Caitlin returned her smile as she blinked back her tears. “So… Are we kind of together now?”
Emma laughed. “That is almost word for word what you asked me in college.”
“And is your answer the same now?”
“Yes,” Emma said as she leaned in to find Caitlin’s lips.
Caitlin cupped her cheek as she softly brushed her lips across Emma’s, their lips fitting together so easily.
When they broke the kiss, Emma lifted her glass. “What should we drink to?”
Caitlin held her gaze while she thought about it. “To new beginnings…”
“To new beginnings.”
They clinked their glasses together, their eyes never leaving one another’s, and Emma had to pinch herself.
This was by far the best Christmas present she could have asked for and who knew what else was in store for them in the New Year.
Chapter 25
January 1st, 2016
Cat swallowed the lump in her throat as she sat on the cream suede couch in her hotel room in New York and stared at her phone that was clutched by a tripod a few feet away from her.
The red light was on, but she needed a few seconds to compose herself. She wiped her sweaty palms down the front of her skinny white wash jeans and took a deep breath.
She hadn’t written a script. She didn’t want the video to be forced. She just wanted it to be natural and from the heart.
This was for her fans, her true fans. She’d find out as soon as she posted the video how many of them really were her true fans.
“Okay,” Cat whispered to herself. “You can do this.”
She reached for the bottle of water that was on the floor beside the couch and took a quick drink. When she left it back on the ground she was ready to go. She couldn’t procrastinate on this any longer.
“Hey guys,” Cat said with a smile that she hoped didn’t look fake or forced. “So, I wanted to make a video for you… I hope I don’t ramble on for too long but there’s something I need to share with you guys…”
Cat paused as she gathered her thoughts for a moment.
“This time of year, everybody’s looking forward and thinking about what changes they want to make in their lives… And I’ve been doing the same…”
“My family and close friends have noticed a change in me lately… Even though I’ve had success with my music, I haven’t really been happy and there’s a reason for that… I haven’t been honest with you guys… There’s a big part of me that I’ve kept a secret…”
Cat sighed softly as she tried to keep her emotions in check. She didn’t want to cry.
She pushed a lock of her blond hair away from her face and tucked it behind her ear before she continued.
“I had no intention of keeping this secret. It kind of just happened… That’s not an excuse. I know… But I’m ready to start putting myself first and stop caring about what anybody else thinks.”
“I wanted you guys to hear it first… I’m gay. I was never ashamed of it but being in this industry… I was led in a certain direction and I took the easy way out and hid who I was because I somehow believed I would be better off.”
“I was wrong… Whatever comes out of this… However, many fans unfollow me or stop listening to my music… It’ll be okay.”
“Anything’s better than this,” Cat said with a sad smile. “So that’s it… I want to apologize for misleading any of my fans and for not being a better role model for the LGBTQ community.”
“On a happier note… Be on the lookout for a new song that I’m going to be releasing later on this month… I’ll talk to you guys soon,” Cat said with a wave and a smile before she got up to turn off the camera.
She sighed loudly, glad that she’d finally done it. She just had to edit it and upload it to her social media accounts.
Jeff had volunteered to do it, but Cat told him that she’d prefer to handle something this personal herself.
He was her best friend and manager, so he’d voiced his opinion from both sides and told her that he’d understand and be there for her if things went bad.
Normally Cat wouldn’t worry so much about what other people thought of her but when her song started getting more air play a few months ago, country music radio stations had taken a shine to her.
She knew that there was a very good chance that they’d all forget about her now that she was announcing to the world who she really was.
And she was okay with that. Running into Emma again had reminded her what was important in life. Even if she lost it all, she could still write music, play to smaller crowds.
She wasn’t going to let her career get in the way of her future with Emma again. She’d made that mistake already and she had no intention of repeating it.
After Emma had spent Christmas at Cat’s house in Pittsburgh, they’d decided to come to New York for New Year’s Eve.
Last night, they stood for hours in the cold and waited for the Waterford Crystal ball to drop in Times Square.
The atmosphere was amazing and even though she couldn’t feel the tips of her fingers or her feet, her arms were wrapped around Emma’s waist for most of the night.
A light knock on the door took Cat away from her thoughts. She crossed the carpeted floor of the hotel room to open the door.
“Hey.”
“Hi,” Emma said with a smile. “I hope I’m not interrupting. I didn’t know when you’d be finished.”
“I just filmed it,” Cat said, standing aside to let Emma in.
“How did it go?”
“Okay I think… When I finally did it. I spent ages staring at the camera.”
“Do you feel better now?”
Cat nodded. “Yeah. I still have to edit it, but it won’t take long. I just want to make sure the lighting is okay, and I have to cut out the first few minutes when I couldn’t make myself start.”
“Do you want to do that now?”
“I think I’d better. I want to just get it out there.”
“Okay,” Emma said. “I’ll leave you alone for a while. Is it okay if I stay up here?”
“Sure. It’ll only take me ten or fifteen minutes.”
Cat edited the video and then watched it back before she uploaded it online.
She sat her laptop down beside her on the bed and waited for all of her social media accounts to explode with alerts and her inbox to fill up.
It didn’t take long. Less than a minute later her phone was buzzing.
Emma was stretched out on the couch, and she looked up from the book she was reading when she heard the noise. “I take it the video’s online?”
Cat nodded. “Yep.”
“Come here,” Emma said as she left her book down and stood up.
Cat got up and crossed the room to let Emma wrap her arms around her and kiss her on the cheek.
“I’m so proud of you,” Emma said with a smile as she met Cat’s blue eyes.
“Thanks.”
“Everything’s going to be fine. You just have to ignore the haters.”
“I know,” Cat said with a slight smile. “Let’s forget about it for a while… Go out and explore the city.”
“Alright,” Emma said as she kissed her lightly on the lips and reached for her winter coat.
Chapter 26
January 5th, 2016
Emma put the last of her things into a box and added it to the stack in the corner of her living room. She was putting most of her belongings in storage for now. She only packed one large suitcase to bring with her to Los Angeles.
This was her last day in her apartment in Philadelphia. The woman she was subletting it to was arriving tomorrow morning just before Emma would be leaving for the airport.
Caitlin had left two days ago. She had to get back and talk to Jeff about her next move.
The reaction to Cat’s video had been explosive. Even people who didn’t know of her or her music had shared the video because it was an inspiring coming out story.
Cat was getting more attention now than she ever had but Emma wasn’t sure what to make of it.
They said all publicity was good publicity but there were definitely a fair share of haters and people who commented on Cat’s posts about how she should just be singing and not declaring to the world her love for women.
Jeff wanted her back in Los Angeles as soon as possible. They needed to see if hiring a body guard was necessary. The paparazzi were paying extra attention to her now, Cat had told her in a text this morning.
Emma was genuinely worried for her. She always was but this was the first time she was actually afraid that something might happen to her.
There were some crazy people out there and she knew that something as simple as a video they didn’t agree with could provoke them.
She hoped Jeff was organizing some security for Caitlin. She knew Caitlin wouldn’t have made a lot of money yet from her music but surely her safety was an expense worth considering.
Emma stood with her hands on her hips and surveyed her bare apartment. Everything was organized, and she would be living in L.A. from tomorrow.
It was almost surreal. This is what she should have done ten years ago when Caitlin was leaving for Los Angeles. Her life would have been so different if she’d gone with her then.
But somethings just seemed to work themselves out. That was the attitude that Emma was taking on anyway. Otherwise she’d never be able to look at the last ten years without feeling like they were a waste.
Somehow Caitlin had found her way back into Emma’s life and there was no way that Emma was letting her go again.
She wasn’t exactly sure what was going to happen once she got there. She presumed she was moving in with Caitlin. They hadn’t really talked about it, but they’d lived together before.
Emma didn’t know where she was going to work either. She’d spoken to the owner of the hotel where she’d worked for years in Philadelphia before Christmas and planned on giving him thirty days’ notice, but he told her she could go as soon as she found a qualified and competent replacement.
She knew who would be taking over her job as soon as she thought about leaving. Andrew was the obvious candidate. Emma had hired him herself and he was extremely hard working. He would have no problems taking over and he was delighted when she offered him the job.
So now, less than two weeks after making the decision to go with Caitlin to Los Angeles, she was on her way in the morning with everything in Philadelphia taken care of.
Her parents weren’t thrilled that she was moving so far away but they’d always liked Caitlin and Emma promised that she’d be back to visit.
The only bit of unfinished business was with her best friend, or maybe ex best friend, Tori.
Emma couldn’t believe it when she accidently saw a text message that suggested that Tori had been the one to take that photo of Emma and Cat kissing in the Christmas market, the one that had caused so much trouble for Caitlin because she was still in the closet then.
Tori didn’t even try to deny it and Emma hadn’t talked to her since. She didn’t know how to deal with it.
Tori had been her best friend for years and having someone so close to her potentially ruin Caitlin’s career without a thought just infuriated her.
Emma wasn’t ready to see her yet. She didn’t know if she’d ever be.
But that’s why this move was going to be good for her. It was just like Caitlin had tried to sell the move to her all those years ago. New beginnings. A fresh start. New opportunities.
Emma would probably apply for a similar job in a hotel in L.A., but she made a promise with herself to at least give photography a serious try.
She knew she had the skills, the potential and she had years of experience too. She just needed to build up her confidence and start getting paid to do what she loved most.
She had so much to look forward to in L.A. but that didn’t keep the butterflies away.
Chapter 27
January 6th, 2016
Cat watched the streams of people go by as she stood in the arrivals area at LAX. She couldn’t wait to see Emma even though they’d only been apart for a few days. Something was different now.
Cat didn’t know if it was the fact that they’d both given up something to give their relationship a second chance or if it was simply how easy it was being with Emma.
The few days they were together during the holidays and into the New Year had flown by.
Cat had to pinch herself. Emma was really coming to live in L.A. with her and Cat was finally free to be who she was.
Jeff was taking care of everything business related. He was keeping an eye on the numbers and her social media accounts.
Her numbers were actually improving. Her songs were getting listened to more and she even gained a few thousand followers since she came out.
Of course, she lost some too, but she was gaining more followers faster than she ever had.
Her eyes searched the next wave of people coming through the doors and she saw Emma wheeling a large black suitcase behind her and a smaller one resting on top of it as she adjusted the straps of her leather handbag on her shoulder.
“Emma!”
Cat made her way through the crowd of people until she reached Emma and wrapped her arms around her.
Emma dropped her bag and hugged her back and Cat couldn’t keep the smile off her face.
“Hey,” Cat said as she met her green eyes.
“Hi,” Emma said as her hand moved to the nape of Cat’s neck.
Cat’s eyes moved to Emma’s lips and then started to slowly close as their lips inched closer together.
A series of flashes and two photographs angling for the best shot spoiled the moment and Emma moved away from her as Cat grabbed one of her suitcases and they made their way to the exit.
Cat had got a taxi here, so she flagged down another one outside and asked the driver to take care of the bags while the two of them got into the backseat.
Emma took off the zip up hoodie she’d been wearing and held it up against the window to block the photographer’s view.
“I guess this is how things have been since you got back?” Emma asked her.
Cat nodded.
“Are you getting security?”
“I haven’t decided yet,” Cat said as the driver got in the car and pulled away.
“I know it’s not up to me, but I think you should.”
“I know… Things are a bit uncertain right now,” Cat said as she turned to look at her. “I just lost my contract and I have Jeff to worry about. I’m not sure if it’s in the budget right now. I have to wait and see what happens next. Jeff’s trying to get me another deal.”
“Okay. I’m just worried about you. I know paparazzi aren’t really dangerous but who knows who else might be crazy enough to do something.”
“They don’t know where I live,” Cat said, trying to find something positive to say.
“Yet.”
“Yeah. It’s only been a few days, but I’ve been careful.”
They spent the rest of the journey back to Cat’s apartment filling each other in on what they’d both been up to while they were apart.
Cat was glad they’d moved off the subject of her getting security. She really couldn’t afford it currently, but she knew that Emma would be worrying about her until she could sort it out.
Chapter 28
When they arrived at Cat’s apartment building, no one was following them, and the taxi driver lifted Emma’s bags out of the trunk, leaving them down on the sidewalk.
“So, this is me,” Cat said as she paid the driver and led them into the building.
They stepped into the elevator and Emma watched Cat press the button for the third floor. The butterflies that had disappeared when she was in Cat’s arms started fluttering again.
I guess we’re just going to be living together…
Emma didn’t want to assume that was the case, but they hadn’t talked
about it and she didn’t want to offend Cat either.
When the doors opened, Emma followed Cat down the hallway to her door. She wheeled her suitcase inside after Cat had unlocked the door.
Endless Love Page 9