An Intangible Pattern

Mother's machinations

As Cat walked up the garden path toward her childhood home she could hear the sound of a fire alarm. The smell of burnt sugar wafted through open windows along with her mother's curses. She stifled a laugh as she knocked, then entered. 

"Hi mum! Are you alright?" She called 

"Oh it's this bloody stupid oven. I think the thermostat is broken!" She was flapping a towel wildly under the smoke alarm. On the hob was a tray of blackened cookies.

"Mmmmmm, delicious!" Joked Cat as she gingerly tapped the top of a cookie with her fingernail: it was rock solid. The shrill cry of the alarm suddenly stopped and her mother heaved a sigh of relief. She straightened her clothes and bustled around boiling water and rummaging in the cupboards for her tea set.

"Oh well, sorry love. I think there was some shortbread left in the biscuit tin. How was your honeymoon? Did you have a good time?" 

"It was fabulous! I want to go back, Bali is so beautiful…I brought you a present!"

"Oh, darling you shouldn't have!" Exclaimed her mother as she carried a laden tea tray to the table and sat down.

"But I wanted to!" laughed Cat as she took her place at the table, then pulled a large parcel from her bag and set it down between them.

Her mother gave her an affectionate smile and gently unwrapped it. Inside were some sweets, coffee and several bolts of batik-print fabric.

"Oh, how lovely! I have so many projects for these." She cooed in delight and wrapped an arm around her daughter, kissing her hair fondly. "Thankyou! You didn't have to bring me anything at all!"

"I'm glad you like it! I found some lovely jewelry for Alex, is she coming today?"

Her mother frowned and poured the tea into two cups, "No. I haven't seen her since the wedding, the poor thing says she's still not feeling well, some sort of stomach flu. I'm quite worried about her, it seems like an awfully long time."

"Have you been out to see her?" Asked Cat, her brow furrowed with concern.

"I offered to go out to look after her, but she said she didn't want to pass it on. There is a doctor at the sanitorium and she said she's well looked after by the staff, but I don't know…" she sighed with mild exasperation.

"I wondered why she had been so quiet in the chat. She must be over the worst of it by now, I can pop in and see how she is on Thursday."

"Oh, I would come with you, but I'm teaching a workshop on Thursday." exclaimed her mother, looking disappointed.

"That's ok we can go together next time."

Her mother smiled in agreement, then asked "And is Arthur back at work?"

Cat grimaced, replying peevishly, "Yes. He's gone two weeks and everything unravels. He worked late last night trying to clear it up and it looks like he'll be working late again tonight."

"Oh dear, it's such a long commute back as well. He must be exhausted."

"Oh he just stays with Noah if he gets stuck at work late, but we are looking at a house closer to the office." 

"Oh yes, Noah. He seems like a very nice young man," mused her mother amiably. Cat felt a sense of foreboding at the familiar tone.

"Mum.." she chided sternly, "you promised me, you wouldn't interfere in Alex's love life anymore."

"Oh come on Cat! He seemed like such a charming young man. He was ever so polite, and so intelligent and very easy on the eyes. They'd be such a good match." Her mother insisted. 

"I don't think Alex is ready for all that. And Noah is practically a hermit."

"For goodness sake! I'm not saying we  hold a shotgun to their backs and march them up the aisle, I just think it would be nice to invite him to tea and see if they get along."

"Yes, but Alex is very uncomfortable with alphas," argued Cat.

"But she's already met him! And he took care of her when she was sick at the wedding, so he's not entirely a stranger! Besides, even if it doesn't lead anywhere, she has to get over the fear; at some point she'll have to face it head on because she can't live in hiding forever. If Arthur trusts him, then that's good enough for me." 

Cat secretly agreed with her mother's last argument, but she also remembered the night of Alex's first heat. The whole situation had been extremely frightening; she had never seen her sister so vulnerable and scared; and those men! Her mother just didn't fully appreciate how dangerous Alex's situation was.

But then again…

She had only met Noah at her wedding but Arthur had spoken about him to her since the day they met. She felt as though she already knew him and really could trust him. After all, no one had worked as hard as Noah to tame Alpha impulses.

"It would need to be done very carefully, if at all…" relented Cat grudgingly. "But I seriously doubt she'll agree to it."

"I'm sure I can find an excuse to get them in the same room. I think I'll start by baking something for him to say thankyou for looking after Alex!" As she said this, she glanced at the blackened cookies and added ruefully, "don't suppose I could use your oven?"

Cat rolled her eyes and shrugged, indicating that she was an unwilling participant in her mother's machinations. "Do what you want, just don't go overboard."

"I never go overboard…"she whined reproachfully. "Anyway, let's see your holiday photos…."