The soft sound of the shower running is kind of a nice morning greeting.
Kind of.
"Ugh." I groan, turning over and shoving my face into my pillow. The last 96 hours have been exhausting. I feel like it's my duty to sleep all day.
In review: Cat's moved out of her apartment and into my place. I'm working on a small surprise I hope she'll like. If not…that's why I bought the white paint.
And most importantly, she's not pregnant. Thank goodness.
My mom was initially suspicious of the findings, saying it takes a couple of weeks to get a reliable result. Cat's doctor said that they have made many advancements in pregnancy testing and took my mom aside to explain it to her. When she came back, all she said was "Cat's not pregnant."
Now mentally…the jury's still out on that one. She got out yesterday, and she asked me to take her straight here, where she immediately curled up on the couch and sobbed while watching TV.
Interestingly enough, she's got a rebellious streak in her. She refuses to take to pain medication, saying she can't think and wants to be able to hold a decent conversation with me, despite my protests to the contrary.
She's an angel though. I fell asleep yesterday and awoke to the smell of Cat making BLT's for dinner. She absolutely refuses to let this get her down. She keeps on saying she'll be a good house guest, and is following thru on that for the one night she's been here.
I half thought she would want to sleep with me, since she has been hugging me a lot and kind of touchy, but nope. Last night around 11 she hugged me, I kissed her hair and told her I was here if she needed me and she marched off to Camp Cat.
I feel bad for being so happy. I mean, the circumstances are horrendous, but she's staying with me again, and isn't a complete wreck.
The iCarly bunch…not so much. They took the news of what happened to Cat with surprising horror. They immediately delayed their trip two weeks, pushing them right up to when University of Washington starts, and Carly and Freddie have to go back to school, but they wanted to give us time to get things together, and still provide support and a morale boost to Cat, so they pushed it back.
Suddenly, the water cut off.
Cat's ready to emerge. She used my shower because I have some settings that allow her to clean up, but not bruise her anymore. Her face was a bit better, but her arms were really sore yesterday when she tried for half a second to shower in the guest shower.
That scared the crap out of me. I was just pouring some coffee and suddenly I heard her yelp in pain, then start to sob. I burst into her bathroom to find her protecting her arms and bawling. I don't know how she managed to grab her towel, but she did cover up right before I got there. I essentially forced her into my shower and showed her the special settings to use, and she was cheerful again by the time she got out, completely clean.
Who knew water pressure could hurt so much.
I kind of already knew she hated to be restrained or told what to do, but she despises strict commands. The doctor told her to stretch out, but she said her…hurts, so she sits stiffly, unless she's curled up in my lap. She hasn't used the arm sling she was given for her left arm because she won't be able to use the arm. All she let me do that's out of the ordinary is wash her dishes for her after dinner.
The bathroom door opened to Cat in a familiar looking yellow shirt and shorts, towel in her hands along with two plastic bags.
She can't wait to get rid of those bulky bandages, but right now she knows she has no choice.
"Morning Cat." I smiled at her. She immediately turned around and her face lit up.
"Robbie! Hi! Thanks for letting me use your shower." She said, padding over to me gingerly. She said it takes her a moment to get used to walking again. Her legs are understandably sore.
"Of course Cat. Did it go well?" I ask, as Cat gets close enough for me to touch. I gently put my hand on her right arm, just as she asked me to last night. She liked me holding her and gently rubbing her arm last night.
"Uh huh…" She replied, crawling onto my bed and lying on my pillow. I jokingly collapse on the pillow next to her, but too hard, causing her to wince.
"Oh, I'm so sorry Cat. Wasn't thinking at all." I say quickly, sitting up.
"It's ok. Didn't mean it." She smiled at me.
"How was the shower?"
"It's very nice. Thank you for showing me the settings. You have a nice shower."
I couldn't help but laugh. "Hey, anything to make you feel better."
"Thank you."
"No prob girl. Your face looks better today." I smile at her.
It's true, the swelling is basically gone, and the bruising isn't quite so gruesome.
"I still look ugly."
"Hey." I frown, causing her to look guilty. "Close your eyes."
She did as requested and I softly kissed her bruised cheek. Not as nice as a normal kiss, but lord knows she needs all the love I can give her without worrying her.
"I don't kiss ugly girls. You look fine sunshine." I whispered.
She opened her eyes and moved to crawl into my lap again. "You're too nice Robbie."
"Hey, you need all the positive reinforcement you can get right now, so get used to it." I smiled. She simply hugged me.
We stayed like that for a minute. Until I saw the clock.
"It seems later than 9. It feels more like 11."
"Eh." Cat shrugged, still hugging me. "More time for us."
"Us?" I asked.
"Yes us. You and me. Cat and Robbie. Silly goose." Cat smiled happily.
"I'll take it." I joked.
Cat quickly reached up, grabbed my head and kissed my forehead quickly before relapsing into a hug.
"I owe you now more than ever Robbie."
"What? No you don't." I told her, trying to control my thoughts after her kiss.
"But I've yanked you around so much, and here we are, me hugging you."
"Cat, what happened in the past is over and done with ok? I wouldn't change anything because we're here, in decent health and happy."
Well. I could have said that differently.
"But…Alex and Colton and Michael, and I've hurt you too. I…I want to fix you."
"Fix me? I'm not broken." I replied.
"Robbie, you are kind of. You used to tell me stuff without hesitation and be 100 percent honest unless it was going to be a surprise. Now…you smokescreen everything and don't talk to anyone about what you think. And I'm the cause of that. It's ok to be in pain…I just want you to be able to be happy."
"Aww. Thanks Cat."
"Will you let me fix you?"
Her eyes are about as big as dinner plates.
"Sure."
"Awesome. Now do you want an omelet?" She asked with a smile.
"Cat, I'm not going to let you make me an omelet. You need to rest." I say sternly, looking at her.
"But Robbie, I want to make you an omelet."
"Rest."
"No. Omelet."
"You refuse to listen don't you?"
"Yep. Omelet."
She's giving me her demanding stare.
"Cat."
"Omelet."
Now she looks on the verge of tears.
"Why do you want to cook me breakfast?" I asked.
"Because you like it and I can cook it."
"But your arms are sliced up."
"You know what?" She said angrily, getting to her feet. "You aren't going to stop me. Just because I'm a bit banged up doesn't mean I can't do stuff."
Talk about déjà vu.
"Fine. Go make omelets."
"And toast?" She asked, running from the room.
"And toast." I chanted back.
Hey, what's up?-Jade.
"Nothing. Chilling with Cat at my place." I reply.
Wait…I haven't cleaned up and I feel like I've already done a day's work talking to Cat. Weird.
WHAT? That's where she is?-Jade
She sounds mad. Weird.
"Yeah. Is there a problem?"
The smell of bacon is starting to permeate the air.
Funny how she didn't mention that. Excuse me while I roll my eyes.
…
Why hasn't Jade replied?
Oh well.
I speed thru my shower, making a mental note to ask Cat to move her towel next time. No big deal, just a small request.
Why hasn't Jade replied?
I had barely pulled my shirt on and started downstairs when suddenly she was in front of me.
Then she randomly shoved me. Hard.
"What the hell are you thinking?" She shrieked.
"What? Jade? You ok?"
"How dare you take advantage of her! She's been violated and now you bring her here?"
"What are you talking about?" I asked, starting to stand, but Jade shoved me back down.
"Shut up!"
I shook my head and then Jade suddenly lurched onto the bed.
Then Cat dove into my lap, arms out to protect me.
"Stop…please stop. Just please stop. He didn't do anything." She sobbed.
What the hell is going on?
"Why did you let him bring you here? I told you that you should stay somewhere safe!" Jade asked Cat, voice calmer.
"I want to be here! Why are you so mad?"
"I'm worried sick about you!"
"But I'm fine! I'm with Robbie! I'm safe!" Cat replied.
Jade seems to be better now. I think the stress got to her and she snapped at me.
"But you didn't tell me you were here! I was going to see you when I texted Robbie!"
"You didn't say you were coming here? Cat!" I said, exasperated. I specifically told her to tell everyone that she was staying with me.
"I'm sorry! Why are you so mad?" She cried, curling close to me.
"I'm not sweetheart, I just don't want everyone to worry."
"Do you not want me here?" Cat asked Jade.
Oh god.
I think I'll be packing her up in about 5 minutes.
Jade started to speak, but then she saw Cat's tears.
"C'mere…" She told Cat, and the two of them retreated out of the room.
I sat there for a minute or two, then started messing with stuff just to give me something to do. I had folded my bed by the time they came back in.
"Robbie, C'mere." Jade asked, as Cat came back in, tear streaks on her face.
I walked out, and she followed.
"What is going on?" I demanded the second she shut the door.
"She didn't say she agreed to stay here with you."
What…
"I thought you knew otherwise I never would have packed her up!"
"I know that. I'm sorry for flipping out on you. I…she's got me worried."
"It's cool. But she asked if she could stay for a bit and I thought she had consulted it with you."
"She didn't but that's ok. She begged me to let her stay here."
I ran my hands thru my hair. "I'm happy to have her if she can stay here."
"She's here dude. Just promise me something?"
"Sure."
"It sounds selfish, but you think you got her?" She asked me.
"What do you mean?"
"I…I think I know how to get with Beck."
Oh really now.
"Of course I can handle Cat. Now where is this new revelation coming from?"
"I…stayed with him the last couple of nights."
"Stayed huh?" I inquire.
"Stayed, not slept with. But I think…I think he likes me."
Excuse me while I go throw a party. It's go time.
"No way." I faked surprise.
She went on for like five minutes, about how they were making dinner, and he hugged her from behind and kissed her hair and watched a movie together and it was magical.
Damn good job Beck.
"So, anyway I'm sorry I snapped. I'll let you guys have breakfast." She finished, hugging me softly.
"Ok, you can stay if you'd like." I offered.
"Nah, Beck wants to eat with me." She burst into a girlish smile and giggle.
That's going to take some getting used to.
"Ok girl, keep it PG 13 please." I quipped.
"You do the same lover boy." She kissed my cheek, and sauntered right out the door.
Cat jumped when I opened the door again.
"Can I stay?"
Her face screamed desperation.
"You're staying."
She tackled me into a hug and sobbed all the way down the stairs, where we picked up breakfast preparations.
The rest of the day was honestly, kind of boring. Cat went to her checkup for her concussion, and I waited at my parents after dropping her off. I just helped dad with the patio he said he'd build.
Yeah, "build."
Love my parents. They're so human.
Cat texted my around 6 saying she was symptom free and needed her ride back. From there we ordered in Chinese and watched bad TV.
I thought she was thru for the night after we had bade each other goodnight, and I was about to hit the light, when she came padding in.
"Can I sleep with you? I don't want another nightmare." She asked, eyes wide.
"Sure, nightmare?" I asked.
"Yeah, what do you expect? They got me again." She sighed, coming in for a hug.
The second I hit the light and lied down she curled herself to me and passed out. After a minute or two it was clear she was sleeping soundly due to her deep breaths on my chest.
I hope I helped. I think I did.
Funny thing is, I just was Robbie. Nothing special.
Maybe that's the secret.