Chapter Ten
The screech awoke him immediately. Throwing the pillow over his head he groaned loudly before chucking the pillow off him in annoyance. One night, that was all that he wanted, one night where he could blissfully roll about the bed and experience a whole night of uninterrupted sleep without her demanding his constant attention.
He felt a chaste kiss on his shoulder, "It's your turn." She murmured heavily, he was certain that she was still asleep. She had this amazing talent of remaining asleep but still demanding orders from him.
He muttered under his breath as he slothfully made his way out of his bedroom and into the room opposite them. Flicking on the light he walked over to the small bundle and cradled her in his arms.
"My little Cece, now why are you so upset tonight huh?" he cooed at the small baby in his arms.
It amazed him how something so little could be capable of such a powerful screech. Robbie often joked that his daughters lungs where made of steel and where about three times the size of normal child's. He could already tell that she was meant for stardom, even at three months, he could tell that she was going to have the most beautiful, lilting voice. Her cheeks where furiously red from screaming the estate down. Robbie had been through this countless times, had tried every method he could think of until one night he had come across the only thing that would seem to make her stop crying.
"Ah do you want to hear the story again?"
The result was almost immediate. As soon as he lowered himself into the rocking chair and gently pushed himself back and forth; she calmed herself. Green eyes curiously staring up at him, waiting for him to begin. Robbie loved these moments with his daughter, he discovered that she was his greatest achievement as well as his greatest outlet. She was better than an therapist, someone he could vent to, someone who would just listen to what he said, her little fingers gripping tightly onto his forefinger as she slowly drifted off to his words.
"Well three years ago, I was horribly alone and bitter because I was lost. Lost because I was searching for answers. Answers to the enigma that was Cat Valentine. She was one of the most beautiful girls I had ever encountered, so full of life and love. But I wasn't enough for her, she ran. Ran away from her problems. But most importantly, she decided to run away from me. So I had no choice. I had put it behind me. I thought I could move one, and foolishly thought it would be easy to forget. But then this… amazing little girl showed up at my door. It was like looking in a mirror, suddenly I was a fifteen year again looking at this Cat Valentine with brown hair. She was her daughter, there was no doubting that."
He looked at his daughter whose eyes where growing heavy. He smiled when she squeezed his fingers though, indicating that to him that she wanted more, "I want more than anything for you to be like her Cece. She was… such a character. Determined and sharper than any other fifteen year old than I had ever met. She gave me purpose again, she gave me a reason to search."
"After many trails and the somewhat unwanted help of your godmother Jade, we set on a cross country adventure to find Cat, to get the closure we all wanted…."
He always did this, always hesitated before he finished the story. He always felt strange lying to his daughter, but at the same time he didn't like the truth… it wasn't the sort of story you tell a child, after all there was no happy ending… just the harsh reality that not everyone gets a happy ending. So he concluded his story the way he only way he knew how.
By creating the ending that could have been.
"So the trio found themselves in Las Vegas, where Jade was reunited with her husband and Cat and I finally clasped eyes with each other after all those years. Suddenly everyone was ecstatically happy. Cat and Maia had an emotional reunion while I happily watched on. There was many tears of happiness as Cat and Robbie embraced for the first time in years. You see Cat was being held captive by an evil monster in the horrible castle and only Robbie could free her. She was so pleased with him that she showed it with a kiss. Then everyone lived happily ever after."
He looked down at his now asleep daughter before placing a kiss on her soft forehead. He could sense her presence by the door as he carefully brought Cece back over to the crib. Placing her gently down he tread lightly on his feet as he left the room.
She held out her arms limply and he wrapped his arms around her and sighed contently as he nuzzled into her neck. He felt a pang of guilt as he held her in her arms, aware that may have heard him tell their daughter that particular story that he ever tells his daughter when he certain she won't hear. In one swift movement, he scooped her up in her arms and brought her back to their room.
Robbie had met Sofia at last year at an after party for one of his new bands awards ceremony. He was the first person in a long time to make him laugh, to make him feel not so alone… and he loved her, he was certain he loved her… so much so that he made her his wife.
Yet he still couldn't forget his past, he never really spoke of it to Sofia. Just that he had only ever loved one girl before her but that it hadn't really worked out. He couldn't bring himself to tell her about Maia, about how he had treated her the last time he saw her all those years ago. To this day he can still see the heartbreak in her eyes when he had ostracised her, how he had created her so coldly. He cared about her, even then when he knew that she may not be his. But she reminded him too much of Cat, that he knew he couldn't have contact with her anymore.
He had to hurt her, it was the only real way that she would let go.
Sometimes he found himself wondering about her, she would be graduating school this year. He imagined she would go onto college. She would make something of herself, Robbie was sure of it. How could she not when her mother was so talented in high school? But then he was reminded that Maia wouldn't be sitting her thinking about him, she would be moving on with her life… so he must do the same.
He has to forget.
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He scanned the coffee shop in search of her, his eyes instantly falling on the woman in all black, her perfectly painted red lipstick staining the side of the cup after she removed it from her lips. He studied her for a moment, how she was biting her lips as she stared up at the television overhead. She must have sensed his linger gaze as her eyes whipped down from the television and bore into him instead. She gave him an almost smiled as she waved him over with the small flick of her wrist. He grinned as he held his finger up and quickly ordered his drink before throwing himself in the seat across from him. It wouldn't matter if Robbie hadn't seen Jade West in a couple of weeks or a year, the woman seemed to never age.
"I see you are still stealing your youth from children Jade." He said, avoiding her hand as she swished it at him in a feeble attempt to hit him.
"That joke wasn't funny the first time you made it Rob." She said dryly, "Have you seen this?" she pointed up at the television.
Robbie glanced upwards where he half-listened to the stabbing of an unidentified woman but an unknown assailant. She was innocently walking home when she was attacked, she was greeted with six plunges into her stomach and one into her heart. He made off with her purse and had left her battered and bruised.
He shook his head sadly, "That is horrible. Why is there never anything positive on the news? Its always full of doom and gloom."
"That's cause sadly the world is full of sick people who love to make people miserable." She replied solemnly.
"Anyway how are you?" he asked in an attempt to change the subject.
She shrugged nonchalantly, "About the same, joint custody means that Jamie is spending the month with Beck up in Canada visiting his grandparents."
Robbie still couldn't believe that Jade had a three year old. He remembered when she told him, Jade had stayed with him in LA after they returned of Los Angeles. Finally she had to tell him that she had indeed slept with Beck during her stay and was, indeed pregnant. Robbie urged her to act maturely, he knew she would listen. Knew that she wouldn't make the same mistake as her former friend. So she told Beck, told him that if he didn't want to be a part of their life then it was fine, that she didn't need him at all. But he would never forgive himself for not being a father to their child.
Jade took to motherhood in a way Robbie had never expected. She was the happiest he had ever seen her. Robbie couldn't help but be proud as he watched her on her own, how well she could cope, how she could adapt to whatever was thrown at her and surpass all expectations placed upon her.
"He promised me that he would video chat me at least three times a week. It works anyway as I'm on my book tour anyway."
Robbie quirked an eyebrow, "I took a read of the copy you sent me."
She smirked, "I didn't think you would be that big of a fan."
"Well I couldn't help but notice that the main girl, Autumn and the fumbling male Pete are an awful lot like myself and Cat." He retorted before taking a sip of his coffee.
Jade smiled knowingly, "Well if you want to make that comparison it's up to you, I didn't put those words in your mouth."
"Oh come on!" He scoffed, "Autumn runs away, he chases after her along with her daughter… seems a bit too convenient for me Jade. Also considering it ends with Pete taking his daughter home and choosing to return back home."
Jade grinned, "Ah well now that is because I'm waiting dear Robbie."
"For what?" he questioned, "This all happened three years ago. Everything has changed now Jade. We aren't the same people we were back then. I have a family now and so do you. You need to let go."
But Jade was relentless, she wouldn't give up, "I don't think so Robbie. I just have this feeling. This is Cat Valentine we are talking about." She grabbed her bag as she rose to her feet, "I just don't think we have heard the last of her."
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He sighed as he opened his house door and threw his keys in the direction of the key dish on top of the table as he went in search of his wife. He called out for her and followed her voice which lead him outside to loungers beside the pool. He kissed the top of her head before scooping up Cece who was sitting in her stroller and lay on the opposite lounger with her strewn over his torso.
He glanced at Sofia, who was balancing a book on her left leg that was propped up slightly. She sighed heavily as she turned the page.
"Well hello to you too." He said jokingly as he placed his sunglasses over his eyes, "yes my day was great darling thanks for asking."
"Sorry." She said distractedly, "It's just this book is amazing! Jade is such a fantastic writer, I just can't put it down I am almost half way through it!"
His body tensed on reflex, he cursed inwardly to himself. He was supposed to lock that book away in his office so she would never have the chance to read it.
"Yeah I just sorta skimmed through it." He lied easily, "You know so I could pretend I liked it when I met her today."
She shot him a look, "No Rob I'm serious. You really need to read it. These characters are so beautifully written, Pete is just so in love with Autumn; it's really breaking my heart. Honestly if they aren't together by the end of the book I am going to ring Jade to give her a piece of my mind."
He managed a small laugh before he grabbed Cece and rose again, "I think it's about time for this one's afternoon feed."
Sofia nodded, "There should be a bottle for her ready in the fridge. Heat for only thirty seconds okay!" she reminded him before burying herself back into her book.
Robbie silently thanked his daughter as he removed himself from that awkward moment and made his way into the kitchen. He willed himself to not think about what his wife had just said, and made himself concentrate on the task at hand. If only she had known what she had actually said, how could Robbie now tell her that the characters of Jade's latest tale where based on true people and a real life event?
Either way wouldn't end well.
But Robbie had always known that his life would never be anything but easy. He knew that the moment when he sat down beside Caterina Valentine eighteen years ago. When she had smiled at him he something happened, he just knew that there was something about her, she was crazy he knew that much. But he knew that there wasn't much he wouldn't have risked for her. Back then he was certain he would have risked it all.
But that was then and this is now.
But he shouldn't have been surprised when his phone began to chirp over on the counter. Somehow he managed to juggle both Cece, the bottle and the phone as he placed it between his ear and shoulder.
"Yes, sorry I know-" he began, expecting it just to be another one of his clients ringing him to tell him he yet again forgot one of their meetings or just to yell at him for no apparent reason.
"Is this Mr. Robert Shapiro?"
The voice on the other end was one he didn't recognise, it was sharp and clinical, it instantly made him nervous.
"Yes it is."
There was a slight pause before the voice replied, "Mr. Shapiro there is no easy way to say this but, I am calling from the LAPD. We need you to come with us to identify a body of the stab victim that took place earlier this week."
He swallowed, his mouth suddenly void of all moisture as he asked the question he dreaded most… because he feared he already knew the answer.
"Why? Who do you think the victim is?"
"We know this is hard." The voice responded almost monotonously, "We tried to contact intermediate family but we couldn't get through to any and you—"
"For god sake just tell me!" he demanded, his quick temper instantly setting off Cece, who started to squeal in annoyance, he cursed under his breath, "Sofia! Come take her from me."
She skidded into the room instantly and grabbed her from his arm, "Robbie what is it?"
He silenced her with a finger to her lips and turned her back to her, "Who do you think it is?!"
The pause seemed never ending, until finally the voice answered his worst horror imaginable:
"Miss Caterina Valentine."
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