Lunch had been nice, there was a 'help yourself' buffet style set up, and so Lindsey had picked man'n'cheese, Catherine a large mixed salad with chicken, and Sara had opted for a Jacket Potato with baked beans and pineapple, ignoring the looks that the Willows women gave her. Even when it was cold, Sara kept eating it. Throughout the meal she had been up and down to the bathroom at least 3 times, and another couple of times as they walked around the rest of the Zoo. After the second time of this happening Catherine had stopped asking, remembering just how bad her bladder had been when she was expecting Lindsey. She did feel sorry for Sara though, knowing it would only get worse the further her pregnancy progressed.
Before leaving, Lindsey had begged to go back and see the Porcupine's one last time, and on the way had been distracted by the Okapis and Flamingos, then they had spent nearly half an hour looking around the gift shop, looking for souvenir's. They'd already gotten some photos done in the booth, but naturally Lindsey wanted something else, and she had wanted to buy something for Sara. Eventually she settled on a cuddly flamingo for herself, and a postcard with a Porcupine on for Sara, and then she saw a pair of earrings for her Mum. Buying the items, she hovered near the counter, writing a message for Sara on the back of the card, by the time she was done over an hour had passed since Sara had quietly admitted to wanting to leave as she was feeling rather tired.
She had walked ahead to the car, wanting the peace and quiet, and had quickly fallen asleep in the front seat, not noticing when Catherine and Lindsey eventually joined her.
Catherine pointed out to Lindsey that Sara was asleep, and so not to wake her, and the drive back had been quiet, Lindsey falling asleep herself at some point.
Catherine glanced at her two sleeping passengers as she drove, trying to decide what to do for the best – drive Sara back to her apartment, or to drive back to her own house. She was aware that it was later in the day then she thought it would be, and that she would be having to go to work in 6 hours and would need to sleep for a little beforehand, she was also aware that Lindsey had school in the morning, and she still had to sort her lunch, check her homework, and see to a little laundry. Catherine decided, perhaps a little selfishly, that she would drive back to her own place. She would either take Sara back to her apartment before work, or ask Jim to pick her up.
She was so happy that Sara had made it through the day with little incidence beyond a dodgy bladder and a shaking hand, and to be honest, as much as she needed to sleep, she didn't want the day with Lindsey and Sara to end.
About 15 minutes later Catherine pulled into her driveway, reaching her hand over, she gently woke Sara up 'Wake up sleepy head…'
Sara blinked a few times before sending Catherine a sleepy smile 'You're so beautiful' she mumbled, closing her eyes again. 'Come on….' Catherine said, rubbing Sara's leg 'You can't stay in the car…'
Sara blinked again, looking around, slightly confused with her surroundings 'Where are we?' she questioned stretching a little.
'At mine… I need to do a few things before work, and Lindsey has school… Do you want me to ring Brass to come pick you up?'
Sara shook her head no 'No, it's ok… I don't want to leave just yet…I wanna sleep more…'
Catherine smiled, leaning over to kiss Sara softly 'Ok, just not in the car alright… come on…' Catherine got out of the car, and opened Lindsey's door, gently waking her up too. 'Lindzz, Baby, we're home…'
'Ok….' Lindsey grumbled a little but got up, knowing she was too big to ask to be carried.
Sara stepped in the Catherine's home, she'd been there twice before, once for a party, and once when she'd picked Catherine up on the way to a scene. She felt a little nervous however, as this was the first time she'd been there since getting involved with the slightly older woman
'Cat?' she called, looking around 'Where's the bathroom?'
'Just through the kitchen, on your left, or first door on your right at the top of the stairs…'
'Ok….' Sara called, dashing up the stairs which were nearest
'Again?' Catherine called after her
'Again' Sara shouted back.
Catherine left Sara too it, looking at her still sleepy Daughter 'You need to grab any dirty clothes you have if you want me to wash them, then you best have a quick bath, Mummy's got work in a few hours, and I really need to sleep…'
'No laundry… it can wait, I've got some clean clothes at Aunt Nancy's I can wear to school…'
'Ok, what about homework?' Catherine questioned, going to sort out her own laundry.
'I just need to write about what I did this weekend for English… I did the rest already…'
'You know I need to check Lindsey…'
'I know…' Lindsey said, walking away to find her school bag.
About 20 minutes later, Catherine had checked through most of Lindsey's homework, only having to go through 2 maths problems with her, whilst Lindsey had written a little bit about her weekend.
'Ok… so, bath or shower Lindzz?'
'Neither' Lindsey protested
'Please Lindsey, I'm too tired to argue, you need to have your hair washed ready for school, and you need to do so before Nancy picks you up at 9…'
'Ok, I'll shower, but I'm a big girl, I can do it myself…'
'Remember to wash all of the suds out of your hair this time then, and to brush your teeth…'
'Yes Mum' Lindsey said, following Catherine upstairs.
Catherine tentatively knocked on the bathroom door, wondering if Sara was still in there, when she didn't get an answer, she slowly opened the door, and peaked her head around, but found it empty. She headed towards her bedroom, wondering if perhaps Sara had walked in there, but found that empty too. Then she noticed her en-suite door was open, and so calling out, she walked in, and found Sara there, topless, looking at herself in the full length mirror. Turning slightly, to check Lindsey wasn't behind her, she called out, for both their benefits 'Lindsey, I don't hear the water running….'
She was answered with the sound of the bathroom door closing, and a few moments later, the water starting.
She turned to Sara, and called out softly, not knowing if Sara had heard her exchange with her Daughter. 'Sara… what are you doing?' she stepped a little closer
'Looking' Sara answered softly, tilting her head at an angle, so as to see her body more closely.
'Why?' Catherine asked, stepping a little closer still
'Because… there's a baby inside me….'
'Oh Sweetie… that isn't a bad thing'
'No… just, odd' Sara frowned, tugging her waistband down a little 'In a few months, hopefully, my stomach will look like a tic-tac-toe grid, with stretch marks going down, and my scars going across…'
'Yes, and you'll still be beautiful Sara… I don't care about any of that…'
'I do…' Sara admitted, turning away from the mirror 'I don't have much body confidence as it is, I already feel fat, I'm going to get fatter, my body is going to keep changing, and I won't recognise myself anymore, I already don't…and my god damned bladder…. Every time it feels like I could fill a bucket, and hardly anything happens, I'm sick of it Cat….and I'm tired….'
'Yes, and probably overdue some certain prescriptions… look… I want to get some sleep before work, why don't you join me? We can rest together…'
'I don't want to intrude' Sara admitted, turning back to the mirror
'You aren't, I want you here Sara, in bed, with me, I just need to get Lindsey settled with a movie, or in her own bed for a little while…please stay?' Catherine asked, standing behind Sara, looking at her through the mirror. If Catherine hadn't been watching closely, she would have missed the slight nod that she was given as answer.
'You are beautiful Sara, never doubt that… get into bed ok, there's some clothes in the top of the dresser you can wear… I'll join you as soon as I can, ok?'
Sara just nodded again, leaning her body back into Catherine's a little. Placing a kiss on Sara's shoulder, Catherine turned away too see to Lindsey.
20 minutes later, Catherine quietly slipped back into her room, and shed her clothes. Pulling on a loose T-shirt, but nothing else, she slipped into the bed next to a gently snoring Sara, and pulled her close
'I love you Sara, don't ever doubt that either' she whispered, drifting to sleep herself within minutes.
Xxx
Catherine wasn't sure for how long she slept, but the next think she was aware of, was somebody muttering and shaking her shoulder a little roughly. Blinking a few times, she looked up to see who it was, expecting it to be Lindsey, and so jumped a little when she saw that it was her sister, Nancy.
'Nance….' She whispered trying to sit up in bed a little, but finding it difficult with Sara curled against her body
'Lindsey said you had company… here I was thinking that perhaps it was some cheap pick up from a bar, or hell, one of the guy's from work…' Nancy said, almost shouting, not bothering to keep her voice down 'But no, it's worse, it's that Sidle woman from work…. What are you thinking Catherine?'
'That's none of your business Nancy!' Catherine hissed, looking down at Sara, hoping she was still asleep.
'I think it is… have you even thought about Lindsey, at all?'
'Yes, first and always….'
'Then why?' Nancy almost shouted
'Please Nancy, don't shout….' Catherine said, looking worriedly back down at Sara.
'Fine… but this isn't over… I'll drop Lindsey back after school, but Jeremy's got soccer practice first, so it will be about 4….'
Catherine just nodded, not knowing what to say or how to respond. 5 minutes later she heard her front door slam shut. Looking down at Sara, she saw brown eyes staring back at her.
'Sar….'
'Don't…' Sara mumbled, wiping at her eyes and rolling to her other side
'Please Sara….'
'Are you ashamed of me?' Sara mumbled, scratching at her arm again
'No… No of course not…'
'But you haven't told anyone about me?'
'That's not true, or fair Sara…. Please, stop scratching…' she said, trying to cover Sara's hand with her own.
Sara just jerked her body away 'Was it so bad to be found in bed with me? I heard everything…'
Catherine just sighed, recognising it for what it was, Sara's usual lack of self-confidence, plus the hormones from her pregnancy, and most likely the fact she had failed to take her prescription earlier, again.
'Then you'll know Nancy never gave me chance to explain
'You never even tried Catherine…'
'Sara… please don't be like this, I don't want to fight with you….'
Sara didn't answer, but she did stop scratching at her arms
They fall into an awkward silence, which eventually Sara broke
'I thought I was dreaming… at first…' she whispered, her voice uneven 'But I felt how tense you became, and I knew it was real… and I got scared… I'm sorry…'
'It's ok Sara, really… but…I need to ask you something, ok?'
Sara nodded, wiping away the last of her tears
'Are you up to date with your medicine? It's important you take them, and you know how bad you feel if you miss them…'
'I know…' Sara confessed 'But no… I haven't taken them'
