vanillajello | Room 324, Late(r) Monday Afternoon

Having put up her posters, Kate had returned to her room to continue her good day with further party planning. But that was sadly not to be: her phone had been charging while she'd been away and she'd finally gotten around to seeing she had a voicemail. So she listened to it.

Bad idea.

Her first thought was that it was a sick joke, that Nathan really was pushing things too far in an effort to be excused for his radio silence since leaving, but she couldn't hold onto that bit of disbelief for long. The woman – Nathan's mom – was far too shaken, the quivering of her voice far too real. It was all real. On the second listen Kate had to sit down on the edge of her bed because the room had started to spin, but it took about four times before it all started really sinking in.

Forcing herself to skip listening a fifth time, her brain instead switched on to practical matters, the first of which was leaving a voicemail of her own. And the second... Was staring dully into the middle distance.

She'd maybe get to something a little more useful later.

[ooc: Post and door open, if you wish to deal with the upset.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"Okay," Kate sighed, sniffling. "Okay. You can help. You can... book me a portal. And, uh, one back too."

"Thank you," he said and kissed her forehead. "I know I can't do much but I appreciate you letting me help when I can. I'm sorry this is happening right now."

"This was supposed to be a good week," she replied quietly. "It's not."

Understatement.

"I know, I'm so sorry," he said, wishing he could say more. "It'll get better. It'll take time but it will. I'm positive."

"I'm not," Kate said, but that was a given. She knew things would get better but she didn't believe it. "How could he just die like that?"

She knew he had no answer; she asked anyway.

"I don't know," Bod said quietly, rubbing her back and occasionally pressing kissing against her hair. "It sounds like it was just an unexpected accident. There probably won't be any answers."

"I hate that." She hated everything today, she really did. "It's unfair. It's just-- just so random."

"Maybe the funeral will help answer some questions," he tried even if having to go to a funeral to get answers just seemed...wrong to him. "Maybe it'll give some sense of...closure."

Kate swallowed. "Maybe." She really wasn't counting on it. And other things came to her mind then. "Oh God, his poor mom."

"Was he an only child?" Bod guessed quietly. "No one else for her but him?"

"As far as I know," Kate replied, just as quietly. "I can't imagine how she's feeling."

Though she knew how bad she herself was feeling, and it had to be worse for Nathan's mother.

"I'm sure she's feeling quite awful," he said softly, sighing. "And I'm sure she'll be feeling that for quite awhile. I can't imagine what it's like to lose a child. Hopefully, time will heal her heart as well."

Kate was quiet for a moment, swallowing back any sobbing that threatened to start up again at the thought whirring in her head.

"I should call Mom."

Just felt like a thing to do. Later, though.

"That doesn't sound like a bad idea," he agreed quietly, moving his fingers up and down her back slowly. "Give her my best. And if she asks you to come home, you might want to consider it just for a few days, Kate."

"A few days there is almost a week here," Kate muttered. "A few days here is a few hours there."

She wasn't sure about the point she was trying to make.

"I still think you should go if she asks," Bod told her quietly. "If you want to come along, I will, but maybe you just need to hug your mom."

"Maybe," she muttered. It was times like these it sucked to be living this far from home. "I wish they were here."

"Invite them here," Bod tried, just reaching for anything to help her feel better. "And I don't mean the island but there is a mainland they could visit."

"Technically we're in Egypt right now." And she'd been so thrilled with that for a while, earlier in the day. It all seemed so distant and unimportant now. "But the mainland through the portal, yeah, maybe. It's a long way, though."

"If your parents think you need them, they'll come," he said certainly. "Trust me. They'll come."

"But I can't tell them I need them," Kate replied immediately. Then, a little more hesitantly, she said, "Can I tell them I need them?"

"You can tell them you need them," Bod said, shifting so he could see her eyes. "They're not going to think you're weak, Kate. They're going to think you're a daughter who needs her parents. And they'll come. They will."

Kate pouted at him, but it wasn't playful, and it wasn't a sign of displeasure at anything he'd said. It was just... sad. "I think my dad hates flying, though."

"Then, they can take a train," Bod said, leaning forward to kiss her pout lightly. "If I need to, I will go to Kansas myself and fly with your father. He can yell at me and curse my name and break my fingers on the flight."

"I love you," Kate mumbled against his lips, bringing one hand up to touch his cheek. "I'm sorry I'm such a mess. I love you."

She knew her state of mind wasn't her fault, and that he probably didn't find it annoying or anything, but she wanted to say it anyway.

"I'll think about asking them, okay?"

(no subject)

therewaslife - 2011-05-17 21:46 (UTC) - Expand

vanillajello - 2011-05-17 21:53 (UTC) - Expand

therewaslife - 2011-05-17 21:55 (UTC) - Expand

vanillajello - 2011-05-17 22:00 (UTC) - Expand

therewaslife - 2011-05-17 22:04 (UTC) - Expand

vanillajello - 2011-05-17 22:06 (UTC) - Expand

therewaslife - 2011-05-17 22:09 (UTC) - Expand

vanillajello - 2011-05-17 22:19 (UTC) - Expand

therewaslife - 2011-05-17 22:24 (UTC) - Expand

vanillajello - 2011-05-17 22:27 (UTC) - Expand