Kissed by a Catastrophe (Kissed Series: Book 5 of 6)

Chapter 3: Arrival

Catrina

Getting the Inn ready for our family's arrival was always an exciting time for me, but not today. There is no singing or joking around because they are coming here to help find my mother. It's been a long time since we were all together, and knowing mom would have loved this makes it that much worse. She always took great pride when setting up these rooms. Mom would have each suite planned out to the letter and leave gifts for my aunts and uncles when they came for a visit. Today, we are doing the bare minimum and she would not be pleased.

Mom, where are you? I cry out in my mind, but nothing happens.

"Hey Cat, how is it going in here?" Ella asks while stepping in the door.

She's checking on me.

Wiping the tears away, my sister walks over and hugs me, as I try to act strong, but my will is failing.

Did they take her because of me? Why else would she call out my name?

"Stop it. This was not your fault and I refuse to watch you do this to yourself." Ella says sternly.

Looking at her I ask, "Can you read minds?"

"No, I just know my sister." She answers with one more quick hug.

Ella asks, "Who's staying in here?"

"I believe this is Aunt Kelly and Uncle Todd's room," I reply.

With a smile, she grabs some bundled chocolates out of the basket and sets them on their pillow.

Ella says with a slight smile, "Triple chocolate for Aunt Kelly and Peanut butter for Uncle Todd."

"You are good. I was just thinking about how mom would be pissed to know that we did nothing extra for them." I say as she puts her arm around me and we move on to the next room.

She asks, "Alright, who is in here?"

"Ally and Brooke are in this one, since it's adjoining," I state, and she nods.

Ella wants to say something, but she's looking for the right time.

"Okay, what's up with you? Let me have it, sis." I say as she turns to me.

With a smirk, she says, "Alight, I thought that I'd stay in town at the hotel."

"What? Why?" I ask, being totally thrown by her statement.

Ella says, "Well, there is not a lot of room and..."

"Bullshit! You have your own room, El." I say and then sense something different.

Looking at my sister, I shout, "You have a boyfriend!"

"Yes, I do. Now listen to me and keep it down. We were going to go to D.C. together, but now he's only going to stay for a night and then go on without me. I don't want to tell dad because he's already upset enough." She whispers.

Sizing her up, I say, "He's going to leave you? With mom missing? That's sort of crappy."

"No, I do not want Abe around when everything hits the fan. He is not like us and actually, he's my boss." She says softly.

With a smile, I ask, "So what were you going to tell mom and dad?"

"Well, he was going to meet them... Both of them, not just dad. You know how overprotective he is and mom would have forced him to behave. Now, with the stress he's under, that would send him over the edge." Ella explains, and she's not wrong.