The Collaring of Chloe

Chapter 31: A Turbulent August

"How was Canada?" August asked as soon as Chloe was out of the Pontiac, the question obviously aimed only at her, but it was Mittens who answered.

"I discovered Tim Hortons!" She replied jubilantly, moving to the car's trunk to meet Master. "And learned that Canada makes superior doughnuts." She gave a sage-like nod, as though imparting something of deep insight.

August gave a small, forced-sounding, chuckle. "Well, good to know." She focused her attention on Chloe, who had come up to her now. "What about you, Chloe? How did you like...'Canada'?" There was no mistaking the way she asked the final question, as well as the gravity in her eyes, that she already knew that Chloe had not been to Canada.

For a moment, Chloe wasn't fully sure how to respond, knowing that she had some explaining to do. While she had told August about the trip to Canada, she'd not explained that she wouldn't be going along. As Master had predicted, August had called to apologize the day after Mittens' second birthday party, citing that occasion as the only reason she'd not called before then. She had blamed the alcohol for most of her less flattering behavior, referring to herself as a 'mean drunk'.

Chloe had comforted her, accepting the apology graciously and letting her know she didn't see August as 'mean'. In return, she apologized if she'd hurt August's feelings at all during the first birthday party, not really elaborating on how she assumed she'd done that. August had waved away that, claiming that any perceived hurt was just her being drunk. Her voice had been as plastic as the smile she now wore.

Though the phone call had seemingly patched things up, Chloe hadn't seen August in person since she'd left their house the night of the Naughty Molly's party. August had seemed to recognize it best to give Chloe a few days of space, despite things seeming to have been resolved, letting almost a week pass before calling back up to ask if Chloe wanted to get together. However, by then, they were all preparing for the Canada trip, which Chloe had found a welcome excuse to further hold off getting together.

"There's just a lot of chaos here right now with preparations." Chloe had said. "I hope you understand. After the trip, we'll get together, I promise." She'd decided that she needed to really examine things with August and then have a long talk. She'd hoped that her time with Mistress would allow her to really reflect on things, not that she'd thought about August even once in the last week and a half. Which said something all on its own.

"I understand." August had responded, disappointment obvious in her tone. "How long did you say you would be in Canada?"

"The convention is a whole week." Chloe had said evasively. "Added to that a couple days for flying in and back again. I'll just call you once we're all back home again." She had been careful not to ever directly claim that she was going to Canada with them, but something had made her not want to get into the fact that she being left behind. She had rationalized it, then, as needing the time to really work through things and feared that August might try to press meeting up before she had, if she knew Chloe was still in the area.

"Wow. So, it's going to be a pretty long time before I get to see you again." August's voice sounded even more disappointed. "We could at least grab some coffee or something for an hour. Just to see each other before you go?"

"Maybe." Chloe had conceded after a moment's hesitation. "I'll let you know." She's added somewhat lamely. The truth was, she didn't want to have to spend a whole hour trying to dodge around not telling August she wasn't going to be in Canada without directly lying to her. "If not, I promise we'll get together as soon as I get back."