Blame it on the Stars (The Blame Game)

by Hill, Jamie

  He reached for the remote and hit pause. “Who are you calling?”

  “My fiancé, Steve.”

  Chris had a blank look on his face.

  Catlin said, “The man I’m going to marry.”

  He blinked. “You’re getting married?”

  “Yeah.” She smiled. “Give me just a couple minutes, and I’ll be right back.”

  She left Chris with a funny look on his face, as she went to the guest room and dialed the phone.

  Dana answered, “Hello”

  “Hi Dana, it’s Catlin. How are you?”

  “I’m fine! How are you? Are you feeling better?”

  “I am, yeah.”

  “I couldn’t believe it when they said you were sick today. I had to go to the office and call Daddy to see if he knew. And he said—what?” She turned away from the phone, then back to Catlin. “Oh Catlin, Daddy’s chomping at the bit to speak with you. Here.” She handed the phone over.

  Steve said, “Hi there.”

  Catlin laughed. “Wow! That girl needs to take a chill pill.”

  He chuckled. “She misses you. So do I, in fact. How are you feeling?”

  “Better. I’m getting some rest.”

  “And some snow. How much do you have?”

  “I don’t know,” Catlin answered truthfully.

  “We have three or four inches. Jetta says there’s probably going to be a snow day tomorrow, so you won’t miss anything.”

  “That’s good, I guess.”

  “How’s it going with your brother?”

  “Okay.” She felt uncomfortable on that subject. “Well, I should probably let you go.”

  “We really don’t have to rush off. I’d like to know where you are, at least.”

  “I’m at Craig’s house. But I’m really tired, honey. I’ll plan to call you tomorrow night, okay?”

  “Sure.” He sounded disappointed. “I love you.”

  “I love you, too. Goodnight.” She hung up, and looked up to see Christian peeking through the crack where she’d left the door open. “Hey. Ready to finish that movie?”

  He nodded, and they went back out to the sofa. Nick was still snoring. “Party pooper,” Catlin whispered to Chris, and he laughed. But before the show was over, Chris was also asleep with his head on Catlin’s shoulder. The movie ended, the DVD player shut off, and Catlin sat there in the firelight with her sleeping son’s head on her shoulder.

  It was another half hour before Craig walked out and looked at her. “What are you doing?” A slow smile crept over his face.

  “Just enjoying the quiet.”

  Craig gaze went from her to the sleeping boy. “Did I tell you, or what?”

  “You told me.” She smiled down at him, too.

  “I’ll put him to bed.” Craig started to pick the child up.

  Chris’s arms went around Catlin’s neck, but his eyes never opened.

  “Oh.” Catlin was surprised but not unhappy. “I don’t think I can carry you, honey,” she whispered.

  “I’ll help.” Craig lifted the boy, who held on to his mother for dear life.

  They carried him together to his room, and laid him, clothes and all, in his bed. Craig pried Chris’s arms off Catlin, and they tucked him in.

  They watched him sleep for a minute, and Craig said, “I’d say it was a successful first day, wouldn’t you?”

  “Yeah.” She put her arm around Craig. “I would.” She pulled the bedroom door shut, and motioned to the front room. “I’ll let you put that one to bed. I’ll see you in the morning.”

  “‘Night, sis. I’m glad you’re here.”

  “Me too.” She smiled at him gratefully and went to bed.

  Catlin slept more peacefully that night, and felt good when she woke in the morning. She was lying in bed, thinking about getting up, when Chris peeked in her room.

  “Hi.” She batted her lashes at him.

  “It’s a snow day!” he shouted. “No school!”

  “Yay!” Catlin hollered out “That means we get to spend the day together!” She sat up, and grabbed her big white robe. “Shall we make some breakfast?”

  “I usually just have cereal.” Chris led her to the kitchen.

  “Cereal is okay.” She looked through the cabinets. “But sometimes I like to cook. Ooh, here’s some pancake stuff. Do you like pancakes?”

  “Yeah!” He grinned, and helped her make the batter.

  Catlin showed him how to make shapes of the pancakes as she poured them on the griddle. “My favorite is Mickey Mouse.” She poured two small circles on top of one big round one.

  “Hey, that’s cool!” They were creating more designs when Nick joined them.

  “Good morning.” Catlin watched him.

  “Hey. Any coffee?”

  “Nope, sorry. Just pancakes.”

  He reached for the coffee, and started brewing a pot.

  “You’ve become the Establishment,” she teased “Drinking coffee!”

  He shook his head. “I couldn’t get through some of the sessions we have without it.” He leaned over and whispered in her ear, “We only use legal drugs these days. You know, beer, caffeine.”

  She chuckled. “Good. I’m glad to hear that. Pancake?”

  He looked over the choices. “These are some weird looking cakes.”

  Chris laughed. “Yeah, most of them turned out to be aliens. But they taste good.”

  Nick grabbed one as he walked by, and nibbled on it. “I’m going to shower. I’ll be back in a few.”

  Catlin and Chris sat down and ate at the table. Craig came out partway through breakfast. “Good morning,” Catlin told him.

  “Hi.” He poured himself some coffee, and grabbed a pancake.

  “Doesn’t anyone sit down to eat here?” she asked sweetly.

  Craig sat next to her, but continued to eat pancakes with his hands.

  She rolled her eyes at him. “Are you just getting up?”

  “Yeah, why?”

  She looked at Chris. “Who told you that you have a snow day?”

  “I turned on the radio and listened, after my alarm went off.”

  She looked at Craig again. “He gets himself up, and makes himself breakfast?”

  “We stay up pretty late some nights. He’s learned how to get along.”

  She started to comment, but decided against it.

  Craig said, “‘Course it’s all different when he’s at the Prescott’s. She’s got rules and schedules coming out the ying yang.”

  Chris made a face.

  Catlin looked away, trying not to laugh. She composed herself and used her best teacher voice. “Rules are important. And everyone needs some kind of schedule.”

  “Yeah, yeah.” Craig waved his hand.

  Chris went to look out the window.

  “We got a lot of snow.” He looked at Catlin “Hey, um...do you like to go sledding?”

  “Well, I haven’t gone in a long time. But it sounds like fun.”

  Nick came into the room, showered and changed. “What sounds like fun?”

  “Sledding!” Chris told him.

  Nick poured himself some coffee. “We could go sledding. But first, I think we need to shovel out from under. Who’s going to help me?”

  “I will!” Chris jumped up and down. He looked at Catlin “What about you, um....?”

  She grinned. “Chris, I’m sure you’re trying to figure out what to call me. It’s up to you. You can call me Catlin—”

  Nick interrupted, “Or you can call her mom.”

  Chris thought about that for a moment. “Mom sounds nice.”

  Catlin stood and gave the boy a quick hug. “It sure does. Why don’t I go grab a quick shower, and you go change your clothes.”

  Chris looked down at himself. “I’m dressed.”

  “Yeah, in the same clothes you wore yesterday, and slept in.”

  He shrugged again.

  Catlin guided him toward his room. “You go change, I’ll go change.�
��

  Chris looked back at Nick, who just laughed. “I guess it’s a mom thing. Don’t fight the power, boy.”

  Catlin had one of the best days of her life. The four of them shoveled off the driveway and sidewalks around the house, then dragged a sled and some cardboard to a nearby hill on their land. It was just perfect for sledding, and they stayed there for hours. When they were finally soaked through and chilled to the bone, they walked back home. Everyone changed into dry clothing, and Catlin made them some hot cocoa and sandwiches.

  After lunch, she laughed as the three guys hurried to the TV to catch ‘Days of our Lives’. She pulled a pillow and blanket down off the sofa, and stretched out on the floor. She dozed off during the soap opera, and when she woke up, Chris was asleep beside her under the blanket. She ran her hand through his spiky hair, a clone of his father, and over his angelic little cheeks. When he stirred, he snuggled closer to her. Catlin wrapped her arms around him.

  At that moment, it hit her. I need this little person in my life. One way or another, she would have to make it work.

  They played more video games in the afternoon, and then Catlin found some books on the bookshelf, and read some stories to Chris. They ate dinner, played more games, and watched TV until nine. Catlin stood and stretched. “Well, excuse me, but I need to make a call.”

  They nodded to her, and she went to her room. She dialed Steve’s number.

  “Hello.”

  She could tell he was not in a good mood. “Hi honey,” she said softly.

  “Hello. How are you feeling?”

  “Better.”

  “And how is everything going?”

  “Fine.”

  “Jesus, it’s like pulling teeth! I’m losing my patience with this situation, Catlin. You’re the most important person in my life, and I don’t even know where you are.”

  “I told you I’m in Kansas City.”

  “With an ex-boyfriend?” he asked sharply.

  “No!” she exclaimed “I’m with my brother.”

  “I’m racking my brains trying to figure this out. There’s something you’re not telling me.”

  “Yes, there is. But I can’t get into it over the phone. I’ll tell you when I get home.”

  “I want you to come back tomorrow.”

  “Okay.” She sighed. “I can do that.”

  “And I want to know the truth. Are you really not with an ex-boyfriend?”

  She hated like hell to lie. Her gut churned at the very notion. “Steve, I love you. That hasn’t changed. Please don’t be angry with me. I’ll explain it all tomorrow.”

  “What time will you be home?” he asked sullenly.

  “Damn! I guess I can leave in the morning, and be there by noon.”

  “I don’t think you’re in a position to be copping an attitude with me,” he informed her.

  “You’re starting to piss me off, and I’m not sure you want to do that. Why don’t we just say goodnight.”

  “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  She hung up, and wandered back into the front room, where the guys were watching TV. “Looks like I’ll be leaving in the morning.”

  Christian yelled, “No!” and dove at her legs. “Please don’t go!” He sobbed into her jeans.

  Catlin was shocked. “Hey, it’s okay...come here.” She got on her knees and hugged him. “I can come back.”

  “Nooo.” He continued crying, and Catlin looked to Nick and Craig for help.

  Nick came over to the boy and put his hand on his shoulder. “It’ll be okay, son. You’ll see your mother again real soon.”

  Chris hugged her neck tightly. “Stay here with us. You can be a teacher here. I want you to stay.”

  “Chris.” She pulled him back enough to look in his eyes. “I can’t live here. I have a life in Marshall. But it’s not that far away, and I want to see you as often as I can. I want you to be a part of my life.”

  He was still sobbing and shaking his head. “You’ll go away and I’ll never see you again. It’ll be forever, like it was before. I don’t want you to leave me!”

  Catlin was crying now. “No, I promise you, it won’t be that way. I just found you; I’m not going to let you go.” She held his face in her hands. “Chris, listen to me. I don’t want to be without you. I didn’t know what I was missing before, but I do now. I love you, and I want you in my life.”

  “Mommy!” He hugged her neck so tightly she almost couldn’t breathe. “Please don’t leave me Mommy!”

  Catlin didn’t know what to do. She looked up at Nick again and shook her head.

  Nick knelt down by them. “Chris, come here.” He pulled the boy off of Catlin and toward himself. “Listen. Mom’s not going away. She’s just going home.” He looked at Catlin “I guess we’re going to have to work out some kind of visitation schedule.”

  She wiped her eyes and nodded.

  He nuzzled his son. “Maybe this weekend I can take you to Marshall to see Mom.” He looked at Catlin, and she nodded enthusiastically. “Chris, would you like that? You want to go see where Mom lives?”

  The boy lifted his head and looked at her. “Could I, really?”

  “Really.” She nodded. “You can stay with me all weekend. Then your dad and I will figure out some kind of schedule, so I can see you lots and lots.”

  Chris stood between his parents, and put one arm around each of them. “Why can’t we stay together, like today? Today was the best.”

  “Today was great,” Catlin told him. “But honey, your dad and I have our own lives. We’re not together, but we both want time with you. We’re going to have to work it out.”

  Chris finally nodded, and rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand.

  Catlin brushed his hair back. “Why don’t you get ready for bed, brush your teeth, and I’ll come in and read you a story.”

  “I don’t want to go to bed!” He pouted.

  “Oh, I think you better. The roads are cleared up, so you’re going to have school tomorrow. Come on, go get ready. I’ll pick a book and be there in a minute.”

  Chris obliged, and went to his room.

  Catlin leaned back on her haunches, and rubbed her hands over her face. “Oh my God,” she said softly.

  Nick smiled at her. “It only took two days. Didn’t I tell you you’d love him?”

  She looked at Nick. “It didn’t take two days. It took about two minutes.”

  “So what do you think now?”

  She sighed. “I think now I have a whole new set of problems.”

  When Chris was settled in bed, she brought in a book she found on Craig’s bookshelf. “This was one of my favorites when I was your age,” she told him “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, by C.S. Lewis. There’s a whole set of these, they’re called the Chronicles of Narnia. How about I start the first one tonight, and we’ll read more every night we’re together.”

  He nodded, and made room for her in his bed. Catlin read several chapters, until she could see Chris nodding off. She closed the book. “I’ll make breakfast for you in the morning, before school.”

  He looked at her. “Will I really get to see you this weekend?”

  “Absolutely. I swear it. I love you Chris.”

  He hugged her, and settled back into his bed. He looked at her one last time. “You won’t forget me?”

  “Inconceivable!” she mimicked the movie they’d watched, and they both laughed. “Goodnight, honey.” She put a kiss on the top of his head, and pulled his door shut.

  She went into the front room with Nick and Craig. She held the book up to Craig. “Can I borrow this? We’re going to read the whole set.”

  He nodded. “You know, we have a gig Saturday night, so he’s not going to be able to stay all weekend. Just Friday night.”

  “Oh!” Catlin made a face. “What if I brought him back on Sunday? Whatever time you say.”

  Nick nodded. “That’ll work, if you want to do it.”

  “I do. So you’ll leave after sc
hool Friday to bring him down?”

  “Yep.” Nick replied, and Catlin wrote out directions to her house.

  “I guess I’ll leave after he gets off to school in the morning. I have some ‘splaining to do at home.”

  Nick and Craig chuckled at that.

  “I want to thank you both for everything. This has been the best couple days without sex that I’ve ever had in my life.”

  They laughed again, and Nick said, “We can take care of the sex part, if that’s a problem for you.”

  “No thank you.” She stood and headed to her room. “You taking care of it, now that would be a problem. Goodnight, guys.”

  They bid her goodnight, and she went to bed. Catlin climbed between the sheets, feeling a mixture of nerves and excitement in her stomach. She knew it would be hard facing Steve, but she had so much to look forward to in her life. It just has to work out!

  Chapter Thirteen

  When Catlin arrived home at noon the next day, Steve’s car was parked in front of her house. She pulled into the garage, got her bags from the trunk, and hauled them in through the kitchen.

  Steve sat in the front room, sipping a drink.

  “Don’t get up.” She shoved all her stuff through the bedroom door and deposited it there.

  He didn’t. He just looked at her.

  Catlin took off her jacket and threw it on her bed.

  “How were the roads?” he finally asked.

  “Fine. Dry. Aren’t you supposed to be at work?”

  “I’m the boss, remember?”

  “You’re acting like my boss. We never do well when we start out this way.”

  He shook his head. “I’ve been going over and over this in my mind, trying to figure it all out. I really need some answers.”

  “Do you want to hear my story, or do you want to rant?”

  He took a drink. “Let’s hear it, I guess.”

  “Don’t be an ass, Steve. Please just listen to me, and then you can pass judgment.”

  He nodded, and she began. “I was fourteen when Craig started up the band he’s in now. They made a studio out in one of our barns. It was a neat set-up actually. Well, the guys started coming around every day. I always hurried and finished my chores so I could climb up into the hayloft and listen to them practice. I knew they were good.”