Ever The Same

Week 4 - Basket Case

Do you have the time to listen to me whine
About nothing and everything all at once
I am one of those
Melodramatic fools
Neurotic to the bone
No doubt about it
——Basket Case, Green Day

Week Four
Your baby is the size of a poppy seed.

September 5, 2021

"Luke, stop," Cait snapped irritably at her friend. "I told you, I don't want any eggs. I don't even like eggs."

"Since when?" Luke snorted.

"Since forever," Cait sighed.

Grayson frowned a bit as he studied his wife. She'd been tired most of the weekend, apparently not recovered from her business trip to Los Angeles. And she'd honestly been more than a little cranky.

He'd thought that she would get over it. But she was suddenly sleeping like a log. And she seemed stressed.

Chitana appeared and set some fruit and a bagel in front of Cait, who managed to grunt her thanks. That earned her a frown from the housekeeper, but Chitana uncharacteristically stayed quiet.

They'd gone ziplining. And Cait and Grayson had gone hiking a lot. They both always loved hiking in the mountains. Had even dragged Luke and Rae to Rocky Mountain National Park to spend a day hiking waterfalls there. Although Cait had seemed to tire easily. She'd made a comment about apparently not being used to the altitude any more.

After their late breakfast, they relaxed by the pool, but Luke hadn't been the only one snoring this time. Cait had dropped into a deep sleep and was making noises that Grayson had honestly never heard her make before. She usually made cute little snuffling noises when she was asleep.

"Does she have allergies that are bothering her?" Rae asked Grayson with a frown.

"Not that I know of," he replied, returning the frown. "But she's been in LA. Maybe something flared up out there."

Rae had noticed that her friend seemed not like herself. And she was a little concerned. She hoped Cait wasn't getting sick or something. Rae knew that her best friend hated doctors and that she wouldn't consult one until she absolutely had to. She'd resolved two days ago to keep an eye on Cait. But so far, all she'd seen was that she was tired and crabby.

*****

Even though she was tired, Cait saddled her horse and took Jameson for a ride. She knew Grayson wanted nothing to do with riding a horse and she left him and Luke watching a college football game. Rae was reading a book, although she made Cait promise that they could talk about some things for work later in the day.

So Cait made the ride alone, but she didn't let Jameson gallop. The horse knew the way, but Cait kept him to a canter. She wasn't feeling up to a full out run.

She went to that small gated plot. And she sat on the bench, looking out at the mountain lake. And talked to her mother.

*****

September 6, 2021

"We'll see you two for homecoming at Duke, right?" Cait asked Luke and Rae as they settled on the plane for the flight.

"Absolutely," Luke grinned. "Looking forward to it. Can't wait for the usual football game followed by Saturday night at Shooters. Should be fun."

"And it'll be our last chance to get together before the season starts," Rae pointed out.

"More importantly, last chance to drink before the season starts," Luke added.

Cait had seemed a little better the night before and today, so Rae hoped that whatever was going on with her had been cured with some extra rest. And with the visit to her mother's grave that Rae knew she'd made.