CHAPTER FOUR

"I'm about to smack you. Stop moving," Cat said as she wrapped a ribbon around Zoey's waist.

"You just poked me with a pin," Zoey whined.

"Because you keep moving. Sit down so I can do your hair," she said, typing the ribbon in a neat bow in the back.

"Oh, I can do that," the hairstylist, Jenna said.

"Do you have naturally curly hair?"

"No."

"Then no you can't, I'll do her hair."

"You hurt me though," Zoey said.

"Yeah, well Jenna doesn't know how to deal with 3B curls."

"I've worked with relaxed 4C curls," Jenna said.

"Absolutely not the same. If her hair was relaxed, then that means it's straight. I'm not about to have my kid look a hot mess because Jade hired someone without curly hair expertise."

"Aunt Jade, please save me from Mommy," Zoey said as Jade walked into the room.

"Why?" Jade asked.

"She won't let Jenna do my hair."

"Jesus Christ, Cat."

"She has naturally curly hair," Cat said. "She's gonna ruin her curls. I'll do mine and Zoey's hair, I'm not letting either of us go out there looking ratchet."

"Whatever. Am I starting hair or makeup first?"

"Hair. You're gonna sweat. And get in your dress before you get your makeup done."

"Ow!" Zoey whined as Cat ran a wide toothed comb through her hair.

"Stop moving."

"Why before?" Jade asked.

"Because you don't wanna risk rubbing your face on your dress. You'll just wear a poncho over your dress so fall out doesn't get all over it."

"You know a lot of tricks," Jenna said. "Are you married?"

"No, I just have common sense," Cat said, spraying Zoey's hair with a leave-in conditioner. "Not all brides think of the little stuff."

"Sounds like you've been in a few weddings."

"Always a bridesmaid, never a bride."

"Well, if Robbie asks you to marry him then you can be a bride," Zoey said.

"We're dating. Marriage isn't on our minds right now."

"But if he asked you, you'd say yes, right?"

Cat was quiet for a few seconds. "I think I would. But who knows. Until that moment comes, let's just let things happen."

"We'll come up with a plan, Zozo," Jade said.

"I'm in," Zoey said.

"You stay out of my relationship."

"Then stop letting me hear your relations."

"You look beautiful," Robbie said.

Cat smiled. "Well thank you handsome. Your tie's crooked," she said, fixing his tie.

"The ceremony's over anyways. I'm glad I got to walk with the prettiest girl here."

"Hey!" Zoey said. "I'm pretty too."

"You look very pretty."

"Jealous," Cat said with a small laugh. "Are you keeping an eye on Jamie and Kayla?"

"Yeah," Zoey said.

"Where are they?"

"I dunno," she shrugged.

"Find them. They're staying with us until Uncle Beck and Aunt Jade get back from their honeymoon and I don't want them getting into something they shouldn't be. It's less stress on them."

"Kay kay," Zoey said before running off.

"She reminds me so much of you," Robbie said.

"Well, I would hope so since I made her," Cat said. "She likes you."

"She does?"

"Mhm," Cat hummed. "You're the only guy I've purposely let meet her."

"Is there a reason you didn't let the others meet her?"

"They were just hook ups and flings. I didn't want them to meet her if they weren't someone I'd have in my life for very long."

"You see me in your life for a while?" Robbie asked with a smile.

"Well, I'm hoping. Things are going really well, and I'd like to think it'll stay that way... unless you don't see me in your life for very long, then I just embarrassed myself."

"Is that the vibe I gave out? I'm sorry, I-"

"No!" Cat interrupted. "No. I'm just saying. I don't want you to say something just because it's what I wanna hear."

"Well, what if I said I see you and want you in my life for as long as possible?"

"Then... I'd say we're on the same page."

"So do I get to brag on Instagram how amazing my girlfriend is?"

Cat smiled. "Girlfriend?"

"Well... if you wnana be."

"I'd love to be. And you know, it's not official until it's on the internet," she said, taking her phone out of her bra.

"And what should we do about that?" he asked, resting his hands on her waist.

"Make it official," she said, snapping a selfie of them as they kissed.

caterina uploaded a new photo!

caterina: i won't say i'm in love

"Jesus Christ April, what the hell is in this box? Bricks? Dead bodies?" Cat asked, stepping around the box she tried and failed at lifting.

"A little bit of both," April said. "I didn't know it was gonna be so heavy."

"Well, if you're putting heavy items in one box, it's common sense to know it's gonna be heavy."

"Auntie doesn't know what common sense is," Zoey said, handing a box to her aunt. "Otherwise, she wouldn't have put her vibrators and penis toys in with her video games."

"April..." Cat sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose.

"What? They're for entertainment purposes," April said.

"I saw things I'm terrified to see in person when the time comes," Zoey said.

"Cat, I need to talk to you," Robbie called out. "Now."

"Ooh, someone's in trouble with the warden," April joked.

Cat walked outside to Robbie, who was going through a box. "Get out of her stuff."

"Is she an addict?" Robbie asked.

"Uh... used to be. She's been sober for months."

"Apparently not," he said, holding up a small baggie of white powder. "This was in the box."

Cat stared at it for a few seconds. "...Robbie, please don't report her," she whispered. "She's been doing so good. Can't we just pretend we never saw it?"

"I'm a cop, Cat."

"You're off duty. You don't have your badge on."

"Cat..."

"Please... I know it's a shitty thing to ask, but please. I know she's sober, Robbie."

"If she slips up, I have to report it."

"She won't. I promise. Not while she's living with me. She'd never put Zoey in danger like that."

"If you're sure."

"I am."

"I'm getting rid of this."

"That's fine. I'll talk to her. Just bring her stuff in, please?"

"I will."

Cat pushed her hair out of her face and walked back into the house, nudging April. "Backyard. Now."

April looked at her, confused, but followed her twin out back. "What's up?"

"Are you really sober or did you lie?" Cat asked.

"I've been sober for six months."

"Robbie found a baggie in a box. He's a cop, April."

"I didn't know I had anything, I thought I flushed everything... Is he gonna turn me in?"

"No. He's getting rid of it. But if you start using again, he will put you back in jail."

"Catey, I swear on Zoey-"

"Do not. Don't ever promise anything on my child."

"I'm clean, Catey. I promise."

"Okay. Don't make me regret believing you."

"I won't," April's voice cracked.

Cat hugged her, letting out a sigh. "I love you. I never wanna see you in that position ever again. Seeing you on your potential death bed was terrifying," she said as her own voice broke.

"It'll never get to that point again. I swear."

"Please keep that promise. If not for me, then for Zoey."

"I'd do anything for her. You know that."

"Don't let her down. She can't handle that."