Back to me

Chapter 22

The Swift cats were rather troublesome for Karlie. Between Olivia eating anything that remotely resembled a flower, and Meredith climbing up anything she could stick her claws into-- including Karlie, she was more than relived when Cara came home.

She arrived without company-- which was rare ever since she met Martha. Karlie figured she still hadn't returned from wherever she went. She hoped Martha would be back soon for two reasons, 1: The cats would stay with her until their mother comes back, and 2: Cara becomes irritable without her partner in crime.

"Still got a case of the grumps?" Karlie asked with an amused smirk.

Cara kicked off her abnormally tall sneakers and plummeted onto the sofa, scaring Meredith who sat on the armrest.

"I'm not grumpy," She grumpily grumbled.

Karlie's phone chimed, indicating that Taylor wanted to face time with her.

"Hey, Not-grumpy," Karlie said as she rushed towards her room. "Can you keep an eye on the cats?"

Cara grumbled a collection on incoherent noises.

Shutting the door behind her, Karlie plopped down onto her bed and answered the call.

Taylor looked like she was in the middle of hair and makeup, a stylist worked on her hair in the background.

Even through blurry image, she was stunning.

"Hey there, stranger," Taylor grinned, red lipstick accentuating her smile. "I got all the cat-pics you sent, they're six exclamation points worth of excitement!"

"Those two are photogenic nightmares."

"Or you could say nightmares dressed like day-" Taylor coyly arched an eyebrow and snapped a finger gun at the phone.

"Taylor, three minutes!" someone shouted off screen.

The blonde pouted. "Better not spend this time blabbing about Mere and Dibs. How's New York?"

"Been waiting for you-- both the city and I." Karlie proudly smiled for thinking of such a clever line. "And you? How's California?"

"It's nice here, but it'd be a lot nicer with you." A smirked slowly grew on Taylor. "It's also hot, but it'd be a lot hotter with you."

Karlie softly laughed and wished she could reach through the phone and playfully smack her shoulder. Then she sighed as she remembered that even though Taylor would be back soon, she would eventually have to go again.

"Man," Karlie weakly lifted a corned of her lip. "I miss you."

"I miss you too," Taylor softly said. "I've been looking through all the Polaroids I have of you-- I've practically got enough to fill an album."

Karlie's eyes darted at Taylor's picture on her desk then back to Taylor.

"We're out in 30 seconds."

"Looks like our time's up," Taylor sighed. "I guess this is bye again."

"For now," Karlie assured, mustering the warmest smile she could. "But you'll be back to me."

Taylor nodded and blow a kiss into the camera before the call was ended.

Karlie rolled over onto her back and blankly stared up at the celling.

"I swear to god, I will put you into the bath!" Cara yelled from the living room.

Karlie rolled onto her feet, figuring she better intervene before Cara followed up on that threat.