want another DNA test do you? I really don't think it's necessary."
"No I don't want another DNA test," she replied. "I want her to take a look at you."
"I was under the impression that she's a medical examiner…and I'm not dead yet."
"I'm fully qualified to deal with the living as well," Lanie remarked with a smile. "As your daughter reminded me earlier, I even have a bag full of things that are meant for tending to the living."
"I meant no offense," the older woman replied; fearing that she might have offended Kate's friend and therefore would offend her daughter as well. She couldn't afford that. With the way things stood with Jim, Kate was all she had at the moment.
"None taken," Lanie assured. "I told Kate that you were most likely fine but she's concerned about your health so I'm here. But with that said, it's up to you whether or not I check you over for her peace of mind. If you say no, I promise I won't be offended."
"Don't say no," Kate said firmly.
"I am not going to force her to do this, Kate," the M.E. remarked. "It's her choice."
Johanna bit her lip and debated the issue for a moment. Her daughter was concerned, which had to be a good sign with the way things were and maybe if she did this to ease her mind, it would count for something and keep them on the path to repairing their relationship. Finally she gave a nod. "Okay, Lanie, I'll let you do it…just don't stick me with any needles."
"I promise not to stick you with anything. I'm just going to check your vitals and ask you a few questions. Take a seat."
She did as she was told, noticing that Kate seemed to exhale a breath of relief as her friend opened up her medical bag. Lanie shined a light into Johanna's eyes, making the woman wince slightly as it aggravated the remnants of her migraine.
"Kate tells me that you've been suffering from migraines for the last few days."
"Yes, I have been."
"I see you have some sensitivity to light so I'm guessing that you still have one now," Lanie replied.
"It's just about run its course."
"Do you have a history of migraines?"
"Since I was fifteen," Johanna answered.
"Have they always been like this?"
"Oh I've had much worse," she answered; "Especially when I was younger. I've had some that put me to bed for days."
"Does medication help? Are you getting any relief from Advil or Tylenol?"
"Some; but mainly they just have to go away on their own. It's always been that way. I've seen doctors about it before, they say there's nothing really that can be done for it."
"That's the truth," Lanie remarked before asking her to open her mouth so she could check her throat.
She did so and allowed the doctor to look at her throat and then check her glands. "What's your health been like recently? Any illnesses or problems?"
Johanna had a feeling that those were questions that her daughter had but hadn't been able to bring herself to ask and so she had pawned the job off on her friend. She understood though and she didn't blame her for finding a third party that could give her the information she needed.
"No, I haven't had any health problems. I haven't been sick in a good while either. I get a cold once in awhile and sometimes a touch of the flu but nothing recently. Just migraines and an upset stomach that comes from stress and nerves."
"Do you take any medication?"
"No, just Advil when I need it."
Lanie nodded and took the stethoscope from her bag and listened to Johanna's heart and lungs. "Does everything sound okay in there?" Johanna asked.
The young woman smiled. "Yes; your heartbeat is strong and healthy and your lungs are clear. I'm going to take your blood pressure now."
Kate stood by, shifting on her feet as she watched Lanie slip the cuff onto her mother's arm and inflate it. "Your blood pressure is up a little."
"Does she need medication for that?" Kate asked before Lanie could utter another word.
"No; it's not elevated enough for that," her friend answered. "Stress raises blood pressure and so does pain; she has a headache so that's going to affect her blood pressure as does the fact that she's probably taken Advil during the course of the day, that too will raise it. Once the headache is gone and the medicine leaves her system, I'm sure it will go back down to normal. Have you had any trouble with your blood pressure, Mrs. Beckett?"
"No; I had to get a check up last year for my insurance and the doctor said it was normal."
"Good; I'm sure it'll go back down. It's a very small elevation, nothing for you to worry about…and nothing for you to worry about either, Kate."
"Are you sure she doesn't need medicine?" Kate asked.
"I'm positive."
"She just wants to medicate me in hopes that it will knock me out for awhile," Johanna said lightly.
"That's another thing, she doesn't sleep," her daughter stated.
"Do you want me to get you an over the counter sleeping pill?" Lanie asked Johanna.
"No; I don't like taking things like that. I get insomnia; I've always been like that, especially in times of stress. I'll be fine."
"I'm sure you will be," the doctor agreed; "And I'm glad you don't want the sleeping pill. They're easy to become dependent on."
"I have enough problems."
"Isn't that the truth," Kate muttered.
Lanie asked her a battery of other questions, asking if she had any aches or pains or any other problems that needed to be checked or discussed. Johanna answered all of the questions honestly, telling her that nothing else was bothering her physically and that the only aches and pains she had were ones that no doctor could heal. The young woman seemed to understand what she was saying as she patted her hand before turning back to Kate.
"With the exception of the headache and the upset stomach, which I agree is stress related, your mother is healthy and you don't need to worry."
"You're sure?"
"Positive. She just needs to relax; and I know that's easier said than done right now; and she needs to get some rest."
"I'll try to do better," Johanna stated.
"See that you do," Lanie said lightly. "You don't want your girl here to be worrying about you."
She smiled slightly. "No, I don't want her to be worrying more than she has to. I'll do my best to settle down, Katie."
Kate could feel Lanie's gaze on her, waiting for her to respond to her mother's statement. "I know…I'm sure you'll feel better soon. Just try to relax like Lanie said; everything will be okay."
Her friend gave her a smile of approval as her mother gave a nod of agreement. "Are you finished with me?" Johanna asked.
"I'm finished," the M.E. told her. "But if you need anything, you can have Kate let me know."
"Thank you," Johanna said as she rose from the chair and returned to the counter to finish up her chores.
"You're sure about her blood pressure?" Kate asked.
"Yes, Kate; she's fine. It's really not that much of an elevation. I have no doubt that it'll go back down in a day or two. I can come back and check it in a few days if it'll make you feel better."
She nodded. "Yeah, I think maybe you should just to be on the safe side."
"Is that alright with you, Mrs. Beckett?"
"That's fine," Johanna answered. "I'll leave you girls to visit now. It was nice to see you again, Lanie."
"You too," the younger woman answered.
When Johanna had disappeared from view, Lanie turned to Kate. "Do you feel better now?"
"Yes, I do…and I know you think I'm crazy for dragging you over here."
Her friend laughed. "I don't think you're crazy…I think you're a concerned daughter, and that's not a bad thing, Kate."
She blew out a breath. "Sometimes I'm not so sure about that."
"I know it's not easy for you; and I know that your inclination is to keep your distance to protect yourself…but that's not always going to be easy to do when the person you're holding back from is your mom…who you love and had a good relationship with before all of this. I don't get along all that great with my mother, you know that, but I'd have a hard time staying behind a wall too in this situation and it's okay to come out of hiding, Kate. No one's going to judge you for it…and you might feel a little better yourself if you just let it happen."
She raked a hand through her hair. "It's not an easy road to walk."
"No one's denying that."
"I'm trying, you know. I think it's a little better than it was."
Lanie nodded. "Good…just let that keep happening. I'm not trying to lecture you; I just want you to be happy."
"I know," she said with a soft smile; "And I appreciate that you did this for me."
"No problem. I hate to run out on you but I better get home before it gets any later."
"You'll just have to come back when you can stay longer," Kate said as she walked her to the door.
"I'll do that," Lanie smiled. "See you later."
After Lanie had left and they had settled down on the sofa for the evening with the most recent episode of Temptation Lane on the television, Johanna decided to be brave. "You know," she said carefully; "If you had questions about the state of my health, you could've just asked me. I would've told you anything that you wanted to know."
Kate was quiet for a moment as she wondered if she should let the comment go unanswered. "They're viable questions to have regarding a parent," Johanna added as the silence stretched out between them. "I think all adult children want to be aware of their parents state of health."
"Lanie asked questions about your health because she's a doctor and that's what they do."
Her mother gave a small nod of acknowledgement. "I know it's a doctor's nature to ask questions about past medical history…but I could tell that they were questions that you had as well."
She squirmed and decided not to ask how her mother had known that, it wouldn't do any good, she'd get the old 'mother's intuition' line…and Johanna Beckett did have a habit of knowing things that weren't said or acknowledged. "I just wanted Lanie to check on you and make sure you're all right and that you weren't coming down with something. I told you that I didn't like that your headache was hanging on for so long."
"You've seen me deal with migraines before," Johanna replied; keeping her tone soft and void of accusation.
"I know but that was before," Kate remarked; her tone carrying a slight hint of an edge. "And now…"
"And now I'm older," her mother supplied when she trailed off.
Kate's gaze flicked to the pair of reading glasses lying on the coffee table next to Johanna's book.
Her mother caught the look and gave her a small smile. "I know the reading glasses threw you for a loop, Katie. I think they pain you almost as much as they pain me."
"It's not that…it's just that you never needed them before."
"I know, and believe me, I hate needing them. I put it off for as long as possible…but I love to read and things like paperbacks and newspapers have small print and it was getting difficult so I had to give in. They make me feel old sometimes…although I try to console myself with the knowledge that there are women younger than me who need glasses and that the prescription isn't all that strong. It also helps that I don't have to wear them all the time."
"It was just surprising," her daughter murmured.
"I can understand that. It kind of surprised me too when the need snuck up on me. I guess my mother was probably right; I probably ruined my eyes reading by flashlight when I was a kid. Of course it could also be genetics; both of my parents wore glasses to read by a certain point in their life. Come to think of it, I think I was about the same age as your grandmother was when she had to get glasses."
Kate didn't say anything, feeling slightly uncomfortable for some reason that she couldn't nail down. She didn't mind her mother's chatter; it was better than having her cry all evening as she had been doing…and she didn't necessarily mind the small talk about the glasses…but something just wouldn't let her relax. Maybe it was because she wasn't bothered and she felt that she should be. Maybe it was because in a small round about way, her mother was talking about the life she had lived without her. It chaffed and yet she didn't consider asking her to stop, even if a small part of her wished she would.
Johanna seemed to sense her inner turmoil. "I guess what I'm getting at, Kate, is that while it's true I've added candles to my birthday cake, the only thing that's changed in the health and wellness department is the need for reading glasses. Like I told Lanie, I was forced to get a check up last year to keep my insurance though the college. They did all the usual blood work and screenings and everything is fine."
"Okay," Kate stated; "You're fine. I won't threaten you with anymore doctor visits."
"I wasn't angry, Katie. I understand why you brought Lanie over. I just wanted you to know that you can ask me anything you want…about anything."
"I got the message."
"I wasn't trying to upset you."
"I get that too."
Johanna blew out a soft breath; these prickly conversations were difficult to wade through. She had to be so careful with the words she chose and she had to be careful with how long she spent on a certain topic because if she went too far it could end badly and she couldn't afford that.
"Concern doesn't mean forgiveness," she said as she glanced at her daughter. "You don't have to worry that I've misconstrued the meaning of your concern…just know that I appreciate it."
Kate nodded. "I just don't want you to be sick and denying yourself treatment for whatever reason your brain conjures up against it."
"I'll make you a promise…"
"What?" the younger woman asked as her eyes shifted toward her.
"I promise that while I'm under your roof, if I feel sick or in need of medical treatment for whatever reason, I will let you know immediately so I can be cared for."
She was tempted to make the remark that Johanna's promises didn't hold much weight with her anymore but she swallowed the comment. Her mother had enough pain right now, courtesy of her husband. She had already told her that she wouldn't kick her while she was down and she had meant that. Besides, there was a part of her that knew without a doubt that Johanna would keep her word and saying otherwise would be petty and cruel.
"Okay, I'll hold you to that…because I don't want you getting sick and people thinking that I'm denying your treatment on my watch. I could get in trouble for that; there'd be paperwork and a lot of lectures and internal affairs could get involved if they wanted and I just don't have time for all of that."
Johanna gave her a small knowing smile; she knew what she was doing, Kate was trying to lessen any perceived depths of concern for her welfare. She wasn't entirely fooled; she could feel the ice between them thawing a bit, not that she'd let on. Her little girl always had liked to put on a tough exterior when things felt uncomfortable.
"I certainly wouldn't want you to have to go through any of that, so rest assured, I'll let you know if I'm ill."
"Good."
Silence fell between them and they settled their attention back on the television. Kate should've been relieved, she should've been glad to let the subject drop…and yet she wasn't quite ready to surrender to their usual silences.
"I guess I should thank you for not making a fuss over having Lanie look at you," she remarked somewhat quietly. 'I know how you hate going to the doctor…I'm pretty sure I remember one occasion when Dad carried you to the car against your will."
A soft laugh crossed Johanna's lips. "That wasn't one of my finer moments."
"You should've just gone peacefully."
"I had things to do; your birthday was that weekend. I had to get things done."
"I know…I remember; but just the same, I'm glad you didn't throw a fit for Lanie."
"I wouldn't embarrass you in front of your friend, Katie…and besides, I was afraid if I didn't comply that you might change your mind about taking me shopping tomorrow…and I really want to go and get those new shoes."
"I was prepared to use that as leverage if need be."
"I didn't doubt it for a second…and since I want to go out, I figured I better toe the line and get a clean bill of health."
"Smart choice."
"I thought so."
"Remember what I said," Kate responded; "No late night baking tonight. The kitchen is closed."
"I know."
"You are to sleep tonight," her daughter added. "You need to be rested so that you can find the right pair of shoes tomorrow…you said you were ready to be dusted off and put back in the game."
"I am," Johanna replied; "And I'll do my best to sleep tonight."
"I know that you've always had a habit of sleeping with the TV on at times," Kate said after a moment. "If you need to sleep here on the couch once in awhile so you can fall asleep to the sound of the TV, you can."
"That would probably help a great deal…"
"Then do it."
"Thank you."
Kate eyed her. "I told you before that if you need something you can ask for it. I'll do what I can to make you comfortable here."
"I'm comfortable," she replied. "You've done plenty."
"But if you need something…ask."
"Okay," Johanna said with a nod; "And if you want to know something, ask."
"Fine…we understand each other."
It grew quiet once again and Johanna breathed a sigh of relief. That conversation hadn't gone badly at all and it could have. Things were slowly getting better…maybe she was starting to make a little progress with her daughter. She certainly hoped so.
Casual small talk pierced the silence occasionally for the next two hours until Kate announced that she was going to bed. She picked up the remote to turn of the television but Johanna caught her eye. "Leave it on…I think I'll get to sleep easier if I stay out here tonight."
Kate allowed a light smile to touch her lips; her mother was making an effort to follow orders...acknowledging her concern for her health without making a big deal out of it. "If you need me, wake me."
"I will," Johanna promised.
"Goodnight."
"Goodnight, Katie."
Kate disappeared into her bedroom and Johanna moved to the guest room to collect her pillow and blanket so that she could settle down on the couch for the night. When she finally turned out the light and slipped under the blanket, her heart felt a little bit lighter…the ache losing a small amount of sharpness. There was a small bud of hope growing inside of her and she clung to it as she allowed herself to relax.
In the middle of the night, Kate woke as usual, her senses on alert for any noise or disturbance in the apartment. She heard nothing, and as it had become habit when she heard nothing, she got up to check on her mother. There was a small measure of panic when she saw that the guest room was empty but then her hazy mind recalled that her mother had opted for the couch that night so that she could have the TV for background noise.
She moved up the hallway with careful precision, trying to avoid the areas of the floor that squeaked the most just in case her insomniac of a mother was asleep. The blue glow of the television greeted her as she stepped into the living room and she squinted against the light until her eyes adjusted. With her sight adjusted, she tip toed to the sofa and looked down at the form curled up on the couch. Her mother was asleep…finally.
Her mind was eased, in regard to the safety of the apartment and also in regard to her mother. She was fine…there was nothing health wise to add to her list of worries. The blanket that Johanna was using had slipped mostly away from her, pooling on the floor in a heap. Kate bent to straighten it, tucking it up around her mother's shoulders as she recalled how she got chilled easily.
"I used to do that for you in the middle of the night," Johanna mumbled sleepily.
Kate jumped, startled at the sound of her voice. "I thought you were asleep."
"I was."
"Why aren't you now?"
"You're like your father…you stare hard."
"Since it's the middle of the night and I want you to go back to sleep, I'm going to pretend that makes sense."
"It makes sense, you can think about it tomorrow," Johanna replied as she snuggled into her pillow. "But I did always come into your room and pull the covers back up over you…even when you were a teenager."
"I know," Kate admitted quietly.
"You do?"
"Yeah…you're not as stealth as you think you are."
"Apparently neither are you."
"We'll chalk it up to genetics."
"That's the excuse I always use."
"Go to sleep," Kate told her; "And stay that way until the sun comes up."
"I used to tell you that."
"I remember."
"Goodnight, Katie."
Kate stood there for a moment more, knowing that her mother was well aware that she was still watching her.
"What?" Johanna mumbled.
She brushed her hand over her mother's head. "That's something else you used to do too," she murmured.
Johanna was still and quiet for a second, cementing the moment in her mind. "So did my mother."
"Those damn genetics again," her daughter commented.
Johanna smiled. "I like them."
Kate shrugged. "I guess they're not too bad. Goodnight."
A smile remained on her lips as she watched Kate make her way back to her room. They weren't too bad at all; and with that thought in mind, she drifted back to sleep, hopefulness and thoughts of a nice outing with her daughter filling her mind.