Midnight Tequila | Holy Trinity

Chapter Forty Nine

The fidgeting hands, the trembling fingers, the wandering mind and the shaking heart were all Cate had as she sat on the most secluded table that Abby told her to wait. New York seemed to be haunted now as she noticed that the once so busy pavement turned more like a ghostly town as few strangers passed by the café where she was at. The blinding lights of New York city were still present, a number of restaurants still opened and some just  about to close for the night. She sat still, patiently waiting for Abby to arrive. But the more hours passed by, the more agitated she was becoming. The plan was to meet at eight in the evening, but two hours had gone by, yet Abby was still unseen.

She had left Abby messages, but all were left unseen. The café that she was in was silent now and she knew that the staff inside were contemplating whether they would approach her or not. It's ten in the evening and Cate knew that the café would close any minute now. Still, she breathed and waited. Few more minutes would not hurt. Besides, she really had to meet Abby. They had to talk over the issue for them to clean things up. Maybe, Abby was caught up in some trouble, but Cate knew that Abby would not ditch her and so, she waited.

"Ma'am? We are so sorry, but we are closing now. The café will be opened tomorrow at six in the morning."

Cate rose her head from the table. She forgot what time it was and when she looked at her phone, time read at eleven. She smiled apologetically at the young waitress who approached her. With a smile, she pulled a crisp hundred dollar and without a word, handed it to the waitress before she decided to go out. Abby hadn't come. The cold breeze of an almost midnight gushed around her as she went out. Her car was still a few meters away when suddenly her phone chimed.

From: Wife <3

Missed you.

Another beep.

From: Wife <3

Come to my house? Are you done with Abby? I am missing you.

A smile crept into her lips. Somehow, despite the bad happenings, she was grasping at the flickering ounce of hope that sooner, everything will be alright.

To: Wife <3

Abby didn't come. I don't know why. I'm outside the café. I'll go there. Make me tea?

From: Wife <3

A tea and a bag of kisses are waiting for you. I love you, honey. Drive safely.

Cate held her phone dearly on her hand as she walked towards her car with a smile. These past few days had been so stressful and tonight, she felt that even if there was still so much on the plate, she felt that it was a bit lighter now. Sandra had texted her to come, perhaps, her talk with Keanu went well. Her heart felt like a floating feather as she slipped into the driver seat of the car. When she was about to turn the engine on, the blonde realized how much she had missed New York, but then, she missed her wife even more and so she drove away.

The midnight was freezing cold. The silence of New York somehow felt annoyingly noisy. Cate drove past the dead pavements of the city under the watching moon above. The streetlights were on full display, sparkling on every corner where her eyes would land to. Somehow, that midnight, she felt nothing. All she just wanted to do was to go home into Sandra's home, breathe into her skin and promise her that they would make it through, nothing less and nothing more. 

When she arrived at Sandra's home, the house felt eerily silent and she knew that her wife was fast asleep already. She knew midnights were not really her wife's favorite time; in almost all the chapters of their books, every page had Sandra sleeping at midnights. Cate got out of the car after parking it. She trudged her way through the door and when she opened it, her eyes widened in suprise.

The lights were dimmed, yet there were scented candes flickering on each corner. The golden gleam amidst the darkness was wrapping the whole space and Cate did not help herself but to smile. There was a bouquet of flowers waiting to be picked up and when she did, a note fell.

You, in this midnight, will be drinking tequila with me. Honey, I'm in the room... waiting. - S ♡︎

So that was how they would spend the night. The blonde put the bouquet right away before she excitedly half-ran towards the stairs. But as soon as her foot stepped into the first case, it was when she noticed that there were polaroid pictures scattered on the floor. Her heart felt like burning and bursting, the same kind she felt in a slow-burn kiss. She gently picked up some of the photos - christmas, birthdays, awards night, but the one that really made her smile was that one specific photo of Sandra wrapped in a coat as they took an aimless walk three years ago. Sandra's smile was captured on that candid photo and as she grasped it, Cate heard the sweetness of her laughter and she felt the warm glow of Sandra's skin.

She missed her, suddenly. She missed those nights and days not having to worry about anything. She missed Sandra and her entirety. What happened between them -  Sarah's  betrayal, to Rooney, to the murder - were all too much and all those happenings have taken so much from them both. As she stood there, Cate realized how much she loved Sandra, because even if how cruel destiny had become to the both of them, she still was there holding Sandra's heart tightly.

She knew Sandra deserved someone who could look into her eyes that were full of insignia of hearbreaks; Sandra deserved to be helped in silencing her trembling sighs. The brunette deserved someone who could kiss her rosegold lips and who would treat her like a religion and Cate knew deep in her soul that she deserved Sandra.

"Honey?" Cate called as she continued to walk upstairs, "Hon? Baby, I'm here."

The blonde shook her head as she heard no response. She proceeded to walk towards the brunette's room, and with excitement splurting out of her veins, she pushed the door open. A tingle on her feet and a lump formed inside her throat emerged as she flung the door open. The room was dark, but there were golden lights coming from the lamp. There were roses on the bed and  two glasses of tequila waiting to be drank on the bedside table.

"Love the suprise?"

The blonde's heart wanted to stop beating when she saw Sandra. The love of her life was in a red silky dress and she was sitting on the chair, hands and feet tied, a gag on her mouth and her neck slowly dripping with blood. Her mouth hung as she looked at Abby behind her wife.

"What -- what..."

"Surprise? I did not ditch you." Abby spoke calmly, tossing the blonde a wink as she dragged the knife back on Sandra's neck, "You see, we only have two glasses of tequila here and as you know we are three in this room. Would you like me to kill your wife or would you like to do that to her?"

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