It was the next day when Cara had a quiet but obvious argument with Darken during lunch. She stood up and stormed over to the table Richard, Kahlan and Chase were sitting at. She sat down heavily, her jaw tense as she glared at nothing. Richard got up and moved to sit in the seat next to Cara and started talking quietly to her. Gradually she started to calm down, until she eventually sighed into her hands.
"Thanks Richard."
Berdine and Raina appeared at her shoulders, Berdine holding the bag Cara had left at the table when she had left.
Cara stood. "I think we're going to take the rest of the day off. You're welcome to join us Richard."
Richard smiled but shook his head. "No thank you. I'll go after school."
He stood and engulfed Cara in a hug. "Look after yourself."
The three Mord-Sith turned to leave, Raina lagging slightly. She flicked her eyes from Richard to Kahlan and back again.
"You know Richard; it's your story to tell too."
The she turned and quickened her step to join the other two.
"What was that about?"
Richard sighed heavily. "Kahlan, are you doing anything after school? I've got to go somewhere and I think I'd like the support."
"Sure, Richard. But if you don't mind me asking, where are we going?"
He sighed again.
"To the cemetery."
xxxxx
Richard picked Kahlan up in his truck, and drove them silently to the cemetery. Once they arrived Richard remained sitting silently. Suddenly he let out a loud sigh.
"I should probably tell you why we're here."
"You don't have to, Richard."
"No, I want to." He sighed again. "It seems like Cara, Raina and Berdine have always been best friends, right?"
Kahlan nodded. Richard started to tell the story in a monotone.
"They weren't. When they started high school Cara was friends with Berdine. Raina was friends with a girl called Hally. Three years ago Berdine and Raina officially started going out, but for a good year before hand Berdine tried her hardest to woo Raina. Cara of course tried to help her and she'd consult with Hally. By the time Berdine and Raina got together, the four were really good friends. They all tried out and got into the cheerleading team, which is where I met them. I was the choreographer, mum made me do dance lessons when I was a kid and I took to it like a fish to water. They were really great friends, and I really liked Hally. I mean, I really liked Hally. We had been going out for six months, but had been dancing around our emotions for much longer when…"
He stopped and clenched his jaw. Kahlan could see Richard was trying not fight tears.
"When…"
Richard's voice broke. He cleared his throat.
"When she died. They found her body in a car park. Brutally beaten, her throat slit. They said it was a robbery gone wrong. We all died a bit that day. That was two years ago to the day."
Richard collapsed over the steering wheel, sobbing. Instantly, Kahlan wrapped an arm around his shoulders and whispered reassurances to him.
They sat like that for close to half an hour, though Richard had stopped crying long before then.
"Come on, I'd like to visit her grave."
He leaned over Kahlan and pulled a small wooden craving out of the glove box.
Smiling, he explained. "She always liked my carvings, so I make her one each year."
He got out of the truck and waited for Kahlan to join him before they both headed into the cemetery. Richard led Kahlan to a well kept grave. The tombstone was elegant but simple, words of remembrance carved delicately into it.
Hally Conner
1991-2008
"I'd rather die in a fight than old and toothless in bed."
Richard moved forward and knelt in front of the tombstone. Kahlan made sure to hang back, as Richard talked quietly.
xxxxx
Cara didn't say anything while Richard knelt by Hally's grave, she respected Hally and Richard too much to make a scene here. Even as drunk as she was she wouldn't do that. Instead she waited by Richard's truck, leaning against the back door.
Richard and Kahlan paused briefly when they saw her, but otherwise continued to the truck.
"Cara, how are you?"
"I'd be better if your girlfriend wasn't here." She hissed, moving towards Richard and getting in his face.
"She's not…"
"How could you do that to Hally?"
Richard's face turned from concerned to barely concealed anger in a second. He grabbed Cara's arms and man handled her into the truck.
"You're drunk Cara. I'm going to get you home, but I won't forget that comment."
Cara shoved him away.
"Good. Don't forget. Never forget." Suddenly Cara collapsed into herself, slumping in the seat.
"Never forget her." She whispered almost as if to herself.
"I won't forget her and neither will you Cari."
Cara nodded and closed her eyes. Richard got into the driver's seat and gestured Kahlan into the passenger's seat. She shook her head and slid into the seat next to Cara. At the close proximity Kahlan could smell the alcohol on Cara's breath.
"Hey Cara, I want you to stay awake and talk to me okay?"
"Yeah." Was the muttered response.
"So, do you drink often?"
"Sometimes. When I get sad."
"Does it make you feel happy?"
Cara giggled. "For a little while."
"What do you like to drink?"
"Vodka. I brought a new bottle today because I knew I'd be sad. I don't like being sad."
Kahlan smiled slightly at how childish a drunken Cara sounded. She moved a few strands of hair out of Cara's face.
"How much of that did you drink?"
"Not too much, I stopped after I was happy again. Oh No!"
Kahlan's heart beat increased. "What is it Cara?"
"I left my vodka at the cemetery! Now what am I going to drink?"
"I'm sure we'll find you something when we get you home."
Cara nodded. Her head dropped onto Kahlan's shoulder.
"I'm sorry I yelled at you and Richard. I was scared. I don't want to forget her."
"Hush." Kahlan stroked Cara's hair in a calming gesture.
"It's okay, I understand. You won't ever forget her. I know you won't. She'll always be with you because you loved her. "
Cara snorted and made to move her head, but Kahlan pressed Cara to her shoulder.
"You did love her, as a sister."
"Yeah, I guess I did."
From then on Cara only answered question with a nod or a shake of her head. It took a while to get Cara to her apartment once they reached her apartment block. Richard had offered to carry her, but the Mord-Sith had insisted she walk, so walk she did. With Kahlan and Richard on either side of her to make sure she didn't fall over. They were spared having to grope Cara to find the apartment keys (Kahlan was slightly disappointed, but wouldn't admit to it) as Raina was waiting at the front door for them.
"Berdine saw your truck pull up. Let's get her into her room before she passes out."
Cara's room was red. Carpet, walls, curtains and even the duvet on the bed was red. Berdine pulled Cara to her and sat her on the bed.
"You can leave; we'll put her to bed."
Richard and Kahlan were ushered out, with no other option but to sit quietly in the lounge. Eventually Raina joined them, having gotten Cara out of the clothes and into bed. Berdine was staying with her to make sure she didn't do something stupid before she fell asleep.
Richard sighed. "I wish she wouldn't drink."
"You know what she's like. She'd rather show emotions while drunk so she can blame it on being drunk. You guys should get home. I'm sure you have better things to do, and she'll be alright."
The drive home was as silent as the drive to the cemetery. Richard stopped outside of Kahlan's house.
"Kahlan, thanks for coming with me today. And don't take everything she says to heart, she was drunk."
She nodded. "I know Richard. I'll see you tomorrow."
xxxxx
Berdine's birthday dinner was held at a rather nice restaurant called the People's Palace. Kahlan was glad that Darken, Jagang and Demmin Nass hadn't been invited, though there was still quite a large group celebrating the occasion. Raina and Cara were obviously there, as well as Richard, Haina and Rikka. Rikka had of course brought Chase. The rest of the Mord-Sith (except Denna, Constance and Triana) had been invited as well as a few of the boys from the D'Haran Army. Kahlan found herself sitting between Cara (which was a bit awkward. It had been a week, but she had still admitted she'd sleep with Cara) and Benjamin. The food was good and the conversation flowed freely. It was interesting watching Cara fend off the obvious advances from Benjamin. After dinner and desert had been eaten, presents piled up by Berdine's chair. She was equally excited about every present she was given. Kahlan had overheard Berdine complaining that she never got to go to the ranch to ride anymore, so Kahlan had brought her a weekend at a riding retreat. With an extra reservation for Raina, if she wanted to go. Whatever Cara had gotten Berdine was apparently too big to bring to dinner, and was waiting back at their apartment. Then Berdine had unwrapped Raina's present. Her eyes lit up as she read the title on the spine of the book before she turned to her girlfriend and practically pounced on her; kissing her fully on the lips before resting her forehead on Raina's. Berdine stayed on Raina's lap until she was forced to move to pay the bill. People left, again wishing Berdine a happy birthday until only Berdine, Raina, Cara, Rikka, Haina and Kahlan were left. All but Rikka squeezed into Cara's car to be driven to the apartment. Rikka followed behind on her motorbike.
The evening (and technically morning) could have been awkward for Kahlan, but she found Rikka and Haina easy to get along with. Haina was generally quiet, she didn't speak very much or laugh quite as loudly as everyone else (Berdine for example had a very loud laugh). However, when she did speak, it usually sent the others into a fit of laughter. Rikka was the polar opposite, she almost never stopped talking or teasing someone (Kahlan mostly) mercilessly. There had been some drunken talk of getting Berdine's present from Cara and playing with it. Cara put her foot down, and even went to hide it. She did not was a drunken Berdine playing with a sword. The night had been filled with idle chatter and drinking. During a lull in conversation, Cara suddenly brought up Kahlan's comment from the week before.
"So, Kahlan. You think I'd be good at sex?"
Kahlan blushed bright red and ran out of the room. It was a slight over reaction, but she could blame that on being tipsy. She came back shortly after leaving and took her seat. Cara moved to sit next to her and bumped their shoulders together.
"No hard feelings okay? I'm just teasing you."
Kahlan nodded and joined in a completely different conversation with Haina. Cara stayed sitting next to her.
Everyone eventually found a place to sleep. Cara disappeared into her room, and Berdine and Raina into their room. Rikka and Haina fought over the couch, with Haina winning much to Kahlan's amusement. Leaving a few mattresses on the floor for Rikka and Kahlan.
xxxxx
Kahlan found out the next morning that the others weren't really early risers. She lay on her mattress, looking at the ceiling and not thinking about much at all. About an hour later she heard movement in the kitchen. Getting up, Kahlan pulled on her jeans (they had been far too uncomfortable to sleep in) and headed towards the noise.
xxxxx
Cara had already pulled out a few pans and ingredients for breakfast when she felt someone behind her. She turned her head slightly, spying a sleep mussed Kahlan in the kitchen doorway. Her t-shirt and jeans were rumpled, and her hair stuck out in a few places. She looked cute (not that Cara ever used the word 'cute').
"Can you cook at all?"
Kahlan jumped at the question. She hadn't realised that Cara had noticed her.
"Yeah, what do you want me to do?"
"You pick. We have eggs, bacon, pancakes, hash browns, waffles and toast. Make sure you make a lot. Raina and I are the only ones who eat normal portions. The other three could out eat an elephant."
Kahlan snorted a laugh. "I had noticed Berdine seems to have a lot of food at lunch. I'll do eggs, bacon and hash browns."
They worked in almost in silence, with the banging of a spoon on the edge of a bowl or an 'excuse me' interrupting every now and then. They had almost finished when Cara spoke.
"Do you really know?"
"Pardon?"
"Do you really know that I won't forget her?"
Kahlan sighed, pulling the pan off stove and tipping the cooked bacon onto a plate.
"I do know. When I was twelve I lost my older sister to leukaemia. Dennee was only thirteen. I've never forgotten her, and I never will. Neither will you."
Cara was silent again, clearly thinking. She looked up.
"Can you look after this for a moment?" She gestured to the waffles she was making.
Kahlan nodded and took over, her bacon cooking having finished. Cara came back just as she was pouring more mixture into the waffle iron. She held a framed photograph in one hand.
"This is Hally."
Kahlan wiped her fingers on her jeans before taking the offered photo. Hally was taller, taller than the Cara in the photo next to her. She had blonde hair, though a few shades light than Cara and piercing blue eyes.
"She even looks like you."
Cara nodded as she took the photo back.
"Yeah, we use to pretend we were related. It confused a few people, especially when she came up with some of the stories we did. I think we convinced one teacher that we had been separated at birth. Our parents hadn't had enough money to feed both of us, so they sold Hally to the circus and that we hadn't had enough time to do our home work as we were trying to buy Hally back from said circus. We didn't have to do home work for a month in that class."
Kahlan smiled. "Dennee looked nothing like me." She pulled her wallet out of her back pocket and pulled out the picture of Dennee she always kept in there.
"Here."
"I disagree; she could be your twin." Cara smirked.
Laughing quietly, Kahlan hit Cara in the stomach with the back of her hand.
"You're terrible. Give that back."
