Kate hears her door creaking open and peers through the darkness, catching sight of Cal's distinctive figure almost immediately. A moment later, her bed dips, and she feels it move as Cal readjusts herself.
"Comfy?" Kate frowns, reaching out a finger to blindly poke her sister. It's not that she's annoyed, on the contrary, Cal's been doing this ever since she was a kid, and the best conversations Kate has with her sister seem to be in the middle of the night. Even so, she can't resist teasing her.
"Very." Cal replies, injecting as much dignity into her words while wearing fluffy pyjamas and rattling a plastic bag. "I bring snacks."
"Midnight feast?" Kate grins, reaching up along her wall and flicking a switch. A moment later, a curtain of fairy lights break the darkness. Cal smiles appreciatively and runs a finger along one of the light strings while Kate sets out the Pringles, Maltesers and Gummy Bears Cal has brought with her.
"Hey, when you know, you know. And I know I'm feeling snacky." She takes two Gummy Bears and sucks on them slowly. Kate can't help but resist the small smile that tugs at her lips. Ever the pacifist, Cal couldn't stand biting into any lolly or chocolate that was shaped like an animal, instead letting it melt in her mouth. At five years old, Cal had told Kate it meant the teddies can still play all together in my belly, and she hadn't changed her habits since. "So, are we allowed to talk about the elephant in the room? Or, I guess the man in the lounge room? Why is he on the lounge and not in here with you?"
"I knew that's what you came in to talk about!" Kate rolls her eyes and takes a handful of Maltesers.
"Well, you now I live vicariously through you. And he's a pretty good guy. Or he seems to be, anyway. I don't know why you haven't dived in yet. Or... on? Under?"
"Cal, it's... it's not a dive in situation. You and I are different. You... you love with your heart. I... I love with my head?"
"Weird analogy. But alright, then." Cal rearranges herself primly on the pillows and turns to her sister. "So let's Kate McGregor this. Your first concern, Bridie. Does he like Bridie? Does Bridie like him? Is he kind to her, gentle, caring? Does he look after her?" Cal turns to Kate. "You know the amount of people you've let take Bridie to school besides you and I? No one. Until Mike. Second concern, your baggage-"
"Alright, you're doing this all wrong." Kate interjects. "My first priority is my girls. Girls, plural. You and Bridie." For a moment, Cal looks as though she's about to cry, but then she opens her mouth. "And I know you like him too, so that's that point still a yes. But just so my darling sister knows, I am capable of figuring this out myself."
"But you don't do anything!" Cal points out. "It's... so much has happened, I feel like we're in bloody... chapter twenty-three or... or season four at least. It's not slow burn anymore. It's... sputtering candle running out of wick."
"And that's not a weird analogy?" Kate challenges, folding her arms and shifting slightly, accidentally nudging the can of Pringles over. Keeping her faze fixed downwards as she re-rights the can, she confesses, "I asked him out."
"You what?!" Cal shouts, apparently forgetting it's the middle of the night and the house has three other people sleeping.
"Shhh!" Kate frantically shushes her sister, very nearly poking her in the eye as she goes to place a finger over Cal's mouth. "Do you want to wake everyone up?!"
"Sorry! Sorry!" Cal mimes twiddling a volume dial before turning to Kate. "But you asked him out?! Why didn't you tell me? This is..." She looks around. "Would have saved me $7.20 on the snacks if I had have known that one! Details!"
"There... there are no details. I just... sort of asked him if he wanted to go on a date with me. And he said yes." She shrugs, but she's not able to suppress the smile that splits her face.
"And?" Cal presses.
"And..." She frowns, not sure what else her sister is seeking. "We held hands a little. That's it. And so now you know everything..." Kate shifts slightly, resting her head on her sister's shoulder. "What's going on in your love life?"
She hadn't exactly thought through the practicalities of making her own cup of coffee one-armed. After all, she's been surrounded by people everywhere bringing her coffee and food every half-hour or so, but now the house is all asleep but for her and her caffeine withdrawals. She's just wedged the coffee tin between her knees and is attempting to open the jar when a voice breaks her concentration.
"What on earth are you up to?" Mike grins.
Kate jumps. The coffee tin lands on the floor with a loud bang and rolls, the spoon clattering just next to it. "Shit." Kate curses, spinning around and knocking her coffee mug from the bench in the process. "Shit." She curses again, freezing in her spot.
"Graceful." Mike grins, eyes raking down her. "You're barefoot. Stay there. I'll grab a broom. Are you okay?"
"I just wanted a coffee!" Kate half-whines, staring at the mess on the ground, before throwing her good hand up in the air. "And everyone was asleep."
Mike returns to the kitchen, broom in hand, and curses. "Kate, your foot."
"What?" She frowns and looks down at it. There's blood. "Oh." She makes to lift it but Mike shakes his head.
"Stay there!" He repeats. "I'll come to you."
"I can fix it." Kate defends, but a moment later Mike has half-lifted her up and settled her on the bench. "Ouch. Taking some liberties there."
"It doesn't look too deep." Mike reports, taking a damp piece of paper towel and dabbing gently. "Looks like it's just a scratch. You got bandaids?"
"First aid kit is up there." Kate resigns herself to the fact that he won't let her clean herself up and gestures vaguely towards the cupboard under the sink.
"Mickey Mouse?" Mike frowns at the lurid bandaids. "Nice." She twitches slightly as his fingers touch her bare feet. He chuckles, jabbing a finger into her foot. "Ha! You have ticklish feet!"
"Piss off." Kate grumbles, steeling herself this time for his touch. She expects him to take advantage of this piece of knowledge, but to her surprise he applies the bandaid quite quickly and grins at her.
"Well, I think you're going to live." He puts his hands out as though he's about to lift her down from the bench top, but then seems to think better of it. "Oops. Sorry. Force of habit. Usually it's Rosie I'm patching up. Although..." He turns a critical gaze to her. "I don't feel like she's had as many injuries in her life as you've had in these last few months."
"Hmm... ever since I met you. You haven't put a curse on me or something? Or do you just enjoy sweeping in and playing knight in shining armour."
"You're too stubborn to ever be a damsel in distress." He smiles at her, and something in Kate shifts.
For a moment they look at each other. And then Kate leans forward and kisses him, and Mike responds just as enthusiastically, so that for a moment he's nearly lifting her off her feet. A moment later one of his hands comes to rest on her hip, and the shift in weight sends him crashing into her, trapping her wrist between them. He pulls apart.
"Shit. Sorry." He mumbles. "Are you-"
"Fine." Kate cuts him off, pulling him closer once more.
"Knew you found me irresistible." He grins, capturing her lips once more.
"Bastard." She murmurs between kisses. "Chauvinistic. Prick."
"Stubborn." He mutters. "Beautiful."
She isn't sure how long they both stand there, mere oxygen insignificant compared to each other. All she knows is, all of a sudden there's a clearing of someone's throat, and her and Mike whip around to see Cal standing in the doorway, both hands held out shielding Rose and Bridie's eyes. "Well..." Cal drags her word out, a cocky grin on her face. "I will take my Cal is right presents in the form of confectionery, bath bombs or hair dye, thank you very much. Girls, back away very slowly, or else face therapy." Kate feels her face flush. "Oh!" Cal continues. "When you're finished your little make-out sess, maybe one of you want to clean up the broken glass?"
"I..." Kate croaks, one arm still wrapped around Mike's neck. "I was... trying to make coffee?" She mumbles.
"You make out with all your baristas?" Cal quips, calling over her shoulder, "If you can't be good, be careful!"
Kate turns back to Mike, ducking her head for a moment and willing the redness in her cheeks to subside. "Well..." He begins tentatively, pressing a brief kiss to Kate's shoulder. "Guess we don't have to tell the kids."
"Was beginning to think you'd moved house without telling me." Maxine's voice calls as she climbs out of her car and walks down Mike's front drive. He lifts a hand in lazy greeting as Rose drops her school bag on the front path and runs to hug her. "Hey, Rosie." Max presses a kiss to the top of Rose's head, before following her back towards Mike.
"We've been... staying at a friends." Rose explains with a tentative look towards her father. "Are you staying for a bit, Aunty Max?"
"If that's okay with your Dad?" Maxine answers.
"Yeah, sure. Of course. Cuppa?" He leads the way back towards the house, Rose dashing towards her bedroom while Mike and Maxine make their way into the kitchen. "Rosie, can you throw your dirty clothes into the laundry?" He calls after her, before turning back to Maxine. "Sorry, Max. Been meaning to call you to organise a catch up. It's just with everything-"
"It's alright." Maxine waves away his apology. "I heard what happened. It's..." She tips her head to one side for a moment, choosing her words. "Well, it's a fucking mess is what it is. But..." She heaves a heavy sigh and takes a seat on one of the bar stools as Mike glances into his fridge.
"Ah... milk's gone off, I'm afraid. Long life okay?"
"It's all good. Black's fine." She fiddles with a strand of hair. "How's Kate doing?"
"She's..." Mike fills the kettle, stalling for time, mulling over her words. "About as well as can be expected, I suppose. Good days and bad, I guess. Like us."
Maxine nods soberly, and for a moment he knows they've both gotten lost in their own minds and the pain of yesteryear. She gives a slight shake before apparently pulling herself together and grinning. "And my sources tell me you two were busted mid-make-out session by some kids."
Mike rolls his eyes, grinning. "Why, your sources spread their news fast." He raises his voice slightly, but receives only a muffled laugh from the direction of the laundry. Returning to his normal volume, he frowns. "And... did your sources tell you if they were okay with that?"
"Are you kidding?" Maxine pats Mike on the shoulder. "She's probably already picked the flower girl dress." Taking one look at Mike's goofy smile, she raises an eyebrow. "And judging by your lovestruck expression, she's not the only one."
Still smiling, Mike places Maxine's cup of coffee in front of her. "We're taking things slow, Max."
"Well, just remember... life's short, Mike. And I'm happy for you." She takes a sip of coffee, and adds. "So... tell me about the famous Kate?"