I spent the last few days before the start of the new season at home or jogging at Central Park, trying to not think about Kate, which seemed impossible. I was still so in love with her, the few things that kept me from thinking about her were eating ice-cream, running and watching love movies instead of writing new sketches.
«Hey Cec, Jack invited me to hang out together this afternoon. Should I do it?» I asked my roommate, reading the notifications on my phone.
«Yeah, if you want. I've got a few things to do anyway.»
I smiled at her, as she was putting on her make-up and a pair of earrings.
«Where are you going?» I asked her, seeing her all dressed up and ready to go.
«I'm meeting the New York part of my family for dinner. I promised them we would spend some time together before I got back to work.»
«Nice. Have fun.»
She waved at me, then soon left the apartment. I didn't wanna get up from the comfort of the couch, but I had already answered Jack's text; I got up, quickly got dressed and sprinted out the apartment to see him.
«Hi!» I exclaimed at the sight of Jack outside the bistro. «How are you?»
«Good, good. Thank you so much for meeting with me.»
We sat at our table and made small talk to break the ice, until Jack stopped and looked at me, leaving the fork with a piece of meat lying around in the air.
«Can I ask you something? It's about Cec.»
«Sure.»
«Is she acting normally with you?»
«Yeah, why?»
«I feel like she has been avoiding me for the past few days, but I don't get why. She just changed overnight, like that» he explained, snapping his fingers at the end.
«Maybe she's on her period» I shrugged my shoulders.
«No, that's not it.»
Suddenly, an idea crossed my mind.
«Do you know if she had any plans tonight? She told me she was gonna hang out with her "New York part of the family", whatever that is.»
«That's impossible, because they are in California right now. We just facetimed her cousin the other day.»
«Oh... alright.»
«Brook, is something wrong?»
I shook my head, praying that it was the case. I didn't want to scare him or worry him, but Cecily might have been in danger.
«I just need to make a quick phone call, that's all. I'll be right back.»
As soon as I left the table, I dialed Aidy's number, but since she didn't pick up, I had only one more person who could've helped me, the only one that I really didn't wanna talk to that night.
«Hey Kate, sorry to interrupt whatever you're doing. Do you have Mike's address?» I sighed.
«Mike O'Brien? Cecily's ex?» she asked, yawning.
«Yes. Do you have that address?»
«Yes, I think so. Cecily might have texted it to me one time.»
«Could you get there and check if Cecily's car is there?»
«Sure, and then what?»
«If she's there, call me, if she's not, go back home.»
She ended the call, and I went back to my table, where Jack was patiently waiting for me.
«Brooklyn, if something's wrong with Cecily I need to know.»
«Nothing's wrong with her, not yet. We'll just have to wait it out.»
He didn't seem to buy it, but he didn't press me into telling him anything else either, so we tried to chat for the following twenty minutes, when Kate finally texted me.
Her car's park outside.
Wait for me, Jack and I are on our way.
We quickly got into his car and drove to Mike's apartment.
«Okay, that's Kate. Could you just wait here a little?»
He tried to convince me to let him come with us, but I didn't wanna let him, in case Cecily was in a really bad state. He deserved the best, not seeing the woman he loves kissing another man, drunk.
«I'll be right back.»
Kate and I skipped up the stairs to Mike's front door, where we could hear someone cry inside. In fear that it might have been Cecily we opened the door, but the scenario we found in front of us was much different.
Mike was crying at Cecily's feet, obviously drunk, while she tried to make him get up, with a serious face. She hadn't drank anything, and we could see it.
«Are you okay?» Kate asked her.
«What the hell are you doing here?» she exclaimed.
«We were worried about you, and we thought you had come back here to get back together with Mike again.»
«No, my beautiful idiots! I'll explain everything later, help me get him on the couch.»
I picked up his feet, while Kate picked up his shoulders, then we lay him on the old couch that was in the middle of the living room.
«So?»
«He called me a week ago begging me to get back together with him, again, but I told him to back off. But then I was afraid he might do something really stupid, so I came here to check on him. I would never ever leave Jack, are you crazy? I have never been this happy in my life, I'd be the biggest idiot in the world to leave that behind.»
I briefly gazed at Kate, and even though I wasn't sure of it, I felt like she had done the same.
«Anyway, he apologized, then started drinking. We should go. Whatever happens to him from now on isn't my fault, I've made my peace with it.»
I grabbed her hand and walked with her down the stairs once again. She gulped when she saw Jack's car waiting for us outside, but had no fear and explained to him everything once she got inside.
«I think what you are doing is great and selfless» he said, after a moment of silence.
«Thanks» Cecily smiled, kissing his hand.
Kate and I were sitting together in the back, scared of breathing too loud.
«How has your summer been?» Kate asked me.
«It's been fun. How about you?»
«Mine, too.»
The awkwardness was palpable, so Cecily tried to lighten up the mood.
«Are you excited for tomorrow? Back in the office again» she chuckled, smiling at us.
«Yeah, yeah. Shame that Ness isn't gonna be there.»
«Yeah, that sucks. I called her last night, she says she's fine and excited to see the show» Kate nodded.
I looked at her again, and weirdly I didn't start panicking. I moved my eyes to the road, then stared at her again, and I still felt calm and not as freaked out as I would have thought.
I stayed quiet most of the time, except for when I got asked questions.
When Cecily, Jack and I dropped Kate off outside her apartment, I even waved her goodbye, but again nothing happened in my chest. No heart skipping a beat, no difficulty breathing, it was almost as if I was moving on from her. The pain, sadness and shame I felt every time I saw her were disappearing from my mind; I didn't feel any of them, truly.
I realized then that I was actually moving on from Kate McKinnon.
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SHATTERED GLASS: love always finds a way
FanfictionSEQUEL OF "SHATTERED GLASS". After the troubled end of their relationship, Brooklyn and Kate have to learn how to work around each other and be friends towards one another. They embark on new journeys and start new relationships, but a feeling keeps...
