Disclaimers: Not mine
Spoilers: Inside The Box
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THE PERFECT FAMILY
(Chapter 5)
"Here." Katie found her sister looking out the kitchen window towards the stables. Handing her some tissue, she proceeded to make them some tea. "You're still angry at her."
"That shouldn't surprise you." Catherine blew her nose and cleared her throat.
"It's been so long, Cat."
"I just can't forget, Katie."
"She's your mother."
"She hasn't tried to be one for the past 20 years."
"You're just as stubborn as Dad." Not noticing her sister's back stiffening at the comment, Katie continued. "She's missed you, no matter what you think."
"Why did she never try to contact me then?"
"Why did you never try to contact her?"
"Katie..." Catherine placed her hand up gingerly to her forehead and closed her eyes, trying her best to will her headache away.
"Look, can you at least try to act like you want to be here? I know it might not seem like it but the doctor says she doesn't have much longer. But you know Mom, always the fighter." With a slightly sadder voice, Katie said quietly, "She's dying, Cat. She's just doing a damn good job of hiding it."
"I don't want her dead, if that's what you think."
Katie ignored her sister's bitter comment. "It means a lot to her having you and Lindsey here."
Knowing her sister was not the person she wanted to direct her anger at, Catherine sighed and nodded, "I know."
A silence enveloped the kitchen and the only sound coming from it was the screech from the kettle, informing the women that the water was ready for their tea. Just as Katie began to pour the water into the cups, there was a knock at the door. "I'll get that. You wanna finish these up?"
Catherine nodded, taking her sister's place at the counter, finishing preparing their cups of tea. A moment later, she heard footsteps approaching the kitchen doorway. "Katie, you still on that ridiculous diet or can I put cream into your tea again?"
"It is not a ridiculous diet and yes, I'm still on it, and let's not talk about it in front of your boyfriend."
Catherine whipped around and to her shock, found Katie standing with Grissom by her side, looking rather sheepish. "Grissom?" She sputtered in disbelief. All the questions in her head ceased when she remembered her sister's dig at her. "Katie, he's not my boyfriend." She realized how odd it was, correcting her sister on something so trivial when her mother was dying in the next room.
"Is she always this uptight?" Katie gave Grissom a 'can you believe her?' look and quickly excused herself from the scene, claiming the need to check on Lindsey, who was still in her grandmother's room.
Now alone with Grissom, Catherine found that she was just as speechless with him as she was with the others in the house. "I uh..." She paused. "I was just joking about you coming here."
"I know. I needed a vacation." He shrugged, as if his being here was nothing major.
"I...don't know what to say." She admitted.
"Say you won't be angry at me for being here." At her questioning look, he explained, "I know how much you don't like it when people do things you made clear you don't want them to do."
"I'm not mad at you." She shook her head. "I can't be mad at you because I can't say I don't want you here with me."
Putting down his bag, he made his way over to her and offered a rare hug. "Good, cuz I don't think Nick would be very happy if I showed up back at work tomorrow, taking away his chance to be Temporary Supervisor."
Settling gratefully into his embrace, Catherine laughed. "You finally let him take the reins, huh?"
"Yeah, I think he's ready."
A moment passed before she continued their conversation. "Thanks for coming, Gil."
"Thanks for inviting me." He paused. "Sort of."
They laughed, and for the first time in so long, Catherine felt truly comfortable in the house she once called 'home'.
*To be continued*