Chapter 12.
'So he was jealous and angry with us, that's why he did this to the family.' Danny said summarising what he had just been told.
'Well he seems more angry with me but yeah, that's pretty much it.' Cate said to her brother who was pacing up and down the room.
'He's such an idiot!' Danny cried out to which his mother frowned and hushed him.
'Daniel, think of your daughter, keep your voice down.' Bette ordered.
'I'm sorry mom. But that's his excuse? That's something I'd expect to hear from a child of Rebecca's age not a grown man like Bobby. I suppose he's going to need a good lawyer, which the family will have to pay for.' Danny fumed sitting down next to Cate on the couch in the family room where they all sat.
'He's still my son Daniel and your brother, nothing changes that, he may have done terrible things but he is still a part of this family and we need to show him that. Obviously we haven't showed it enough.' Bette said getting up from her chair and heading towards the study. 'I'll get on the phone now to Douglas Reed, he'll know how to handle this.' Bette said as she left the room.
'Who's Douglas Reed?' Kris asked having been quiet throughout a lot of the explaining and talking as Sabrina and Cate took the lead for the explanations, leaving out certain things like Calum having Cate attacked and Bobby's actions inside the building.
'Douglas is the family lawyer.' Danny explained rubbing his eyes, he was beginning to tire after the last few days and today's travels.
'Can he handle this kind of case?' Bosley asked.
'Well if he can't he'll know someone who can.' Danny said sitting back in his seat.
'Or Charlie will.' Sabrina offered to which the Angels and Bosley nodded to in agreement.
'Well, we'd better start packing if we're going to be heading back tomorrow.' Sabrina announced to the other Angels.
'Right you are.' Kelly agreed taking the helpful hand from Sabrina to get up from her seat.
'Why don't you stay down here Kel, we can pack your things for you.' Kris offered concerned about Kelly trying to make it up the stairs.
'Sure you wouldn't mind?' Kelly smiled to the others sitting back down.
'We're sure.' Sabrina finalised as she and Kris headed upstairs.
'Aren't you leaving as well sis?' Danny asked lightly placing his hand on top of Cate's head as he asked. Cate looked straight at Kelly, not sure how to start this conversation.
'No Danny, Cate's not coming back with us straight away.' Kelly answered for her. Both Danny and Cate looked to Kelly surprised at her response. Danny sensing that it was time for him to the exit the room looked to Bosley and made their excuses as they left the sisters alone in private.
'How did you know?' Cate asked still stunned by her sister's intuition. 'Have you spoken to Kris?' Kelly smiled at her sister and motioned for her to come and sit by the side of her.
'No, I haven't spoken with Kris, but I am your older sister and with that comes a little bit of intuition and getting to understand you. After everything that this holiday break has brought us I had a feeling you might take off for a while.' Cate looked at her sister about to protest and defend her actions but Kelly stopped her before she could, placing her hands on to Cate's. 'It's all right Cate, I understand, I'd probably want to do the same in your place. Go and take the time you need, clear your head and come back home to us in L.A. when you're ready. I'll speak with Charlie don't worry about that.'
'You'll be down an Angel with me away and you can't work any cases physically with your knee the way it is for at least another week or so.' Cate said to her sister a slight smile on her face. 'Are you sure you guy's will be ok?'
'We'll be fine, we were fine before you joined us and we have Bosley to fill the gap until you come home, just make sure you come home. Kelly said smiling pulling Cate towards her hugging her little sister a single tear rolling down her cheek. She understood Cate's need to get away for a while but it didn't change the fact that it hurt a little that she would be away from her in a time when Kelly most desperately wanted to be there for her little sister, but she had a plan for that. 'Now you have to promise me that you will call and keep me posted as to where you are so that I don't send a search party out looking for you. You don't have to say anything else if you don't want to just let me know you're ok and where you are, all right.' Kelly instructed placing her hand on Cate's face cupping her cheek.
'Not a problem, I promise I'll check with you. Thank you Kelly.' The sisters hugged again just as Bette and Bosley walked back in to the room.
'You've told your sister then?' Bette said returning to her arm chair.
'I didn't need to.' Cate said.
'Older sister intuition.' Kelly explained as she patted Cate's knee. 'Did you manage to speak with your lawyer, Douglas?'
'I did and he believes that he will be able to help. He can't make any promises as to the outcome but he will help.' Bette explained.
'That's good.' Kelly said smiling as Cate moved to get up from next to her sister.
'I think I'll go start on my own packing and make sure that Kris and Bri have got all your things together.' Smiling to her mother and Bosley as she went past them Cate continued on up the stairs.
'She's disappointed with me.' Bette sadly said once Cate was out of ear shot.
'No Bette, no she's not, Cate's just had a rough few days and needs some time is all. I don't think Cate could ever be disappointed with you.' Kelly offered a comforting smile.
'Are you so sure? Her brother disowns her, tells her he hates her whilst trying to destroy the family business and I help in every way I can by getting him good legal representation.' Bette rubbed her forehead as she spoke tension was beginning to form there. 'How could that not disappoint her?'
'For that very reason is why.' Bosley began taking Bette's hand in his comforting her. 'It's your love for your family that makes Cate so proud of you, to be proud to be considered your daughter. She knows no matter what you will always love and care for your children, your family. Cate can never be disappointed in that.'
'Thank you John.' Bette smiled through glistening eyes covering his hand with hers. 'Now, I had best go and fill Danny in on what Douglas had to say, if you'll both excuse me.' Bosley and Kelly watched Bette walk through to the back of the house to her family.
'Well put Bos.' Kelly remarked smiling at him as she did.
'All in a day's work, now, how are you doing and what's going on with Cate?' Bosley moved to sit next to Kelly as she explained about Cate's need to take some time for herself. 'I see, and you're ok with her going off like this?' Bosley asked concern flowing through him.
'I'm not over the moon about it but I understand it and I won't stand in her way or be her reason not to go.'
'Well as long as everything is ok between the two of you, that's the most important thing.' Bosley smiled as he took Kelly's hand in his squeezing it lightly.
After a quiet family meal together everyone decided to turn in early, it had been a long day and the Angels and Bosley had an early flight in the morning. Knowing the house had settled for the night Cate opened her bedroom door with bags in hand and headed down stairs to the garage and her bike. After having strapped her bags to her bike securely Cate went back in to the main house and through to the kitchen where she found her mother sat at the kitchen table reading a book with a mug of hot cocoa by the side of her. Seeing her mother at the table startled Cate.
'Leaving before the rest can change your mind?' Her mother asked with a smile twitching at the corners of her mouth.
'You know I hate goodbyes.' Cate said taking a seat in front of her mother.
'I know, I also know you'll have one very unhappy sister here in the morning not to mention niece when they discover you've left all ready.' Bette said placing her book down.
'True but I also know Becca will get over it quickly as she always does when I leave town and Kelly will be ok, she'll understand.' Cate hoped that, that was true. 'I've left her a note and a promise that I will call her soon.' Cate looked at the expression Bette was giving her, the knowing mother look that said everything without her having to say it. 'I know, it's cowardice of me, but if I try to say goodbye in person, I'll never leave and I have to.' Bette smiled, reaching out to take Cate's hands.
'I know you do honey, don't worry I'll talk to her. Now, you'd better get a move on if you want to be away before someone gets up.' Bette walked Cate back to the garage, helping her with opening the garage door. Pushing her bike on to the drive Cate stopped put her bike on its stand and rushed back to her mother who in turn wrapped her in to a warm loving hug. 'Be careful and call or write often, I love you Caitlin.' Bette quietly said in to Cate's ear.
'I will, I promise. I love you too.' With that Cate rushed back to her bike pushing it out further down the road so not to start the loud engine outside the house waking everyone.
Kelly woke with the sunrise, the fresh morning air of a new day breezing through the open window into her room. Sitting up she felt slight discomfort in her knee but at least she could move around a little easier. Looking around her room she noticed an envelope propped against the vanity mirror on the dressing table. Getting up slowly she moved to the dressing table taking the envelope in her hands she sat at the table. Kelly knew the handwriting straight away to be Cate's taking the letter out of the envelope she read not overly surprised to read that her sister had left a few hours before she got up. Kelly read the letter through twice more before folding it back in to the envelope, getting up from her seat Kelly took her clothes laid out for the day and wash bag and went to the bathroom to get wash and dressed for the day.
Kelly came down to a bustling kitchen after to getting washed and dressed, good mornings were being called out to her from all areas of the room from smiling faces galore but not the one she would have liked to have seen. Bette, seeing the expression on Kelly's face, headed toward her with cups of coffee for the pair of them, putting her free arm around Kelly's shoulders she lead her out of the kitchen through to the garden.
'Come with me honey, we need to have us a little conversation.' Bette said pulling open the door to the back yard.
'You know that Cate's left all ready.' Kelly stated more than asked. Bette nodded as the pair sat in the swing seat.
'I do, I was up when she left. Now she asked me to tell you not to worry and that she promises to call you just as soon as she's able to. I know you would rather have had her here Kelly but Caitlin was never one for goodbyes, it's understandable I suppose but never easy for the rest of us.'
'No its not, how do you get used to it Bette.' Kelly asked taking a sip from her coffee.
'Oh honey, I've never gotten used to it but I've learned to accept it. You see something you must understand about your sister is as much as she loves to be with her family and with the ones she loves she cannot be pinned down, she needs the room to spread her wings a little and take flight when necessary. Caitlin always has, I think it stems from being in the system for so long, never staying in one place for too long, she can get restless after a while.' Bette explained pushing her curly hair out of her eyes.
'So, I should expect this from time to time, that she'll just take off.' A note of anger in her voice.
'Honestly Kelly I don't know. I know a lot more happened here then you're all telling me and I can appreciate why you've chosen or Caitlin has chosen not to tell me but this time I think she just needs the room to process everything and that she prefers to do alone. Caitlin still hasn't learned to let people in to that side of her, the more vulnerable side of her.' Bette look over at Kelly who stared unhappily down in to her coffee cup. 'Kelly, she'll be back before you know it and ready to move on to your next adventure together. Don't be sad and don't worry, let me do that, she'll be back you have mine and her word on that.' Bette said placing a comforting arm around Kelly pulling her in to her close. Kelly couldn't help but smile at the affection Bette showed towards her, she began to feel a little better about Cate's departure there and then.
'Kel! You ready to make a move?' Sabrina's voice came from the patio door. Kelly smiled waving to Sabrina that she was ready.
'Grab yourself some fruit on the way out, you haven't had any breakfast this morning young lady.' Bette ordered getting herself up from her seat and heading back in to the house. Kelly sat by her self for just a few moments longer before heading in, despite what had happened with Bobby, it had been a wonderful break away with her little sister and she adored Cate's family looking forward to the next time they might all be together again, hopefully a happier less chaotic time.
By the time Kelly re-entered the house Bosley had the cars packed up, Danny had arrived with Tessa and Rebecca to wish them all a safe journey and everyone was saying their goodbyes.
'Now y'all make sure you come back and visit us, ya hear?' Bette ordered hugging Kris after having just released Sabrina and Bosley from a tight embrace.
'We will Bette, we promise.' Kris said back smiling from ear to ear. 'Danny y'all have to come back to L.A. to visit us and cook up your BBQ at my beach house.'
'We'll have to arrange a date.' Danny agreed shaking Bosley's hand before accepting Kris's open arms for a hug. Kelly walked down the line of people saying goodbye accepting the thanks they gave for her help. Upon reaching Rebecca, Danny picked her up so that she could hug Kelly goodbye.
'Don't worry aunt Kelly, aunt Cate always comes back.' Astonished by the little girls comment Kelly kissed her cheek and said her final goodbye to her and her parents. Bette stood waiting for Kelly to exit the house putting her arm around Kelly's waist Bette walked her down to the Mustang in which Kris was all ready sat in the driver's seat.
'Now just you remember what I told you and should you need anything, even if it's just to chat you pick up that phone of yours and call me, after all we're family.' Bette declared taking Kelly in to a big tight hug.
'I will I promise and thank you for everything Bette.' Kelly returned as she got in to the car.
'Now just remember if that sister of yours gives you any trouble and she won't mind you, phone me. I'll put her straight.' Bette winked at the two Angels as she spoke. All waving from the drive Bette and her family watched the Angels and Bosley drive off down the road.
'You doing ok Kel?' Kris asked after they had driven for a little while in silence. Smiling back to her friend Kelly looked back to the road.
'Oh I'll be fine.' She said.
'You're not worried about Cate at all?'
'No, she'll be just fine after all she has an Angel watching over her.' Kris looked at Kelly confused by her comment. Kelly seeing Kris's expression started to laugh as they carried on driving towards the airport.