Notes on a Scandal

SEVEN €

At home once more, the night goes by fast as Cate sleeps comfortably on the other side of the bed, curled up by herself away from Andrew. He was never one for cuddling.

That morning is a Saturday. She wakes up at one in the afternoon, much later than usual but Andrew doesn't bring it up.

She heads down stairs in her pyjama's to the kitchen. She makes herself a bowl of cereal and sits down at the counter, eating slowly as the thought of last night with her young lover.

The rest of the day she does nothing other than laundry and cleaning around the house. Andrew left for a game of baseball with his work friends, leaving her all alone.

At eight in the night her phone rings, it's Barbara. Her husband isn't home still so she doesn't move from the couch to answer the call.

"Hey Barbara, what's up?" She says with a soft, happy tone.

"I know about you and that student." She says with disappointment in her voice. Cate's breath catches in her throat, making her cough.

"Excuse me? I don't know what you're talking about!" Cate tries to lie herself out of the situation.

"Don't bullshit me. Come to the bar down town. We need to talk." Barbara says on the other side of the line before hanging up without waiting for a response.

Cate rushes to her room quickly throwing on some clothes and a long coat before heading out into the cold winter weather. She rushes down the street as fast as her long legs will carry her.

She gets to the bar out of breath already seeing Barbara sitting on a picnic table waiting for her with two glasses of liquor.

"It's not what you think, Barbara..." Cate starts.

"I know what I saw. Tell me: how did it start?" Barbara asks, crossing her arms in front of her.

"It started when she dedicated a goal to me in soccer. Then she came to my class to show me her art and I offered her private tutoring because her parents wouldn't let her go to into art class..." Cate starts.

"She's barely over eighteen!" She almost yells.

"Do you not think I know that!" Cate hisses, she grabs the shot glass of vodka and downs it in one go. "I felt loved and wanted for once!" Cate says, "You wouldn't understand, she was nice, she makes me feel good!"

"It's not my fault your marriage is falling apart. Just find someone of your age!" Barbara says with disgust in her voice.

"She's eighteen, that's the legal adult age. Don't you think I know it's wrong, did you think I wanted to jump right into something that could ruin my career!" Cate says.

"Had it started before I first met you?" She says calmly.

"No, not then. We hadn't done anything." Cate says softly. "So are you going to report me to the board? At least let me have this Christmas with my family." She pleads.

"Why would I do that, it wouldn't benefit anyone..." Barbara says, Cate can sense there will be a 'but' in the next sentence.

"But you need to end it, immediately, this can't happen any longer." She says.

"Can I do it after Christmas?" Cate asks with a desperate look. "I won't see her throughout the break."

"Fine, but as soon as Christmas break is over you never see each other again. In school you pretend to be strangers. Okay?" Barbara offers and she downs her dark brown liquor. Cate nods solemnly.

"Can we go inside, I'm freezing." Cate asks, rubbing her arms with her hands trying to warm up. The older woman nods and they both stand up.

Cate grabs both of the empty glasses and they go inside, she places them on the bar counter and she joins Barbara at a two person table with a frown.

"How's your cat doing?" Cate asks, starting up small talk.

"Petra isn't doing the best, she's been getting more sick." Barbara says with a sad frown.

"I'm sorry to hear that, pets will always have a special place in peoples hearts." Cate responds.

"The doctor says she only has a couple more months before we have to put her down." the elder woman explains, tears form in her eyes but she blinks them away as soon as they appear.