Potest Esse Nur Unus: Part 9

A week later, Duncan and Anne were helping Cat pack her belongings into her suitcase. Duncan had called Joe in Seattle and he agreed that he and Richie would keep an eye until she figured things out. When Cat heard she would be staying with Richie, she started to smile again. She had talked to him several times on the phone, and even though he said he did have someone in his life, she still thought she was lucky enough to have someone she never met, care so much about her.

And a lot of people cared about her. Duncan and Anne had taken her in when she needed them. They had taught her about life, death, love, friendship, and her self esteem. Anne had been a mother to her, something Cat never had and never realized how much she needed or missed having one until she did. Now she was leaving them.

She had thought about staying with them, but there were just to many memories she had about Europe. She was born in Wales and then, her dad moved her to Paris. That's where everything happened. Her dad getting killed, Franz getting killed, Jayden trying her kill her, and then she killing him. There was just much death around her, and she didn't want to put Duncan and Anne in jeopardy. She cared about them too much.

Cat was excited in a way to leave. Richie was coming back to Paris and take her back to America. He wasn't suppose to, because if he was recognized there would be trouble. But he didn't care. He wanted to take care of her. He looked at it like she would be the sister he never had. To her, he'd be the big brother she never had.

They had just finished packing her stuff, when both Cat and Duncan got the buzz. Cat turned white, and Duncan just looked at her, smiled, and said "Don't worry, you'll get use to Richie. He's a kid and he's a bit annoying at times, but you'll learn to love him. I did. Oh sorry, you already do."

Cat looked at Anne and she just smiled. "I couldn't help it." she said. "It just came out. Well, you got all dressed up for him, are you just going to sit there or answer the door?"

Anne had helped Cat dress up. She wanted a new beginning in a new place, so Anne helped her with a new look. Her dark auburn hair was cut to her right below her ears which had been pierced, and Anne had taken her shopping for a new wardrobe. She had on a purple cut off blouse that tied at the front and a flowered hippie skirt going down to her ankles that showed her boots tied all the way up to her knees. Anne didn't realize how beautiful Cat was until she wore make-up. The eye shadow and eye liner brought out the green in her eyes, and the lipstick brought out the fullness of her lips. She was beautiful, and changing day by day in every way.

Cat paused for a moment and then walked towards the door. Before she even got there, the door flew open and in walked the most gorgeous guy Cat had ever seen. "What took you guys so long?" Richie asked as he dropped his bag on the floor and raised his arms and walked right past Cat.

Cat tried to say something, but it felt as if she had sawdust on her tongue. Duncan walked into the room with Anne following. "Mac! How yak doing?" He hugged Duncan and then Anne. "Anne, you look beautiful as ever. Bigger but beautiful."

Anne and Duncan returned his hug and he turned and walked to the kitchen. "Got any beer?" He looked in the fridge and took two long neck bottles out and opened the top of one of them, and took a swig.

Cat looked at Anne like `This is the man of my dreams?'

Anne looked at Richie who was now sprawled out on the couch and laughed. "Make yourself at home."

"I'm sorry." he said smiling. "It was a long, trip and I just want to relax before I get back on a plane. By the way, where's is the kid?"

Cat walked from being behind Richie, to walking next to Anne and Duncan. "Hi, Richie." she said giving a shy wave and smile.

His mouth nearly fell to the floor. "This is Caitlynn? Geez, Mac, the way you talked about her I thought she was just a little kid."

Cat wasn't sure if she should be honored or upset. Here the man of her dreams picking his jaw off the floor, but he still thought of her as just a little girl. She was almost sixteen, and was no longer a little girl but a woman.

"I'm not a kid!" Cat said as she left the room and went into the bedroom slamming the door behind her.

Anne looked at Richie in disgust. "You know, she's almost sixteen and when you were that age, I'm sure you didn't like being called that." Anne said as she walked to the bedroom.

"When I was sixteen," Richie said. "I was living on the streets and getting into trouble."

"You still are getting into trouble." Duncan said as he sat down next to Richie taking one of the beers from Richie's hand.

In the bedroom, Cat was on the bed face down crying. Anne sat next to her and put her hand on her shoulder. "He didn't mean it. He was just surprised at the way you look. He was expecting you to look younger. You look older than what you are, and you do look pretty."

"Do you think so?" Cat said looking at Anne sniffing and trying to stop crying.

"Yes, I do and so does Duncan. And I'm sure Richie does. He's like that. You just have to get use to him. He jokes around a lot, but he can be serious."

"I made such a fool out of myself. He probably won't want to take me in now."

"Yes he will. He'll have to restrain himself, but he will. And if you go back in there, he'll see you really are a grown woman."

"OK." she said as she stood up. "Is my makeup all right?"

"Perfect. Let's go."

"Anne?"

"Yes."

"Thank you. Thank you for everything."

"You're welcome," she said as she hugged Cat.

Anne and Cat walked back into the living room, to see Richie and Duncan playing around with the swords. "Watch your head," Anne said, "If Cat gets a hold of it, she'll take your head with one slice."

Going up and hugging Cat, Richie looked at her and said "With you around, I will have to watch more than my head."