Part II: Breakfast and Worries
Catherine joined Grissom and Lindsey at the kitchen table. She noticed the box of Lucky Charms on the table and threw Grissom a dirty look. He gave her an apologetic smile and handed her a cup of fresh brewed coffee.
"So what are you doing today?" Catherine asked her daughter. Breakfast with Lindsey was always a treat, especially when they had plenty of time before the bus came to pick her up. Breakfast lasted an hour as Lindsey filled both adults in on what she did at school the day before and what the teachers said they were going to do that day.
All too quickly it was time for Lindsey to gather her things to leave for school.
"How 'bout we drive you to school, Linds?" Grissom asked out of the blue. All through breakfast he had noticed how alive and normal Catherine seemed and he wanted it to continue for a little while longer.
Catherine looked at her friend and boss, trying to piece together why he suggested this. He'd been over for breakfast on numerous occasions, and even babysat Lindsey on a very rare occasion when her normal sitter wasn't available. But this was the first time that he offered to drive Lindsey to school; he always preferred to leave before it was close to time for her to leave, saying that he didn't want to take any time away from mother and child. Lindsey's question brought her back to the present. "Can we, Mom?"
"I don't see why not."
Lindsey shrieked with glee, "Thanks, Mom!"
Grissom held the door open for his two favorite ladies. As Lindsey ran to the Tahoe parked in the driveway Catherine locked the front door and wondered aloud, "When did I become 'Mom'?"
~~~
"Thanks, Uncle Gil!" Lindsey said as she exited the car. She looked at her Mom, who had closed her eyes in an attempt to stave off a headache. "You won't forget what you promised, will you?"
"Scout's honor. You worry about school, I'll take care of her," Grissom replied solemnly. Catherine's eyes popped open at his response. Before she had a chance to question either of them, Lindsey hugged her and said good-bye. Catherine watched as her daughter ran to meet her friends and enter the school. Each time she watched Lindsey go to school brought the realization that her little girl was growing up. Catherine started to count quietly as soon as Lindsey was out of sight.
"...six, seven, eight. You'll take care of who?" Catherine asked after making sure that Lindsey wouldn't be running out the door. It was a silly habit, but she always counted slowly to eight to make sure there wasn't something immediately wrong when she dropped her daughter off anywhere.
"That's between Lindsey and me. She asked if I would take care of someone and I gave her my word that I would do my best," Grissom answered mysteriously as he pulled away from the curb and headed toward the hospital. Catherine looked at him. The last time he and Lindsey kept a secret from her, it was for a surprise birthday party for her.
"You know I hate it when you keep secrets from me, especially when Lindsey is involved."
"It isn't a secret. It's a promise I made to her."
"Grissom!"
Grissom continued to drive to the hospital. He knew Catherine was mad that he wouldn't tell her what Lindsey asked him, but he also knew that she would begin worrying that she was making her daughter weird again if he told her the truth.
Catherine started to say something when he said, "If it was something I thought you should know, I would tell you."
"I know. I guess I'm just worried about her. She's growing up too fast."
"We all grow up at some point, Cath; some sooner than others. Both of our Moms probably felt the same way when we were that age."
"Were you ever that age?" Catherine teased hoping to distract him. She knew this was his way of building up to talking about her accident, but she didn't want to share what happened. He was just starting to come out his self-imposed shell that he hid in when Holly was killed and she didn't want to give him a reason to go back and hide behind it again.
"I don't know. My mom says that I was, but I don't know if I believe her," he replied facetiously, to which she responded by punching his shoulder. He knew what she was trying to do, but he needed to hear what happened from her lips. "Catherine, seriously. Why didn't you call me after you were attacked?"
Catherine stared out the window. 'Damn, he didn't even bother with any transition this time.' "I don't know, Gil. I guess I didn't want to make you worry about me; you have enough to worry about right now."
Grissom pulled to the side of the road and stopped the car. "Catherine, I always worry about you. I may not show it often, but I..."
"I know," she said softly. "I worry about you too."
They didn't say anything for several minutes. Grissom sighed and started the car moving again. He parked the car as close to the entrance of the emergency room as he could and escorted Catherine to the desk. Catherine's hand reached for his as they waited for her name to be called.
"Catherine Willows?" Catherine and Grissom looked up at the nurse who called her name. Catherine stood up and started to follow the slender woman.
"Gil, come with me?" Catherine asked. Although they hadn't said much about what happened, she wanted him to be with her.
"Okay."
Catherine joined Grissom and Lindsey at the kitchen table. She noticed the box of Lucky Charms on the table and threw Grissom a dirty look. He gave her an apologetic smile and handed her a cup of fresh brewed coffee.
"So what are you doing today?" Catherine asked her daughter. Breakfast with Lindsey was always a treat, especially when they had plenty of time before the bus came to pick her up. Breakfast lasted an hour as Lindsey filled both adults in on what she did at school the day before and what the teachers said they were going to do that day.
All too quickly it was time for Lindsey to gather her things to leave for school.
"How 'bout we drive you to school, Linds?" Grissom asked out of the blue. All through breakfast he had noticed how alive and normal Catherine seemed and he wanted it to continue for a little while longer.
Catherine looked at her friend and boss, trying to piece together why he suggested this. He'd been over for breakfast on numerous occasions, and even babysat Lindsey on a very rare occasion when her normal sitter wasn't available. But this was the first time that he offered to drive Lindsey to school; he always preferred to leave before it was close to time for her to leave, saying that he didn't want to take any time away from mother and child. Lindsey's question brought her back to the present. "Can we, Mom?"
"I don't see why not."
Lindsey shrieked with glee, "Thanks, Mom!"
Grissom held the door open for his two favorite ladies. As Lindsey ran to the Tahoe parked in the driveway Catherine locked the front door and wondered aloud, "When did I become 'Mom'?"
~~~
"Thanks, Uncle Gil!" Lindsey said as she exited the car. She looked at her Mom, who had closed her eyes in an attempt to stave off a headache. "You won't forget what you promised, will you?"
"Scout's honor. You worry about school, I'll take care of her," Grissom replied solemnly. Catherine's eyes popped open at his response. Before she had a chance to question either of them, Lindsey hugged her and said good-bye. Catherine watched as her daughter ran to meet her friends and enter the school. Each time she watched Lindsey go to school brought the realization that her little girl was growing up. Catherine started to count quietly as soon as Lindsey was out of sight.
"...six, seven, eight. You'll take care of who?" Catherine asked after making sure that Lindsey wouldn't be running out the door. It was a silly habit, but she always counted slowly to eight to make sure there wasn't something immediately wrong when she dropped her daughter off anywhere.
"That's between Lindsey and me. She asked if I would take care of someone and I gave her my word that I would do my best," Grissom answered mysteriously as he pulled away from the curb and headed toward the hospital. Catherine looked at him. The last time he and Lindsey kept a secret from her, it was for a surprise birthday party for her.
"You know I hate it when you keep secrets from me, especially when Lindsey is involved."
"It isn't a secret. It's a promise I made to her."
"Grissom!"
Grissom continued to drive to the hospital. He knew Catherine was mad that he wouldn't tell her what Lindsey asked him, but he also knew that she would begin worrying that she was making her daughter weird again if he told her the truth.
Catherine started to say something when he said, "If it was something I thought you should know, I would tell you."
"I know. I guess I'm just worried about her. She's growing up too fast."
"We all grow up at some point, Cath; some sooner than others. Both of our Moms probably felt the same way when we were that age."
"Were you ever that age?" Catherine teased hoping to distract him. She knew this was his way of building up to talking about her accident, but she didn't want to share what happened. He was just starting to come out his self-imposed shell that he hid in when Holly was killed and she didn't want to give him a reason to go back and hide behind it again.
"I don't know. My mom says that I was, but I don't know if I believe her," he replied facetiously, to which she responded by punching his shoulder. He knew what she was trying to do, but he needed to hear what happened from her lips. "Catherine, seriously. Why didn't you call me after you were attacked?"
Catherine stared out the window. 'Damn, he didn't even bother with any transition this time.' "I don't know, Gil. I guess I didn't want to make you worry about me; you have enough to worry about right now."
Grissom pulled to the side of the road and stopped the car. "Catherine, I always worry about you. I may not show it often, but I..."
"I know," she said softly. "I worry about you too."
They didn't say anything for several minutes. Grissom sighed and started the car moving again. He parked the car as close to the entrance of the emergency room as he could and escorted Catherine to the desk. Catherine's hand reached for his as they waited for her name to be called.
"Catherine Willows?" Catherine and Grissom looked up at the nurse who called her name. Catherine stood up and started to follow the slender woman.
"Gil, come with me?" Catherine asked. Although they hadn't said much about what happened, she wanted him to be with her.
"Okay."