Kat and Gifts
Secret Santa. It was how they were exchanging gifts this year. More like, it was an additional present for everyone. They were all going to get their gifts from all the other queens, but they would get something from their Secret Santa. It wasn’t even that hard to organize and all the queens agreed immediately. All the other queens had already bought their gift, much to Kat’s knowledge. She was out Christmas shopping earlier with Cathy, but the thing was that Cathy was her person. Cathy literally saw all the items she was wrapping up. However, Kat never bought her real gift yet. Since she was the one who arranged the Secret Santa, she knew by looks alone who got who (or does she?). Catalina got Jane, Anne got Kat (just her luck), Jane got Anne, Anna got Catalina, and Cathy got Jane. What the fuck was she suppose to gift Cathy? Her girlfriend. Luckily, they were picking from a bowl. Inside the sheets of paper was what the person would like to have. Their budget? $150. From all their jobs combined, they definitely had more than enough. Kat. Kat was definitely going to spoil Cathy.
On Cathy’s note, she wrote that wanted young adult books or journaling books. If it was anyone else, they would have never known what book she wanted. Thankfully, Cathy is her girlfriend, and she knew that Cathy for a while wanted ‘Haunting Adeline’ (dark romance) and ‘They Both Die at the End’. She did not love that they were both contrasting books, but it’s Cathy. What was she expecting? The Hungry Caterpillar?
She was out shopping near a bookstore. Anne and Jane were with her. It was supposed to be a cousin hangout, but Anne and Jane hadn’t put much plans into it. They were at a coffee shop, taking a break from shopping.
“So, have you guys gotten your secret Santa’s gifts yet?” Kat asked as Anne looked at the sticky note that was done to draw the names. Anne was looking over at Jane. Did Anne get Jane? Usually, when they drew names for anything, she would look at the person at that moment. Was she imagining things? However, Jane was seated next to her.
“Yep! She’s definitely going to love it!” Anne perked up as she smiled. Jane nodded. They turn to look at her.
“Have you?” Jane questioned. Kat shook her head. She turned to look at the bookstore across the street. It didn’t take long for Jane and Anne to connect the dots.
“You got Cathy!” Anne and Jane started at the same time.
“What- no!” Kat denied.
“I mean who else would want books?” Anne asked as Kat tried to come up with a lie.
“Catalina?” Kat rose the ‘a’ at the end of her name.
“I’d believe you, but it seems like I got her,” Kat’s jaw dropped as Jane waved the little sticky note. Shit, her whole thing is wrong. Then, who got her?
“Come on, KitKat, just admit that it’s Cathy,” Anne teased Kat. Kat was so adamant and shook her head. She stood up and went to the bookshop, leaving Anne and Jane to talk.
“Hi, how can I help you today?” A store employee went by to ask Kat when Kat was just staring into space.
“H-hi, I’m looking for ‘Haunting Adeline’ and ‘They Both Die at the End’,” Kat stated as the store employee guided her through the store. The name tag read ‘Anne’. Kat giggled a bit as the store employee asked what was funny.
“I also have a cousin named Anne,” Kat smiled as Anne led to the dark romance section.
“Well, you can call me Parr then,” Kat stood there as she held ‘Haunting Adeline’. Anne Parr? Is she-
“Come on, I will show you where ‘They Both Die at the End’, too,” Parr showed her to the LGBT romance section, paying no attention to the thoughts that were running through Kat’s minds.
“My older sister absolutely adores books,” Kat just plastered a smile as she kneel to get the book.
“Tho, I’m surprised that she managed to date someone after what happened. Her nose is often in books or her writing,” Parr rambled a bit but caught herself.
“Yeah, she sounds amazing…” Kat got up and asked where journal books were. Parr led her to the journal section but before leaving Kat; Kat asked Parr.
“Catherine Parr — is she? Is she your sister?” Time just froze as the two women stared at each other. As Parr slowly nodded, Kat sighed in relief.
“Hi Anne, I’m your future sister-in-law, and…” Kat paused, pulled up her phone and showed Parr her wallpaper, “C-Cathy’s girlfriend.”
“Oh my goodness, Cathy never told me that she got someone as amazing as you!” Parr was jumping up and down as she squealed like a little girl. However, she got so caught up in excitement that she dropped a bomb.
“I mean after what went down with Thomas, I never thought that Cathy would be open to dating again,”
“W-what-?” Kat choked as Cathy never brought up ‘Thomas’.
“What happened to Thomas?” Parr caught herself as she watched Kat dissolve under her, trying to understand.
“She didn’t tell you?” Kat stood there in shock. Everything was slowly connecting together.
“Babe!” Kat was trying to get Cathy’s attention again while Cathy was reading ‘The Great Gatsby’. Cathy hummed to signal that she was at least responding to Kat.
“What do you think about us…” The question stopped Cathy from turning her page. It was quiet. Too quiet. “Baby? Cathy? Catherine? CATHERINE PARR!”
“Could we get coffee after your shift please?” Kat pleaded with Parr.
“My shift ends in two hours-” Parr stated before being interrupted.
“I can wait,” Within those two hours, Kat managed to tell Anne and Jane to go home early as well as to make them keep a secret. She was still looking in the journal section when she came back from the coffee shop. She could for the remainder of the time.
‘Did I trigger her that day?’ Kat was trying to remember Cathy’s reaction when she asked her that day.
‘Who is this ‘Thomas’ guy?’ Kat was looking at the different design of the cover of the journal before deciding on durability over design.
‘Definitely an ex from how Parr said it, but what did he do?’ Kat was coming up with different theories.
‘Was he abusive? Did he die? Did he-” Someone interrupted Kat’s thoughts.
“My shift’s up, let’s go?” Parr stated as she held the door open for Kat. They walked to the coffee shop. The one that the cousins went to earlier. Parr went to go get coffee as Kat chose a table. Kat was writing down questions after questions on a notepad as she waited for Parr to come down. Soon, the doors opened again. The coffee shop wasn’t that busy, so Kat turned around to see who it was. It was fucking Catalina; at least it wasn’t Cathy.
“Hey Gatita,” Catalina waved at her. Kat spoke too soon, Cathy was right behind her. The coffee line was long.
“Hey Catalina,” Kat awkwardly waved back as she saw them heading towards the table. They sat across from Kat, Catalina sitting directly across from Kat. Kat wasn’t making eye contact or acknowledging that her girlfriend was there. First mistake if you are trying to hide something from Cathy.
“Kitty, what’s wrong?” Cathy asked. Kat tensed up as she wanted to disappear right at the very moment. Cathy placed her book down to focus on her girlfriend. Kat was sweating right now, trying to think of anything. Anything but ‘Thomas’. God, what the hell was she supposed to do? Lie?
“Nothing…” Cathy raised an eyebrow.
“Kat, you know you can tell me anything right?” Kat was now shaking as Cathy stared at her. So, lying isn't an option. What’s next? Trying to change the topic?
“So have you guys bought your gifts yet for your person-”
“Katherine Howard, stop changing the topic. What’s wrong?” Cathy is now throwing daggers at Kat. How the hell did she land herself in this situation?
“Catherine Parr, I’m sure that’s no way to speak to your girlfriend who looks like she is on the verge of tears. Let her speak when she is ready,” Catalina intercepted as Kat took deep breaths in and out.
“I have questions about Thomas” Cathy and Catalina’s eyes widened, but before they could speak. Cathy was already shaking and tears were threatening to come out. Catalina was about to hug Cathy. However, Anne Parr just so happened to come over with her coffee.
“Oh hey, Catti! Didn’t expect you to be here. Hi, Catherine. It’s nice seeing you too!” Parr’s focus shifted back to Cathy.
“Why didn’t you introduce me to your girlfriend here, Catti?” Now Cathy was blushing as she went through the formal introduction.
“Annie, this is my girlfriend, Katherine, but you can call her Kat,” Cathy was fidgeting as Annie stayed intending to listen to her older sister.
“We have been dating for a year and four and a half months,” Annie gasped as she mocked betrayal.
“And you only told me now?! Catti, you should’ve introduced me to Kat after — like three months into dating,” Cathy chuckled as Annie exasperated.
“Tell me Kat,” Annie turned to Kat who had stayed quiet, “what’s your favorite thing about Catti?”
Kat blushed before answering, “Cathy — I love everything about her. I mean I love how ambitious she is and how she has dimples when she smiles and-”
“God damn, you are in love!” Annie teased Kat, “Catti, you got a good one. Don’t disappoint me,”
Annie whispers to Cathy, “You also need to tell her about Thomas.”
Cathy’s heart dropped. The main reason she had never brought up Thomas was that Kat also suffered from Thomas (different one). Another reason she never brought it up was because Thomas was Jane’s brother.
“Kat, I need to talk to you,” Cathy stood up as her eyes stared back at Kat.
“Don’t worry about Catherine. I will entertain her!” Annie remarked as the two exited the coffee shop. It was silent for a bit as Kat had a notepad in one hand while a pen in the other.
“She told you?” Kat shook her head as she explained how she and Annie met. Cathy listened intently as she also heard all of Kat’s theory of who Thomas was.
“I didn’t want to tell you from the beginning,” Cathy started as Kat started to take light notes. They were sitting outside the coffee shop on their bench. Kat made sure that Cathy had her full attention.
“It was a messy breakup,” Cathy sighed as she started rubbing the back of her neck.
“I thought he was the one, but he wasn’t. We dated for nearly five years when I found pornography under his bed,” Kat was confused. What was bad about pornography? Was it-?
“It was child pornography. I thought he would be over it. I thought wrong. He blackmailed me as he then proceeded to cheat on me as well,” Cathy was starting to tear up. Kat offered her a tissue.
“When I turned him in because I couldn’t live with him anymore, he attacked me. That wasn’t the worst part,” There’s more? Kat could never expect the next part.
“When the police were going through his house, they also found images of Jane, his sister, in inappropriate clothing,” The sentence caught both their breaths as Kat asked.
“Our Jane?” Cathy could only nod as Kat realized the gravity of what Cathy went through. She remembered when Jane broke down one day, screaming at the phone, yelling that she never wanted to see him again.
“I was four months pregnant by then, with his baby,” Cathy stopped. Kat stares. Cathy pushed through.
“I miscarried, and I broke off with T-Thomas when he was in cuffs,” The story. Oh my god, Kat could not expect that.
“A-Are you okay now? Can I hug you?” Kat asked, making sure that Cathy was comfortable. When given consent, god, did Cathy break down.
“Hey, everything- Catti!” Annie rushed over to help Cathy. Catalina followed.
“He isn’t here anymore,” Annie tried to help Cathy.
“I’m the reason why Jane doesn’t have a brother anymore!” Thank the lord, that the coffee shop was slow.
“Ahijada, stop it! You’re also a reason why there is one less criminal on the street!” Catalina intervened. Cathy was soaking Kat’s sweater at this point, but she didn’t care. It became back and forth arguing between Cathy and Annie, Catalina, and Kat.
“But-” Cathy started to rebuttal again. Kat had enough; Cathy needed to be stopped. Kat kissed her with passion and love. The love that Thomas never gave to Cathy. Cathy’s eyes were puffy as her face was red. Kat pushed through as Annie and Catalina watched. She didn’t care. She didn’t care that they were watching. She needed Cathy to believe her. To believe that she did the right thing. To believe that she wasn’t a bad person. Even if it meant kissing her right in front of her sister and godmother. Then, so be it.
“I-” Cathy was about to start again.
“Catherine fucking Parr, I do not give a fuck about how you are this or how you are that,” The amount of cursing within that sentence should have started making Catalina pray, “You are, in my fucking eyes, a good person whether you like it or not. I know you fucking didn’t like sending away Jane’s brother, but you did the right fucking thing. I know it can be hard, but you are the bravest person, I fucking know.” Kat was out of breath. Catalina stood there, not sure to scold Kat for the amount of cursing within her speech or to applaud her for knocking some sense into her goddaughter.
“I-” Kat just shut her up with a more passionate kiss.
“Am I supposed to see this?” Annie whispered to Catalina.
“Let them have their fun; I haven’t seen this in a while,” Catalina watched as snowflakes fell around them. Kat warmed Cathy’s lips as their body heat warmed each other.
“I…” Cathy started, “I love you,”
“What-?” Kat asked as her face turned red.
“I fucking love you, Katherine Howard!” Cathy shouted.
“I love you fucking too!” Kat roared back.
“YOU GUYS DON’T HAVE TO FUCKING SCREAM AT EACH OTHER! YOUR FACES ARE LIKE TWO INCHES AWAY!” Annie screamed.
“Later, lovebirds!” Catalina waved off at Cathy and Kat.
“Like you and Anne are any better!” Kat shouted back.
“Hold up — Catherine! YOU ARE DATING SOMEONE?!” Annie shouted as she rushed over to Catalina. Soon enough, Annie was in the passenger seat while Catalina drove. As for, Cathy and Kat? In the backseat, cuddling. Catalina made sure to definitely send those images to Cathy.
“Oh right, babe!” Kat called out, “Here’s one part of your gift,”
“You're my secret Santa?” Cathy asked.
“Not quite,” Kat handed Cathy a really small wrapped gift. Cathy unwrapped and guessed what she found.
THE FUCKING HUNGRY CATERPILLAR. Kat definitely slept on the couch that night.