The Cate Blanchett Case {Cate Blanchett}

34~The End Of An Era

It didn't take long to get back, the house wasn't far away and I did put my foot in fear I'd get home and my mother would have already murdered Cate. I was joking. I think.

"Cate!" I called as I shut the door, dropping Cate's car keys onto the side table of the entranceway and then rushing towards the living room, still clutching the newspaper. I knew whatever events would unfold now weren't going to be pleasant.

"In here!" Cate yelled back, indicating that she and possibly my mother were both in the living room, talking about who knows what, hopefully my mother hadn't spat her poison and upset Cate in any way.

Before I walked in I folded up the newspaper and pushed it into my pocket, I'd give it to Cate after this whole ordeal. As soon as I walked in I met those dead eyes, the atmosphere in the room was awkward and the tension was thick. So thick that I thought it would suffocate me if I didn't do anything about it. I took one look and I knew, I knew that she knew just about everything.

"Why are you here, mother?" I asked, momentarily taking my eyes off of my mother, who was sat in the armchair by the fireplace. In that fleeting moment I spotted Cate sitting on the couch, her hands were fidgeting in her lap and her gaze was locked onto me begging for escape from this situation.

I didn't move. I couldn't stop thinking about the situation. My mother knew. She knew everything. I already knew she did, from the way the corner of her mouth flicked up when she watched me walk into the room, from the way her eyes flicked over to Cate as if waiting for me to go over and comfort her.

Part of me didn't care, I didn't care that my mother knew, I just wanted to make sure Cate was okay. However, the other part of me did care, entirely, I didn't want to give my mother the satisfaction of knowing she was right.

She didn't speak, another show, she knew she had all the power she always did. That irritated me, I wanted to fight against her, I wanted her to know that the world didn't revolve around her at all.

So instead of repeating my question I asked something else, all the while making a decision to walk over to Cate and put my hand on her shoulder. "I'm guessing you know," I shrugged, rubbing Cate's shoulder and glancing down to see her physically relax, it felt nice to know I could bring her this peace of mind.

My mother didn't seem to expect that, she thought I was going to stand by the door and pretend nothing was going on, she also didn't expect me to talk again. I could tell from the way her little smirk dropped, her eyes remained cold and dead. It felt nice to know that I'd caused a sudden change in mood.

Her brows furrowed and her mouth straightened out into a thin line, instead of addressing me she looked at Cate "I would like to speak to my daughter," she stated, waiting for a second as if she expected Cate to up and leave her own house, "alone," she stressed, her voice taking on that commanding tone she took on when she felt as if she wasn't the one in power.

Cate moved slightly but I stopped her by gently tightening my grip on her shoulder, "we'll go into the kitchen," I told my mother, watching as her eyes sparked for what seemed like the first time with anger and emotion, instead of arguing surprisingly she got up and left, in that stiff and strict gait she'd had for as long as I could remember.

As soon as I couldn't hear her heeled shoes clicking against the floor I let out a huge breath I hadn't realised I'd been holding. "Jesus," I sighed and dropped down on the couch next to Cate, leaning into her slightly and sighing again.

Cate's hands left her lap and instead slid onto my thigh, "are you okay?" She asked me, her own voice tired, my mother really did drain everyone she spoke to.

"Are you?" I asked her, sitting up straight and moving a hand to her face, brushing against her jaw before moving to kiss her briefly, "I hope she didn't say anything too horrible,"