Savior

Chapter 88

-xx-

Cate could not contain her grin as she looked around her mother's dining room table. Fran and Sarah were in animated conversation with her own mother and sister; it reminded her of growing up with her mother's family until careers took them away from each other.

The two Morgan women had flown in earlier that afternoon; Cate made sure to be at the airport to pick them up as Derek was still in Nevada working on a case. He had sent numerous texts to apologize that he would not be with her when their families got to meet, but Cate kept telling him not to worry about them and to focus on the case they were on.

She was trying her best to keep upbeat when faced with the possibility of him not making it to the shower on Sunday. There were two days left for them to solve the case, and she knew if anyone could, it would be the BAU.

"Cate," her mother interrupted her thoughts. "Are you with us?"

The brunette smiled and nodded. "Sorry Mama," she replied. "I'm in my own head."

Her mother nodded as she gripped her tea cup. "Auntie wants your bridesmaids at the shop tomorrow morning for fittings," she reminded. Sarah winked in Cate's direction to confirm the plan. "Desiree will just have to meet you ladies there right from the airport."

"As long as Jackie and Sarah are there for our appointment, I can get Desi from the airport and we can meet everyone there." Cate watched her mother purse her lips before nodding and jotting the note down in her notebook. "Otherwise, everything is just about done. I have a few packages that I'm waiting to come in the mail, and then I think we're all set."

Her mother scanned through her list with her pen before smiling in her youngest daughter's direction. "Favors," her mother began.

"Done," Jackie interrupted. "Maddy and I took care of them last weekend." She pulled up the photos on her cell phone to show her mother. "And we dropped off the centerpiece accessories to Gloria."

Helena checked off two more things in her notebook. "Your rings, Cate?"

Sarah grinned. "I will be bringing those," she admitted. "Calvin promised to have them done in time."

"Done in time?" Cate asked as she looked up from her cell phone.

Sarah held her hands up. "D asked me to grab them when Cal called. That's all I know."

Cate rolled her eyes at her fiancée. He was always up to something. "Guest book?" her mother interrupted.

"Shipped out the other day," Cate replied. "Derek doesn't know, but it's actually the top of a whiskey barrel."

Sarah and Fran 'oohed' at the idea. "That's so clever, Cate!" Sarah said excitedly. "He'll love that!"

"Seating chart," Helena continued as she wrote down more notes. "Is that ready yet?"

Cate shook her head. "Shelby and I still have yet to finalize the table set up, but I have an idea of where everyone is sitting."

"Mhm," her mother mused. "That needs to be done ASAP so we can do the seating cards."

"We're not doing regular cards," Cate replied.

"The corks are all ready," Jackie interjected. "All they need are the table numbers. Names and everything are all done."

Cate pursed her lips and pointed towards her sister. "See what happens when I leave her in charge? Things get done."

Helena rolled her eyes as the two sisters clinked their wine glasses together. "Girls," her mother scolded. "Why can't you just use normal escort cards, Catherine?"

"Because that's boring?" she answered a shrug of her shoulders. "It's at a vineyard, Mom. Wine corks, bottles – I'm trying to incorporate them without being over the top." She tried not to laugh at her mother's face. "We're using cards but displaying them on wine corks," she explained.

"The age of Pinterest," Fran added before taking a sip of her own coffee. "I think it all sounds wonderful, Cate."

"Thank you," the brunette replied before swirling the wine in her glass. "Why have a fun venue but keep things traditional and boring?"

"Traditional is not boring, Catherine," her mother responded. "Moving on," the matriarch continued. "Are your shoes in yet?"

Cate nodded. "They are," she replied. "I told Auntie I'd bring them to my next fitting."

Helena nodded her approval. "DJ and photographer are all set?"

"Yes, mama." Cate tried her best to not roll her eyes as they continued the check list. "Shelby has already confirmed with them. And before you ask, yes, the menu is complete."

"Cake?"

Cate pursed her lips together. "We postponed our appointment because Derek had to leave for a case." Cate lifted her glass to her lips and took a sip. "Barring any issues, we are set to meet with them on Monday."

"I told you," Jackie began. "I'll step in for Derek when it comes to cake."

Cate could not help the grin spreading across her face. "Problem solved," she said with a raised eyebrow. "Are we done with the interrogation?"

Her mother chuckled and nodded. "Yes," she replied softly. "Now let's get to dinner."

Jackie stood from the table to call for Maddy in the living room as the other women around the table stood to get ready to head out.

-xx-

"I'm going to try my best to get there," Cate sighed as she turned away from the face on her cell phone. "You'll never believe what we're dealing with out here."

"Crazies," she replied, before turning back to face Derek.

His smile caused her to grin. "We're close, Cate," he replied. "I'll drive home if I need to."

She shook her head. "Don't be crazy," she responded. "I didn't even want this shower."

The black man nodded. "I know – and I tried to tell your mother that, but she persisted."

"Sounds like her," Cate mumbled.

"Mom and Sarah had no issues getting in, right?"

Cate shook her head. "Nope," she replied. "Mom said the flight was nice and smooth."

"I wish I could have been there when Mom met your mother."

Cate pursed her lips. "They're quick friends," she explained. "Especially after a bottle of wine at dinner."

Derek chuckled. "Mom is a light weight," he replied.

"Let's just say, Jackie and I didn't learn how to drink from my mother." The two laughed. "It was hysterical."

He watched Cate shuffle around in their bed, trying her best to get comfortable. She finally rested her phone next to her so she could lie down on her side. "Get some sleep," Derek insisted. "I will call you tomorrow morning."

She nodded. "I love you," she offered.

"Love you more," he responded.

-xx-