Where You Left Me; M. Lopez (REVAMP)

one.

JOSEPHINE

"Good evening Miss Bishop and..."

Kate smiled, her hand interlaced with the other girl's, "Jo is fine," Josephine smiled at the doorman.

"Wife kids? All good?" Kate asked with a sincere smile, the doorman smiled, "Wonderful, wonderful. Merry Christmas!"

"Kate wait," Josephine pressed her lips together, stopping midstep, and her girlfriend turned around a concerned look on her face. 

"Maybe now isn't the best time for me to meet your mother," Josephine nervously scratched the back of her neck.

Kate gently grabbed Josephine's other hand, looking at her brown eyes, "She's going to love you, Jo."

Josephine was not convinced in the slightest, "I don't know Kate, maybe I should lose the septum ring, and-"

"Jo, I can assure you she will be more upset over the whole bell tower situation than your nose ring." Kate jokingly nudged her, and a small relieved smile spread across Josephine's face, "Now c'mon, Eleanor Bishop is not the most patient lady in the world."

The elevator bell dinged, releasing them into the foyer, Josephine nervously trailed behind Kate. 

"Hi, sweetie." 

Kate's mother had yet to step into sight, and Kate gave Josephine's hand one last reassuring squeeze.

"Hi, Mom," Kate replied, peeling off her coat and hat, while Josephine stood there stunned taking in the proximity of the building around her. She was aware that Kate's family had money, but she was still a bit stunned by her home.

"There you are," Eleanor smiled, opening her arms to her daughter.

Kate smiled, "Oh, you look amazing! What are we looking all fancy for?"

"The charity auction." the woman adjusted her hair with a small smile.

"Ugh," Kate pulled a face, and Eleanor shook her head, "I know right? All those poor people and non-profits relying on the more fortunate." she mused sarcastically. 

"That's not what I meant and you know it," Kate sighed, and Josephine cleared her throat from several feet away, announcing her presence.

"Oh," Kate took a couple of steps back, "Mom, this is Jo!"

Josephine awkwardly held out her hand, "Nice to meet you, Mrs. Bishop."

When Eleanor didn't shake her hand, she dropped it back down by her side. Kate shot her mother a look, she could have at least tried to make an effort.

"Jo will be spending Christmas with us." Kate declared, and Josephine shot her a look, "Only if that's ok with you, of course."

Josephine wanted so badly to make a good impression, and if that meant skipping out on Christmas, so be it. She had never really celebrated the holiday before, so what's one more year?

"Of course it is," the woman smiled, and if Josephine didn't know any better she might've thought it was sincere.

Eleanor tore her eyes away from Josephine, falling back into conversation with her daughter, "As much as I love having you back home for the Holidays...I'm not thrilled I'm about to replace an irreplaceable clock tower."

"It was a bell tower." 

"The dean said it had a bell and a clock," Eleanor began to walk back through the doorway, Kate and Josephine following behind her, "And the overachiever that you are, you managed to destroy both."