Patrícia’s (Cat’s mom) P.O.V.

I got home and found those two all cuddle up in the sofa… That was a good surprise; I already knew that they had feelings for each other, strong feelings.
‘Wait… Aren’t they supposed to leave today? I thought that was why they came by yesterday…’, I thought to myself.
I greeted them as soon as I stepped in the room, and to clear my mind from any doubts I just asked James if they weren’t supposed to be leaving today. Cat did not let James answer me; he looked at me but not a single word out of his mouth… Whatever was coming was not good, because Cat had already warned James that she would be doing all the talking. I knew my daughter better than I knew myself, I already knew that this little talk would probably end badly, she was on defying mode.
She calmly informed me that the rest of the guys had left already, only James stayed. She announced that they were a couple now, and he had decided to stay so they could have a chance. I figured they were dating as soon as I walked in the room and saw them all curled up in the sofa.

“Couple? Are you two dating? So…where are you staying, James?”, I already knew the answer. The answer to my last question was the whole reason why my daughter was the one talking.

“Where do you think, mom? He’s staying here with me!”, she smiled looking at him. I could see the love in her gaze, but I couldn’t help my outburst. How could I be okay with it?

I yelled at her in Portuguese, I was just so mad I couldn’t quite put the words together in English. She did not raise her voice at me, she talked peacefully, but she managed to bribe me somehow. She was right; I had to admit it… I knew she wasn’t a virgin anymore, I knew that James was a good guy for her and he would never take advantage of my baby girl, but he would leave sooner or later! He had his life built up on the other side of the world… Would my daughter give up on her dreams just to be with him? As far as I knew, she didn’t believe in long distance relationships, she gets that from me. What would happen when James had to leave? Would she follow him? Or would she get her heart broken all over again?

“So how’s it gonna be?”, she asked defiantly while James squeezed her hand. I could only assume that he did not like the fact that he was the reason we were arguing about.

"Fine! But know I'm not thrilled about it! No fucking around while I'm in the house! I mean it, Cat! No strange moans in the middle of the night!", I resigned. There was nothing more I could add, she had made up her mind already… I would deal with whatever came from this relationship when I had to.

Back to Cat’s P.O.V.

We moved to Lisbon one weak earlier than we first had foreseen. My dad’s old house was somewhere in Lisbon. This house was two times bigger than my house in Algarve. I was planning on rent the other three spare rooms, but since Jimmy was with me I wouldn’t do it until he left. I was afraid that my possible roommates wouldn’t approve Jimmy playing drums until very late at night.
I hadn’t been there since my dad died; we would have to do some cleaning up. I inhaled deeply and opened the door. Jimmy was right behind me holding two suitcases. I stepped in and tried to calm myself…All those memories…

“A piano? Awesome!”, Jimmy immediately dropped what he was holding and ran to sit in front of the piano. He lifted the fall and tried some notes for a while.

“Is it yours? I didn’t know you played…”, he asked looking at me as he got up from the piano stool and walked towards me.

“I don’t… It was my father’s! There’s probably a guitar somewhere in the house too. He used to teach those two instruments.”, I said and turn my back to him. I could feel the tears starting to burn in my eyes, waiting for me to set them free. I closed my eyes and repressed them, Jimmy was already behind me, snaking his arms around my waist.

“I’m sorry, babe! Are you okay?”, he whispered near my right cheek.

“What are you sorry for? You didn’t do nothing wrong! I’m just fine…”, I tried to keep my voice steady and I almost succeeded.

“Then why did you turn your back to me? That just means that you were trying to fight back the tears! Talk to me, Cat…”, there was no point in trying to hide something from him, he would just read through me. One month dealing with me and he knew me better than anyone else.

“There’s nothing to talk about, Jimmy! Let’s just carry the rest of our stuff into the house… We still need to do some cleaning and unpack before we settle in.”, I was not talking about it, not now, not today!

“Fine! I’ll still be here whenever you feel ready to talk…”, he said, loosening his grip on me. I could tell he was mad at me, but I wasn’t ready to relive all those memories just yet.

“What time is it?”, I changed the subject.

“It’s still 11a.m., the guys are still sleeping. We still have five more hours until they get online.”, he knew why I was asking that. “ I think your mom send someone to do the cleaning up, babe! At least the piano is dust free!”

“It was probably my aunt… She’s a sweetheart! Less work for us… That’s nice!”, that was good news, a wide smile lighten up my face.

We kept ourselves busy until 2p.m., and then we went to the supermarket buy supplies. I prepared lunch as soon as we got home. After lunch Jimmy hurried to the computer, the guys were probably online already.

“Fuck! What took you so long ‘bro?”, Brian burst on the other side of the online call.

“Easy there, cowboy! We’ve been busy…that is no way to greet us!”, I teased.

“Sorry, Cat… I was kind of worried with you driving all the way to Lisbon. I’m online waiting for you guys to show up since 6 a.m.!”, he apologized.

“Different time zones suck! We didn’t get online earlier ‘cause we thought you guys were still sleeping… You usually wake up at 4p.m. here; by that schedule we’re not that late! Don’t blame us if you got your ass off the bed 3 hours earlier.”, I explained.

“Yeah, yeah…Where’s Jimmy?”, Brian asked again.

“Right here, Haner! I’m right here!”, Jimmy laughed at Brian’s anxious voice.

“GOD! You really need to chill!”, I joked.

“Ouh, shut up, Cat! Did you get to Lisbon safely?”

“Chill, ‘bro! I was the one driving… We got here just fine! We’ve been unpacking… I was thinking about head out to buy the drums so I can start working, now that we’ve ate.”, he informed, avoiding looking at me.

“We’re sooo funny today, aren’t we?”, I mumbled through gritted teeth. Why the jokes about my driving skills? It just pissing me off…

“What was that, babe?”, he knew he had just screwed up.

“Nothing… I’m gonna take a shower!”, I turn my back on him.

“That’s just rude, Cat! I’m here talking to you guys and you leave like that?”, Brian was trying to make it up for his best friend.

“Why don’t you do the same? I can tell you could use a bath! Maybe that would calm your nerves down… after that you could head to Matt’s house so we can talk to everyone and not just you!”, I was being a bitch, but I had enough with their stupid jokes! I headed up the stairs.

“I’ll catch up with you later, Gates! Gotta do some damage control…”, I heard Jimmy whispered.

“Sure… I better do what she suggested! Good luck, Jims! You’re gonna need it! See ya…”

I hurried into the bathroom and close the door behind me. I heard Jimmy hurried up the stairs, I bet he took two steps at a time. Two knocks on the bathroom door.

“Do you mind if I join you, babe?”, he asked from the other side of the door.

“That depends! Are you gonna stop with those stupid jokes about my driving skills anytime soon?”, I asked back.

“Why do you take it so seriously? We’re just playing with you… It’s not like we’re serious about it! If we really were afraid of you behind the wheel we wouldn’t have chosen you as the designated driver like we did when the guys were here. Brian would still be worried with me driving! Can I join you now?”

I opened the door just enough to peak through…

“You wanna join me? Are you sure? You need to get naked to join me!”, I gave him my best flirty look.

“I was counting on that!”, a huge smile on his face.

“You’re so…”, I got interrupted in the middle of my sentence when he just opened the door and kissed me devotedly.

Notes