Beauty & The Beast (Book 1)

51. Cold Turkey

(A/N: Season 1 Episode 12 - "Cold Turkey")

Heather was doing a very horrible job at karaoke, singing 'I will survive' but sounding like a dying cat.
Speaking of cats, Cat had just told Tess what happened with Vincent. It was their weekly Girl's Night and ot was sorely needed.

"Screw him, you said yourself he chose the other woman."

"He didn't really choose her, he chose the things that come along with her," Cat corrects. The more she thought about it the more it made sense. Vincent wanted normal. She got it. She understood. It still sucked.

"Which makes him an ass. You're moving on, cold turkey. Let's sing." Tess points to the stage.

Cat laughs. "He is an ass isn't he?" she agrees. "She has no idea what she's getting into with him."

Tess eyes Cat. "What is she getting into?"

"Oh he's got issues..." Cat looks at her cocktail.

"What kind of issues?" Tess laughs. It was like pulling teeth, she got no details. "What - ?" she laughs again, shaking her head at her friend.

Heather finishes the song and comes back to their table to cheers all around. Not enthusiastic ones but cheers nonetheless.
"What are you two talking about?"

"Cat's guy's got issues," Tess says.

"What guy doesn't?" Cat chuckles.

"He's not married is he?" Tess checks. She's been there.

"No, that is your problem." Tess widens her eyes at Cat, who shrugs. It was too late now. She heard.

"You're married?" Heather asks drunkenly.

Glad she only heard married and not the rest, Tess shakes her head. "No."
She looks at Cat. "And we're not talking about me right now...Now you really have to tell me," she glares.

Cat sighs, knowing it was payback.
"Okay, he's got..." She clears her throat. "He's got some form of PTSD."

"What, like flashbacks?" Tess drinks from her mojito.

"No, more like a bad temper." Cat sees their widened eyes and quickly retreats. "Not...not toward me."

"What?" Tess stares at her.

Heather shakes her head. "Okay, Cat, I thought you said you're done with bad boys?"

"He is not a bad boy, he is sweet...and heroic...and - "

"Apparently abusive."

Cat looks at Tess, who is very worried her friend might be covering up being hit around like a baseball.

"He is not like that! At all." Cat looks ahead of her and shrugs. "We just have this really deep connection and he understands me like no one else."

"What happened to 'he's an ass'?" Tess scoffs, lifting her arms.

"Yeah, and do you not think we understand you?" Heather waves her hand between her and Tess.

"Let his other girl deal with his issues." Tess does not like this man.

"She doesn't even know his issues."

"You know what I think?" Tess smirks around her glass. "You should tell her." Heather taps her nose and nods.

"Yeah, I am so not going to do that," Cat snorts.

"What? Why?" Heather asks. "Because it's spiteful? Vengeful? Vindictive?"
Cat stares at her sister. Okay?