"It just feels like…Christmas or something," Cooper frowns.
Violet and Charlotte both give him looks that shake him out of his daze.
"I don't mean how you're thinking," he says quickly, holding up a hand. "I mean like when you're little and you keep waiting and waiting for Christmas and it feels like it's never going to come, and then suddenly it's there and you're kind of…stupefied."
Violet exhales, nodding slowly.
"It's awful, is what it is," Charlotte replies. "I don't even know what to say to her. I just wanna drive over to his house and wring his skinny little neck."
"Also an option," Cooper nods.
"Look, you guys," Violet says. "We all wish we could do that, and shelter Kati from any and every kind of pain in her life, but the truth is that we can't. Right? We can't."
Charlotte and Cooper exhale, leaning back against the couch with their arms crossed. Violet continues, feeling more like a therapist and less like family.
"I think it's important to let Kati come to us — come to you — about this. About how she's feeling. If you get too pushy with her, she's going to clam up. Just keep doing what you've always done. Give her space but keep her close."
It's quiet for a moment.
"I guess I just thought this day was years away," Charlotte says. "But today in the car…seein' her in pain like that, I just felt like my heart was bein' squeezed."
Cooper envelopes her small hand with his.
"I just think this kid needs his head examined," Cooper says, shaking his head. "Who could possibly be better than Kati?"
Violet grins.
"Well, we all think Kati is the greatest kid to ever grace the planet," she agrees. "We just have to let her know we all still feel that way. And this shouldn't — and can't — let her self-esteem waver."
"Oh, that boy is not gettin' that much power over my baby," Charlotte says, standing up and giving Violet a sharp look. "Hell no."
She heads for the door to leave Cooper's office, stalking out proudly.
Violet watches her and then turns back to her best friend.
"Bright side?" she says.
Cooper raises his brow, welcoming her words.
"With Charlotte for her mother, there's no chance in hell that Kati's going to end up anything but strong."
Charlotte looks in her office but finds it empty, so she continues towards the kitchen. She finds Kati surrounded by Jamie, Addison, and Amelia.
She pushes open the door slowly.
"Hey," she says quietly, wondering if Kati found what she needed from her aunts. "How many pints are you down?"
"Still on the first two," Amelia replies. "Although one is banana, so…"
"So my child won't get diabetes today, having only one pint of ice cream," Charlotte replies, tilting her head.
"Not today," Jamie nods, spooning some ice cream into her mouth.
Charlotte approaches the little group and gently reaches a hand out to stroke Kati's hair.
When Kati hops off the stool Charlotte almost recoils, but Kati meets her eyes and the look in them makes Charlotte's chest tighten.
"Can we go, Mama?" she asks quietly. "Please?"
She leaves the kitchen before Charlotte can answer.
At home, Kati heads straight up to her bedroom. Charlotte exhales, dropping her bag on the island.
"What do we do?" Cooper asks, staring at the stairs where Kati disappeared.
Just then his phone buzzes.
"Dammit," he breathes, looking at it.
He's on call tonight.
"It's alright," Charlotte assures him. "I've got it."
"I know," he replies. "I just wish I could be here, too."
"Go on," Charlotte says.
He hesitates and looks at the stairs.
"Give her a few minutes?" he asks.
"Yeah," she nods. "I'll go up."
He kisses his wife goodbye and heads for the door.
"Call me, okay? Let me know how she's doing?"
Charlotte nods and he leaves.
She waits a couple minutes and then heads for the stairs. She's the chief of staff, for Christ's sake. Surely she can handle her daughter's first breakup.
She finds Kati's door shut, but not pushed closed. She pushes it open slightly and finds Kati sitting on her window seat.
Quietly, Charlotte walks over and sits across from her.
In silence, she reaches over and squeezes one of Kati's hands. They're almost the same size as Charlotte's. She has long, beautiful, pianist's fingers.
Kati starts to inhale but her breath catches as she meets her mother's eyes. Charlotte's eyes are already filling, just seeing Kati's swimming. Kati moves forward as a sob threatens to escape her chest, crawling into her mother's lap as though she were still small.
Charlotte wraps her arms around her baby, cradling her against her as Kati lets out all of the tears she's spent the last couple of hours holding in. Kati doesn't see any of her tears, she only feels the strong, powerful arms of her mother, holding her together when she feels like falling apart.
