Chapter 14: Sunrise, Sunset

Robert grudgingly admits after a week or so that Elizabeth was right about her new job. As a rookie cop, she spends most of her days writing and filing reports. While he promised to support her, Robert made no such promise about not worrying. His fears often plague his dreams at night.

Inspired by her mother's new career, Jane decides to start getting into shape and gets a student membership at the gym.

Naturally, she refuses to go alone.

"Please James! Come on, it'll be fun! We can be workout buddies, and cheer each other on!"

"I don't know Jane," James says doubtfully. "The gym is where the jocks hang out. They don't like me very much."

Jane folds her arms. "So? They're probably just jealous of how girls are always staring at you."

James snorts. "Please. None of the girls at school would give me the time of day. Jocks don't like me because I'm 'sensitive.'"

"Sensitive?"

"You know, sensitive. I'm a painter, not an athletic jock, like them."

Jane raises her eyebrow. "So, you're sensitive because you're a painter? What do they think you do? Go out at night trying to 'find yourself?'"

He shrugs. "I guess."

"That's just stupid. Nobody picks on Carmen Raleigh at school and he's a musician. Musicians are sensitive, right?"

"Carmen's parents are professional athletes. He gets a free pass. Our parents are writers. Well, Mom was a writer. Now she does whatever it is rookie cops do."

"Please come with me," she wheedles. "I won't let the jocks pick on my big brother."

James groans. "Fine, I'll go. But you have to come on my next fishing trip with me."

Jane throws her arms around him. "Deal!"

The moment they set foot on the treadmills, James regrets his decision.

"I am never, ever, ever coming back here," James says after his third faceplant on the treadmill. "Like, ever. This is a torture device."

Jane giggles. "It's not that hard, silly. You've got the machine going too fast. Set it at a slower pace and you should be fine."

"There are so many buttons on here. How do I change the settings?"

"The arrow keys, genius."

"Oh, I see! This is much better."

"Rule number one," Jane says smugly, "you have to be smarter than the machine. The machine is only as effective as the person operating...ow!"

"What was that about being smarter than the machine?" James asks nonchalantly as Jane struggles to her feet. "I couldn't hear you."

"Shut up, James..."

The night before Catherine's birthday, Carmen takes her to Luigi's for one last teenage date. He had offered to take her to the Grind or somewhere more upscale, but Catherine was perfectly content to go to Luigi's. "It's our place," she tells him with a smile. "It wouldn't feel right being anywhere else."

They start with a round of shuffleboard.

"Sheesh, Carmen, I had forgotten how bad you are at this game."

"Here, watch how it's done, grasshopper."

Carmen snickers. "Care to try again, O Great One?"

"Just give me the puck, bird food."

"Holy cow, what gives? Clearly, the game is broken."

Carmen rolls his eyes. "Whatever you say, O Great One."

"I have an idea! Since the game is broken, let's have a drink!"

Catherine orders a round of drinks and brings one over to Carmen.

"Have you thought about what you're going to do after graduation?" he asks casually.

Catherine shrugs.  "Not really. My parents said I could live at home until  I saved up enough for my own place. I'm applying for a job at Doo Peas, I think. Mom said her cousin would offer me a job with his company, but I'd rather not go to Westsimster. I'd rather stay in the suburbs."  She fidgets with her hair. "It'll take me forever to save up for a place."

"What if I told you that you didn't have to do that?" Carmen asks quietly.

Catherine chuckles. "Did you plant a money tree in your yard that I don't know about?"

"No, I don't have a money tree," he replies, "but we do have an extra bedroom in our house since Margaret went to jail."

"Are - are you asking me to move in with you?" Catherine asks.

"I talked to my parents," Carmen says quickly. "They said that as long as your parents are okay with it, you'd be welcome to live with us. I know space is tight at your place, so you could live with us while we save up for our own place."

"That would actually be nice...wait, what?" Catherine stares at  Carmen. "What do you mean by 'we'?"

"Catherine, I know we talked about breaking up after high school, but I've been thinking. My birthday is the day after yours. I can't see myself with anybody but you."

"Carmen..."

"Catherine do you love me?" he asks suddenly.

"You know I do," Catherine says quietly.

"Can you see us together in the future?" he asks. "You and me, together, in our own little house. A white picket fence, a laundry line, a garden out back that we can tend together..."

Catherine lets the image wash over her and capture her imagination. "I can," she says wistfully. "It seems wonderful."

"Is it what you want?" Carmen asks quietly. "It's what I want, but I don't want this without you. And if you don't want it..."

Catherine pulls him into a kiss. "It's what I want," she answers.

Carmen breaks into a smile. "Really?"

"Really, really."

They spend the rest of the night dancing.

Carmen insists on serenading Catherine, in honor of her birthday, at the grand piano.

Elizabeth's smaller paycheck has led to stricter budgeting in the Tudor home; however, she pools together enough to throw her eldest a nice birthday party.

"You really didn't need to put on such a production, Mom," Catherine says. "I'd hate for you to spend a lot on my birthday."

Elizabeth brushes her daughter's concerns away. "Don't you worry about the money," she says firmly. "Your father and I have it all taken care of. You just enjoy your day and don't worry."

Jane immediately corners Manu Knollys-Bachelor when he arrives at the party.

"So, stealing my science book out of my backpack and my history notes wasn't enough for you?" she asks light-heartedly. "Here to steal something else?"

"Jane, you've got to get over that," Manu replies lazily. "That was, like, two weeks ago! I gave it all back, didn't I?"

"I'm not going to get over it until you apologize and promise never to do it again!"

"Can't do that, dollface." Manu smirks. "If you weren't so gosh darn adorable when you flip out, I would."

Jane rolls her eyes. "I'm not stupid, Manu. You can't fool me. I know Dusty Clavell thinks this bad boy thing you've got going on is 'totes adorbs,' or whatever, but not me."

"Well, why don't you, Madame Know-it-all?"

"Because it's stupid."

"So what does a guy like me have to do to land a date with a girl like you?"

"He has to grow up for starters," Jane snaps. "He has to be intelligent and be able to carry on an adult conversation. He should have goals and ambition and work hard for what he wants. He has to have a good sense of humor. But most of all, he has to be NICE to me. And you, Manu, are not nice to me at all!"

"Well, what if I told you that I was all those things?" Manu asks.

Jane snorts derisively. "You aren't any of those things, Manu."

"Oh yeah? How do you know? You don't know anything about me, Madame Know-it-all."

"I know you steal my things," Jane says haughtily. "I know you spend a lot of time in detention. I know you cut class. That's all I need to know."

"Aw, c'mon," he whines. "At least give me a chance. Dance with me?"

"Absolutely not."

"Please?"

Jane hesitates. "Fine," she says reluctantly. "I'll dance with you. But I'm still mad at you."

Jane finds herself dancing with Manu for most of the party. She has to admit, he is pretty cute with his devilish smile.

Maybe she should give him a chance...

Catherine doesn't take long to blow out her candles. Her wish was made last night.

Catherine becomes a lovely woman.

Carmen, being an overemotional fellow, brushes away a few tears. Elizabeth stands there, beaming with pride.

After the cake is cut, Robert comes to stand next to his wife. "Our daughter is all grown up now," he says. "Is this the little girl I carried? When did she get to be a beauty?"

"She always was a beauty," Elizabeth replies sadly and kisses his cheek. "I don't remember growing older, Robert," she says after a moment. "When did they?"

"When we weren't looking, of course," Robert replies. He glances at Elizabeth's face. "Oh, come now, dearest. This is a time of celebration! Come, let's have some cake. I went to a nice bakery to make sure we didn't end up with a cake wreck."

"Cake sounds great," Elizabeth admits. "It's a good thing you went to a nice bakery. Cecil told me the bakery that made Mildred's last cake wrote 'Hippy Barth Day' on the cake instead of 'Happy Birthday.'"

"Well, THAT'S unfortunate."

The next morning, Catherine packs her bags. She had explained her plans to her parents before her party the day before. Elizabeth had been hesitant to let Catherine live with the Raleighs, but ultimately agreed, realizing that in all honesty, it wasn't her choice to make.

"You be good now," Robert says gruffly as he hugs her goodbye. "If Carmen or his parents cause you any problems, you let me know, and I'll straighten 'em out. If you need a place to stay, you're always welcome here. Call us if you need anything...or even if you don't need anything but just want to talk."

"I will," Catherine says. "Thanks for everything, Dad. I'll be back to visit and I'll keep in touch."

"Good." Robert smiles at his oldest. "We're proud of you Catherine," he says. "We always will be."

"Remember to dress well for your interview," Elizabeth fusses. "Iron your clothes, brush your hair, and don't wear too much make up."

"Yes, Mom."

Elizabeth hugs her daughter tightly. "We're only a phone call away," she says, blinking a few tears back. "We love you and are so proud of you."

"I love you, too, Mom. Don't worry, I'll be fine."

"I know you will. Just keep us in the loop, all right?"

Catherine smiles. "Of course I will." She hears Carmen pull up in the driveway. "There's my ride," she says. She gives Robert and Elizabeth one last hug and kiss, then heads out to the car. Robert and Elizabeth wait in the front yard and wave until the truck disappears down the street.
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I should have named this chapter "How Many Broadway Musical References/Top 40 Song References/Movie References Can I Stuff in Without Being Too Obnoxious?"  Ten points for everybody who can pick them all out.

Well, that's one child gone, three left at home. The twins are approaching adulthood rapidly, so Gen. 2 will be here in very short order.

The blue swirls are not a drug-induced haze-that's the wallpaper on the girls' portion of the bedroom. All four share a room (delightful, right?) and Catherine and Jane share the same favorite color of turquoise. Philippa's favorite color, yellow, goes nicely with turquoise, so she just gets a bedspread. James gets his own partitioned off area for privacy reasons. He likes green. That is my lame attempt at the "It's So You," part of my roll. Elizabeth and Robert's favorite colors, spice brown and green, dominate the rest of the house.

I also apologize for the pose overload. I'm finally learning how to use them, and I got a little over-excited. Normally they're just too much hassle for me to deal with, so I'll be using them more sparingly.

Fun fact: I misread the name of the bar that Catherine and Carmen hang out at a lot. Apparently it's named Eugi's, but I played way too many Super Mario Bros. games as a kid and misread it as "Luigi's." In the story, it will remain Luigi's because frankly, Luigi's is a better name than Eugi's.

This is probably going to be my only update this month. I have 2 large papers and two presentations that are due in the upcoming weeks, and most of my play time right now is devoted to prepping everything for Gen. 2's takeover. I apologize again for the scarcity of my posts...the good news is I have a very long holiday break, so hopefully I'll get more written during that time than I have recently.