Brown Eyes | Loubbie

Chapter Twenty Eight

Isn't it beautiful to have someone  through the bad chapters of your life? Someone who knows the stories behind every vein residing in your eyes; someone who knows the back of your palm. To have someone who knows you - every corner of your soul, every curve and flaw of your body - to have someone who knows how to love you at times when you aren't lovable. It's transcendent to have someone who speaks and whispers your language, fluently - who spits the phrases you want to hear and who memorizes your midnight chantings. Somene who holds your hand when you are damn too scared to dip your foot into the dark waters. It's magical to have someone who knows about all the skeletons you hide inside your closet. To have that someone is rare and Cate was the luckiest for she had that someone.

"Are you just going to stare at me like that?" Sandy laughed at her.

Cate rolled her eyes and watched as Sandy took her move towards the table. She put down her cup of tea before she turned back at them, opened her arms and motioned for Edith to come. Cate was shocked and even if she wasn't sure what would Edith's reaction be, the child already answered her confusion. Edith jiggled away from her and when Cate put her down on the floor, she ran towards Sandra who carried Edith right away into her arms.

"Welcome home, my baby." Sandra chimed sweetly, placing a kiss on Edith's cheek before she winked at Cate who was so shocked at her place.

"Wait..." Cate scoffed, "Why? I mean, you two?" She laughed, tumbling for the right words to ask.

And Sandy started laughing too. She then trudged the space separating her from the blonde with Edith still on her arms. Edith was pastered on Sandy's hips, and it was as if, she had been there many times. Sandy smiled at the blonde when they stood just two inches apart.

"Edith and I are besties." She started and held Edith's hand with her free hand.

"Really? So you're replacing me now?" Cate joked.

"I think so. I mean, you will be my wife and it's too unfair for you to hold a lot of titles on me." A playful grin showed on Sandy's lips before she looked back at Edith, "What's my name, baby?"

"Mommy Pretty." Her little voice resonated and it made Cate laugh.

"Oh my goodness. Mommy what?" The blonde cracked.

"Very good. And my real name?" Sandy continued.

"Mommy Sandy." Edith answered before she looked at Cate, "Mom, you will be marrying mommy Sandy because I want two mommies."

Cate's lips hung open and Sandy winked at her with a proud smile on her lips. In full astonishment, the blonde then got Edith from Sandy's arms and Sandy started laughing at her - it was fun to see the shock on Cate's face, indeed.

"What did you do?" A huge smile on Cate's lips appeared when she turned to ask Sandy.

"Nothing."

"Baby? What did mommy Sandy do? Why are you close already?" Cate asked.

Edith looked at her and glared, "It's mommy Pretty, mommy."

"Okay. Mommy Pretty. What did she do to you?"

"We facetimed a lot. When you and daddy were at the hospital, she babysat us, not our real babysitter and drove Roman and Iggy to school and and and ----" Edith stopped and turned to Sandy, "Where did we go, mommy? I forgot."

"We went to the mall."

Edith turned back to Cate and grinned, "Went to the mall and bought me a loooooot of toys and dresses."

"Oh my goodness. The price of bribery."

-----

Sandra got riddled by the blonde. She's not exactly certain how to sit across from her in the same room or stand at the distance whilst the blonde's back would be facing her, and not be madly in love with a certain Catherine Elise. Forever, she's conflicted. She no longer held mysteries in her. No puzzling conundrums. No intriguing conspiracies for Cate knew her - every bit and piece of her soul. Love in the arms of her past lovers weren't real - those were just patched up definitions concocted by many, but those weren't real at all. But with Cate, love's existence couldn't be questioned. Sandy walked in life wearing what seemed to be just poetry for skin which Cate, completely and wholeheartedly read. Her life has been changed into million little ways and all that, clung a certain blonde - for the blonde, always for her. Sandra maneuvered the wheel of the relationship and she was willing to do everything she had just to keep the flame alive. It was paying her off now. The missing pieces that were once tragedies for her broken heart were all coming back. Cate was hers already, and soonest, they would be tied together in a lifetime knot and to say that she was happy was an understatement.

"Yes. I want a 16-tier fondant cake." She whispered through the phone as she looked at Cate and Edith playing outside by the pool, "And will you please make sure the guests will arrive before tomorrow morning? I want the wedding to be perfect." Her lips curved into a smile, "And no, no, no, please don't let Cate suspect anything. What she knows is that the wedding will be next month. She doesn't know it's tomorrow so please. Thank you. I'll see you tomorrow at the wedding." And the call was ended.

Sandy looked outside once more. Making sure that Cate was still outside. Sandy took her time to make another call.

"Hi, Andrew. Did you and the boys are in there already? Great. Thank you so much. Enjoy your stay and will see you all there tomorrow. Send my regards to the boys."  She spoke before ending the call.

When the brunette made sure that all was set, she went back to the kitchen. She was waiting for her signature blackberry pie to be baked and while she was at it, she leaned on the counter, rewinding all the events that had happened. Her heart bursted open at the sweet memories lingering behind. Tomorrow would be the wedding and it's like she was watching the peachy autumn leaves falling on its places beautifully. Of all the things that left and came back, Catherine Elise Blanchett would always be her favorite. For the things not meant to stay, the blonde was one of it. The pain and the wishful nights of thinking Sandra had to feel were all worth it. Because the blonde came back, and when she did, the brunette's heart throbbed, added and skipped a million beats. Finally, tomorrow they could steal each other's surname.

Sandy was taken aback and she almost jump on her place when she heard a loud sound - a sound so defeaning. Thinking something fall outside, she took her apron off, but when she reached the living room, Edith was there. The little kid had so much tears streaming down her face, the little child's body was shaking and Edith was looking at her like a little puppy who had gone stray. Her heart flew and she rushed to Edith. Knelt in front of her and when she touched the little kid, it was when she knew that the child's dress was covered in blood. Fresh blood. She didn't know what happened, but Sandy's tears fell. Her fingers trembled as she looked at Edith who was literally covered in blood.

"Oh my God! Baby, what happened?"

"Mommy..."

"What happened to mommy?" Sandy asked, her whole world started spinning and even if Edith answered her, she didn't understand what the little kid said.

"Mommy... she... at... mommy... on the pool."

Sandy rose to her feet and ran outside. And when she did, her knees fell on the pavement. Cate was there, lying on the side of the pool. Her face couldn't be seen for there were blood and the blue water on the pool was drenched with blood too. Her heart stopped. It took her a few seconds before realizing what happened. With her body trembling in disbelief and her feet literally shaking, she ran towards her fiancé.

"Cate! Oh my God! Cate, can you hear me? Can you ---" Her existence gradually faded for when she touched the blonde's pulse point, there was no pulse at all.

***