waitress // lrh

03 // naked

// cate //

Getting immediately enveloped by her mother as soon as she got to the door was not what Cate had in mind when she thought of slipping into the house and taking a bath to destress. However, she really didn't want to get her older brother in trouble when her mother worriedly asked where she'd been for the past hour, and if Calum was still parking the car. So she couldn't slip off to her room just yet.

But what really stung was how her mother didn't ask how Cate was. Not a "how was your first day of work?" Nothing like that.

She was a busy lady, though.

"I- someone from the hotel took me home."

When her eyes grew, probably thinking of one of the hotel guests instead of staff, Cate quickly clarified. "One of the clerks. He was really nice."

Not really.

But she didn't want her mother to worry, so saying how scary Luke was, and how Calum just didn't show up, and how Autumn was so condescending wouldn't help that cause. She likely wouldn't want Cate to go back if things like that were reoccurring, and she'd end up sheltering the innocent little girl from the harsh reality of growing up even longer.

"Okay, honey, I'm glad you're fine. Where's your brother?"

Joy Hood had a lot on her mind as a businesswoman, anyone could tell. But she still tried to have time for her children, even though it didn't always happen.

Cate had had a trying day, even someone who wasn't her would have found it so. So the fact that it was fully brushed over, not even mentioned once, made her a little- to say the least- upset.

But she covered for Calum. She didn't know quite what she was covering, other than his forgetfulness, but she did so anyway, though she was a mess of a liar.

Even Luke could see that.

"He- he went to- to..." Cate racked her brain, trying to think of anything to tell her mother. "To the supermarket."

Her mother looked confused. "There's one right down the road. And he could have just asked Aimee."

Aimee was their housekeeper. She was around fifty, and she'd been looking after them since before Calum was born. She was a very nice woman, never complaining about anything, and always being someone to talk to.

"Well, he- he wanted to make sure he could find it. It wasn't at the one down the road." Cate had no idea what "it" was, she just hoped that "it" was a good enough cover for her mother.

"It?"

Drat.

"Yeah, the- the thing he was looking for."

"What is that, exactly?"

Cate shrugged, trying to look as if she had no idea. Because honestly, she didn't.

"May I go now? I'm very tired."

Joy nodded, realizing Cate was just as clueless to what Calum was looking for as her mother was.

Cate softly made her way up the stairs to her room. Twisting the knob, she opened the door to reveal her bedroom. Pale pink was a common color here, including but not limited to the curtains, the pillowcases, the stuffed elephant sitting neatly on her bed, and her lampshade. 

Pink was such an inviting color, so pretty and cozy to Cate that she felt the need to have it everywhere, despite being nearly eighteen. It likely contributed to why she was still treated like a child by her family, but it wasn't always so bad.

She laid wearily onto her soft mattress, grateful for the cool temperature of the sheets and the comforting feel of the bed. She rested there for however long, just trying to forget her trying day.