Catching Caitlin

by Amy Isan

  I placed my hand on his knee and squeezed his leg. He stirred, shaking his head and looking at me.

  “Are you drunk?” he asked. His voice was flat, but I still remember the slight creak in it.

  “Maybe just a little,” I slurred. “You know,” I giggled. “I thought you were going to propose to me in there.”

  He looked surprised. “What made you think that?”

  I shook my head, my hair flying up and grabbing onto my eyelashes in thin strands. I didn’t bother fixing it. “You know... the lobster, the view, the everything.” I moved my hand further up his leg.

  He grimaced a little, “We should wait until we get home.”

  “You think that, but what about him?” I felt his cock growing harder under my touch. I wiped my mouth.

  “Just,” he hesitated. I moved to unbuckle his belt, and I unzipped his pants. He glanced away from the road for a minute. “Don’t.”

  I pulled his dick out, holding it in my fingers. “This is what you really wanted me here for, Hugh.” I glared at him, and stroked my fingers over the head.

  He grunted, shifting in his seat and moving his grip on the steering wheel. “I’m driving,” he repeated, his breathing growing shallow.

  “I know, don’t worry about it.” I unbuckled my seatbelt and scooted closer to him, leaning down over his lap. He shifted further into the back of his seat, like he was trying to give me room from the steering wheel.

  I stroked his cock again and watched him. I wanted him to want me.

  Good thing I wasn’t more drunk, I wouldn’t have been able to go down on him without worrying about my nausea.

  I put my lips on his cock, and pushed my tongue against his shaft. The angle was different, and I wasn’t used to taking a man like this.

  He moaned and took one hand off the steering wheel. He placed it on the back of my head, not in a forceful way, but in a reassured way.

  I was noisy, and unabashed. I swallowed my saliva.

  I pulled up for a moment, and looked at him. I whipped my hair out of my face and stroked him again. “You like this? I know I do. I want to make you beg for me, Hugh. That’s all I’ve wanted all day.”

  “I shouldn’t encourage you when you’re like this.”

  “I want you to.”

  I went down on him again. I bumped the steering wheel with my head, making the car swerve out of lane slightly. My heart jumped.

  “We’re almost there, just stop alright?” He didn’t seem as irritated as he was earlier, but more frustrated. I wiped my mouth and pulled off him before tucking his cock back into his boxers.

  I reclined in the seat, exhausted and dizzy. I barely noticed him parking the car and climbing out.

  He opened my door and leaned over me. “You’re impossible, Caitlin.”

  “I’m not.”

  He scooped me up and carefully pulled me out of the car. I wrapped my arms around his neck, trying to support my weight. I barely could.

  I closed my eyes, and when I opened them again he was putting me under the sheets in the bed. He turned to leave the room.

  I reached out and grabbed him his pants, stopping him. “Where’re you going? We’re not done,” I said. He turned and hesitated. “I’m not done with you,” I added.

  “I think you should be, you’re not really...”

  “Hugh.” I managed to wrangle him closer, pulling him onto the bed. I slipped out from under the covers and stumbled on top of him, straddling his lap.

  “You’re too drunk, it wouldn’t be right.”

  “Do I have to beg you?” I whispered, kissing his chest. I pushed him down onto the bed, and licked his sweaty skin. “Do I have to make you? I thought you were gonna tie me up?”

  “I might have to,” his inflection changed. “Just to keep you from molesting me.”

  “You say it like you don’t want it, the way you were looking at me at dinner. That hunger and fire in your eyes.” I never was so bold before. I was always more bold when I was full of liquid courage.

  He ran his hand through my hair, threading his fingers. He scratched my scalp, making me moan. I was way hornier than I ought to have been. I felt all bottled up, all this energy just trying to burst out of me.

  My drunk body wasn’t doing me any favors either. It never cooperated.

  I kissed his chest again, then pushed my ear against him. His heart raced under me, pulsing and throbbing. He lifted me up and rolled me on my back. “You can’t fall asleep,” he ordered. My eyes fluttered.

  “I won’t, just fuck me already Hugh, fucking punish me.”

  He pulled his cock out, and lifted up my dress. I could tell I was already ready to go, my thighs had felt slick all evening. Hot and wet.

  He reached down to take my panties off, picking the band off my waist. “Don’t take ‘em off, just fuck me.”

  He slid his finger over my pussy, setting me aflame. A surge of energy woke me up, and I burned my eyes into him. “Where are the condoms?”

  He pointed at the night stand. I fished one out and started fucking with the packaging, splitting it open. I pulled it out and unrolled the condom on his cock, flicking my gaze up at him for his approval. He nodded.

  He fingered my clit for a moment, gasping at how wet I was. “You’ll slide right in, Hugh, that thick dick,” I said. “Just fuck me.”

  He nodded and pushed his cock into me, guiding me toward his hips with his hands. I gasped as he penetrated me, moving his shaft all the way into my body before I stopped against his throbbing stomach. The burning grew inside me, ebbing with my dizziness.

  I thrashed against the sheets, flinging the pillows off the bed. “Oh my god!” I cried. He pumped his cock into me, making me moan louder. My dress was hiked up over my stomach, and he had his thumb firmly pressed against my clit. It gyrated with every subtle movement of his body, and my drunken thrashing only made it travel more.

  Sweat beaded on his forehead, and his movements became quicker, more severe. “You like this?”

  I nodded. He leaned over and squeezed my neck, pushing the air out of me. I squeaked, keeping my eyes locked with his while the world started growing black.

  I whispered, or mouthed, “Red,” just as he let go. I don’t remember if he saw it or just thought it was okay. Just as he released me, I felt a white hot knife cut through me.

  I arched my weight against him, clinging my legs and locking my ankles behind his back. I lifted myself up a foot, letting his head reach as deep into me as possible. I cried out, suddenly realizing my eyes were wet. He moaned louder than ever, and I felt his cock throb inside me as he came.

  My legs were weak, and I let go just as the euphoria rushed into me. I was still gasping for air when he pulled out, and wandered into the bathroom. His face red, his veins bulging. Was he mad, or just exhausted?

  I stole a pillow of the floor and curled around it. The alcohol must have won, because I passed out, satisfied and full of warmth.

  Chapter 7

  “Caitlin,” a voice said. I squeezed my eyes tighter in response, as if that would drown it out. “Caitlin. Wake up.” I groaned. A hand shook me, and I didn’t open my eyes. I could already feel the light trying to get in.

  “What is it? What time is it?” I groaned, still holding my eyes shut.

  “Your phone keeps going off.”

  “Who is it?” I rolled over to face his voice.

  I reached out blindly and Hugh handed me my phone. I cracked my eyes open. “My dad? What does he want?” I read one of the texts aloud: “‘Why aren’t you answering your phone? Your mom is in the hospital, call me.’”

  My heart raced, and adrenaline surged through me. I bolted upright.

  “What the fuck? Why didn’t you wake me sooner?” I quickly redialed my dad, I had no idea what could be going on.

  “Oh my god,” Hugh said. “What do you need me to do?” I shushed him as my dad answered the phone.

  “Caitlin?” my dad answered. “Thank god you called me back. Where
are you?”

  “I’m in Massachusetts,” I said.

  “Massachusetts? What are you doing there? Can you come home?” He sounded frantic and out of breath. He continued, “Your mom was hospitalized last night. I’m here with her. You should get home as soon as you can.”

  “I will, I’ll be there.” I gave Hugh a look, who must’ve overheard the conversation. He was already getting his phone out to get things ready.

  “Okay, we’re at the St. Peter Hospital. You can call me when you get here. Or you can tell the head nurse and she’ll tell you where to go. I have to go now, love you, bye.” The phone went silent, and I hung up.

  Hugh was already on his phone, talking to James: “Hey James, how soon can you be ready to pick us up and take us to Bangor?” A pause. “Really? Shit. Well, don’t worry about it then. I’ll take care of it.”

  He hung up. He looked agitated, his eyes darting all over the room.

  I was growing increasingly worried. “What is it?”

  “James isn’t available, he’s all the way out on the west coast. We’ll have to go get a flight back at the airport. Let’s get going.”

  I threw my suitcase together in a hurry, barely making sure the zipper wouldn’t eviscerate any of my new clothes. I felt a gnawing feeling of dread well up in my chest, but it wasn’t unfamiliar. I think I always knew this day would come, but never like this.

  I didn’t even know how bad it was.

  It didn’t help it was almost an hour drive to the nearest airport, a whole hour. I couldn’t bear that.

  My head pounded and my mouth was dry. Nothing seemed to make sense, and I just wanted to crawl into a hole and die.

  Hugh was silent on the way to the airport, only offering console when I looked near breakdown. “I’m not surprised,” I admitted, wringing my knuckles until they were white and red. He was speeding down the road, weaving in and out of traffic. “She’s always been a drunk, so was my dad too. Until I visited them last.”

  Hugh kept his eyes forward. “Your dad was a drunk too?”

  “Was. He said he’d been sober for two years when I moved back in...” I stared at the non-smoking sticker. I wanted to just peel it off. What about drinking?

  “I hate not being there. Why wasn’t I there?”

  “You didn’t know this was going to happen.”

  “I should’ve known!” I yelled. He didn’t even flinch. “I didn’t even say hello to her when I came back. I avoided her for god’s sake.”

  Hugh didn’t answer.

  ***

  At the ticket counter, he asked if there was any way we could get two tickets to Bangor.

  The man behind the ticket counter frowned, and looked it up, “It’ll be expensive...” he said.

  “That’s for me to worry about,” Hugh nearly spat on him. “I wasn’t aware you were a financial expert, seeing as you work at an airport service counter.”

  The man behind the counter held up his hands in surrender. He found two tickets, and Hugh bought them.

  Hugh checked our bags and paid the exorbitant fee for getting on a plane so close departure. I was waiting for the teller to ask for a bribe just to let us leave the counter with tickets by the end of it.

  We headed for our gate. Thankfully, the airport wasn’t too swamped, so we we were able to rush through security relatively quickly.

  The plane was leaving in forty-five minutes minutes. Another forty-five minutes longer from getting back to Maine. Hugh appeared to be doing well though, at least he wasn’t caving against my tension. I felt like I was falling apart, and he remained as strong as a rock the whole time.

  I don’t think I would have made it to the plane if he hadn’t kept his composure.

  At the gate, we had our tickets scanned and we took our seats. The plane would be my cage for the next four hours, while I panicked.

  ***

  After what felt like years and not hours, we made it to Maine. After landing and deplaning, we rushed through the terminal to pick up our bags.

  I was given luggage grabbing duty while Hugh wrangled a taxi to take us to the hospital.

  As we parked at the hospital, Hugh had to practically hold my wrist to keep me from lunging out of the car before it came to a stop. Inside, we found the nurse, who had a tired look in her eyes. I slammed my hands on the counter a littler harder than I meant to.

  “I’m... here to see Mrs. Winters,” I gasped. “I’m her daughter.”

  The nurse looked at her computer screen and told me she was in room 201. Hugh and I made our way there. My throat was tight, my mouth was dry.

  The door to her room was already open, and I caught a glimpse of her on the bed through the blinds.

  “Should I wait outside?” Hugh asked, pointing to a chair nearby. “I understand if you want me to.”

  “No, no, please. You’ve been so much help, come in.”

  She was propped up on her bed, and my dad was holding her hand. She looked worn and exhausted.

  My dad was sitting next to her, holding her hand. They were just talking.

  “Speak of the devil, there she is,” my mom whispered. Her voice was hoarse. “I thought I might not get to see you again.”

  “Don’t say that.” I fought back my tears, but I didn’t see the use. I fell to my knees and threw my arms around her, squeezing her so tight that I think her machine chastised me with a beep. “I’m sorry I couldn’t come sooner,” I wailed.

  My dad patted my shoulder, and when I looked at him I felt tears roll down my cheeks.

  “It’s okay sweetie, I’m glad that you’re here now,” my dad said.

  “What happened?” I asked, looking at my mom. My dad answered me.

  “I went in to tell your mom something last night, and I found her on the floor, unconscious. I tried to wake her, but it wasn’t any use. I called the ambulance and they rushed her here.”

  “Oh my god,” I said, covering my mouth.

  “Yeah.” My dad looked down at my mom, tears welling in his eyes. He looked ragged too, like he had been up all night. “She had alcohol poisoning. If I hadn’t come in to her room —”

  “I would’ve been a goner,” my mom cut in. “The doctors told me my liver is in bad shape too. If I don’t quit drinking, I’ll die.”

  I was silent. My mind was racing.

  “If that isn’t a wake up call... I don’t know what is,” she said, touching my face. “The doctor’s recommended a rehab clinic, since I could have another run in with death just getting sober.”

  She looked at my dad, “I’m sorry I put you through this. I’d cry, but I’m afraid I’m too exhausted to even muster that much.”

  I shook my head, “I’m sorry.”

  “Why?”

  “I never even said bye when I left for Reno.” I hid my face, not even able to look at her. “I ignored you. I’m a terrible daughter.”

  “Well, I’m a terrible mother to make you want to ignore me. Look at me.”

  I looked at her, watching her eyes glaze over with tears. “I’ll get the help I need, and things will be different, I promise.”

  I burst into tears, and cried loudly. All my emotions were strung out, I was hungover, and a little jet lagged. It was all so much for me to handle.

  My mom ran her hand through my hair and sang to me, “It’s okay, it’ll be okay.”

  My dad looked at Hugh. “I’m sorry you have to see all this...”

  “Don’t be sorry,” Hugh said. He extended his hand and my dad shook it. “I’ve seen it before, with my dad. He had kidney failure a couple years ago.” I stared at him.

  “I didn’t know that... Dad, this is Hugh. I don’t know if you remember him... we used to date in high school.”

  My dad nodded. “I thought you looked familiar, Hugh Evans, right?”

  Hugh smiled. “Guilty as charged.”

  I interrupted them. “Is Mom going to be all right then?”

  “I’m going to be just fine darling,” my mom said. “The docto
rs just want to watch me until tonight, then Danny is going to take me to the rehab clinic.” My dad nodded. “I’m exhausted though, and I’m glad you could make it. I’m going to take a little nap for a while.” She looked around the room, “So don’t wake me.” She smiled, and leaned her head back, closing her eyes.

  My dad lowered his voice, “Let’s wait outside, she’s had a long night.”

  We made our way out of the room, and my dad pulled the door shut. We moved over to some chairs and sat down.

  “So Hugh, what have you been up to since high school?”

  “I work at an energy company in Nevada. I’d say we compete with the one other power company there, but that’d be unfair to us.”

  My dad raised an eyebrow, “Energy? Like coal or something renewable?”

  Hugh leaned in close too, even though no one else was in the hallway. “All sorts of stuff. If you can name it, we probably work in it. But our main focus is coal.”

  My dad nodded, but I could tell he was only half-listening. He looked into my mom’s room thoughtfully. He turned to me and his voice grew serious. “Cate, your mom and I have been talking.”

  “Yeah?”

  “We’ve had our troubles and differences, but now that she’s going to get sober, I’m gonna help. I just wanted to let you know, since I know things looked dark and tough for a real long time there.”

  It was a relief to hear. I had been worried about them getting divorced for what felt like forever. My mom was still stirring in her bed, having apparently given up on sleeping. “Well, if she’s not sleeping...” my dad said. “I’m going to go back in and be with Tammy. I want to be next to her when she wakes up next time.” He gave me a hug, and a kiss on the cheek, before turning to Hugh. “It was good to meet you again, Hugh. I hope you’re taking care of my Caitlin.” He shook Hugh’s hand, and slipped back into my mom’s room.

  I didn’t move from my seat. I still felt numb, a little paralyzed. I felt Hugh’s eyes on me. “Thank you,” I told him, “for everything.”

  He looked apologetic, which was crushing to me.“I’m sorry. I wish there was more I could do.”

  I slipped my arm under his. “It’s okay. I don’t know if any of us really do.” I hesitated for a second, rummaging through my thoughts. “What scares me the most right now... is how much I want a drink.”