*Cat*
It was just my luck that on a bright Saturday morning when I was filled with the itching need to get out of the house, Elio would have to work. I pouted unhappily, slouched on the couch as my leg bounced up and down impatiently as Elio got ready to leave.
“I’m sorry,” Elio said, giving an apologetic look. “Franky needs to check on a building. I tried to get out of it but apparently, it needs my approval before they go ahead with it.”
“I know,” I sighed, leaning my head back, “I’m just being a baby but... I don’t know, I really wanted to go out today.”
“Maybe go ask Anna?” he offered. “She loves Emilia, so you can bring her.”
I gave him a glance and then gestured to our daughter, who was in her baby bouncer. She was gnawing on one of the fish toys stuck to it, a grumpy look to her as she held her bottle in one hand and a death grip on the bouncer as she struggled to get out of it.
“Right,” Elio said quickly. “She’s still grumpy?”
As if to prove his point, Emilia let out a piercing shriek of frustration, finally letting go of the bouncer before she threw her half-drank bottle of milk right at Elio’s feet. I was honestly impressed by her aim as she struggled in her bouncer, screaming like a little demon.
“What do you think?” I huffed, as Elio picked up the bottle and offered it back to Emilia on one knee. She gave him a very angry look, a frown deeper than the Marianas trench before she reached out and slapped the bottle right out of his hand.
Then she scread, wailing her little fists everywhere, mock crying without any real tears in her sheer anger.
“Teething, still?” Elio asked, shocked by how his beloved angelic daughter had been behaving all week.
“Yes,” I said tiredly, pinching the bridge of my nose, “I’ve done everything to get her to calm down but nothing! The doctor said it’s normal but she’s driving nuts. At least in there, she isn’t trying to bite down on everything she finds.”
He gave a helpless smile, shrugging his shoulders as he retreated. “You’ll figure it out. I love you.”
He leaned over to give a quick kiss before heading out, leaving behind and the demon that had overtaken my sweet daughter.
I sighed, throwing my head back as I replayed the cartoon movie, the only one that Emilia would watch right now. It was mind-numbingly boring and as I heard Elio’s car driving away, I grumbled to myself and finally decided to call in so backup.
Mom arrived in no less than five minutes, a determined look at her. She glanced at with my frizzy hair and then my daughter before saying, “I’ve got this. You go have fun.”
“Mom.” My eyes watered as she took over imdiately, pulling Emilia from the bouncer despite how my daughter tried to latch onto her arm with her new tooth and then promptly and quickly stuffed a pacifier in her mouth.
I watched with wide eyes as Emilia initially tried to spit it out before her body relaxed as she sucked on it gradually becoming more docile.
“Teething pacifiers,” Mom said triumphantly. “Ice with fruit chunks in the compartnt and it’ll stop them right in their tracks. Lifesaver, I tell you.”
“You’re the best,” I sighed in relief, giving her a huge grin.
Emilia had thrown away every teething toy we’d given her but now she was utterly quiet, blissfully sucking away as she ignored the rest of the world. The demon was sated, I thought happily.
“I know.” She gave a smug grin. “Now go get dressed. You go out and let spend ti with my granddaughter.”
“Thanks, Mom,” I said gratefully, rushing to call Anna, who imdiately agreed to our plans.
I got dressed at record speed, leaving a kiss on my daughter’s cheek now that she wasn’t trying to bite my face off, and then hugged Mom, thanking her one more ti before I rushed off.
I truly had the best mom, I thought as the driver took to Anna’s place. She was bouncing in place as we arrived and let out an excited gasp as we pulled in, dashing over and getting inside.
“It has been forever since it’s been just us hanging out,” Anna said loudly, and I laughed. She was right and I was just as excited as she was. “Okay, first stop, The Kitchen!”
“God, that sounds amazing,” I said, my stomach already rumbling as I thought of the small spot that had been Anna and I’s favorite when I first ca back to LA. I hadn’t been there in months but they undoubtedly were one of the best spots in the city.
The colorful brick spot wasn’t the most stand out, especially in a place like LA, which was filled with all kinds of fancy restaurants all fighting for attention but the brick exterior filled with artsy murals was certainly different.
Since I wasn’t pregnant anymore and we had transitioned Emilia from breastfeeding to full formula, I gladly ordered a glass of sparkling rose while Anna chose a white Riesling. We clinked our glasses, talking about everything in our lives as we waited for our food.
We didn’t have to wait long as they ca out. I chose the build-your-own grilled cheese, which was delicious as always, while Anna went with the spicy BBQ sandwich. We decided to share the cre brulee for dessert. Anna had polished off three or four glasses of wine by the ti we were done.
Luckily, she had a much better alcohol tolerance than so she wasn’t the least bit tipsy, while I had only gotten through one glass before feeling the effects start to hit just a little.
Thank goodness for the driver.
After lunch, we headed down to the beach, picking up our shoes in our hands as we decided to just walk along the sand, the cloudy day breaking up the heat and the sea water licking across our bare feet.
It was a beautiful day and I breathed in the salty air, watching the gulls flying overhead as we stopped every so often to pick up shells or see the small ocean creatures like hermit crabs and the starfish lounging in the little rock pools.
We just hung out, enjoying each other’s company as we told one another about our lives.
Anna told about her ssy breakup with Elijah, how his family ca to visit Elijah’s childhood friend (“So R-na or sothing, I don’t even rember,” Anna said flippantly), started school, and imdiately started trying to break them up.
“I warned him about her but he was all, ‘She’s a good girl, she would never.’” Anna rolled her eyes. “Yeah, well, a few fights later, and sure enough, we broke up and she swooped in. They started dating two days after we broke up. Two days. God, n are fucking clueless.”
Luckily, though, she also told about the new guy she was seeing, Cole, how she t him at the school coffee shop, both of them coming in every day at the sa ti before school and always ordering the sa drink which often got their orders mixed up.
They started hanging out soon after. Her cheeks were rosy red as she told how they’d been on a few dates already and she adored how much he made her laugh and was truly interested in the random things she talked about.
“He reminds of you kinda,” she said with a grin. “He listens to my rambling and is just stupidly kind all the ti. I really really like him.”
I bead, utterly happy for her as we settled at one of the rock pools, sticking our feet into the water as Anna found a live sand dollar, showing her little prize and the weird little tentacle feet on its underside.
I grimaced away but Anna found it hilarious, letting it move around on her hand for a bit before letting it go. We sat side by side and we leaned against one another, my head on her shoulder and her head laid over mine as we just breathed in each other’s company.
Life was crazy and things were so different from when we were younger. I didn’t get to hang out with her as much as I wanted to, but I hoped she knew how much I loved her and relied on her. She was my best friend and I loved her more than I could ever put into words.
And I knew she felt the sa toward as she nudged a little bit with her elbow, a huge smile on her lips as she pointed to the pair of sea turtles floating near the shore.
We didn’t need words.
It was just unspoken.
We stayed only a few more minutes before deciding to head back, the sun getting lower in the sky and we grabbed our shoes, making sure not to take any of the shells we had found but leaving them easily accessible for any of the hermit crabs to switch to.
We headed back to the car, and I was feeling so relaxed now, laughing as Anna made wild gestures as she told how the theater departnt had played a senior prank last year before graduation, dressing up as mis and following the teachers and students around for a day.
It was about halfway to the car when Anna halted in her tracks and I stopped soon after, giving her a confused glance as she frowned. I followed her gaze and stiffened as a man in a dark suit was waiting by one of the palm trees, eyes locked on us with a humorous grin on his aging face.
“Good evening,” he called out, pushing off the tree and walking toward us.
I searched his face for any kind of clue, but I knew I had never t this person before. I stepped in front of Anna, pushing her behind as I stood my ground, watching him approach warily.
He stopped only a few feet from us, giving a grin. “You’re Miss Caterina, aren’t you? Allow to introduce myself. I am Ignacio. You might’ve heard of from your fiance.”
I stiffened in place, as Anna whispered, “Cat? Is this soone to do with Elio’s... job?”
“What do you want?” I demanded, not showing the slightest bit of fear toward the man in front of . Despite knowing that he was dangerous, despite knowing this was the man who had threatened both and my daughter for so long.
I clenched my fists at my side, anger rising as I finally put a face to his stupid na.
“Oh, nothing much.” Ignacio’s grin widened as he saw standing perfectly still, not moving back an inch. “I just wanted you to give a little ssage to Elio. Tell him... that I can get to you anyti I want to, just like today.”
I snorted, stepping forward fearlessly and crossing my arms as I stood right up to him.
“I’m not scared of you.” I narrowed my eyes at him, rembering the threats he’d made of my daughter. My temper soared as I thought with every fiber of my being, ‘I could kill this man.’
“Oh? Is that so?” He smirked.
“Yes,” I declared boldly, then I stepped forward until we were re inches apart, lowering my voice as I issued my first and last warning to this motherfucker, “In fact, Ignacio, you should be scared of .”
I stepped away, heading back to Anna as I hooked my arm around hers. “Let’s go,” I said coldly, pulling her along.
But before we could bypass him, Ignacio held out an arm and eyed with an amused look.
He laughed, looking utterly delighted by my threats. “Elio certainly has gotten himself a live one. I look forward to seeing what you can do, Caterina.”
I narrowed my eyes on his figure as he chuckled to himself, walking away casually like he hadn’t a care in the world.
“Cat, who was that?” Anna asked worriedly.
“Nobody important,” I said calmly. “Let’s go ho.”
She pressed her lips together, not quite believing , but she nodded as we headed back to the car. I tried to lighten up the mood, chatting about Emilia’s teething and Mom’s dating and luckily, Anna took the hint, letting herself be distracted from the eting with Ignacio.
I dropped her off at ho, waving bye and promising to hang out again soon, but as soon as she vanished into her house, my smile dropped. I pulled out my phone as we pulled out onto the road, heading ho.
The call rang a few tis before I heard Elio pick up.
“Cat? I’m almost ho. How was your day?”
“Ignacio ran into today,” I said bluntly.
Reviews
All reviews (0)