It turned out that Cat's older sister was none other than my friend Manuel Neuer's girlfriend- Tempest Chaise Laurent í Alba. I recognised her only because of that and the fact that she too was an acclaimed journalist.
Cat explained to me that Chaise only worked part-time at the coffee shop while she was over in Barcelona visiting her family. I didn't see how that was possible, until Chaise added that she owned the café and while she was over in Germany with her boyfriend- Cat's other older sister Amber worked there.
I looked to Cat when Chaise introduced another of her sisters. "How many siblings do you have?" I asked.
She turned to Chaise and frowned. "Well there's Amber, Charlotte, Chaise," Cat listed, "Nena, Maha, Pooja and Jess."
I blinked as she finished. She had seven sisters? "Your family has some very exotic names," I commented. Cat smiled and looked down into her coffee.
"Yeah... We're from everywhere," she said quietly. I raised an eyebrow and looked to Chaise for an explanation.
"We're not really related. We're-"
"Un-biological sisters," Cat finished. "Best friends, but I call them all my sisters because that's what they are to me. I only have one blood-sister, Megane, but I haven't seen her years... She's in France, studying to be a designer. Interior and clothing."
I smirked. "Any un-biological brothers?" I asked. Cat grinned, a playful glint in her eyes
"More like un-biological brothers-in-law," she laughed. "And i'm pretty sure you know every one of them."
"Go on," i prompted. She looked to Chaise and then back at me.
"Marco Reus, Ricardo Kaká, Wayne Rooney, Juan Mata, Chicharito," Cat nodded in her sister's direction, "and soon to be Manuel Neuer."
"Who is it that doesn't have a someone?" i asked. Cat's smile softened.
"Amber has someone, I just didnt think you would know them," she said.
"Who is it?" i asked.
"Alex Scott."
"Alex Scott...? As in the Arsenal Women's player?"
Cat nodded slowly, obviously treading as carefully as she could. I smiled reassuringly and place my hand on top of hers.
"So it's just you then?" I asked. Her eyes widened and i assumed it was down to the fact that i hadn't commented on her sister's sexuality. She must've been so used to people asking and poking and prodding into it that she had learned to expect a reaction.
But love was love to me. It didn't matter who you were in love with.
"Yeah, yeah it's just me." she said shortly and took a long drink of her coffee. From the corner of my eye, I saw Chaise cover her mouth to conceal her laughter.
She obviously knew something i didn't.
"What's funny?" i asked her. Chaise waved her hand in dismissal and winked.
"You'll find out in time sweetie," was all she said.
We spent another half hour in the café and left after Cat and her sister had a talk in private. I promised to drop Cat off at her house before I returned the car to Pedro.
The drive to Cat's place was a quiet one, but the air didn't possess awkwardness. It was a comfortable silence. I drove while Cat stared out the passenger window, completely lost in thought.
The silence was only broken by Cat signalling where to stop and announcing that we had arrived at her house.
It was a detached sandstone house; too big for someone who lived alone (sound familiar?), but from the chat with Chaise at the coffee shop, I'd learned that all of the 'sisters' were staying for a while. The drive was the typical paving you would find at most homes in the area, with no garden out front.
YOU ARE READING
10
FanficSince she was a little girl, Catalina 'Cat' Aracelle Sanchez always loved football. And just like the wild dreams of little girls- she aspired to one day play for the team of her dreams, FC Barcelona. Years later, Cat is marginally closer to her dr...