finding light in the dark

.

“Well how about when one of us gets married, instead of the bride and groom going on the honeymoon, the two of us go together. Because really, I think we deserve it.” Remi decided with a confident grin. She had decided for herself a long time ago that as long as she had her friends and family, then she didn’t need a man around to make her happy. She could make herself happy, and truthfully, that realisation had been an uphill battle from the beginning. “Hey, my choice in men has always been questionable, we’ve known that for a very long time.” Remi chuckled airily, shaking her head at herself. What was life if not for a couple regrets along the way, she always told herself. Although at this point, Remi wasn’t sure if her regrets were just becoming patterns of behaviour that she had comfortably slipped into. “Okay, okay! I’m sorry!” she tossed her head back with bubbly laughter. “But honestly, as long as you’re happy and you’re having fun that’s all that matters. It doesn’t need to be anything serious, I don’t need to be a third wheel just yet. But recognising that you’ve put yourself out there, you’re having a good time and its easy and breezy is a big thing. I’m proud of you.” Remi reached for her best friend’s hand and gave it a squeeze, a genuine heartfelt smile upon her lips. She had been there by Cece’s side when Finn had left her in the dust to deal with her father’s death, and she had been there supporting her through it all. It had been ugly and painful at times, but like a caterpillar in its cocoon, Cece had come out on the other side and flourished.

.

Cece chuckled and tilted her head to the side as if she were considering her friend’s proposition. “I don’t know how our husbands would feel about that, but it definitely isn’t the worst idea you’ve ever had.” The thought that made her smile, however, wasn’t the suggestion of going on a trip with Remi...it was the idea that someday, the two of them could be married, have children, and watch those children grow up together. They could have backyard barbecues where their husbands would man the grill and they would sit on the porch with drinks in their hands. Neither of them knew when that would happen, but picturing it somehow gave Cece hope. “Not so questionable, I don’t think...not completely.” Remi was certainly into more bad boys than Cece ever had been, but she at least tended to pick bad boys with good hearts. Remi’s words helped lift Cece’s spirit, as they usually did, and she squeezed her friend’s hand back. “Thanks, Rem. We’re both going to find something good, okay? Because we both deserve to be happy.” Emme coming back to town was definitely not a shake-up that Remi had planned for, that much was obvious, and though it put Cece in an awkward spot considering her relationships with everybody involved, there was no hiding the fact that she didn’t want Remi to come out the other side in pieces. “That is, if we ever get out of here,” Cece joked.

Their initial conversation is short lived, and Andy wished it had been left at that. It’s not a surprise that Cece caught wind of what happened – He’d heard rumors that she’s dating Kit, though he’s not entirely sure, given that the guy has a body count that rivals Seth’s. But, Cece has had plenty of ties to the club, so – He doesn’t question how she got the information. A brow arches as she comes at him, not afraid of her yelling at him, more so annoyed by the conversation headed his way. He understands Cece has a big heart when it comes to people she cares about, that she’s spent almost all of her life amidst the chaos in Olympus  – But at the end of the day, she’s not part of the club. He’s not going to tell her club business, and he’s not going to explain himself to her when it comes to this. Andy’s not happy about what happened with Kit, but regardless of his personal connection to the man – The club is the club, and when you’re given a job, you don’t get to say no. “I’m not gettin’ into this with you.” Andy answers simply but firmly, unimpressed. “Mind your business, Carcone.”

.

“Don’t talk to me like that,” she snapped, planting herself in front of him with her hands squarely on her hips. Cece noticed, with a bit of satisfaction, that Andy had not come out of the altercation completely unscathed. “I’m getting really sick of this shit, you know? The you’re not the club excuse doesn’t work with me, Andy. Not anymore, not for a long time.” Cece had never been interested in patching into the club - she had seen and heard enough growing up to know that officially joining the ranks wasn’t something she was interested in, nor was it what her father had wanted for her. She was a healer in more ways than one and so she had always done her best to separate the less than savory aspects of the club from the people whom she considered her family. That didn’t mean, however, that she didn’t have opinions, whether people wanted to hear them or not. “I’m not naive. I’m not an idiot. I pay attention. I’ve been paying attention my entire life, just like you. You don’t get to shut me out just because you don’t like what I have to say or because I don’t have a matching cut. So lose the mysterious macho man routine, that might work on the prospects but it doesn’t work on me.” Cece was angry, yes, but she was also tired. And disappointed. And emotionally at the end of her rope. “I don’t like where I see this club going. Fighting each other, giving the gavel to the crypt keeper, putting targets on people’s back? That’s really what you want? You think all of those things are good?”

.

“I ain’t fuckin’ dyin.” Kit groaned, although part of him wished he was so that he didn’t have to deal with his bruised ego from Cece seeing him in such a state. It wasn’t a good look in front of the woman you were dating. He closed his eyes, leaning his head against the wall behind him as he listened to Cece berating him for saying it was just club shit. It was the way things had always been, for the Primordials and the Crooked Bastards. Those who needed to know, knew, and those who didn’t need to know, simply wouldn’t. If everyone knew everyone’s business, the club would barely hold any kind of reputation and would just be looked at as a gossip circle. “We just disagreed about somethin’.” although Andy’s words still echoed in Kit’s mind: you don’t say no to the club.

Kit didn’t argue when he watched Cece retrieve a first aid kit because he definitely needed a little cleaning up before he resurfaced. “He was restorin’ the natural order of things.” Kit explained with a tired and deep chuckle, although he felt himself wince slightly at Cece dabbing at his lip. “Don’t go off on one at Andy either.” he quickly warned her, as it was already clear that Cece was looking for someone to blame who wasn’t Kit. “I started it, this one’s on me.” he already knew the amount of shit he would have to do to fix things with Andy, both on a club level and at family level too.

.

“If you don’t stay still you will be,” she warned. Cece wasn’t exactly a threatening figure, but she wasn’t going to take any shit either. She concentrated on his lip for a moment longer, the dabbed at small scrape on his face. “You disagreed about something and you had a brawl?” Cece questioned, rolling her eyes as she thought about just how idiotic men could be, especially the men she happened to know. She was about to speak again when he elaborated, if only a bit, and her eyes narrowed. “What does that mean? Why did the natural order of things need to be restored?” Kit wasn’t exactly the overthrow-the-vice-president-of-the-motorcycle-club type so that certainly wasn’t it. 

She discarded the bloodied cotton and gently took hold of his forearm, pulling it away from his midsection so that she could check the state of his ribs. Cece chewed on her lip as she pulled up the hem of his shirt, the lack of fabric revealing already-bruising skin. “Damn, Kit.” Her eyes shot back up to his, however, at his admission. “I’m sorry, you started it?” That was not what Cece had expected him to reveal. “Are you insane? What would possess you to start a fight with Andy Thane? Do you have a death wish?” She was still angry with Andy - even when provoked she believed one could still step away - but what the hell was Kit thinking? “I don’t believe that you just started a fight over nothing, Kit. What did he say to you?”

–

“Adrian’s puttin’ on a concert? Jesus.” Andy sounds skeptical, though a light laugh passes his lips at the mention. Apparently, in the time it took for him and Rowan fuck each other silly in one of the offices – Adrian had been busy putting on a show. Andy makes a mental note to check it out, happy to tease the man any chance he’s got – Even if Adrian has a background in music. “Bet it’s the same one they’ve had since they built this place.” He answers, though he can’t help but smile as Cece kicks the machine and actually gets something out of it. He takes the Diet Coke, holding it out as he opens it. “Cheers.” There’s a bit of carbonation that fizzes over the edge of the can and onto his hand, but thankfully it’s nothing that’s unmanageable. He takes a sip of the soda as Cece speaks, flicking his free hand to get the bit of soda off it before wiping it on his pants. “Probably not.” He shrugs a shoulder, knowing they’re in for a long night.

.

Hours later, Cece was fuming. Andy really had gone from having a nice friendly chat by the soda to getting into a fight with a member of his own club. At that point, Cece didn’t give a shit about club politics or what she was or was not allowed to know or have an opinion on. She didn’t even care that Kit had shoved Andy first - they were two grown ass men who should know better. 

After making sure Kit wasn’t in any imminent danger of agitating his own injuries, Cece set off on her next war path - confronting Andy. At that point, it didn’t matter that the two of them had grown up together...perhaps that was what made her angrier with him than she was with Kit, because she was supposed to know him well. Or perhaps he was just about to be the unlucky recipient of Cece’s pent-up rage. “Hey!” she shouted when she caught sight of him leaving one of the men’s rooms. “What the fuck is your problem?” Cece rarely shouted and didn’t curse half as much as most of the people they knew, so she knew this would get his attention. She stalked towards him, a woman on a mission. “We’re in the middle of an actual natural disaster but that isn’t enough entertainment for you? Now you’re going around beating the shit out of people?”

“Maybe a girl’s trip to somewhere very far away. With golden sand and blue oceans where you can see all the fish swimming around.” she peeked a smile at Cece, knowing that a mini vacation to a tropical island would be an absolute dream, however out of reach it may be. “I told you it’d be fun to get out into the dating world.” Remi smiled widely, happy to see that her best friend’s love life was beginning to bloom while hers was rapidly wilting. “Even if your choice of men includes a drug dealer.” she gave Cece a pointed look, although Remi could hardly talk considering the type of men she had shared her bed with. “Have you guys slept together yet?” she asked giddily like they were two young teenage girls sharing stories about cute boys. “Just… Stop me when I’m right.” Remi held her palms out facing each other and they slowly inched further apart as she anticipated Cece’s order to stop.

.

“We keep saying we need to do that, don’t we?” Cece and Remi often planned fun and exciting getaways, but life always seemed to find a way to derail them...they were needed at work, an unexpected expense came up, something terrible happened in their seemingly doomed hometown... She shook that negativity out of her head; they were in a stressful situation at the moment and certainly had more than enough to worry about. Cece rolled her eyes with a good-natured smile. “Yes, okay, you were right. I was just scared, you know? I guess I’m still a little scared, but definitely heading in the right direction.” She had recently told Seth that she didn’t see herself becoming a lonely old maid, so she did have to take steps to ensure the opposite outcome. A brow shot up. “Oh honey, I don’t think you’re in a place to judge,” she shot back with a chuckle. She thought about pointing out the lack of options in Olympus, but that wouldn’t have been fair to Kit - Cece had a feeling that she would have felt drawn to him no matter what he did for a living, and vice versa. It wasn’t an ideal arrangement, considering that she was trying to keep drugs out of kids’ hands and Kit could be putting them there..but that was another thing Cece chose not to think about. “Oh my god, Remi!” Cece reached over to swat her friend’s hands out of the air, blushing a bit in spite of herself. Cece wasn’t a prude by any means, but they were in public and it wouldn’t take a genius to deduce the topic of conversation. “You are terrible,” she admonished further, but she didn’t really mean it. “I am enjoying my time with him. I’m having fun.”

Andy had done quite the number on Kit, and while Kit wanted to get up and carry on as if everything was fine, he needed a moment to catch his breath (and not say fuck you to everyone and escape into the storm). Because right now, surely anywhere was better than being stuck in the community centre with Andy. They had both said their piece and showed how they really felt about Kit’s disregard for Andy’s orders, and Kit had been left in the gutter. He was instantly regretting it, feeling sure that Otto would find out that he’d been fighting his Vice President of his new shiny exclusive Club. It was a stupid argument - really - and if Kit had any wits about him, he would have agreed to do it and kept his head down for the rest of the evening. 

Kit was eager to leave the room but his bruised and battered body had other ideas. He remained hunched over on the floor, his arm cradling his stomach as it still ached from the brutal kicks from Andy. It wasn’t the first time Kit had gotten into a fight, and it certainly wouldn’t be his last, but that didn’t make it hurt any less. Shit. Of all the people to find him, it had to be Cece. “I’m fine- I’m fine.” Kit’s free hand pushed hers aside as he slowly and painfully shifted into a sitting position on the floor, his head still hanging low. “Just some club shit.” his brow remained furrowed as he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, and he winced at the sharp sting of the cut upon his lip.

.

Her eyes narrowed at his dismissal. “No, you’re not fine.” She lifted his chin with two fingers to analyze his face, taking in the bruises already beginning to form and the cut on his lip that he was fussing with. “If one more person tries to keep something from me with club shit, I swear to god--” That was not a fight that he wanted to pick with her right now, not in his condition. “Andy did this.” It wasn’t a question; she had seen him walking away from the room, but a bruised and battered Kit was not what she’d expected to find. Cece stared at him for a moment, then stood and began moving around the room. She grabbed a water bottle from a case in the corner, then started opening cabinets until she found the room’s first aid kit - there was no way she was leaving him there by himself to go grab one from the auditorium, plus she didn’t want to cause a scene.

Cece sat back down on the floor next to him and opened the lid of the first aid kit, pulling out packs of gauze, cotton balls, and peroxide. She twisted off the cap of the water bottle, placed a cotton ball over the opening and flipped it upside down for a second, then righted the bottle. She leaned forward and dabbed gently at the cut on his lip. She would clean up his face a bit, then take a look at his abdomen, which he was clutching tightly. “You gonna tell me what happened?” Cece had known Andy Thane her entire life, they had played together as children...she certainly wasn’t naive enough to believe that he wasn’t capable of violence, especially in his line of work, but Andy didn’t just attack people for no reason. Especially not members of his own family. “Don’t even think about lying to me. Why did he do this?”

-

What had started out as entertainment for one kid had quickly escalated until a full on concert. Not that Adrian is going to complain about people wanting to listen to him sing. It’s been a long time since he had a real audience, even if he is just playing radio songs to a captive audience of bored children. “You know, somehow I figured there were some parents in here that would rather listen to me sing than deal with their anxious children for a few minutes,” he laughs, letting Cece help him to his feet. “Definitely not the Wiggles. Don’t think many parents here would let their kids listen to me play my stuff.”

.

“If we weren’t all trapped in here because of a natural disaster, I’d say you should put out a hat,” Cece joked. “It’s been a long time since I’ve heard you sing. You’re good.” It was always interesting for Cece to learn about people’s hidden, or perhaps backseat, talents. They got so swept up in everyday life that those things tended to get swept to the side. “I’m trying to get back into painting again. Like not just for the kids at work, but actual pieces. I’ve missed it.” She caught sight of Emme and Seth across the room, Harley in Seth’s lap. “You happy to see Emme?” She knew that the two of them had always been close. “I didn’t think she would be back so soon.”

The hours were passing slowly but as far as anyone could tell, the storm had not caused any major damage so far. Cece had made her way around the auditorium multiple times, talking to friends and helping out where needed, then decided to duck into the daycare room down the hall. Cece loved children and children loved her, so she spent a while playing with them until bedtime arrived. Calling out her goodnights, Cece emerged from the room into the hall and let out a sigh; she really should head back to the auditorium and rest a bit too...though she was too alert at the moment to be able to sleep. It was then that she realized that of all the people she had seen that evening, Kit had made himself the most scarce; she had seen him leaving the auditorium earlier, following somebody out, but hadn’t seen him return. Scrunching her nose up in thought, Cece began to walk through the halls...he had to be back there by now, unless he was hiding out somewhere else.

The sound of a door slamming shut startled her, and Cece instinctively slid against the wall. She saw what looked like Andy’s form retreating to a different part of the building and something about the way he moved stopped her from calling out his name. Knowing it probably wasn’t a good idea but unable to help herself, Cece waited until Andy was gone and then retraced his steps to the door. It was dark inside, but the knob turned easily in her hand. “Hello?” she called out. “Is anybody in here?” A groan came from the far corner and she whipped around, squinting as her hand searched the wall for the light switch. The fluorescent lights snapped on and revealed Kit, bloodied and hunched over near a table. “Oh my god--” Cece was by his side in an instant, her eyes trying to fixate on the most extensive injury first. “Kit, what happened?!”

This entire situation has him wanting a drink, to take the edge off and relax a bit more. So instead, he heads to a vending machine for some caffeine instead — If he can’t make many smoke breaks, he can at least distract himself with a mundane task and an overpriced Diet Coke. The familiar face is unsurprising, he gives Cece a nod for a greeting, returning the same smile. “Sweet freedom,” he laughs lightly at his own joke, though they both know it’s far from true. “Hazel’s been a godsend, keepin’ them at bay most of the night. Figure Ro and I will be stuck with the heavy lifting later tonight, when the storm settles in and they start cryin’.” Andy shrugs, knowing it’s part of the gig. “You got everything you need?”

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“Well, Adrian’s got a concert going on in there now so maybe that will give Hazel a bit of a break too.” She inserted a few coins into the vending machine, then groaned when it ate her money without dispensing a drink. “Have they even replaced this thing since 1995?” Cece took a step back and to the side, the leveled a strong kick to the right side of the machine. When that didn’t work she tried again, and the force sent two Diet Cokes flying out of their slots and down the chute. Cece smiled triumphantly, then pulled them out an offered one to Andy. “Free gift. Just take a few steps away when you open it, I didn’t pack my whole closet.” She held her drink in her hands to give the carbonation a minute to settle and nodded her head. “Yeah, I pack lighter now than when we were kids.” Cece’s father had always had to ensure her that she didn’t need to bring every single one of her dolls with her in an emergency situation. “Everyone seems pretty calm so far, considering. Think it’ll last?”

“Appreciate that.” There was only one thing Kali wanted more than a drink right then and that was a cigarette. She had gotten better over the couple of months since she’d gotten the news. The cravings were coming less frequently, but it never helped that she was around smokers all damn day long. “Sure, why not. Electrolytes and flavoring are at least more exciting than this stale ass water.” She accepted the drink and looked over at Cece as she sat down. “I’ve always been the grumpy adult, I think I just tried to make it fun for Lucian and whoever. Kids are supposed to have fun.” Her mind went to Alex in the daycare area, knowing Javi would check on him. “Alex hates storms but I guess he found a friend to hang with. How are you coping?”

.

“One glacier freeze, coming up,” Cece replied with a grin, catching someone she knew on the arm and asking for them to bring a few bottles their way. Knowing Kali, she would have found a million excuses to leave the building by now had the threat not been so serious. Then again, Cece was pretty certain that not even a hurricane could keep Kali Harmon down. “You did a great job, you know,” she commented, not that Kali needed to hear it from her, but Cece had no problem stating the truth. “Lucian is lucky to have you.” She nodded slightly. “That’s good. He gets snacks and time with his friends, what could be better?” Distraction was key for kids when they were facing something frightening. “I’m okay,” she said, shrugging her shoulders. “Disrupts the daily routine but hey, could be worse.” Ever the optimist. “I’m choosing to believe that everyone will try to get along until we can go home.”

“Oh I deserve way more than unlimited brunch drinks if I survive this night.” Remi decided with a sigh as she rested her head against the wall behind them. She knew what Emme being back meant for herself and Seth, and while it wouldn’t be the first time that he and Remi had drifted apart, it still stung just as much. “I’m going to need a distraction so I’ve volunteered for the medical team just in case something happens.” Remi turned to Cece with an innocent smile. She was a nurse and she figured she may as well put her skills and time to good use. “But speaking of good distractions, you still need to properly introduce me to Kit. Who, by the way, is incredibly hot and I’m not jealous at all.”

.

“Okay, well I’m not made of money so you’ll have to collect the rest of your prize elsewhere,” Cece joked. That sigh, however, had her worried about her best friend. Cece knew that Remi could handle herself without any of her meddling (and Cece had promised herself that she would stay far away from the Emme/Seth/Remi situation because of her multiple biases towards...well, all three of them) but that didn’t mean she wasn’t worried about her friend’s feelings. Especially since it wasn’t that long that ago that she suggested that Remi have a serious talk with Seth. “You’re a star and this town is lucky to have you,” Cece stated with a genuine smile. She nearly rolled her eyes at the change in conversation, laughing lightly as she turned from Remi to look around the room; she thought she had seen Kit slip in a hallway earlier, but she hadn’t laid eyes on him since. “He is, but don’t let him hear you say so. His ego doesn’t need it.” It was nice, though, to talk with Remi about her own possible relationship for a change. “It’s new and nothing is serious, so don’t go planning our wedding. But I like getting to know him. It’s been nice.”

open / anyone location / in a corner of the community center auditorium when / around 6pm

Adrian’s still not sure what possessed him to grab the battered old guitar case from the closet of the spare bedroom on his way out the door. Partially because he’s had it his whole life. It’s one of the few things that survived his time in Chicago, even if he did pawn it once or twice. Thankfully he always managed to get it back. And he’s not about to let it get swept away in a storm if he can help it. He’d shoved some clothes into it along with his toothbrush and a pack of cigarettes more out of habit than anything else. Adrian figured he’d get about as much use out of them as he would out of the guitar. 

But, perhaps unsurprisingly, the guitar is out of the case as soon as Annie realizes he has it with him. And, at the risk of looking like a creepy youth pastor at church camp or the most annoying dude at a frat party, Adrian gives in and plays for her. It’s easy enough to keep her entertained and out of her mom’s hair for a little while, letting her pick songs like he’s a walking jukebox. 

This is how Adrian ends up sitting on the floor in a corner, surrounded by kids shouting songs out at him, and singing them when they get to ones he doesn’t know. After the fourth round of mindless strumming to kids yelling Baby Shark at him, Adrian’s ass is numb on the hard tile floor. “Alright, that’s intermission, kids. Next show is at 8pm.” He slumps back against the wall as parents collect their kids from him. “How is it that I can dance for an 8 hour shift at the bar, but I know I’m not gonna be able to get my ass off this floor by myself?”

.

Cece had been watching from across the room with a goofy grin on her face; what had begun as innocent entertainment had turned into a full-blown children’s concert and, loud as it was, it was an adorable sight. This was one of the reasons she loved Olympus, one of the things she tried to focus on when she doubted herself and her presence there - the town really did come together when times were hard. The wind had picked up and was roaring against the outside of the building, but inside was full of chatter and laughter. Even if it only lasted a short time, it was good to see people smile.

Once the children began to disperse, no doubt on their way to find another unsuspecting adult to entertain them, Cece crossed the room to approach Adrian. “Well, you did just do a whole set,” she replied with a chuckle. “You sure you’re not a long lost member of the Wiggles or something?” She crouched down and offered a hand to help him up.

“I sincerely apologize for the lack of alcohol,” Cece stated somberly as she handed Kali a water bottle. From the look on the other woman’s face, she could probably use a drink if the baby weren’t in the picture. “Do you want a gatorade or something instead? They have the blue kind.” Which was, of course, the best kind. Cece sighed and took a seat next to Kali, unscrewing the top of her own water bottle. “Somehow this is never as fun or adventurous as it was when we were kids, huh? It was kind of like a sleepover then. Now I’m just a grumpy adult who wants to sleep in her own bed.”

“See, getting here early paid off.” The women had successfully secured a spot in the corner of the main auditorium before most of the crowd came in, and they were prepared. Cece had made it as comfortable as possible, not to mention the bags of supplies that she had packed so that they wouldn’t run out of anything; she would rather use up her own things before taking what others had provided, considering some people hadn’t been able to come with much. Cece settled down on the floor with her back against the wall, surveying the crowd in front of them. “If we get through this without people getting injured or killing each other, I’ll buy you as many drinks as you can handle at brunch.”

The main auditorium in the community center had filled up fast. Cece had arrived early to claim her spot, them spent some time flitting around town for some last minute necessities and to see if any friends needed help. After assisting with welcoming the stragglers and setting up the first aid corner, Cece escaped to the hallway for a much-needed breather. Situations like these weren’t foreign to her - everybody who had grown up in Olympus, in the southeast in general, had likely experienced a storm like this before - but that didn’t make it any less tiring. She pulled her wallet from her pocket and headed around the corner to the vending machines, craving a soda instead of all of the water that was being handed out. “Nobody’s hanging off your limbs?” she remarked with a smile when she caught sight of Andy. “How’d you manage that?”

✽

“I almost forgot how modest you are.” Joking with Cece is easier than most. The two have history together and being around her again is like a breath of fresh air, one that makes her feel more like the real version of herself again, the one she’s spent the last three years trying to get back to after living under her husband’s thumb for so long. “She’s in her room,” she nods down toward the stairs. “She’d probably be happy to see you. You’ll be her new favourite person, not that there’s much competition these days.” Emme tenses up just a little when Cece asks how her year has been and she takes a split second to weigh out her words carefully. She realizes she’s come to a point where she can’t keep her secrets anymore. She is home now – everything is going to come out sooner rather than later, there is no point in lying. Her kitchen cabinets are full of bottles, a monitor propped up on the table, her living room a mess of age appropriate toys. It won’t take anyone long to put everything together.  And besides, she doesn’t want to lie. At least not entirely. She isn’t entirely sure she is ready to deal with the ramifications of all of the details, but what choice does she have? “Most of my year has been spent in court rooms,” she admits with a shake of her head. “But, hey, at least I’m divorced, right?” And widowed, technically, a voice in her ear reminds her. “I missed home though. I’m lucky the school wanted me back after I left last year.”  

.

Cece’s eyes followed Emme’s nod to the stairs, debating for a moment if she wanted to rush or call up and bombard the girl or opt for a calmer reunion; she decided to take the more grown-up route. “I would be honored to be her favorite person.” Kids of all ages seemed to like Cece - she was a non-threatening, entertaining presence. “But I’ll wait until she emerges herself. I certainly didn’t want anyone barging into my room at her age.” She turned and headed to the kitchen, setting the bag that contained her and Annie’s lunch on the counter. “Oh, right...” It had been long enough for Cece to put Emme’s last relationship in the rearview mirror but, then again, she hadn’t been living it. She stepped around the counter as she shrugged off her jacket, then slid it over the back of one of the kitchen chairs. Cece was glad that her friend was finally free from her awful, abusive ex-husband, but she also had the impression that there was much more to the story. Noah had disappeared rather conveniently after Emme left town, which had seemed strange considering how controlling he was; Cece, however, had been around the club enough to know when not to ask questions and at this point, all that mattered was that Emme and Annie were safe. “Why wouldn’t they want you back? The kids love you and the arts in schools are always suffering...they’re lucky to have you, Em.” Cece took another look around the home and her brows knit together slightly. “Do people seriously have you babysitting already? Talk about taking advantage.” The toys scattered about were certainly not Annie’s, nor was the baby monitor on the table. “You’re going to be way too busy to have a nannying business on the side.”