Re: NM: Cat & Leena
"Takes the edge off. That I understand. My version of doing that? Probably isn't anywhere as healthy as taking medication and going to therapy. It's also much less legal. But I am glad it's better, kitten, even if it's not perfect yet. I can't begin to understand how hard it is for you, but I'm unbelievably glad it's improved." Oh, Cat had forgotten the minutiae of decades, but she'd never forgotten who she was, and that terrified her. It seemed like such a lack of control, and Cat was terrible at lacking control. It was an admissions she considered making as she stood there, an acknowledgement she considered giving the other girl. But, in the end, she didn't add the words. It would be making this too much about herself, and this was about Helena's journey and Helena's triumph.
"You're explaining it fine, and if you get it wrong? Blame it on me and Bruce. Neither of us have ever been any good at explaining anything. Living in our own heads has always been easier for both of us, and I'm afraid you inherited that." Her smile was warm, lined and generous. "And I am excessively fond of eating, so we can say you got that from me. I'm fond of most things in excess," she admitted unapologetically.
"Dancers it is," she added, watching fingers drag against wall, and the conversation turned to Stephanie the landmines multiplied. Cat's conversation with Damian was fresh in her mind, the one about Stephanie's behavior and how it had made Helena feel, and Cat was determined not to mess this up. Of course, determination had never served her particularly well in this regard, but she was certainly going to try. "She needs to get to know you and let you get to know her before she's familiar. That makes a lot of sense, kitten," Cat agreed, and she meant it. She'd had her own moments with Stephanie, where Stephanie lost herself in Eddie and forgot the rest of the world was still out there, turning and missing her.
But then Cat's expression turned surprised. "How did facilities come up?" That seemed cruel to bring up in casual conversation, and Cat shook her head and warm brown hair slid over collarbone and shoulder. "Eddie and Damian have made up, but I don't know what they said to each other. I can only assume it was good enough to make Damian accept Eddie's behavior. You could ask him," Cat suggested, but she knew this wasn't about that, not really. "I don't know why she didn't add you and Tim to the post about the wedding. I assumed it was oversight with you, if not with Tim."
Cat's mossy gaze flickered over to arms wrapped around midsection, and she stopped walking. "Kitten, you don't need to interact with anyone that makes you uncomfortable. Stephanie tends to get wrapped up in her own life, and she forgets about us sometimes. It's no excuse. There's no excuse," she repeated, and she gave her daughter a reassuring nod. "I wish I could explain her behavior, but I can't. All I know is Stephanie always tries to do what she believes people want her to do, and that never works in the long run."