Some trouble brewing...or a girly night in? ;)
*Two weeks later*
"You guys are all packed up, huh." Cat smiles weakly, knocking a box gently and tweaking Olivia's nose. "Will you miss me, sweetie?"
"Yup!" Olivia giggles, and Cat manages a small smile for the little girl. She's smiling on the outside but on the inside her heart is breaking.
"I'm gonna miss you, my little buddy." Cat says, and her voice cracks on the last word, but she composes herself. It isn't anybody's fault of course, it's just living with someone for four years and then not is a big jump. Cat takes a deep breath. "But isn't this fun!" She cries, exaggerating her words to make Olivia giggle.
"Yeah!"
"That's the spirit, angel! You wanna play hide and go seek? Go hide!" Cat helps her out of her playpen, and then covers her eyes. "One...! Two...! Three...!"
"Visit everyday."
"I'm only over the road, Jadey." Cat smiles, hugging her best friend tightly. Cat hugs Beck too, whispering in his ear. "I knew you could do it."
"Thanks," he says quietly, smiling bashfully. "Jade's right. Come over anytime. You're as much apart of this family as one of the kids. We love you, Cat."
And that set off Cat crying. She waved a hand, nails freshly painted, in front of her face. "My makeup, you guys!" And then she threw her hands around Beck and Jade again, freely sobbing and laughing at the same time. "I love you too!"
It wasn't easy, at first, living alone, but Cat muddled through, pottering over to Jade and Beck's everyday, just like promised. Soon after, Cat began to stop going over as frequently. She saw some of her old friends, ones that she'd lost touch of in those moments where she was so caught up in making sure those two kids in her rear view mirror were happy that she forgot anything else in the world.
Robbie came over often and Beck and him caught up, too, and Jade said hello to Andre every so often. Cat began to go out more, driving for miles and miles and not stopping until she ran out of gas or energy - or both.
Jade found that she missed Cat, and yearned for more friends. It was hard on them both - they desperately clawed at the edges of the friendship that they had once shared but equally, they both knew that time was over.
Jade sighed and took Olivia's hand. "I think it's time I got you into preschool, Livvy. And I think it's time I get a job!"
And so Jade bought two local papers and fished her Sharpie from the kitchen draw, pulling off the lid with her teeth and patting the baby's back as she circled.
Street sweeper - cross, shop assistant - cross, etc etc..
Piano teacher - circle! Jade whoops and then laughs, "Sorry, Jazzy, little man." Jade phones up the number on the ad. "Yes, hello, I'm phoning up about the piano teacher advert in the local paper? May I speak to...Mrs Calais, please?"
"Yes, that's me," the woman on the other side of the phone laughs, and it sounds like bells. "Please, call me Dove. And your name is, my dear?"
"I'm Mrs Oliver. Jade, if you like," she says nervously. "I've played piano since I was six and I'm a grade 7 pianist. I can play at a grade 8 level but...never mind, you probably don't want to hear!" She laughs.
"No, that's okay. Well, I have a school over here. My recent piano teacher just took an extended leave. It's not an ideal job but I pay well, I'd like to think."
"I don't need a lot of money. We're doing well - my husband has a good job. My eldest is turning four this year, though, and my little one is seven months. I need some time out of the house. I was a stay at home mother." Jade omits the parts where she wasn't a stay at home mother - where she didn't have a home at all.
"Ah, good! You're used to being with the little ones. Some as young as four are through the door - madness! Though you say you learnt at age six! A little child wonder?"
"No, no, my mother was a teacher. She liked to play when I was little."
"Aww, I bet she's proud of you."
"Yes, I hope so."
"You'll have to bring her along one day." Jade smiled sadly and sighed.
"She killed herself when I was younger."
"Oh! I'm sorry, dear. She'll still be proud of you."
"I hope so," she repeats, and she closes her eyes and seals the deal with Mrs Calais. As soon as she hung up, Jade rushed over to Cat's house, Olivia and Jasper in tow.
"Cat!" She called, sounding so excited, knocking on the door briefly before bursting in, barely containing her emotions. She was so proud of herself. Now she just had to enroll Livvy in nursery, and she'd be set. "Cat!"
And in the living room sat Tori Vega.