Catherine decided that she wanted to return the favour and surprise Jackie. The problem was that she didn't know where Jackie lived and didn't know anyone else to help her. She decided she would have to get creative. She dialled Jackie's number but there wasn't an answer. She figured she was in her interview, so she sent a text.
C: Hey Jackie, my airline called to tell me that  I now have a layover in LA tomorrow instead of a direct flight. Maybe I can take you up on that offer after all?
Catherine didn't waste time waiting for Jackie to respond. She called the airline right away to find the next flight to LA. There was one at 5pm that night. After checking out of her hotel early, she headed to the airport.
****
Jackie didn't get out of her interview until after 6pm. She was completely drained from the day. From Catherine, to the travelling, to faking a cheery exterior and putting on her best act for the interviews; she was ready to drown herself in a bottle of wine and crash. When she got into the car, she checked her messages and saw Catherine's missed call and text. She wasn't sure how to feel. She was excited to see Catherine again, Â but was still feeling hurt inside and wasn't sure if she could handle it.
J:Â Hey Catherine, yes I live fairly close to the airport. What time do you land?
****
When the car pulled up to her apartment, Jackie mumbled a thanks to the driver and made her way upstairs. The first thing she did when opening the door was go straight to the wine rack and crack open a bottle. Not even bothering with a glass. She decided to take a bath to help relieve some of the stress. She grabbed another bottle.
"One for the road," she mumbled to herself and started to feel the affect of the wine.
****
Once the plane had landed, Catherine eagerly turned on her phone to see if Jackie has responded. Her face lit up when she saw the text message. After reading Jackie's text, she realised she was going to have to be a little more blunt to try and get her address out of her.
C:Â Tomorrow morning. What's your address? Maybe we can meet up near you?
Catherine exited the plane and headed to the baggage claim. She still hadn't heard from Jackie, so she decided she would give her 20 more minutes and then call her. As she was waiting for her bags, she kept glancing down at her phone impatiently.
Still nothing.
After she finally found her bags, she dialled Jackie's number.
No answer.
Maybe she should have thought this whole thing out more.
****
Jackie's phone rang on the kitchen counter. Currently, she was a bottle and a half deep in wine and the warm bath wasn't slowing down her drunkenness. After she finished the second bottle and started to become dizzy, she decided it was time to get out of the tub. As she was getting out, she slipped and hit her head on the door.
"FUCKKK!" She screamed.
She looked in the mirror and saw the red mass starting to raise on her forehead.
Oh great, she thought. "Nothing a little more wine can't fix."
Jackie headed to the kitchen to get another bottle, but was deeply upset when she discovered she was out. She saw her phone on the counter and concentrated closely as she texted.
J:Â Hey there, you should come over ;) and bring wine please.
T:Â Be there in 30 ;)
****
Catherine still didn't hear from Jackie and wasn't sure what to do. She tried calling her one last time.
Jackie's phone started to ring, so she picked it up without looking and asked
"Are you almost here?"
"Huh? No, my flight doesn't land until the morning." Catherine was confused, wondering if Jackie somehow knew she was in LA.
"Oh Catherine. Hey, sorry, I thought you were someone else." Jackie was slurring her words.
"Jackie, are you okay? You don't sound well."
"Yeah, I'm just really tired."
"Oh, I'm sorry for bothering you. You didn't answer my text so I thought I would try calling. My plane lands in the morning and I was wondering what your address was so we can meet up."
It was taking all Jackie had to act sober enough to talk to Catherine.
"I can send a car for you. So you don't have to waste a cab fair, just let me know what time your plane lands."
Send a car? She wasn't going to come herself?
Catherine tried not to read into it and said  "No, that's okay. I don't mind. You seem really tired and I don't want you having to wake up early just for me. I'll come to you. After everything you did for me, I owe it to you."
"Fine."
Jackie didn't feel like arguing.
Her head was already throbbing from hitting it, and the wine wasn't helping either. She slowly told Catherine her address, mostly because she had to concentrate really hard. Thankfully, Catherine just thought it was for her own sake. Since she was writing it down.
"Got it. See you tomorrow Jackie! I'll call you when I land."
"Goodnight Catherine."
Catherine debated whether she should wait until the morning to surprise Jackie, since she seemed so exhausted. Screw it. She couldn't wait any longer and didn't know how much time she had with her. So she caught a cab and handed the driver Jackie's address.
****
Jackie woke up to a know at her door. Her head was spinning. She stumbled to the door and opened it.
"Tommy!" She shouted.
She gave him a giant hug and then grabbed the bottle of wine from his hand.
"Whoa Jackie, are you okay?"
Tommy looked at Jackie as she was wearing nothing but her bath robe. He watched her open the wine and started chugging it straight from the bottle. He quickly intervened, grabbing it from her hands.
"Easy there tiger."
When Jackie turned around to grab the bottle back from him, he saw the giant knot on her head.
"Jackie, what happened?"
She slapped his hand away and said "Nothing, I'm fine. I just stumbled and caught myself with my forehead."
She laughed and then started to chug the bottle again.
He grabbed it back from her, "I think you had enough for tonight."
Jackie struggled with him for the bottle.
"Jackie, tomorrow is your off day. You know you don't want to waste it hungover and no offence, but you are already in rare form."
All of a sudden, Jackie burst into tears. He pulled her close to him and telling her it would be okay.
"No it won't!" Jackie cried. "I'm not worth it!"
Tommy grabbed a dish cloth and wrapped it around some ice. Then took Jackie to the couch.
"Here," he said, while pressing the ice to her forehead. "What happened?"
"My heart hurts. My head hurts. Everything hurts."
"Where do you keep your aspirin? Your head doesn't look so good."
Between sobs, Jackie managed to tell him they were in the master bedroom.
While he was gone, a know was on the door. Confused, Jackie stumbled to the door and looked through the peep hole.
What in the hell, she thought. Catherine was standing outside of her door.
She knocked again. Jackie didn't know what to do, but she knew she couldn't leave her out there forever. Finally, after the third knock, she opened the door.
"Hi Porcupine!" Catherine excited expression immediately turned to concern when she saw Jackie's face.
"Jackie, what's wrong!?"
She took Jackie into her arms.
Just then, Tommy came out from Jackie's bedroom.
A/n Thanks for reading my story. Please vote and drop a comment. Comments will help me a lot more than you might think. â¤ï¸