Home Calling (girlxgirl) ON HOLD

Chapter 5

Catherine tossed her shirt away with frustration. She was suddenly very unhappy with the three plain shirts that she owned, not including the undershirts that she wore with her uniform. Huffing around her old room in jeans and bra, she picked up blue v neck T-shirt again throwing it over her head.

Why do I care anyways how do I look, it's only stupid dinner with neighbors? 

However she couldn't completely hush that voice in the back of her head that was telling her exactly why was she sweating over the choice of her clothes. She wanted to impress Emily. No matter how wrong it sounded, she did. Ignoring the pesky voice, she checked herself in the mirror the last time. Her hair was down, straight and shiny. Catherine was lucky to have effortlessly straight hair, she knew how many women huffed over their unruly hair. She put only a bit of mascara to accentuate her eyes and that was it from beauty products. 

She walked over her neighbors' door and knocked. In a couple of seconds a stout middle aged woman opened it.

"Catherine." she greeted her excitedly and pulled her in bone crushing hug.

"Hello Mrs. Mercer." Catherine greeted back, her voice muffled a bit since the woman was squeezing a bit too much.

"Oh sweetheart, let me look at you." Mrs. Mercer pulled from the hug, cupping Catherine's cheeks with her meaty hands. She observed Catherine, a sentimental look plastered on her face. 

"Oh what a beautiful woman you've become." she said, her eyes tearing up a bit. "Come in dear." she put her palm on Catherine's lower back leading her inside. "You have to tell me everything. Where have you been all of these years. Your poor mom was so worried about you...your dad too." she added after a small break, probably thinking that was a polite to do. Catherine knew her father didn't give a rat's ass about her, but she decided to just stay quiet. Mrs. Mercer continued speaking. 

"Oh and how much Emily cried over your departure. She was inconsolable for days. She refused to get out of her room and eat, even care about Johnny and Mary." she shook her head in disapproval at the memory of her daughter's behavior. It pained Catherine to hear this, she'd have preferred to stay in the dark, and not think of the people she had hurt when she left. 

"Enough of sentimentality ma. No one cares about past." Emily said as she appeared from the hallway, wiping her hands on the apron. Catherine raised her eyebrow at Emily, not pegging her as a cooking type. She realized she didn't know much of Emily anymore. 

"The dinner will be done in ten. Do you want a beer or something Cat?" she asked Catherine. 

"Umm sure, beer sounds good." Catherine answered a bit baffled with this domestic attitude she was witnessing all of the sudden. 

"Come." she motioned for Catherine to follow her and went into the kitchen. Catherine followed, Mrs. Mercer on her trail.

"Emily loves cooking. That's the only good thing she does." Mrs. Mercer said to Catherine in a hushed voice, obviously not wanting her daughter to hear. Catherine shot her a sideways glance, frowning a bit that Mrs. Mercer would talk like this about Emily. She knew that Mercer's household was not always the most lovable one, but she considered them still better than her own parents, at least her father. She knew that Emily's mom always made her do chores, and look after her younger siblings, since her older brother worked. And plus he was a guy, and according to Emily's mom babysitting and working around the household was not a man's job. 

"I am pretty sure that's not the only good thing she can do." Catherine answered, maybe a bit too brusquely because of the way Mrs. Mercer gulped and pretended she didn't hear anything. Entering the kitchen, she was welcomed by a mouthwatering smell. Taking the beer from Emily's hand, their fingers briefly grazing, Catherine took a long swig. Emily opened a beer for herself, and eyeing Catherine under her lashes she took a long swig too.