Cate stayed at the hospital until visiting hours ended. She was dreading going home. She did not want to see Abby.
How could Abby just tell everyone? No matter how mad Abby was that Cate had slept with Baze, they were sisters. To betray Cate this way was unforgivable.
Cate took a deep breath as she opened the front door. She was hoping to go straight to her bedroom without seeing Abby.
"Cate? Is that you?" Laverne called from the kitchen.
Cate sighed. "Yeah." She headed into the kitchen, where Abby and Laverne were sitting at the table.
Abby shifted uncomfortably in her chair. She smiled slightly, trying to gauge Cate's reaction.
Cate fixed Abby with an icy stare.
"How was school?" Laverne asked, completely oblivious to the tension between her daughters.
Cate rolled her eyes. "It's nine o'clock. School's been out for hours."
"You've been at the hospital?" Laverne said knowingly.
Cate nodded.
"How's Lux?" Laverne wondered.
"Not good," Cate replied.
Laverne looked up, interested.
"You know, she needs this surgery to fix the hole in her heart. The doctor who's been treating her thinks she's not ready, but the top surgeon in Oregon thinks she is," Cate explained.
Laverne frowned. "The top surgeon in Oregon? How much did you pay for a consultation?"
"Baze's dad is taking care of it," Cate said, unconcerned.
"For how long?" Laverne muttered.
"He's taking care of it," Cate said firmly.
Laverne sighed. "Cate, this boy denied sleeping with you. Where were he and his dad during the pregnancy? What makes you so sure his dad isn't going to bail on you and Lux?"
Abby smirked.
Cate's hands balled into fists. "His dad didn't know he'd gotten me pregnant. He's trying to make things right."
Laverne looked unconvinced.
"OK, Mom, what's this really about? Is it really about Lux? Or is it about Dad bailing on us?" Cate demanded, hands on her hips.
Laverne drained her wine and struggled to pour another glass, splashing the amber liquid onto the table.
"That's just great, Mom," Cate said sarcastically. She mopped up the spilled wine. "You know, maybe the reason Dad left is because of your little problem."
Abby gasped.
"Please, your father left because he had commitment issues," Laverne said defensively.
Cate rolled her eyes. "How many bottles of wine have you gone through this week?"
"So I enjoy an occasional glass of wine. There's nothing wrong with that," Laverne said.
Cate opened the cabinet below the sink and sifted through the trash, pulling empty bottles out and lining them up on the counter. By the time she was done, there were more empty bottles than days of the week.
Laverne massaged her temples, as though dealing with Cate was giving her a headache.
Abby stared at the bottles in shock. She knew her mom drank, but she hadn't realized how bad it actually was.
"I'm going to bed," Cate said. She couldn't deal with her family on top of everything else. Lux's surgery was more than enough for her to deal with.
Cate lay down on her bed in the fetal position. She didn't know what to do. She didn't know if she was capable of making this decision.
If she made the wrong decision, her daughter could die. Her daughter's life was literally in her hands. It was too much.
The hardest decision her classmates had to make was which colleges to apply to, Cate thought enviously.
Every decision Cate made would affect Lux, Cate realized.
How Cate acted toward Baze could shape Lux's relationship with her father. If she even had a relationship with her father.
Not to mention the million-dollar question: Should she allow Dr. Burke to operate on Lux?
She allowed herself to imagine for a moment that the surgery was successful. She would be able to bring Lux home. At last. She could hold Lux in her arms any time she wanted, not just when she was feeding Lux, Cate thought eagerly. She smiled to herself.
Lux had yet to leave the hospital. She's spent her entire life in the cold, sterile hospital with doctors and nursed poking and prodding her. It wasn't fair, Cate thought miserably. Lux deserved better. She deserved so much more.
Cate remembered the scene in the kitchen that night and couldn't help but wonder if Lux would really be better off here.
Cate knew better than anyone else the hardship of growing up in a house with a drunk. She didn't want Lux to go through what she had.
And Abby and her weren't getting along at all. How far would Abby go to get back at Cate for sleeping with Baze? Would Abby stoop so low as to hurt Lux? Cate bit her lip.
She didn't think Abby was that vicious, but she would never have thought Abby capable of telling everyone about her pregnancy either. The truth was Cate didn't know what Abby was capable of.
A knock on the door dragged Cate back from her thoughts. She sighed. She didn't want to talk to her mom. "Come in."
Cate looked up in surprise when Abby opened the door.
"I thought you were Mom," Cate said, her tone accusatory.
"You must be really mad at me if you'd rather be talking to her," Abby said, smiling slightly.
"Can you blame me?" Cate said, shooting a withering stare at Abby.
"No," Abby said sadly. She hesitated. "Cate, did you mean what you said? At school?"
Cate stared at Abby quizzically.
"That you can never forgive me," Abby said quietly.
"I don't know if I can forgive you," Cate said truthfully. "You deliberately tried to hurt me in the worst way possible. I can't trust you anymore."
Abby's face fell. She looked like she was about to cry. "I'm sorry."
"Sorry doesn't make it better. Sorry doesn't change the fact that the entire school knows I was pregnant!" Cate said, her tone harsh.
A tear rolled down Abby's face.
Cate didn't feel any sympathy for her little sister.
"How did you think Baze would react when he found out you were the one who told everyone?" She demanded, hands on her hips.
"He knows?" Abby gasped.
"You told the whole school," Cate pointed out. "Of course he knows. Did you think you were only hurting me?"
Abby stared at the floor.
Cate shut the door behind Abby's retreating back.
Cate was a perfectionist. She never did anything unless she knew it would turn out well. Giving the go ahead for Lux's surgery when the outcome was so uncertain went against every fiber in Cate's being.
She sat down at her desk and made a pro/con list. She needed a clear-cut answer. She didn't trust her gut when Lux's life was in her hands.
The only con Cate could come up with was that Lux could die. It was a big con, but it stood alone beside a long list of pros.
Lux had almost died during the first surgery, but she hadn't. She was strong. She was a fighter. And this time Cate would be there for her. Cate could donate blood. Whatever Lux needed Cate could give her. Cate wanted to give it to her.
Cate picked up the phone and dialed Baze. She hung up before he could pick up.
She felt weird calling him. This was the guy who had denied sleeping with her. Baze was not a good guy.
But he was Lux's dad. Whether Cate liked it or not. And Cate knew he deserved to know that she was going to approve Lux's surgery. More importantly, Lux deserved to have both her parents there for her.
Cate took a deep breath and dialed the number again.
"Hello?" Ellen said into the receiver.
"Uh, hi. Is, uh, Baze there?" Cate said.
"May I ask who's calling?" Ellen asked curiously.
"Cate. Cate Cassidy," Cate said.
"Oh, of course. Just a moment," Ellen said. Cate could hear Ellen calling Baze.
"Cate?" Baze said, surprised.
"Yeah. I, uh, just wanted to let you know I'm gonna let Dr. Burke perform Lux's surgery," Cate said.
"Thanks for, uh, letting me know," Baze said.
"Of course. Can you tell your dad he can go ahead and call Dr. Burke?" Cate wondered.
"Of course," Baze replied.
"Thanks. Bye," Cate said, eager to end the awkward phone call.
"See you tomorrow," Baze said awkwardly.
Cate couldn't help wonder if Baze really meant it. Would he actually deign to speak to her at school tomorrow? Or would he go back to treating her like she didn't exist? Cate sighed.