There were a thousand things Catherine was saying to Carys in her mindโan entire lecture she was certain she would deliver to her daughter in due time. Yet, any lingering frustration dissolved in the radiant light of the young womanโs joy. Carys simply lit up at the sheer presence of both women. Catherine watched as her daughterโs eyes swept the audience, catching them both on their feet, cheering her on; there was a triumphant twinkle in the girl's gaze that spoke far more eloquently than words ever could. Of course, the reality of the situation remained, she was trapped in a tiny room beside a woman she had, once upon a time, loved. Yet despite the awkwardness, the subtle, electric brushes of their skin, and the familiar flutter in the Welsh woman's stomach, there was a priceless comfort in maintaining this easy civility for their daughter's sake. In fact, if Catherine were completely honest with herself, she had grown almost entirely used to the sensation. Sitting next to Cate felt... nice. Calm. How even when the woman teased her about her daughters scheming talents, she'd practically chuckled under her breath. And for a few fleeting moments in the dark, she had almost managed to forget.
For a genuine, fleeting second, Catherine let her smile rest fully upon Cate. Her expression softened, warmed by the undeniable fact that Cate was sharing this exact, profound sense of pride with her. It was a feeling she couldnโt entirely dissect in the middle of a crowded room, but it was the most vulnerable, open look she had managed to give the blonde in months. Letting out a soft, lighthearted sigh, Catherine accepted the reality of the trap. "I have to admit," she began, a hint of a hum in her throat, "I am far too hungry, and in desperate need of a glass of wine, to have the energy to pretend otherwise. And don't worry โ I am perfectly fine with a little wine tonight." She added that last part with a knowing tilt of her head, leaving Cate to read between the lines. Her gaze peered to the side of the room, taking in the ambient chatter and laughter of the theater crowd, just as Cate murmured a quiet, softening compliment in return. Hearing those words, Catherine's lips pressed into a lingering grin. "It... has been a long time," she agreed softly. She paused, her eyes locking onto Cate's with a sudden, devastatingly honest clarity. "And you also look really good... darling." It didnโt feel odd on the surface; Catherine called almost everyone by those elegant pet names. But directed at the woman beside her, the word of affection carried an entirely different weight, echoing with the ghosts of their past. "Listen," Catherine continued, her voice dropping into a smooth, commanding ease. "How about we just enjoy the dinner? Enjoy catching up, and enjoy the fact that my daughterโs little plan seemed to work in whatever way she wanted it to. I am willing to just... have a night I havenโt had in far too long. If you are." And just like that, the silent standoff dissolved. Side by side, both women began walking toward the exit, stepping out into the cool, New York City air where the driver Catherine had arranged for the evening was already waiting at the curb. "Change of plans, i need you to drop us to the everdeen" The welsh woman announced towards the driver.
The restaurant was only a couple of blocks away, a short drive even with the city traffic. Sitting in the back seat beside the blonde, Catherine caught tiny, fleeting glimpses of her through the rearview mirror. It was the complete opposite of their last ride together in the back of a car โ that night when Cate had been sick with worry, and Catherine had been practically unconscious on the way home.This wasnโt that. There was no dread tonight, no suffocating anxiety. Of course, the scars of the past didn't just magically disappear; it wasnโt, and never would be, that easy. But this, a simple dinner to celebrate a young woman they both adored,carried a mutual purpose that felt genuinely meaningful.Even with the occasional, quiet pockets of silence along the way, the tension dissolved the second the cool breeze hit their faces outside the restaurant. Catherine offered Cate a gentle, reassuring nod as they headed inside to find their reservation.Once seated, Catherine automatically settled in, making herself perfectly comfortable before leaning forward slightly "I do still need to hear the full story of how my daughter went behind my back and practically enrolled herself in your very exclusive teaching lessons, darling," she said. The heavy atmosphere was entirely gone, replaced by a light, teasing warmth. "And how you've been..."
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