Cat Hart was a rockstar of the 80's who died of an overdose. She was married to and abused by Josh McKnight, another rock sensation. At least, that's how it happened in your universe.
In this one, however, things ended differently.
-
1978
Cat held her groom's hands, a smile on her face. "I do," she murmured.
The pair, along with their families and friends, stood in a Georgian church. Cat wore a stunning off-white dress -- her mother was a sucker for tradition. Her hair was in a glamorous updo, and Josh's was slicked back with Dapper Dan's pomade.
The preacher, a man named Daniel Walker, smiled. "Well, then, you may now kiss the bride."
Josh didn't waste another second. He pressed his lips to hers in a passionate kiss, pulling his bride close. The church erupted in cheers and claps. Finally, the moment was interrupted by one of Cat's bridesmaids and best friends, Lavanda Mariana.
"Now it's time to party!" the woman exclaimed, wrapping an arm around the bride and groom.
Cat grinned. "You heard her, folks!" She pointed towards the fellowship room, where the reception was being held. "Let's go!"
--
1979
"You're a fucking whore, Catherine!" Josh screamed. "And don't deny it! You literally had a kid with your dad's boss! And don't think I won't tell Feather the truth." The last part was said in a warning tone. Cat had no doubt her husband would do just that.
"I was seventeen and an idiot! My family was dirt-poor! I just wanted a chance to have money for once in my little life!" Cat screamed back, stomping her foot.
Josh said nothing else. He and his wife were standing at the top of the stairs. In one fluid motion, he shoved Cat down the stairs.
Cat tumbled. As she fell, she had one thought. This was it. Her marriage was over, she didn't care.
The next day, she filed for divorce.
--
1980
Finally, it was over. She was free of him. Sure, she was pregnant with his kid. But that didn't mean she had to see him. He could pay child support.
Besides, she'd gotten a restraining order.
One night, Cat was having a night to herself. She sat alone in her living room, reading a magazine. She heard a knock on the door and went to see who it was.
Standing there was her ex husband.
"What do you want?" she asked, arms crossed. "Because I can and will call the cops. You know, restraining order?"
Ignoring her, Josh pushed his way into the house. His hand wrapped around her throat, choking her. He pressed his lips to hers, roughly. "You're never getting away from me, bitch," he hissed. Then he began to beat her, worse than she'd ever been beaten before.
An hour later, Shelley, who'd taken Feather to McDonald's, came in and saw Cat lying there, half-dead. She called an ambulance, then called Lavanda.
--
"We have to get rid of him," Cat croaked. She, Shelley, and Lavanda were in the ICU. Cat was hooked up to several machines. Shelley and Lav had gotten in by lying and telling the nurses that they were Cat's sisters.
"Get rid of him? Like-" Shelley began.
Lavanda cut her off. "Killing the bastard," she finished.
Cat nodded weakly. "I can't let him hurt anyone else."
So, the three women came up with a plan.
--
A month later, Cat was released from the hospital. She went home and called Josh. "Hey, Josh," she said softly. "I'm so sorry I left you...I miss you so much."
She knew how to stroke a man's ego...among other things.
"It's so hard to sleep without you beside me," she went on. "So, I was hoping we could have some dinner. My place, tonight. Six o'clock?"
"I'll be there," Josh replied. Cat could hear the smirk in his voice.
"See you then, Joshie," Cat purred, hanging up. She got up and went to the kitchen, grabbing the ingredients for the lima bean soup she was making.
Lima beans. A ham bone. Diced ham. Carrots. Onions. Rat poison.
She made two batches of soup. The plan was to cook rat poison into one, and leave the other alone. She would carry the two bowls out to Josh, giving him the poisoned one. Then Shelley and Lavanda would help her get rid of the body.
--
"Mm, baby, you don't know how much I missed your home cooking," Josh said. He was already eating his second bowl.
Cat smiled. "I'm glad you're enjoying it, darling." It was at that moment Josh fell facefirst into his soup.
The woman stood, walking to her landline. Feather was out, spending the weekend with Mia, Cat's sister. Feather could never know what Cat, Shelley, and Lavanda were going to do.
She called her friends, who promptly showed up. The three women wrapped Josh's corpse in a tarp.
"Shell, pull your car around back. Lav, get the picnic basket," Cat instructed. The two did as they were told. Soon, Josh was shoved in Shelley's trunk. The trio drove to the lake, where they dumped the body.
They drove to another spot and pulled out the picnic basket. Cat laid out the blanket and sat. Shelley grabbed some wine, Lavanda some mary jane.
"To no more Josh," Cat said, raising a glass.
"To no more Josh!" the other two echoed.
--
1989
It had been nine years since Josh's murder. Cat and Shelley went public as a couple. They raised Feather, and Cat's second daughter, Stacy, together. They faced homophobia and left the music scene.
So they opened a restaurant.
Cat and Shelley's, it was called. Their specialty?
Lima bean soup.
YOU ARE READING
▀▄▀▄▀▄ωɦαƭ เƒ...?▄▀▄▀▄▀
FanfictionWhat if Grace Hamilton had survived smallpox? What if Rachel Stark hadn't gone mad? What if HYDRA hadn't kidnapped Catty Porter? What if Tommy Haxton hadn't gone to the duel? What if TJ Haxton didn't survive his duel? What if Cat Hart had divorced J...