london nights

1.8

when jamie closes the door to the guest room, with a look on her face that caitlin recognizes all too well, caitlin moves peach off of her lap and grabs her crutches.

"james, wait, can we talk for a second?" caitlin says hopping over. jamie nods, walking towards the front door. caitlin sits down on the yard chair out on the porch. reluctantly, jamie takes a seat as well.

"cait, i don't have time for this." jamie says, her leg bouncing up and down.

"what? you don't have time to catch up with your younger sister?" caitlin smiles easily.

jamie shakes her head, a small smile growing on her face. "of course i have time for you cait, i've missed you around here you know?"

"i know, i miss you and mum as well. i don't visit as much as i want to." caitlin says staring at the sunset. when her sister turns to look at the setting sun, caitlin takes a moment to recall what she heard earlier inside.

"i heard raised voices. actually, no. i heard a raised voice." caitlin says quietly, looking over to her sister. "the walls have always been thin jamie, i just want to know why you were yelling."

jamie's smile fades only by a little, but caitlin has grown up with jamie, she knows when her sister shows a tendency to lie.

"i'm only looking out for you cait, it's nothing serious really."

"nothing serious huh. what'd you tell her then?" caitlin says, knowing her sister is not necessarily lying. caitlin would be surprised if jamie outright lied to her. at best, jamie was telling half truths.

"cait, do you know who she even is?" jamie avoids the question initially proposed.

"well, i'd like to think i know her pretty well jamie, otherwise she wouldn't even be here," caitlin laughs.

"she doesn't even have to be here! she could probably buy out a whole hotel chain if she wanted to, she's the fucking princess of switzerland. did you really not know caitlin?"

caitlin rolls her eyes, because of course. this is why jamie has been so uptight since caitlin has landed.

"i flew here in her private fucking plane jamie, of course i knew. it doesn't change the fact that she's a human being just like the rest of us." caitlin responds, annoyance laced in her tone.

"if you knew who she was, why even hang around with her? why even bring her here? you know, people like her just stick around wanting to get a taste of a normal life, and once they realize it's not for them, they leave you hanging." jamie shrugs easily.

"jamie, you haven't even gotten the chance to meet her properly, stop saying stuff about her that aren't truthful." caitlin fights to keep her voice even, resisting the urge to lash out.

"and you know everything about her then?"

"well, no. but just give her a week, she'll warm up to you." caitlin smiles.

"i hope you realize it's going to take much more than a week to like your girlfriend." jamie teases.

"she is not my girlfriend james, i don't know how many times i'll say that this trip but she is not!" caitlin says grabbing her crutches.

"whatever you say cait!" jamie says laughing, running back inside.

back inside, caitlin notices lia talking to her mum, helping her set the table for dinner. she's changed out of her airport wear into a tanktop and some jean shorts, her hair is now tied up into a messy bun. it surprises caitlin how easily her mum and lia got acquainted, opposed to her sister who threw lia the cold shoulder.