This was not our plan.

ch 5: cleo, please don't

Cleo sighed as she finally arrived to her home, shifting uncomfortably as she took the stuffed file out of her shirt.

After leaving Fallon, she spent the night at the office.

Another sleepless night.

She tossed it onto the counter and smiled as her cat came running towards her, happy to see his owner after a long day.

"Hi baby." The woman smiled, bending down to pet the brown and white spotted cat. Sunny meowed in response.

Cleo picked up the feline and took a seat on her couch, beginning to miss her younger coworker as she listened to the silence of her house. She sighed, deciding that she wasn't ready to settle down for the day and wanted to visit her parents.

She packed Sunny into the car and started the hour drive to her parents house. Cleo's family (atleast what's left of it) is her rock. She loves them with all her heart. She finally arrived and got the tiny cat out of her car and used her key to unlock the front door.

When she walked in, her nose was whacked with all the beautiful smells of garlic bread and pasta.

"Cleooooooo!" The woman's father chirped out, causing a smile to form on the serious woman's face.

She watched as he turned the corner connecting the front door pathway to the living room. His arms were held out for a hug and his happy expression grew when he saw Sunny in Cleo's arms.

"Sunny!!!!" He said, finally bringing his daughter and grandcat into a hug, Sunny squirmed at the contact and jumped down, walking to a different corner of the house.

"Is that my beautiful daughter?" Cleo jokingly rolled her eyes as she watched her mother come around the corner. She giggled as she noticed that she was covered in flour.

"Geez, how long have you been in the kitchen?" Cleo asked as she hugged her mother, who than began to lead her into the kitchen. Her father was walking alongside them as well.

Seeing her mother covered in flour and smelling all the wonderful food being cooked in the house really brought her back from her childhood. The older woman, and her mother were both from Italy, while her father was born in America.

"We have a get together later, at Uncle Clay's house. You coming?" Cleos mother - Cassandra inquired as she shoved a teaspoon of pasta sauce into Cleos mouth.

"Mm, no." Cleo responded, to which her father groaned as they walked over to the kitchen table to sit. Cleo sighed, swallowing the remnants of alfredo sauce mixed with pasta water.

"Sorry, dad I have work." Cleo said wearily.

"You always have to work Clee" Her father said in a whiny tone, Cleo cringed at his use of her childhood nickname.

"The woman loves her work, what're you gonna do." Her mother said, placing a plate of pasta in front of the woman.

Cleo smiled and took a bite of the delicious pasta. She was starving.

"Maddie and Jason always came to the get togethers with us." Clyde (Cleos father) said in a sad tone, tracing his finger around the patterned placements on the dinner table.

The atmosphere in the room shifted.

"Wonder where Jason went, I haven't heard anything from him since Maddies body turned up. I find it rude that he hasn't even bothered to stop by."

"His wife is dead Cass, give him a break." Clyde grumbled, his tone low and weary as he spoke about son in law.

"Why do you always excuse him?!" Cassandra exclaimed.