Everywhere Everything - Cole Walter

Welcome to Colorado (2)

"Girls, it's me. Can I come in?" Katherine called after gently knocking on the studio door.

"Sure." Bex replied, setting her final photo frame down on her bedside cabinet.

"So how are you settling in? Can I get you anything?" Katherine asked, moving a few boxes of art supplies as she spoke. "I'm sorry that there's not more room up here yet." she apologised

"It's fine. I'm sorry we're taking your space." Jackie apologised back.

"Oh, please. I do not have time to paint anymore with all the kids running around. I want you to have it." Katherine reassured.

"How'd it go with the surgery?" Jackie asked.

"Oh, um, It went well. Uh, turns out Bo had a really bad ear infection. He's gonna be fine. But it was bothering him, and it was bothering his owner." Katherine laughed lightly.

"Did you study veterinary medicine at Columbia?" Bex asked.

"We saw the picture of you and my mom." Jackie added.

"No. Uh, I got my first degree at Columbia, and then I went to vet school at Colorado State. Such a long time ago." Katherine smiled, thinking back to her younger years.

"So, how come we hadn't met you before the funeral?" Bex asked the woman who had now perched herself on the bottom of her bed.

"Actually, Jackie and I did meet, when you were really little." She explained. "But then it got so hard for your mom and me to get together. We'd manage every couple of years, but we talked on the phone and we'd text. The last time I saw her, she was at Telluride for that film she did the costumes for."

"I remember. " Jackie smiled.

"I was actually planning a trip to come see her when... the accident happened." Katherine added, her smile dropping slightly. "Girls, I know coming here is hard for you. And I cannot even begin to imagine what you're going through. But you know it's what your mom wanted. I mean, your Uncle Richard, he loves you. But he travels so much for work. And your mom really wanted you to have a stable family around you. You get that, right? "

"we know. we do. " Jackie smiled weakly up at Katherine.

"I loved your mom. And we made a promise to each other that we would always be there for each other's families if they ever needed us. And I wanna be here for you. If you'll let me. Are you hungry? We're about to have dinner." Katherine asked the girls who looked at each other before Bex answered for the both of them.

"Uh, not really. We're pretty tired." she smiled.

"Okay. Well, just come down if you change your minds." Katherine reassured before shutting the door, leaving the girls by themselves for the rest of the night.

-

Bex sat awake most of the night. Only when she knew for certain that Jackie had fallen asleep did she slowly climb out of bed and pull her case out from under her bed. Pulling out a glass bottle, she made her way out of the room and slowly walked downstairs and out the front door.

She sat on the cool decking step, her side pressed up against the banister as she opened the bottle and let the sting of the vodka travel down her throat. She sat staring out at the dark, empty fields engrossed in her own thoughts for a few minutes before hearing a creaking behind her. She turned suddenly to find a tall blonde lent against the door as he slowly closed it.

"What do you-" She started before being cut off by him.

"Shhhh" he whispered. "You don't want my parent's to hear us out here past curfew." he said quietly, pointing to the closed windows to his left.