Sil and Angels

Cathy was lost in emotion as she opened the card from her brother.

'Dear Cathy,

I know that I haven't seen you in a very long time but I am hoping that this simple birthday card will make up for my absence. My time in the army is far from over but I am hoping to be home for Christmas. Please remember that I am always your older brother and will help you when you need it.

Good luck on your 21st sis,

All my love,

Jack

Xxxxxxxx'

Cathy knew that this birthday card will have been waiting to be sent out on the right day. There was no way that Jack could have sent the card when it was supposed to be sent out. Because he was dead. He had been killed while on duty and she missed him dearly.

A solitary tear seeped from the corner of her eye and she wiped it away with her sleeve.

"Are you alright, Cath? You look a little upset." Her mother Anna stated.

"Um...this card: it was from Jack. It must've been sitting in some post office for ages and then sent out on the right day." She explained.

"Oh Cathy, I know that it's hard for you. It's not really hard for me because I never knew Jack. He was Sarah's son, not mine sweetie, so I can't really help except tell you that God makes these things happen for a reason." Cathy looked at her mum with hard eyes and exploded with rage.

"You and your stupid mother fucking advice! Sarah was ten times the mother to me and Jack then you will ever be! You say you can't help?! You just don't want to help because Dad left you for Sarah and frankly; I don't blame him!" She wept before rushing up to her bedroom. She knew that she had hurt Anna but she didn't care. She wanted to hurt Anna. And she knew how to do it.

Cathy got her biggest travel suitcase out of the storage cupboard in her room and started packing as much as she could. All of her clothes, her childhood teddy bear, her vital toiletries and as many pairs of shoes as she could. Then she snatched up her mobile and rang her best friend, Kenny. There were three rings before he answered.

"Hiya Cath, what can I do for you?" He cheerfully asked her.

"Um, I'm running away. Can I stay with you for a little while? I know it's sudden but-"

"Hey, hey. Don't worry, just come along and I, Joshua and Sam'll take care of you. I'll call you a taxi and just head straight across." Kenny's sympathetic voice reassured her.

"Thanks Kenny, you're a real friend." Cathy said before putting the phone down. She knew that the taxi would only be quarter of an hour so she checked to make sure that she had everything that she wanted before quietly slipping out of the back door. She had her debit card and one hundred pounds on her so she was hoping that there was no-one odd hanging around the house while she was waiting for her taxi. Fortunatly, she was only waiting for two minutes before the taxi came to pick her up. She got in trying not to make any noise and put her suitcase in the boot.

"So, you're Kenny's friend?" The taxi driver asked.

"Yeah. Kenny and I have been best friends since we were about two." Cathy explained to the driver.

"Wow, all of that time together. I'm surprised that you two aren't a couple now." The driver told her as they travelled down to the end of the street.

"Kenny's gay and he has been for a long time. Do you know Kenny?" She questioned the taxi driver. He just laughed.

It took around twenty minutes to get to Kenny's house. She loved Kenny's house down to the smallest detail. The warm yet colourful interior, the familiar smell of cologne mixed with Fairy liquid and the gorgeous paintings that hung on the wall that Joshua had painted himself.

Kenny flung open the door even before she had rang the doorbell and gave her the biggest hug that she had ever received.

"Come on in, gorgeous. We've made hot cookie dough and brownies for you, we know those are your favourite desserts. Sam is out with her girlfriend at the moment and we have a feeling that in the morning, both of them will wake up in a skip. We've got the spare bedroom made up for you and we've blocked your mum's number off the phone." Kenny explained.

"She's not my mum." She told Kenny. He looked shocked.

"What?" He exclaimed.

"Technically, she's not my mum. I'm actually Sarah's daughter. Sarah was a surrogate for my mum when they were best friends, I have none of my mum's blood flowing through my veins. I'm all Sarah and Dad." Cathy stated. Kenny was taken aback by all of this but because Cathy was going through such a hard time, he just pretended that he hadn't heard.

Cathy had no trouble sleeping that night. She was more comfortable in Kenny's house then in Anna's.

She woke up feeling refreshed and with Kenny knocking on the door.

"Come in." She said sleepily.

"Hi, gorgeous. I've got some news, me, Sam and Joshua are going out to this new bar in the town centre. Would you like to come?"