waitress // lrh

25 // trust

// luke //

As soon as I had parked at the Hood residence, I was rushing out of my car, my new bag clutched in my fist. I needed to explain to Catie, and I couldn't wait any longer.

However, the universe was not on my side. Instead of being able to open the front door and sneak upstairs to her room, I was greeted by Mrs Hood having a very heated discussion with a smaller woman in heels. I guessed that she was the owner of the unfamiliar blue Cattilac parked at the end of the driveway.

"Oh, Luke, how was work?" Mrs Hood asked, a forced smile clear on her face. She walked towards me, taking my elbow in her hand. "Listen- I'm sorry, but I need to escape her," she muttered under her breath.

"Excuse me?" A high pitched voice followed her. "I'm not done yet."

"Oh, yes, you are. We'll finish this discussion later."

I sighed, knowing that I wasn't going to get upstairs anytime soon.

She rolled her eyes, heading towards the front door and swinging it open. The sound of it slamming made me jump.

"I'm sorry, Luke, she's exhausting." Joy sighed, dropping my arm.

"Who was that?" Calum asked, entering the room.

"The defense attorney. She refuses to listen to any sort of reason, and the trial is in a month."

Calum scoffed. "She looks like she barely got out of law school."

"She hasn't gotten out of law school."

His jaw dropped. "And she's allowed to take a case? That's not fair."

"Calum- you've been in school for a year. She's a third year."

Not really bothering to understand any of the law talk, I offered a quick hello and goodbye to Calum and Mrs Hood before ducking around their exasperating discussion, leaping up the stairs.

Gingerly, I approached Catelynn's room, hesitating.

Maybe she didn't want to see me right now. No, she definitely didn't want to see me right now. But I needed to get everything straight. I couldn't stand to see her hurting.

So, lifting my knuckle, I rapped gently on the wood.

No response.

"Catie? It's Luke," I said softly.

Nothing.

Trying one more time, no sound came from her room.

Making my way back downstairs, I saw Mr Hood in the kitchen, grabbing an apple from the bowl on the island counter.

"Hey, uh,"

"Luke, what's up?"

I scratched the back of my neck. "Do you know where Catelynn is?"

He exhaled, thinking. "No, maybe her room."

"Ah, I already tried there."

He nodded. "Figures. Maybe ask Calum?"

I offered a non-genuine smile, ducking back over to the front hall.

Calum was still discussing things with his mother, so I waited in the doorway. He noticed my presence, however, so he waved me over.

"You're going to have to pick a law firm to work with, Cal, but your father's would be the best to start with," Joy was saying.

"I know, I've been working some stuff out with him so far. I might do some things with him virtually when I go back to school in the fall," he shrugged, before turning to me. "Anything wrong?"