Catherine lies in her bed, looking at the roof. She can't sleep, tossing and turning, her mind is in overdrive. She lies on her back just thinking 'I need to sleep, I have to work tomorrow' she closes her eyes and there is that face, the face of Kate. Catherine turns to her side, she cannot stop seeing Kate's smile in her mind, she opens her eyes again, wondering why this woman is on her mind so much, the last time she was attracted to another woman was when she was at college, studying policing; but that was just a silly little crush, it was nothing to Catherine, because not long later, she met Richard and that was that.
3:49 am, Catherine sighs, she still can't sleep, she climbs out of bed and sits on the edge, and decides to go down to the kitchen to get a drink of water. Catherine leans her head against a cupboard 'how is it that one woman has made me feel this way, how is it that she is so twisted in my mind' she thinks to herself, she trudges back upstairs, lays down in her bed and closes her eyes; this time she is able to sleep.
BEEP, BEEP, BEEP. Catherine is woken by her alarm. 6:00am, she slams her hand on the snooze button 'Five more minutes' she thinks as she turns over and falls back asleep. The alarm goes off again, Catherine groans, climbs out of bed, turns off her alarm and heads for a shower. She is standing in the shower when there is a knock on the door, 'Can I not get a minute to myself' she thinks "Catherine, hurry up, I need the loo" Catherine leans her head against the wall, the water is trickling down her face, she just wants to go back to her nice warm bed, but she has to go to work, she has had these types of days since Ryan was held hostage by Tommy Royce, the type of days where she just wants to stay at home and do nothing, but she knows that she doesn't have that luxury.
Catherine whisks past Clare, not wanting to say a thing. "You took your time" Catherine ignored the comment and on the way back to her bedroom, she knocks on Ryan's door "come on Ryan, time to get up for school" She knows that it has fallen on deaf ears, and that Ryan would ignore her, but she does it anyway. Once dressed Catherine heads downstairs, but she notices that Ryan's door is still closed, she taps it lightly "Ryan?" no answer "RYAN?" still no answer, she opens the door and finds Ryan still asleep, she goes over kisses him on the cheek, "Come on buddy, you have to get up, don't make me yell please" Ryan stirs "up you get buddy" Ryan sits up and he looks at Catherine, dazed and confused, and he then climbs out of his bed.
"Cup of tea Catherine?" Clare asks, Catherine nods, sitting down and pulling a bowl towards her. "How'd you sleep?" Catherine shrugs, "not the best, thanks Clare" Ryan walks into the kitchen, plops down next to Catherine, Clare looks at the two of them, "It's moments like these that the two of you look so simular" Catherine just stares at her sister.
"Catherine?" Joyce tries to grab Catherine before she sits down, "yes Joyce?" "We've had a phone call from the school, that Kate McKenzie wants to talk to you" Catherine sits down, panicked about what Ryan could of possibly done. 'Right, okay, I'll give her a call then" She takes the message from Joyce. Catherine dials the number in her phone, it is almost automatic these days, and she waits. "Hello, this is Linda, how may I help you?" 'How is it that she hasn't recognised the number yet?' Catherine thinks to her self, "Good morning, it's Catherine Cawood here, just returning a missed phone call from Kate McKenzie" Even saying the name makes her think about her. "Kate tried to ring you? Okay, it seems we don't know about it here, and it has been called to our attention that Ryan is in trouble, would you like me to take a message for her?" Catherine rolls her eyes, and at least Ryan isn't in trouble, "Can you please just get her to ring me on my mobile, that way I might catch her at the right time" and with that Catherine hangs up the phone.
Catherine's phone rings just as she is redirecting the traffic after an accident on the main street, she looks at her phone and gestures to Twiggy to come and take over. "Sergeant Cawood speaking" "Oh, hello, It's Kate McKenzie, returning your phone call" Catherine smiles a little, "Kate, hello, what can I do for you?" Catherine can feel butterflies in her stomach, "Well, where I last worked we had the police department involved in the school, and I was wondering if, maybe, if we could do the same here at this school, just, just so that the kids know that the local police officers are here to help them, and they shouldn't be scared of them" Catherine looks around her, just letting the information sink in. "Well, look, I'd have to talk to the district coordinator about it first, but I don't really have an issue with it"
She sits at her desk with her head in her hands; she has a throbbing headache and is tired. "Catherine?" "Yes Joyce?" she mumbles, "Catherine, are you okay?" Catherine nods, "It's just been a long day," she says under her breath and without looking up. "Ok, maybe I'll hand this report over to one of the other officers and leave you in peace" Catherine nods again, "that will be great, thanks Joyce"
"Gran!" Ryan shouts as he runs towards Catherine. 'He seems to be in a happy mood' she thinks to herself, as she wraps her grandson into a big cuddle. "How was school?" "Yeah, alright, here, I have this letter for you, it's from Miss McKenzie" Ryan thrushes the letter into Catherine's hand and runs off to the school gates, Catherine folds it up and places it into her pocket of her jeans, picks up Ryan's school bag and follows her grandson to the car.