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𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐅𝐈𝐑𝐒𝐓 𝐖𝐄𝐄𝐊 Caterina spent peeking from behind the crocheted curtains of Lizzie's kitchen, ever vigilant for a sign of her father's men.
Every passerby that lingered in front of the house for more than a socially acceptable minute or two made the hairs on the back of her neck stand and the pit of her stomach drop down to her heel.
In all her years Caterina had never felt so miserable; and she was miserable because she was afraid. Mundane, she grumbled inside her head, how human and ordinary it is to fear someone. My own father, none the less.
Lizzie observed her as she quietly washed the dishes after breakfast.
In all their years of friendship - and more - Caterina had been the epitome of sharpness, in both the neatness of her dress and elegance of her poise. Never was one of her dark hairs out of order, nor could a crease be found on one of her many tweed suit jackets.
A Roman Venus, like one from the ancient pages of the Aeneid, with a touch of pure wickedness underneath her eyelids.
The tousle-haired brunette in her burgundy nightgown hardly resembled the woman whose name trembled on the lips of the people of Birmingham.
"You have to get out eventually." Caterina hummed non committialy, nails tapping a familiar tune on the wooden windowsill.
"Maybe get out of the city for a while. Cut your hair, dye it if you're that paranoid."
Cat turned around to face her friend. "Hair I can get over with, but don't ask me to leave Birmingham. I couldn't if I wanted." Birmingham was the Devils pit, and she was firmly grounded in the centre of it. It was where she belonged.
The older woman wiped her hands off of the damp cloth by the sink, hands red and aching from the coldness of the water. "Did I ever tell you how stupid are you?"
"Might have mentioned it once or twice." Caterina shrugged, immediately ducking right to avoid Lizzie's hand aiming to punch her playfully.
"In the bath, come on." She tugged her through the flat, both wearing equally mirthful grins upon their faces.
"Why?" Caterina cocked her head to the side, brows furrowing.
Lizzie rolled her eyes again, pushing a clean towel in her hands before turning to browse the room for some candles to illuminate the area. "I'll cut ya hair and then we'll go to the market. Don't fuck with me, off you go."
"Well, you know, we did fu-" With a slight gasp Caterina was pushed into the bathroom, the doors closed right in her face. The barrier hardly kept in the giggles still coming from the bathroom.
