REAL, michael j. fox

Chapter 12: Bad Blood

I huffed to myself in annoyance, barely finding any parking in this place by a stroke of luck. "This is why I didn't want to have lunch during this time, but Megan only had to be free at this time," I said to myself, stepping out of my car to already see her standing alongside the doorway. Sighing under my breath, knowing very well she was worth waiting in traffic, I smiled and hugged her tightly.

"What a Cat we have here!" She mentioned and took my hand to spin me, sending me laughing, "I'll have whatever the hell it is you seem to have taken now because I'm envious of your sudden sense of fashion and your good vibes."

I rolled my eyes to her. "And yet here I was thinking you wouldn't make these things over dramatic." I gestured to her as we took our seats at a table inside. "You always were the best at being happy though, even when we were kids. Never made it such a big deal then how you always were the bright sunshine in the friendship."

She chuckled, flipping her hair jokingly. "It's okay to do it now though," Megan said to have her and I now laugh at the ongoing joke. Looking through the menu she cleared her throat awkwardly as I looked up to her confused. "Hey-"

No Megan, don't bring it up. Don't bring the devil up right now when I've finally rid myself of her claws for good.

"Welcome to the Hummingbird Café. What can I get the two of you."

The two of us then ordered our matcha and paninis, Megan eyeing me expectantly. She sighed under her breath for a moment, holding her hands tightly near her. "Caitlin I know you don't want to talk about Miss. Satan herself, but you don't think they should know about this for themselves? I mean if you and Michael are already serious enough to where you're going to meet his parents soon, wouldn't you want to ease him into meeting yours?" She sighed under her breath as the waiter place the drinks onto the table silently. "At least your dad who tries his best to spread his good heart to the witch, but that's just-"

"I don't want to face her again, Megan." I groaned in annoyance. "Dad knows since I call him daily and he understands that 'She Who Must Not be Named' and I are better left far from each other."

She frowned to me slightly as I looked down to the green drink before me solemnly, not having the heart to enjoy it now. "You're not forgiving her are you?"

"For degrading me?" I chuckled under my breath and shook my head. "Would you? Would anyone really forgive someone for never trusting your life choices; never being good enough for their praise."

***
Caitlin Hall, age 18

"Mail came in!" Dad called ahead. I whipped my head over to him from my seat at my desk as he held up the newest college letter that had come in today.

'Course this was also the most important of all of them; this was the big one.

I took a breath for a moment, holding the letter in my hands as if it were to break easily. Taking the letter opener my dad handed to me I opened it up, reading the lines before me and losing my breath immediately. "I got in," I barely mustered out, looking up to my dad wide-eyed to see him smiling down to me all the same, "I got into Stanford!" The two of us hugged one another, cheering over the news with another.

He looked down to me, kissing the top of my head and giving me a smile. "Knew you'd do it, Rabbit. I always did," He told me and I laughed, nodding in agreement, "I'm sure your mother would be proud-"

"Not as much as you'd think dear, I'm sorry," My mother came up the stairs to say, folding her arms to me as I held the letter tightly in my hands. She laughed at my happiness in distaste. "All the work I did. Teaching you proper etiquette, your cotillion, all the French and Italian lessons, and for what? For you to go to college and for men to find you unattractive the more schooling you get. A bachelor's in literature is alright, but a medical degree, really?"

"Patricia, now really-"

She raised her hand to my dad and I teared up at the criticism, shaking my head at this. "You don't know that for a fact. And if anything what does it matter? Being married and having children isn't all there is in life. I want to do what makes me happy, not what society wants me to do."

"And you don't think I'm happy doing this? Being a housewife? Let me take you to all your piano lessons and all your recitals. I was involved in all your school events and supported you always, which is what I wanted. To find love and have a family and watch my family grow," She explained to me, my father remaining silent of this ongoing lecture, "You must see my point on this don't you? Why I can't understand how you feel a college education would better you."

My tears subsided as her lecture ended, having me step forward to be face-to-face with her. "No mother, I quite honestly don't see your point. I'm going to get my B.S. and I'm going to go to medical school." I laughed in her face and shrugged my shoulders. "I'll even remain in my own solitude and be happy about it in spite. Because you don't see what I see and you never will; I pity you for that."

***

My mind faded away from my youth as I opened the door to Michael's place again to be encompassed with the smell of Pita being toasted in the kitchen. He looked over to me with a wide-grin. "Had lunch with Megan during your break today?" I nodded silently, taking a seat at the counter for a moment. Noticing my silence as if on queue, Michael frowned to me. "Is it the Pita? We planned for Greek today right?"

I laughed and shook my head to him, stepping out of my seat to kiss him properly. "It's just been a really long day," I told him as he laced his arms around me, "Greek is perfect and you're perfect."

"Oh no, I know something else that's perfect then," He mentioned and I rolled my eyes as Michael continued to smother me with kisses, jokingly doing so as I laughed happily in his arms.