The Bar

1 - Cathy

1

…………

8 months earlier

Cathy

I’m always up for some good advice, Cathy wondered. I just cannot think by myself or decide by myself. I need to keep asking others again and again and again till it feels right and then I follow their advice most the times instead of my gut feeling, Cathy thought. She packed the last of her things into her red bag and zipped it all up ready to leave.

“Are you sure you aren’t leaving anything behind?” Josh folded his arms and leaned over his sister’s bedroom door, “I mean even if you are, I don’t think you’ll be welcomed back” he joked.

“Non – sense” Cathy’s mother entered the room, “She is always welcomed back home” she smiled and began help Cathy carry her bag out of the room.

“I can do this mom, relax and Josh, shut up. Just simply shut up” she stuck her tongue out and pulled away her bags from her mom’s hands.

“Well, okay” Josh shrugged and followed his sister and mother down the stairs in the main hall, where their father awaited them.

“So, just to double check, you are keeping the car but won’t let us pay for petrol?” Cathy’s mom frowned.

“Yes mom” Cathy replied, exhausted by the thought of how long would it take to get out of here.

“Also, you checked out the place you are shifting too, right?”

“Yes I did mom” Cathy lied.

She was on her way to check out the new apartment that she had found in the newspapers when one of her oldest friends called her over to talk about some problem she was going through. Cathy thought it was more important to attend to her friend than go have a look at the apartment and so she lost her only opportunity to go have a look and later on had to pay the rent online to confirm the place since she had very few options.

“That’s good, I’m really going to miss you sweety” Her mother tear’d up, trying to control all the emotions she was going through.

“I’ll miss you too mom” Cathy sighed and then looked towards her chubby daddy. He was standing there at the main entrance, trying to figure out the right words to tell his daughter. He wanted to support her but at the same time he also didn’t want to let her go.

“Are you all packed love?” he asked her trying to give her a hand so that he could hold on to her luggage a little while longer, just to check if his daughter had changed her mind. Cathy read that.

“I can do this dad. Plus I’m just a few miles away. I’m not shifting to another country, I’ll be right here in Chicago, just another apartment, that’s all” Cathy lit up, hoping her excitement would pass on to her parents.

“Okay, I just wanted you to know that I am really proud of you and I hope you’ll be happy wherever you are going” Her father, forced a smile.

“I’m going as far as a two hour ride from here” Cathy smiled but it was sarcastic.

“Yea – yea your right, well might as well be on your way” he finally moved out of the way and Cathy quickly moved out of her childhood home and walked towards her car.

She looked up at the shinning sun and gloated. She was happy it was a bright yet pleasant - sunny day. She dumped her bags in the back seat of her Volvo and shut the door. Her blue - casual dress draped perfectly around her hour glass figure and she put on her sunglasses and sat in the driver’s seat.