Chapter 3 - Yrneh
Monday was either the worst day of the week or the best—depending on the type of the person; but for Amy, it started out to be the best, especially when her job was her passion. But when Tuesday came, that positive outlook for the week ended up being the worst.
Her day at the university was mundane, but uplifting. It was a wonderful feeling to be able to teach attentive students about the wonders of neurobiology. And because she was a visiting researcher, a generous amount of free time was granted to her, especially after class hours.
She had free reign to use one of the labs assigned to her, so she chose to spend her time there for studies. One of her colleagues, who taught biology courses, informed her that some of the math students may be around looking for him because he gave them mathematical problems that involved the speed of nerve signals, and asked her to collect them for him. Amy smiled at his trick to catch the math students' interest regarding their own major as well as neurobiology. Perhaps he was trying to reel them into their department.
True to his word, some math students did look for him and left their papers to her. Although she was accustomed to working alone in her own space, she did not mind the bright scholars who would politely ask for their missing professor and silently glance at her meticulous hands, dissecting brains to extract tumors for her research. It amused her to no extent that some students expressed interest in her work, while others appeared queasy.
Finishing up work, she took off her lab coat and started clearing up her desk. It was the thought of the act of tidying that made her thoughts wander about Sheldon that she didn't notice the man who knocked on her open door.
"Excuse me, I got lost. May I ask the way outta here?" The man asked. To his eyes, he saw a woman whose back was facing him: her long dark brown hair flowing against her back, some locks falling from her hunched shoulders. But upon a closer look, the man paused to process the sight of her.
"Ah, yes. I'm just on my way out. I can walk you there." Amy said as she turned around, only for the air to be knocked out of her lungs.
"Kat!" The man shouted and immediately took her in his arms for a tight hug. "Thank goodness I found you!" He held both her shoulders and looked directly into her eyes. "I've been looking for you! I was worried sick!"
For a moment, Amy tried to gather her thoughts.
"You've met Randi and my mother, Sheila. The only ones left are Carter and my ex-boyfriend, Max."
Amy thought that this might be Carter. There'd be no way that her ex-boyfriend would care if she left or vanished into thin air, right? All she could do was stare back at his blue eyes and take in his appearance.
"Hoo!"
Max looked at her with one brow raised. "What do you mean 'who'? It's me, Max! Listen, Kat. I know we broke up, but after you left, you made it clear to me that I can't lose you. Even as a friend." He looked at her with eyes filled with sincerity.
Amy needed to compose herself. Kat never mentioned that Max rivaled the beauty of Thor! Not to mention that she felt Max's muscles from his embrace. She tried to open her mouth to say something; pleaded her own brain to think straight, but there was nothing.
Sensing that the woman before him was frozen on the spot, he breathed out a sigh and held both her hands. "Can we talk?"
Amy could only nod.
They went outside the building and found a spot secluded enough for them to converse. Greenery surrounded them and the soft breeze commanded silence. For some reason, Amy felt a sense of peace around Max. She didn't need to ask Kat about their bond; she could already see it in Max's eyes.
"You look good." Max started.
"Th-thank you." Amy replied, looking down.
Apparently, she was also bad at lying—perhaps she'd fail at playing Kat's role.
"I know things with us aren't okay, but everyone's worried about you. When I heard news of you leaving, I admit, I guess you needed to be away from me. I accepted that fact. But after days of nothing, I started to get worried. To be honest," he took both her hands, "I also wanted some space, but I just can't leave you be."
Oh, Amy knew that she was going to freeze on the spot again, but she had to channel Kat's feelings on the matter.
"I still love him. But right now, he needs his time to find himself first. And if this path is what it takes, then I'll be on the sidelines, cheering for him."
She took a deep breath, completely understanding Kat.
"I'm sorry for leaving without saying anything—for worrying you." She looked at him, instantly feeling a deep bond from him that was trying to reach her. A small smile crept on her face as she reminisced the same look that Sheldon would give her whenever they had their moments.
Max smiled back. "Thank you. Now, I wasn't the only one who was worried about you. Are you ready to apologize to them, too?"
Amy averted her eyes, unsure how to face the situation. Two hands held hers and forced her to look at their owner. There was a pang inside her chest that reverberated throughout her soul; how she envied Kat for having a man like this who loved her.
"I'll be with you all the way."
His words were just as reassuring as his eyes when she looked at him.
The drive to the café was quiet, yet comfortable. Apparently, all of Kat's friends were waiting for them to arrive. Max held her hand until she was facing them, squeezing it to reassure her that he talked to them before he brought her there. Her state of nerves seemed to calm with the smell of freshly brewed coffee, together with some of the cats coming up to rub themselves against her legs.
All were quiet as she faced them. She returned the grip from Max's hold, drawing some courage into her system. Reminding herself that these were the people that Kat treasured, she took a deep breath and apologized on behalf of Kat.
"I'm sorry for running away."
"I just want some time for myself…"
"...maybe do something different…."
"Also, I changed my phone number to avoid all of you, and I'm sorry for that too."
Amy felt like she was saying it to her own friends and family because as she looked in their eyes, she saw love, compassion, and understanding. She stood still as they all embraced her, telling her that they were relieved to have her home, safe and sound. It was Sheila who had to break the peace.
"I know you're going through a lot, dear; but did you have to look even more dowdy?" She said, as she held both of Amy's shoulders. Kat warned her about her mother—about wanting to have grandchildren; and the only way to do that was to catch a man by dressing up like a whore (in Amy's point of view). Amy just smiled; how their mothers were polar opposites.
"Let me be, mother. I feel safe and comfortable wearing this, so please just let it go?"
Sheila sighed. "Fine. Just promise me to never run away like that again."
"I promise."
After a moment of hugs and familiarizing herself with Kat's circle and surroundings, as well as giving them her phone number, Randi promised her a report about how the café was doing, and asked her the big question, her tone filled with concern: "Can we ask you where you've been for the past week? Max told us that he found you at UofL."
Kat and Amy talked about the whole situation, and they both agreed that they needed to fabricate their words; just enough so they don't stack lies upon lies. They had to put their own personal truths into the mix. Noticing that everyone was looking at her, she bit her inner lip and took a breath.
"I went back to academia. Randi, I'm sorry, but we can talk about the arrangements this weekend. Is that alright for you?"
Everyone gasped out of shock, Randi with stress on her facial features. But before anyone could comment on what Amy announced, her phone buzzed, and she excused herself for a moment.
"Get dressed. We're going for an impromptu girls' night. We'll pick you up in 30. -P"
Adrenaline suddenly surged through her system. She needed to call Kat and…but not here….
Amy embraced Randi, saying in a haste, "I'll be back this weekend. I promise. Thank you for keeping the café open. And I'm really sorry, but I forgot about the meeting I have this evening. I gotta go."
She bolted towards the exit, pausing to look at Max, "Thank you, Max. I'll see you later.", giving him a small smile before she left.
≫^・.・^≪
Kat's day had been worthwhile. She relaxed, went to the pool, had lunch, and spent the afternoon at the "Corner Café", reading a book—one that confined the topic of probability. Due to her and Amy's situation, attractiveness around the prospect tickled her inquisitive mind; and it sparked her passion for math. No amount of ink and paper was enough for solving the odds of what was happening to her. She was too engrossed in her small research that she didn't notice the time, forgetting that she had more activities that evening.
Because of her personal delay, she was unable to tour the planetarium and went straight to the show. It already started and everyone had already taken their seats. She quietly and carefully found a seat, but ended up tripping. Thankfully, everyone else was focused on the show. Needless to say, she was enjoying the presentation, when her phone suddenly rang. Out of embarrassment, she slid off her chair to hide and immediately answered the call, inwardly scolding herself for forgetting to put her phone on silent mode.
"Hello?" she whispered.
"Kat! You need to head to my apartment right now!" Amy shouted at the other end of the line, causing Kat to pull her phone away from her ear.
"What?! Why? I'm in the middle of a planetarium show."
"Penny and Bernadette are on their way to pick you up for a sudden girls' night! My extra key is taped on the ceiling of my mailbox. Please hurry."
"Okay, okay! I'm on my way."
Although she was silently shouting, the others in the room couldn't help but shush her. The host was about to call her out, but decided to continue with the show after the calm. Kat speedily crawled at the back (feeling too ashamed for not thinking to take the call outside), ran to the exit, and drove to Amy's place as fast as she could.
As instructed, Kat found Amy's mailbox, retrieved her hidden key, and went inside her apartment. Amy told her that if she was too "Kat-ty", she should change into something less to avoid suspicion from her besties. So Kat went to her bathroom and looked in the mirror. She removed most of her earrings, just leaving the ones on her earlobes; found Amy's hair straightener, and straightened her hair, then tied it into a ponytail; and went to Amy's wardrobe to change to a long-sleeved shirt, leaving her own blouse on top of her bed.
There was a knock on the door just as she finished, and upon opening it greeted Penny and Bernadette, giving her a warm hug.
"Hey, Ames!"; "Hi, Amy!" Both greeted simultaneously.
"Are you ready to go?" Penny excitedly asked.
With a feigned confused look, Kat replied, "Where?"
"To the Cheesecake Factory for some drinks! Didn't you get my message?"
"Oh, sorry. I'll explain later, but sure! Let's go!" Kat smiled at them, feeling right at home with their company.
She took Amy's key and held it in her palms, inside her skirt's pocket.
≫^・.・^≪
Amy trotted while talking to Kat, keeping her pace to get as much distance away from the café. They talked about utilizing each other's belongings, but not when it was an emergency. She had to put faith in Kat—that she would arrive at her apartment and be ready for her two besties' arrival. Hanging up, she continued to walk, thinking that she needed to go home and rest.
A flash of bright light…
A loud honk…
And the sound of a revving engine of a car…
She was halted by arms that embraced her before she stepped off the pavement….
≫^・.・^≪
The three ladies were having drinks at the Cheesecake Factory's bar. They were having fun talking about how their days were going: Penny, with her work as a pharmaceutical sales representative; Bernadette, with her progress on the drugs she's been researching; and Kat with how her "vacation" had been going. Having drinks with Amy's friends was as fun as drinking with hers, and she couldn't help missing them.
"You okay there, Amy?" Bernadette asked and put a hand on her shoulder.
"Yes, I'm fine. I just feel like…there's something missing…." Kat honestly said.
Penny, feeling sympathy for her friend, decided to change the topic: "By the way, what were you going to explain to us…?"
"Oh," Kat remembered. "I kinda got mugged, surrendered my phone, and changed to a new one."
"WHAT?!" Both blondes screamed.
"Why wasn't that the first thing you told us?!" Penny voiced out.
"Yeah! But are you alright? No injuries? The bastard didn't lay a hand on you did he?!" It was Bernadette who unleashed such fury that left Kat stunned in her seat.
"Ladies, calm down. I'm fine. No injuries, no harm, nothing. I promise." Kat held each of their hands. "I just surrendered some of my belongings; immediately informed the institutions, and I'm safe."
Kat reassured them and gave them her "new" number. Out of the necessity of the situation, Kat thought that this should be appropriate—that is, without erasing Amy's real number from their contacts.
"We should delete your old number—" Penny started when she noticed four men entering the facility. "Oh, shi—WE TOTALLY FORGOT THAT TODAY'S TUESDAY!"
Kat was about to ask, but stopped herself. One thing that she learned was that to avoid accidents, (given her clumsy nature), one must stay calm, quiet, and observe before any action.
"Hey, guys. We didn't think that you'd be hanging out here." Howard greeted as he kissed Bernadette's head.
"We hope we aren't interrupting." Leonard did the same with Penny.
"Amy?" Sheldon looked at her in disbelief.
Kat deduced who the guys were by Amy's description: "Leonard is Penny's newly wed husband, an experimental physicist; Howard is Bernadette's husband, an engineer; Rajesh is another friend, an astrophysicist; and Sheldon, my tall, lanky, and handsome ex-boyfriend, a theoretical physicist." She thought that she'd enjoy the company of fellow academics, as she was an epistemophile herself.
"Hello, Sheldon." Kat smiled, all the while keeping her panties to herself.
"What happened to you? Why are you wearing that? Why do you look so different?" Sheldon bombarded her with questions. Amy warned her about her ex-boyfriend's antics, and sure enough, Kat was ready for it (even though she cursed how right Amy was when she mentioned "handsome".)
"Alright, buddy, let's go to another table." Leonard attempted to usher him towards the farthest table they could find.
"No, Leonard. I asked Amy a question; Amy?" Sheldon looked at Kat.
Penny interrupted, saying, "Sheldon, she can do whatever she wants with herself. We think she looks prettier and more outgoing!"
"I didn't ask you, Penny. Moreover, I blame you for making Amy like this. You had every opportunity to stop her from breaking up with me, and here we are with her being different and changing!" Sheldon complained and stepped out.
"I do agree with Penny, Amy. You look amazing!" Raj commented.
"I'm sorry. Let me talk to him." Leonard offered.
"Thank you, Rajesh; and Leonard, allow me." Kat stood and followed Sheldon, leaving the gang in silence. She hoped that she was doing well, portraying Amy. There weren't any indications that she slipped up, so she could breathe a little. Right now, however, she had to deal with Amy's greatest problem—both the positive and negative aspects of said conundrum.
The night was chilly outside the establishment, yet this did not stop her from locating Sheldon. His height was towering after all; she could see him stomping towards the bus stop a block away. As she approached the seats, she formulated her words in her head. She was aware that he was gifted…with a price….
She sat a seat away from him.
"Sheldon, can we talk?" She softly began.
"No, Amy. What makes you think that we can function in the same room, all the while neglecting the fact that we are not pair-bonded anymore?" He said with his arms crossed, not bothering to look at her.
"We can still function as friends, Sheldon. You've been one of my best friends ever, and I hope that remains, even if we're not pair-bonded."
"But why do you have to change yourself? You don't wear sneakers with your ensemble; nor earrings; nor do you even wear your hair like that!" Sheldon started to panic.
"Sheldon, in unraveling the mysteries of the universe, what is the number one constant there is and ever will be?"
Sheldon looked at her, worry plastered on his face. "Change."
"Precisely." Kat nodded. "Now, to avert your brilliant mind away from worry, I devised a scenario for you to calculate: in a world where no one would look exactly the same, what are the chances there is actually one?"
"Be more specific?" Sheldon looked at her with curiosity; and if Kat were to be honest, her underthings would have fallen by now.
"Uh, here in America."
"Then one in 345 million; one in one hundred thousand thirty-four here in Pasadena." Sheldon proudly said, leaving Kat astonished.
"Amazing as always, Sheldon." Kat made an effort to act normal, but really can't hide her awe. "Now, I want you to acknowledge that we can interact like this."
Sheldon only nodded with a small smile.
"Thank you. That means a lot. Let's go back. You must be hungry, and Penny and the others might be worried."
They both went back to the restaurant. The men went to a separate table, while the girls continued their girls' night. Sheldon had played a subtle game of glancing at Amy from time to time, and no one noticed him. Perhaps his thoughts drifted towards their earlier interaction of an almost "Counterfactuals" game.
≫^・.・^≪
Later that evening:
"You didn't tell me that your Max is a hot hunk!"
"And you didn't tell me that your Sheldon is a sexy genius!"
"Hey, Amy, why don't you try not straightening your hair?"
"Something happened earlier, and I have a question: Kat, are most men here in Kentucky attractive or is it just me?"
A/N: Hello! Again, this is a slow-progress story. Please be warned of spoilers for Call Me Kat characters and backstories (especially for future chapters ^^ ). Thank you for tuning in and reading! Until the next chapter!