I do NOT want to be up this early. It's the summer and I have to be in the office at 8.
I'd much rather be sleeping like everyone else is, but NOOO. I've got to go into work today. And probably every other day this week as I slowly intimate to my dad that I'd like to stop working for him. Working for him has been fun, but this was only a time killer in the end.
Yet here I am, taking the elevator up to the 29th floor after driving for an hour due to worse than normal traffic. That's why I avoid downtown at all costs. And the 5. I-5 for the uninitiated. Good lord. A 20 mile trip takes 45 min on a good day.
Ding.
I think they should retrofit these elevators with other sound effects. I was in another building a week or so ago and their elevator said the floor you are on when you got out.
Smart elevator.
I unlocked the door to the office and walked inside. Door's usually locked to keep out loiterers or passersby so I have no idea if dad's in yet. Hopefully not, he doesn't like me to use my pearPhone at work. Tough because I have someone to talk to now.
It kind of went unspoken when we hung out all Sunday that she wanted to see me daily, but with me at least working all this week we'll have to make due by—
Wait…
I've been fired!
BY MY OWN DAD!
Hold the phone, stop the presses AND stomp on the brakes. All at the same time.
I just got into my office. I noticed a stack of paper like there always is. I'm his "Go For…" boy so that's not unusual.
But it is.
The first page had a termination notice on it along with severance conditions.
My dad FIRED me!
I immediately spring out of my office, manifesto in hand and walk 10 feet to where his office is and open the door.
Mind you, he says ALWAYS knock.
"You fired me?" I ask quickly.
My dad, who was calmly looking at his 5 computer screen slowly wheeled around to face me.
And started laughing.
I don't see the humor.
"Robbie…no. I'm not firing you. Despite the Brokers mishap two weeks ago. The plan was for you to work for me until Cat got out. Cat got out on Friday. Today's Monday, the first work day since she got out. So we need to work out your pay and when you want to leave."
Oh.
"Really? It says Termination notice on it!" I say, trying to keep my voice calm.
It really looks like he's firing me.
"That is just the form. Notice the first page is blank? The second page applies to you Robbie." He said calmly.
Oh.
"Ok then…"
"You seriously thought I was firing you Rob?" My dad asked, wheeling around to grab…a pen from his desk.
"Yeah! When you get a piece of paper that says 'Termination Notice' you tend to think you're getting fired!"
"Well next time I'll just shoot off a text." He rolled his eyes.
Typical Dad humor.
He doesn't text. He has a flip phone.
"Haha, very funny dad." I sighed, grabbing a chair and sitting next to his desk."
"It was wasn't it?" He smiled at me while grabbing my 'Termination Notice'.
"Ok, I filled out most of this stuff yesterday night. Just sign here that you won't sue me, initial here and…" He flipped the page.
"Sign here and you can walk."
I signed and initialed and handed him the papers.
"I thought we had to work out my pay?" I asked, putting his chair back.
"Nah…just give me the receipts from when you go out with Cat for the rest of the month ok? It's on me." My dad said, smiling and turning back to his multiple computer screens.
"Ok…thanks dad." I said, smiling to myself.
Hey Cat, do you want to go to this 5 star place…
"Rob? Do me a favor?" My dad called out as I started back towards my office.
"Yeah?" I replied, making my way back to his door.
"Don't be afraid to let Cat back in ok? I have a good feeling about all of this."
What?
This is very typical of my dad. He said all of that while not turning around from his multiple monitors with flashing stuff everywhere.
But what surprises me is that he usually stays quiet and doesn't offer his opinion on that kind of thing.
"Sure Dad..."
"See you for dinner on Thursday?"
"Sounds great! Any idea what we'll have?" I called out.
"Probably something Cat likes honestly."
Sounds like Mom and Dad already planned on having Cat and I for dinner Thursday.
"Do I have to get everything out today?" I asked my dad as I made my way to the door.
"No, just don't leave stuff here for more than like 2 weeks. After that it's mine."
"Ok captain." I said, quickly stepping outside the office and making a break for it.
I hope this isn't some mean joke.
I get to my car as fast as I can and get the hell out of the parking garage, only pausing to put my PearPhone on shuffle.
"Let me see you put your hearts up…"
Ooh! I forgot this was on here! The only recording of Cat's song before she went to Methodist. It's a bit rough, but still is amazing.
I sometimes forget how strong her voice is. Until the bass of my car makes the whole damn thing shake after she hits a high note.
…
Like it just did.
Yes! Traffic has cleared out a bit!
I speed up and am closing in on home in 10 minutes.
"Sing it with me if you're with me all you boys and girls…"
I remember she burst out into derisive laughter after coming up with that.
"What? What's so funny? It's a good line!" I asked her as she crawled on the floor, laughing like a madman.
"It's so rhymey!" She gasped.
"Ok then." I placidly said, as she continued to laugh her head off.
Repeat…
…
…
Repeat…
…
And now I'm pulling into my driveway.
Where a familiar looking Cadillac is parked in my customary spot…
She sure acclimates herself pretty quick.
I'm glad my "work" day was less than 30 minutes. Now I get to go home to Cat, which is all I want to do today.
I opened the door and—
"Hello?" She called out suddenly, sounding scared.
I quietly shut the door and opened my mouth to respond when she suddenly crept into the room, holding a baseball bat.
"I said who are—Robbie!" She quickly changed her tune, dropped the bat and tackled me into a hug.
"Surprise." I said as I happily hugged her back.
Now this is more like it.
"Don't you have to work or something? Am I distracting you?" She quickly backtracked, even letting go of me.
"No, my dad let me go. I was only working for him as a way to fill the time until you got out." I said, smiling as Cat nervously put her hair in her mouth and started chewing on it.
"Oh. So you don't have to go work for him anymore?"
"Nope. And you aren't distracting me. I was going to invite you after I got here, but obviously you beat me here so…"
"Did I come too early?" She squeaked, looking very out of her element, putting her brown hair back into her mouth.
"No Cat…you're fine. You can come anytime you want. What's mine is yours sweetie. I want you to be comfortable and happy."
Now would probably be a good time to ask about the hair. I miss the red hair.
Spices up my life.
But I can't just throw it out there so recklessly with her evidently worried about being here too quick.
"So you don't mind me being here so early?" She backtracked again, literally this time as well, shuffling slowly into the kitchen.
"No! Want to know a secret?" I offered, lowering my voice.
"Sure! It's not bad is it?" She jumped back towards me, looking anxious.
"No. I actually considered not going and inviting you to a movie day today."
It's not far from the truth. But I know I shouldn't say 'I want to do nothing but hangout with you all day' so bluntly.
She's still recovering. And Cat is reminding me of the paranoid girl I see looking back with how nervous she is.
"Aww! Robbie!" She sprung at me and tackled me into another hug. "Thank you…but you should go work and get money instead of be lazy with me. We can always meet up after you work."
"You know I don't work for my dad anymore?" I threw out there. I think she forgot about that small detail.
"Yeah, I remember. But just for future reference. We can always meet up later."
"I shall remember that. Now if you'll excuse me I'd like to change into more comfortable clothes…" I said, referring to the slacks and collared shirt that now are wrinkled thanks in no small part to Cat attacking me with hugs, but I can always iron them. Or send them to the cleaners.
"Sure! Are you hungry?" She asked excitedly.
"Yeah, whatcha thinking of?" I smiled at her.
"Omelets, toast and bacon."
Damn.
I don't have eggs, bacon or stuff for omelets.
Wait. There's an easy solution to this.
"Oh. Well, I don't have anything for that stuff, but if you really want them I can give you my credit card and you can dash to the store if you want." I offered, piecemailing my idea together.
"That's great! But I already have your credit card…" She said, grabbing her purse seemingly from nowhere, sticking her head inside, coming up with her billfold, and whipping out my old credit card.
This is going to hurt her.
A reminder of how I had to do some things out of necessity while she was in there.
How things changed.
"Uhh…that card doesn't work anymore."
I couldn't keep eye contact and looked at the tile of the kitchen at Cat's feet.
"What? What do you mean?" She asked quietly.
"I…they made me get a new card when you were at Methodist. I needed it back a few days afterward and tried to get it from them, but since you had it, they claimed it was your property and held onto it."
I looked back up to Cat in tears. Blinking rapidly and looking positively miserable.
"Oh. Can I have the new credit card so I can go get the stuff then?"
"Of course…" I said, pulling my wallet out of my pocket, grabbing the new card and handing it to her.
"Thanks…I guess I'll get going then." She said flatly, starting towards the door.
I quickly pulled her into a hug.
"Drive safe ok?" I whispered into her ear.
She nodded and hugged me back.
Then…I did something impulsive. And I probably shouldn't have.
I lightly kissed her cheek and ruffled her hair.
"See you when you get back then…"
She let go of me and walked out the door.
Well…
I guess I should go take another shower.
I plodded my way upstairs and soon found myself chastising myself for kissing her.
After all, WHAT WAS I THINKING? She's over here worried about coming over too fast, when that's really not an issue at all. Not only did I not alleviate that concern, but just amplified my problem.
Geez, for a smart guy I can do some amazingly dumb things.
Crap! I forgot to turn up the heat before getting in the shower. Cold, cold, cold, cold!
I dress as quickly as humanly possible, then—
"Thump."
Cat's back.
I made my way downstairs barefoot and attempted to sneak up on her.
Before she turned around, grocery bag in hand and saw me.
"Haha! You'rrre busted!" She celebrated, going into a little dance.
"What are you doing?" I asked, as she suddenly stopped, mid move.
"Shuffling. You've never seen this before?"
"No, no I have not…" I trailed off, as Cat resumed…shuffling?
"You need to get out more."
"Haha, very funny. Especially from you Ms. Valentine. Now may I help?"
Crap.
What am I thinking? Making a joke about her being inside for so long right afterward?
I AM SO STUPID?
"Yeah, if you want you can get out a cutting board and start chopping the omelet stuff they put in that bag." She said, pointing to a bag on the table.
"They put the omelet stuff in one bag?" I asked, surprised.
Wouldn't they just put it in different bags?
"Yeah."
"How'd they do that?"
"I knew the bagboy there. He asked me out when…a while back. Plus it's all about the order you put stuff on the conveyor belt." She shrugged, opening the fridge as I grabbed the cutting board.
"Sorry for peppering you with all of these questions, but how'd you know that?" I asked.
"Your mom didn't teach you that you can group stuff together when you check out so when you go home unloading everything it is easy?"
"No, I never shopped with my mom. My sister didn't let me." I said, chopping a green pepper.
"Stupid Kimberly…anyway yeah. It really works. See? I'm already done!"
What? No way…
Yeah way…
"You have to be magic or something…you had a ton of stuff!" I exclaimed as Cat grabbed the cheese grater and like 4 different cheeses.
"Nope, just Cat. Thank you though." She smiled at me.
From my angle it seems like she's floating off the ground she's so happy.
The next few minutes we silently prepped the omelet stuff.
Suddenly—
"I'm an idiot…" Cat said suddenly said, and laid her head on my empty cutting board.
"Explain…" I said, as she lifted her head.
"I forgot to put the bacon in…"
Oh…
That adds 30 minutes from now until we eat.
"Oh, that's fine. We can put in the bacon and like wait around for 30 or so minutes."
"You're not mad? I thought you were hungry." She said, looking up at me.
"Why would I be mad if I was hungry?" I asked her.
"I don't know…"
"I don't know either." I said, reaching down and pulling out the bacon cooker.
"30 minutes starting…now." Cat said, pressing a button on her phone as I turned on the stove, with the bacon now inside.
"That has to be the best invention ever." I said, making my way out of the kitchen.
"Agreed. So what now?" Cat asked, following me.
"Follow me. I want to ask you something." I told her, and started up the stairs.
"Ok…"
We walked into my room and I collapsed onto my folded sheets.
"Why are we here?"
"I wanted to ask you a couple of things. That is, if you don't mind." I said, leaving her with an escape route if she so chose.
"I don't mind Robbie. Why here though?"
"Why not here? It's comfy and I want you to relax a bit. You seem nervous."
"I…I don't want to upset you or anything Robbie. I missed you so so much and I want to be around you 24/7…but not be clingy at the same time."
There we have it.
That's why she's nervous.
"Cat, don't worry ok? It takes a lot for you to get me mad. Relax…" I said softly, grabbing her shoulders and rubbing her pulse points.
"Ok…" She whispered, sounding happy.
"So, why'd you want to come here?" I asked after a moment of massaging her.
"It sounds silly, but I missed being here. I missed the studio and your kitchen and your bed and your smell…I thought you had to work, and I was going to stop by and reacclimate myself."
"Is that it?" I asked. I was expecting something deeper.
"Well…there is something else, but it's embarrassing."
"Cat. No it won't be. I know you so well that it's hard to embarrass yourself anymore."
"Fine…I missed your smell. I was going to borrow like a shirt or something."
"You missed my smell?" I asked.
Now that is a surprise.
"Yeah…it's nice. And it reminds me why I missed you so much."
"Well then…" I let go of her and got to my feet. I made my way into my closet and grabbed two or three hangers with shirts on them.
It's not like I need them. I have way too many and if she wants my smell…I should help her out.
"Here. For you." I smiled, holding out the hangers for her.
She turned, saw the hangers and blushed madly.
"No, Robbie you don't have to do this…"
"I don't want you to miss me Cat. Or my smell since you like it so much. It's not like I can wear ALL of my clothes. I have way too much." I admitted.
She took the hangers from me and put them next to my dresser.
"You're the best." She sighed, barely inching herself closer to me.
"You know, if you want to sit next to me, you can."
Boom. Cat in my lap.
Yes, literally.
"Any more questions captain inquisitive?" She smirked.
"Inquisitive?" I asked her, fingering her hair lightly. "Where'd you come up with that?"
"I got bored and read the dictionary."
"Read? Can you read the dictionary?" I asked
"Well, not read…" She replied, putting air quotes around 'read'. "But you can look it over."
"You must have been bored."
"You have no idea Robbie. It was miserable."
"Hey Cat, I think I owe you an apology."
Crap! Here goes nothing.
"Huh?" She turned around, basically smothering me.
"I think I need to apologize for not visiting you. I wanted to…but they were ridiculously strict and every time I tried to get a meeting with you just to say hi…some administrator stopped me. I understand if you're mad at me."
Cat quickly hugged me tightly. "Oh Robbie…you don't have to say sorry. I knew they didn't want you to talk to me. I'm not mad at all."
Wait…
"Wait…you what? You…knew about how tight they kept everything?" I asked.
Wow…
Chalk this under "Never underestimate Cat Valentine."
"Yeah…there was one time that Back gave me a journal to write down what goes on there, and they took it away from me in a panic, thinking you had slipped a note to me in there."
"Really? Wow…stupid people. Didn't they know how good a job their front office did of keeping me out?" I grumbled, hugging her.
"Apparently not." She mumbled into my chest.
Then she leaned a little too hard into my chest and sent both of us onto my bed.
Her on top of me.
"Oops, sorry…" She said quickly, crawling off of me and helping me up.
"It's ok. Hey, any particular reason why your hair is back to brown?" I asked as we both sat back on the edge of my bed.
She sighed heavily and snuggled back towards me. "Yeah…the stupid warden thought my hair was rebellious and threatened to cut off visitors for a week unless I change it back to brown. Do you want it to stay this way?"
"What do you think?" I shot back at her, giving her a slight smirk.
She looked back to me and started giggling. "Yay. I was thinking about heading over to Sunset and getting it changed back."
"Awesome. And keep the credit card by the way. I remember last time you said that it was expensive when you got it redone."
"But—"
"But nothing. I'll get it back after you're my red haired best friend again ok?"
I saw doubt in her eyes and her brain was obviously moving about 100 mph, thinking of a way to talk me out of it.
"And don't be afraid that I won't get it back ok? You are not going back to that hellhole ok? You are perfectly fine. You were under a lot of stress, and you can tie a lot of it to me in some form on fashion and I plan on repaying you for that because I truly am sorry Cat." I said, as tears involuntarily sprung to my eyes.
I really didn't mean to cry.
"I know that with finals and our lingering awkwardness and me not telling you about Laken and you somehow finding out…I sent you there or at least I didn't make matters any better. But that will not happen again ok? You are the top priority in my life. And you will NOT go back to Methodist. Ok?"
"Ok…I have one question." She squeaked out, pulling herself into my arms again.
"Shoot."
"Am I not your angel anymore? You said best friend this time." She said, sounding on the verge of tears again.
Crap…I did say that.
"Of course you are my angel Cat. Nobody can take that away. As silly as it sounds, I want to get you back to normalcy and me toning down my affection for you is part of that."
"Oh…" She mumbled.
SLAM!
In a matter of seconds Cat ran downstairs and I sprung to the window.
"They're here!" I yelled down to her, following her to the kitchen.
I reached the kitchen very fast, and just in time to see Cat lift the bacon cooker out of the oven.
"Bacon's done—"
The sound of the door interrupted her.
"ROBBIE!" Jade called out, as everyone else evidently filed in. "I know you're here! Your dad called me and said you no longer worked for him!"
Suddenly Cat swatted me.
"Ow!" I yelped.
"You said he let you go! He DID fire you didn't he!" She hissed at me.
"I told you, he remembered that working for him was temporary!" I snapped back.
"Oh, so you two are already fighting I see." Jade droned flatly.
"AAH!" Cat and I both yelled, jumping out of our skins.
"Someone's paranoid…" Tori smirked as I turned and saw her, Jade, Beck and Andre standing behind the countertop.
"No, we were cooking and you scared us."
"Yeah!" Cat added behind me.
"Oooh! What are we cooking?" Andre asked, peeking towards the stove.
"Breakfast." Cat said, as I moved back to the omelet ingredients.
I have been waiting for another omelet since I finished the last one. Not patiently mind you.
"What kind of breakfast?" Beck asked, as someone stepped onto the stone floor of the kitchen.
"Bacon and omelets." Cat supplied, emptying the bacon pan as I filled my bowl with ingredients.
"Healthy." Jade quipped.
"No, amazing." I shot back at her.
"When did you learn to make omelets Rob?" Tori asked, as Cat bent down and got some kind oil out of a cabinet.
"Not me. Cat." I said, pointing down at her directly below me.
"What?" Beck, Tori and Andre yelped.
"Cat doesn't make omelets." Jade said matter of factly.
"Yeah I do." She said, popping up inches from my body.
"Since when?" Beck asked.
"Since I got out of the hospital!"
Everyone was silent as Cat moved around me and grabbed two pans similar to the ones she used at her house.
"Really?" Andre asked.
"Can I have one?" Beck asked quickly.
"Sure, everyone can have one. You just have to cut you own ingredients. Robbie got enough for the two of us."
"Will you cook it?" Tori called out.
"No, I'll ask Alton Brown to cook it." She said, rolling her eyes.
"Who?" Andre asked, definitely confused.
"Nobody, of course I'll cook it."
"Great." Beck said, clapping his hands together.
"How'd you find out about this Robbie?" Jade asked me, pulling off a jacket she had on.
Even though it's like in the 80's.
"Oh, I uh…had breakfast with Cat on Saturday."
I told everyone that I had seen Cat. I just neglected to mention the fact that I spent the whole weekend with her, ate breakfast with her on Saturday, and bought a new phone.
All with her.
"Really now? Anything else you'd like to fess up?" Jade pressed, looking like she's playing with me.
But still, it's kind of scary.
"Nope…"
"Same as last time Robbie?" Cat asked over her shoulder as she threw the oil into the pan and the kitchen was filled with sizzling.
"Yeah."
I briefly saw Cat turn around and again grab a few pieces of ham and throw them into my bowl.
"I'm glad you have gas Robbie. This would be a lot harder if it was electric." She grumbled, throwing the eggs in.
"Why?" I asked, as everyone peered around me and watched Cat.
"Gas cooks more evenly. Plus it's easier to control."
"Is that in general? Because every time I see someone cook an omelet they're using gas."
"In general, but you have to cook a omelet on gas. You can't on electric." She said, stirring everything in.
"Did you see her cook everything last time?" Tori asked, leaning over my shoulder.
"Well, she was already cooking the bacon when I got there."
"I meant the omelet."
"Oh, yeah."
"WHOA!" Everyone yelled as she flawlessly flipped my omelet over.
"Nice job Cat!" Beck said as Andre clapped.
"Thanks…" She said.
"When DID you learn to do this again?" Andre asked.
"Methodist had little seminars to keep us busy when we weren't in therapy." Cat replied, flipping the other omelet and grabbing two plates.
"Here Robbie. Can you wait on me please?" She asked sweetly as she handed me my plate.
I knew those things would come in handy!
I don't know the term for them, but you put it over your plate to keep it warm. It's not a heat lamp. It's a metal sphere.
"Sure sunshine…" I said, taking our plates over to the table and grabbing the…spheres.
"Who's next!" Cat asked excitedly.
Beck, Tori, Andre and Jade all said "Me!" at the same time.
Sending her into a fit of giggles.
She then proceeded to execute 4 more omelets perfectly.
And now she's just showing off.
"Can I sit next to you?" She asked, as everyone else was moving towards the table.
"Sure, you don't have to ask…" I said.
By the time she had moved next to me, everyone else has already started eating.
"This is awesome Cat. Thank you." Beck smiled at her, as Andre gave her a thumbs up since his mouth was full. Same with the girls.
On a impulse, I grabbed her shoulder and whispered "I think they like it." Into her ear.
"Hehe. Yeah." She smiled.
I think she's floating again.