Chapter 2: Memories…or Something Like Them
6 years earlier
"What is it that you truly wanted to do as a kid?" Catherine asked as she twirled the spoon languidly around the ornate tea cup before placing it to the side. Heather leaned back a little in her chair and added more cream to her tea. "I've always like talking to people. You know, helping them through their problems." "Why did it change?" Catherine inquired as she never broke eye contact. "I realized that I had to handle my own problems before I took someone else's on." Catherine nodded her head in understanding. "There's a story in there." Catherine didn't need to look at Heather to know that she was broaching a subject that was touchy. "Want to swim?" Heather smiled widely, grateful that Catherine didn't force her to talk about her past. "Yeah I'd love to." Heather and Catherine both changed into bikinis and went outside to Heather's pool in the backyard. Heather watched from her position in the water as Catherine dove like a swan into the massive pool. Heather had to bite back a groan as Catherine unintentionally rubbed against her. "So, Heather are you an only child?" "No. I have an older brother. You?" "On my mom's side, yes. On my dad's, I have two brothers."
The two were in the middle of the pool swinging their legs at a steady rhythm to keep them afloat. "Cat, what did your parents do for a living?" Catherine stopped moving for a second, "Did you just call me Cat?" "It's a nickname. I'm sure that in this pop-cultured world, you've heard of it." "No one has given me a nickname since my dad." "What was it if you don't mind me asking?" Heather asked in an even tone. "Mugs. I was obsessed with coffee mugs when I was a kid. I used them to make all sorts of projects and then I collected them until I was a teenager." "Why'd you stop?" "My attention was no longer on inanimate objects but more so on ones that can get a person in a lot of trouble." It was now Heather's turn to drop the subject. Heather moved to get out of the pool and Catherine followed suit. "Hey Heather, you mind if we go somewhere for a little bit. Heather sighed inwardly; she really didn't want the company but she knew that Catherine wasn't going to leave her alone to handle her grief in solitude.
Catherine and Heather went into Heather's house and upstairs to her room. Catherine went into the bathroom near the guestroom where she'd sleep occasionally. They showered separately. Catherine finished her shower first and knocked on Heather's door. She thought she heard a muffled 'Come in'. Catherine opened the door and saw a naked, wet Heather shielded only by towels on her body and hair. Catherine could make out a scar in-between her shoulder blades. Heather turned around and gave Catherine a small smile. "I'm sorry. I thought that you said come in" Catherine rushed out before turning around to leave the room. "No it's okay. I laid out a change of clothes for you but forgot to give them to you before I took a shower." Catherine grabbed the clothes and rushed back to her room. They finished dressing separately and Heather waited for Catherine in the foyer. "Can you put this on please?" Catherine asked as she held out a blindfold to Heather. Heather didn't even ask any questions before grabbing the blindfold and putting it on. Heather anxiously sat in the passenger seat of Catherine's car as they drove for a while. Catherine giggled softly, "I know that you're trying to figure out where we're going. I'm not telling you. You'll just have to wait." Heather slouched back in the seat and Catherine couldn't help but smile at the pout that graced her flawless features. Catherine pulled into a parking spot and got out the car first. She went around and opened Heather's door. Heather immediately smelled fresh cut grass.
"Are we at a park?" Heather asked as she inhaled deeply. Catherine smiled at the inquisitiveness, "Something like that. Hold on to my waist; I won't let you fall." Heather took a deep breath and used nimble fingers to hold onto Catherine's body. Heather had a love/hate relationship with being this close to Catherine. They walked in silence minus the few trips and chuckles coming from both women. Catherine grabbed Heather's hands and gently removed them from her body. Heather felt Catherine walk behind her and slightly brush against her. That motion alone gave Heather goosebumps. Catherine slowly untied the knot of the blindfold and pulled it away from Heather's eyes. Heather let her eyes adjust to the sun before realization of where they were dawned upon her. "I thought that maybe we could have a picnic" Catherine said somewhat shy.
Heather didn't respond right away. "Heather, this is a bad idea. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to overstep." Catherine said as she kneeled down to start packing up the picnic. Heather stopped her with a gentle grab of the wrist. "No, it…this is really thoughtful. You didn't have to do this." "Look, I may not know a whole lot about losing a child, but I do know about finding ways to try and deal with grief. I was thinking that maybe we could make this picnic an annual thing. We can celebrate her life and not her death." Catherine said hopefully. She and Heather sat at Zoe's grave and talked for what seemed like an eternity.
"To answer your earlier question, my mom was a Vegas showgirl and my dad was a casino mogul" Catherine blurted out as she poured Heather some more tea. "Well my mother was a Literary teacher and my father was an engineer." "What did you major in at Harvard?" "Sociology oddly enough but I've always had a passion for Psychology. What about you? What did you study in school?"
Catherine nervously gnawed on her bottom lip before speaking, "Originally, I got into Julliard for ballet but I dropped out." "Why?" "A girl like me didn't belong in a place like that. I felt out of place the entire time that I was there. I wasn't raised in high society and pretending to be someone I'm not just isn't who I am. The other reason was that I wanted to punish my mother." Catherine looked at Heather before looking back down. "My mother thought that I slept my way in to Julliard but all I did was perform at my high school in one of the numerous programs that she never bothered to attend. Life was not easy in the Flynn household. When my mother wasn't doing God knows what on the strip, she was berating me constantly on choices that I made." "There's a story in there" Heather mimicked Catherine from earlier that day. "Yeah there is." The two of them finished their food in silence before Catherine finally checked her watch and realized how late it'd gotten. "I have to go. I have some errands to run before shift tonight." Heather stood and helped Catherine to stand. They went back to the car and the pair listened to the radio as they drove back to Heather's house. Catherine pulled the car into the driveway and Heather got out. She leaned against the open window and smiled at Catherine, "Breakfast after shift?" Catherine gave a wide smile, "I look forward to it."
"Mommy Catherine. The doorbell is ringing." Maria said as she tugged at Catherine's forearm. Catherine pushed herself off the couch and placed a hand under her slightly rounded stomach. She didn't look through the peephole but just opened the door. On the other side stood another court runner. "Ms. Willows, you've been served." "You have to be shitting me right now" Catherine muttered out to herself. She yanked her phone off the counter and went into her home office to call her lawyer. Several minutes of frustrated conversation later, Catherine was ready to explode. "So not only does he get to drag this out until I deliver but now he gets to drag me to a doctor to get poked and prodded? No! There is no way in hell that I'm letting him make me get amniocentesis. It's a risky procedure. He was the one that cheated on me and not the other way around! If this is the game that he wants to play, then he'll have to wait until I deliver. I'm paying you so deal with it!" Catherine opened the window in her office and took in a deep breath. I just want Heather. Catherine felt the tears well up in her eyes but she refused to let them fall. She heard the door open and saw Anisa holding a picture. "I made this for you Mommy Catherine." "Thank you my love. Are you and your sister ready? You have art little one and Maria has music class." Anisa shook her head yes and ran off to get her backpack. Catherine ran a hand through her hair and walked out her office to get the girls ready. Catherine locked the house up and drove across town to drop the girls off at their scheduled activities. The girls would take a couple of hours and they were in the same facility so Catherine decided to go grab a cup of tea.
Just after Catherine ordered herself a mint tea, her phone started to ring. "Willows." "Mom?" "What's wrong Lindsey?" "Nothing. I was wondering if it'd be okay if I took the girls to this Disney on Ice show tonight?" "I thought you were going out with Rachel?" "I was but her mom is going on a date and she has to watch her little sister tonight. I just figured I'd give you a night of peace and take the girls to the show with Rachel." Catherine smiled to herself. It warmed her heart that Lindsey was so accepting of Maria and Anisa. "I'd really like that Linds. Thank you sweetheart." "It's no problem. I got out of theatre early, I can get the girls from music and art, then we can get something to eat, go to the show, and be home in time for bedtime stories. Is that okay?" "That's perfect." "Why don't you take some time for yourself and get a massage or something?" Catherine went back to tell the girls the new plan for the night. If the excited shrills were anything to go by, then Catherine knew that they were happy. She did plan on getting a massage but she needed to make one stop first.
"I never meant to her hurt. I never wanted to hurt her. The timing was wrong. I'm just not right for her. I'm sorry Zoe, I really am" Catherine said as she stood in front of Zoe's grave with tears trickling down her face. Heather always came here at the same time but was running late today. When she got there, she was baffled to see a hunched over redhead. She silently got closer until she could see the form of a woman's body. She heard Catherine's voice. Heather grabbed Catherine from behind by her shoulders and just held her. Catherine knew those arms because that wasn't the first time that they'd held her and made her feel safe. "Let me go. Let go of me." Catherine said weakly as she tried to get away from Heather. "No. I've got you Cat. Let it out sweetie. Let it out." Catherine dissolved into loud sobs and rested her weight completely on Heather as she dropped to her knees. After nearly an hour of crying, Catherine started to calm down while Heather stroked her hair softly and occasionally kissed her temple. "Please don't leave me" Catherine begged in a low voice as she held on to Heather for dear life. "Please stop pushing me away Cat" Heather said in a voice she didn't recognize.
"Now what?" "Breakfast. There's a lot I need to tell you…..things that might make you walk out." Heather chuckled as she looked at Catherine, "Unless you turn into ET, I'm not going anywhere."