NA1: Thanks to Steph who has amazing turn around time, even when most of my writing is highlighted with mistakes I made.
NA2: The song is Queer by Garbage. I suggest typing it into youtube and watching the video, very entertaining. OH! And I don't own the song either!
NA3: Everyone who has been bugging me about Lindsey's attitude problem, this is your chapter, I wrote it with you in mind.
Disclaimer: I still haven't bought the rights to the show, believe me, you would know if I did. And I now present, Chapter 7!
I got out of my SUV and was thankful that Lindsey decided to stay with Nancy this morning. Heather stood up when she saw me get out of the car.
"Do you ever sleep?" I ask, trying to push my hair out of my face.
"When the girls are working I sleep." She said, leaning against the railing on my steps.
I shook my head, hit the lock on my keys and turned back to her, surprised to see her in jeans again and another tour t-shirt, this time for Garbage.
"I couldn't do that, all of the strange people in my house." I told her standing beside her for a moment before unlocking the door and ushering her in.
I watched as she looked around and took in my home. From my white couch that was still spotless, to the cherry coffee table, the peach walls, and all the pictures that hung on the walls. Most were of just me and Lindsey when she was smaller. After Heather took in the surroundings her eyes fell on my stereo system and saw her intake of breath.
I took the remote, no idea what was actually in the stereo and hit play.
Hey boy, take a look at me
Let me dirty up your mind
I'll strip away your hard veneer
And see what I can find
The queerest of the queer
The strangest of the strange
The coldest of the cool
The lamest of the lame
The numbest of the dumb
I hate to see you here
You choke behind a smile
A fake behind the fear
The queerest of the queer
This is what he pays me for
I'll show you how it's done
You learn to love the pain you feel
Like father, like son
Came blaring out and I couldn't suppress a giggle. "Good day to wear a Garbage tour shirt." I said, letting the rest of the song play while I walked into the kitchen and hit the power on the coffee pot.
The queerest of the queer
Hide inside your head
The blindest of the blind
The deadest of the dead
You're hungry 'cause you starve
While holding back the tears
Choking on your smile
A fake behind the fear
The queerest of the queer
I know what's good for you (You can touch me if you want)
I know you're dying to (You can touch me if you want)
I know what's good for you (You can touch me if you want)
But you can't stop
The queerest of the queer
The strangest of the strange
The coldest of the cool
The lamest of the lame
The numbest of the dumb
I hate to see you here
You choke behind a smile
A fake behind the fear
The queerest of the queer
The strangest of the strange
The coldest of the cool
You're nothing special here
A fake behind the fear
The queerest of the queer
I know what's good for you
I know you're dying to
I know what's good for you
I bet you're dying to
You can touch me if you want
You can touch me if you want
You can touch me
You can touch me
But you can't stop.
When I walked back in I turned the volume down and saw Heather sitting on the couch, her back straight, like she was nervous. "What's up?" I asked, sitting down next to her.
She looked at me, her hands moving back and forth over her jeans, like she was trying to wipe the sweat off. "I was thinking about what you said at dinner. And every time we get close to each other I realize how very little I do know about you. I had no idea you liked Garbage. I want this to start over. I want us to go on dates to concerts and watch movies together before we even see each other's bed rooms."
I held my breath, not sure what to say. I mean it seemed like a good idea. It seemed almost logical.
"And most of all, if I am going to date you Catherine, I want you and Lindsey to be okay. I don't want to drive a wedge between you two like I did with me and my own daughter." Heather said, small tears creating a trail down her face. "Catherine, I don't want to mess this up."
"So let's start over." The words were out of my mouth before I even thought about saying them. I stood up and motioned for her to do the same thing. I put my hand out and smiled. "My name is Catherine Willows, my taste in music is a bit bizarre. I like romantic comedies and action movies. I am a CSI for the Las Vegas Crime Lab and I have a daughter who drives me crazy."
Heather smiled, breathing deeply and took my hand. "Heather Kessler. My taste in music is also a bit on the wild side. I like action movies, especially ones that involve very pretty women with super powers, and I run my own independent business. My daughter died a short while ago, and I don't think I have any grandchildren."
I smiled and walked back into the kitchen, getting us both a cup of coffee. On my way back in I smiled, seeing her sitting on the couch much more relaxed. "So what is this independent business that you run?" I asked, sitting next to her and handing her a cup of coffee.
Heather took a sip and smiled. "Well, I run this place called The Dominion. It's a bondage house." She said, trying to suppress the laugh. "Okay, I think we can skip over the stuff we are just going to laugh through."
I nodded in agreement, drinking my coffee and leaning back. "So let's get around to that first date movie." I said putting my coffee down. "Underworld sound good?" I asked picking out the dvd and turning my T.V. on while turning the stereo off.
"Sounds fantastic." Heather said, bending down and taking off the boots she was wearing. I walked back over, following suit and toeing my sneakers off and seating into my place by the arm of the couch. Heather leaned in to me and I couldn't help but wrap my arms around her protectively. I pulled the blanket off the back of the couch down on us and was all prepared to watch the movie.
"Oh one more thing Cath, just hang onto the key, I promise you will find out what it's for, but if we are going to start all over, it needs to pull a disappearing act for a bit." Heather said, nuzzling her head into the spot between my neck and shoulder.
"Mom I'm ho----. What the hell!"
I woke up and tried to turn to see what the issue was and then realized what the issue was. Heather was sleeping on top of me. I shook Heather's shoulder and when she didn't wake up I sighed and said. "Heather, get up!" Her eyes fluttered open and looked at me.
"What's going on?" She asked, sitting up and stretching out her muscles.
"Lindsey, this is Heather, Heather, Lindsey. Don't kill each other." I said rubbing my face and staring at my daughter, wondering how much of a fool she was going to make me look like.
I saw Lindsey swallow hard and realized she was trying to 'grow up'.
Chris must have been something special to her, even if I never met him. But then again, with the way we had been fighting, maybe that's why I hadn't met him.
I watched as Lindsey fought a war with herself. I knew she wanted to snap back something rude that would probably hurt me more than Heather but she was fighting it.
When she finally took a step towards me I was pleasantly surprised.
"Hello Ms.----" She said, her hand out, acting like a perfect young lady.
Heather looked at me. Apparently I wasn't the only one who was surprised.
I nodded for her to take her hand and try to have the conversation.
"Kessler." Heather answered, gripping Lindsey's hand and shaking it. "We have to work on your hand shake though, you need to be more aggressive."
My eyes widened. Heather was telling my daughter she wasn't aggressive enough. Oh God, what did I just walk into?
Lindsey smiled a tight smile that clearly said, "I am going to behave but damn it the moment this woman leaves this house you're going to hear it mom".
"When you shake hands that is how someone reads your strength. If I had to rate you on the hand shake you just gave me I would say you are a weak person that would be easy to use." Heather explained, still sitting on the couch.
"I am not weak." Lindsey responded, a little of her anger seeping through.
"I never said you were dear, just giving you a little advice." Heather said smiling.
I watched in disbelief. Heather really was trying to hide most of what she did for a living but some of the things seep through, like the comment about the hand shake. But I think what got me more was that Lindsey was taking her advice and just thinking it through.
Lindsey then turned and looked at me expectantly. "Go to the kitchen sweetie, and I'll be in to make lunch in a bit." I told her and watched her walk out without an argument.
"You know Heather I am going to have to keep you around. She doesn't scream at me around you." I said teasingly.
"That's because my body language screams don't screw with me. Yours on the other hand changes when she's around. You become this meek little person that I don't think you really are." Heather said. "When she's not around you're confident and take control, but the moment she woke us up, your whole demeanor changed."
I blinked a few times and stared at this woman sitting next to me. "You're not joking are you?" I inquired and when she shook her head I sighed. "I can't believe my daughter respects you more than me." I said, putting my head in my hands.
"Cath, you have to make her understand you aren't going to take her shit, that you do have a back bone." Heather said, rubbing my back while I sat there.
"You are staying for lunch." I declared. "I want to have at least one peaceful meal."
I stood up and motioned for her to follow me into the kitchen. She got up and padded in behind me, taking a seat on one of my stools at the bar, right beside Lindsey who was bouncing a soccer ball off the wall and back.
When Heather sat down beside her, she stopped bouncing the ball on the wall and put it under her feet. Heather turned and looked at me and mouthed, "Is she allowed to do that in the house?". I shook my head and went about making lunch.
"So what do you two want for lunch?" I asked standing by the refrigerator.
Lindsey looked up and chewed on her lip. "Spaghetti?" She said, questioning if it was an option.
Before I opened my mouth, Heather had it taken care of. "Why don't we pick something easier? That way we can eat quicker and then you won't have to do dishes after we eat."
I watched in amazement as Lindsey just accepted that, no argument or anything. "Tuna?" She asked this time and Heather nodded.
"Tuna okay with you Catherine?" She asked me and I nodded.
After we ate lunch Lindsey conned Heather into staying to watch a movie with her. I sat on the couch and watched as Lindsey leaned against Heather while they watched some movie on Disney Channel I didn't get the name of. I hadn't sat down to watch a movie with her in forever and yet here she was leaning on the woman I was dating like she was her best friend.
Heather turned around and looked at me, a questioning look on her face, and I just shook my head.
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