The songs of my life

Wine - Suran

Hello guys! Since I've got some free time, I wrote this short chapter, I hope you enjoy it.

Monday finishes fast, Cat leaves Élise home early, she's going to make sure everything is finished to present tomorrow, Cat understands her nervousness.

"You'll be fine, this is just the beginning, I don't know if it would be easier in the future, but you'll do great things". Cat reassures Élise holding her hands. Élise touches the hand, nowadays they seem closer.

It's Tuesday, day to present her project, she arrives earlier to leave the books on the shelves before everyone starts coming in. She opens the office to see everything just like before, nothing changes there. She wants to put that book up there but it's too high for her, she remembers Cat was the one who gave it to her; she looks for the stairs, there are none, of course, Cat doesn't need any, she's there jumping trying to put that when the office opens, Cat is more formal than usual, her hair is different too.

"Let me help you with that". Cat walks toward her, takes the book and puts it where it was before. Élise can smell a difference fragrance this time.

"Are you going somewhere?"

"I have lunch with another client...but it's almost over". They keep staring at each other for what could be seconds or minutes, they don't know, when someone knock. Cat just turns to where her computer is and Élise puts the rest of the books.

"Come in". It's Hyde.

"Good morning Cat". He looks at Élise. "The meeting is almost starting".

"I've gotta go. See you there". Élise looks at Cat and walks off.

"I'll go...thank you Hyde".

This time Cat isn't the first person to arrive to the meeting, but none pay attention to it. Élise presents her project, Marissa shows her approval, and if she approves the rest just follows, she's to hand the project to the other team so they can start working on it. The birthday party she planned was a week earlier than her birthday, July 20th. The meeting continues as usual, presenting future events, showing more results. This time Cat stands up fast, greets and leaves the room without looking at her.

Élise and the rest go to their places to work.

"Good work". Jul compliments Élise.

"Thank you...your project looks good too".

"We've to work hard every time...the truth is". Jul gets closer to whisper on Élise's ear. "I liked more when Mrs. Andino wasn't here, the environment in the meeting room feels stuff". Élise never felt that way, she likes her presence.

"Do you think so? I'm not sure". She doesn't want to talk about her with someone else.

Élise is trying to focus on her work when she receives a message, when she sees who wrote it, she hides the screen from her colleagues. She reads: "This is just the beginning, never lose that passion." Élise smiles, now she can't focus on her work.

Cat leaves the room, she's got to be in another place in 30 minutes, she's in the parking lot about to leave, she wants to congratulate her face-to-face but giving the circumstances that isn't possible, she opens Élise's chat and starts typing. Cat smiles knowing Élise will do well in the future. She goes to her meeting with her client, she also wants to ask him to be an investor for a future project she and Raoul are planning.

After 4 hours talking and smiling with him, she's exhausted, it's 5 pm, maybe she can go home, her playlist plays Cigarettes after sex: 'your lips, my lips, apocalypse'. Cat starts thinking about her, without thinking she drives to work, she stops the car one block away.

Élise finish the things she's to do, it's 5:30 and she stands from her seat like everyone else starts doing it. They go to the lift when Élise receives another message. Cat. She hides her screen again. "I'm around the corner, come fast". Two messages in a day, Élise wants to know what happen, what's the urgency. They say goodbye, Jul offers Élise a ride, but she rejects it, she just walks fast to the other corner. She walks a few meters where she spots that black BMW. She opens the door and as she sits the car starts driving.

"Is everything fine? Are you sick? Something happened to Sorcha?" Élise needs an answer.

"Are you doing something today?" Cat asks.

"No, I don't have plans".

"Good". Cat smiles. "I'm exhausted, I need a relaxing evening, can we ask for a deliver and maybe watch something?" She wanted to come with an excuse, but she couldn't think of anything. Élise smiles, Cat wants to see more that smile, it's like an addiction.

Cat gives her phone to Élise, sheknows is to play some music, since she wants something relaxing, she plays Francois Hardy 'Tous les garçons et les filles', Cat listens to her singing her beautiful French,although she doesn't agree with the lyrics, but she won't tell her that. They arrive home, Cat opens the app to ask forsomething to eat. "What would you like?" "I'm not that hungry today, just cheese on toast isfine". "You're not? Why?" "Well...you know..." Élise doesn't want to say the reasonso she just touches her stomach hoping Cat could understand. "Oh, I see...cheese on toast then". Cat opens the door, they're received by a lovely catwho wants to play, Élise pets her and plays with her, she also cleans herlitter, Cat prepares the toasts and serves some wine, she doesn't put thethings in the dining room, this time in the living so they can watch something.Élise stops playing with Sorcha and sits next to Cat. "Can I ask you a random question?" She drinks somewine. Cat just nods while drinking some wine too. "Why don't you have pictures of you or your family?" "I..." Cat hasn't thought about that for a long time. "Mymum was a model, my house always had pictures of her, but most of the time itwas me with the pictures of my mum in the house, when I first lived alone thelast thing I wanted to see was pictures of her".

Élise understands it as something painful, now she's curious about her looks, if she was a model maybe Catherine looks after her. Cat touches her neck in pain.

"Come, I'll give you a massage". Élise places Cat's head on her lap, she massages her head making a mess with her hair, Cat's never felt something like that before, she knew about massages on the back, on your feet, but no in your head.

"Where did you learn to do this?" Cat

"When I was a child, we rarely had headaches, but when we did my grandma did massages in our heads, she said it was the cure".

"Your grandma is a wise woman...one day I'll show you my mum". Cat promises. Élise smiles.

They stay talking and drinking some wine until 9:30, Cat takes Élise to her flat, she was driving back when she receives a phone call.

"Tell me Raoul".

"Are you driving?"

"Yep".

"I've some big news!" Cat was expecting business related new. "Yes?"

"Well, I spoke to Sofi, and she told me she likes you, in her words you're attractive and mysterious". Raoul laughs.

"Oh..." Cat has no words; she hasn't thought about Sofi at all, she forgot her existence.

"So? Isn't that great?"

"I don't know...Raoul, Anne is organizing a dinner 'for my return', this Thursday, are you going?"

"Of course we are in".

At home Cat is thinking what she should do, what's the correct thing to do.