Kate sobbed continuously in Catherine's embrace. Though she didn't answer, her tears explained everything. The little girl sighed. She had known in her past life that Kate had gone through a period of depression following her father's death. But last Christmas, Mr. Beckinsale had seemed so full of life. How could he be gone now?
Catherine wanted to ask more about what had happened, but seeing Kate crying so sorrowfully, she held back and continued to comfort her. A complex mix of emotions surged within her as she recalled the days in her past life when she too had succumbed to despair.
Finally, Kate stopped crying and leaned back on the sofa. Catherine quickly fetched a clean towel from the washroom, dampened it, and handed it to her.
"Thank you," Kate whispered, then leaned back against the sofa, draping the towel over her face. After a long sigh, she wiped her face with the towel and sat up, looking at the little girl standing beside her with reddened eyes. They gazed at each other for a moment, then both said at the same time, "I'm sorry." Their simultaneous apologies made them both pause, then burst into light laughter.
"I'm sorry, Cathy. I shouldn't have yelled at you," Kate said, covering her forehead with her hand. She looked much better now, at least with some color returning to her face.
"I should be the one apologizing, Kate. I didn't know Mr. Beckinsale had…" Catherine shrugged, leaving the sentence unfinished.
Kate was silent for a moment, wiping away the tears that had started to fall again. She shook her head gently. "It's okay. I just… I just…" She looked up, trying to force a smile, but it looked more like she was in pain.
"There's no one to tell me they love me when they say goodnight anymore. No one to perform impromptu shows when they're happy. No one to lift me on their shoulders and take me to the film sets…" Kate lowered her head, threading her fingers through her hair as her voice broke and she began to sob again.
Catherine sighed inwardly and once again pulled Kate's head into her embrace. She knew that Kate's household consisted only of her and her mother now. In front of her mother, Kate had to appear strong and offer comfort. But who could she lean on and confide in?
The little girl gently stroked Kate's short hair, listening to her talk intermittently about her father, feeling deeply saddened. It had been two months since she had written to her, so Mr. Beckinsale had been gone for at least half a month. What kind of days had Kate been enduring during that time? You only realize how much you cherish someone after they're gone, just like back then…
When Catherine came to her senses, Kate had fallen silent and was now asleep in her arms.
For heaven's sake, why do I always end up being the big sister when it's just the two of us? Catherine rolled her eyes. She's seven years older than me! Catherine sighed, gently laying Kate down on the sofa, then fetched a pillow and a blanket to make her comfortable.
Kate was in a deep sleep, her breathing even and steady. Her beautiful face was still marked by exhaustion. Catherine gently brushed a lock of hair from her face. Now 18, Kate Beckinsale's refined features already hinted at the allure and charisma she would have in the future. Catherine had loved her movies in her past life. Looking at the sleeping Kate, a mischievous thought crossed her mind, and without overthinking, she bent down and kissed her gently on the lips.
After the kiss, Catherine quickly turned away and covered her face, her cheeks burning. If kissing Jessica this morning had been playful, then what was this? Yes, I like her, I have feelings for her, but that was before! I'm a girl now! I'm a girl!
Catherine kept patting her cheeks and took several deep breaths to calm herself down. She didn't dare to look at the sleeping Kate again. Instead, she stood up, tied an apron around herself, and awkwardly draped a towel over her head before starting to clean the room.
Since Kate was sleeping, Catherine had to be as quiet as possible while tidying up, which made the task take longer and require more effort. By the time she had managed to get the messy room into some semblance of order, the sun was setting, casting a rare golden light through the thick London clouds.
The little girl exhaled deeply, stretched her body, and felt a bit sore. Light chores like this would have been nothing in her past life, but being a girl had made her more delicate. Catherine clapped her hands and, sensing something, turned to see Kate awake and quietly watching her from the sofa.
"Hey, dear, are you just going to lie there and watch me work?" Catherine asked, hands on her hips, with mock annoyance.
Kate slowly sat up and smiled at her gently. "Thank you, Cathy."
"Alright, Kate," Catherine said, removing the towel from her head and shaking out her hair. She leaned forward and pressed her forehead against Kate's, speaking softly, "Don't be like this anymore, okay? Mr. Beckinsale wouldn't want to see you like this."
"Yes, I know. Thank you, Cathy. Thank you." Kate suddenly hugged the little girl, resting her head on her shoulder and whispering with her eyes closed.
The little girl patted Kate's back in a comforting manner, appearing calm but feeling a storm of emotions inside. Being so close to Kate, she could fully sense the contours of her body through the thin fabric of her shirt.
What's wrong with me? Trying to control her rapid breathing, Catherine thought to herself. She had never felt this way before while being affectionate. Could it be... could it be that she was starting to develop? Damn it, even if hormones were starting to kick in, shouldn't they make me feel this way about boys? No, no, no! This is fine. This is perfectly fine!
Noticing Catherine's slight unease, Kate moved away and looked at her closely. Catherine's face was slightly flushed, and she seemed reluctant to meet her eyes.
"What's wrong? Is something the matter?" Kate asked curiously.
"No, nothing. I'm fine." Being a "forty-year-old" at heart, Catherine quickly composed herself and changed the subject. "I've told you many times, Kate, you would look much better if you grew your hair out."
Kate tugged at her short hair and sighed. "I know."
The little girl scratched her head and, without thinking, asked, "Do you have a boyfriend?"
Kate was momentarily stunned, then laughed softly and shook her head. "Why do you ask?"
"I want to know about your love life," Catherine said, making a funny face to hide her nervousness.
"Hell no! My love life is none of an 11-year-old's business!" Kate's face turned red as she waved her fist, not noticing Catherine's puzzled expression. She assumed Catherine was trying to distract her with this topic, feeling both grateful and embarrassed.
Catherine, however, was even more confused. She remembered that before going to Hollywood, Kate had been living with a boyfriend—the guy who played Lucian, the werewolf leader in *Underworld*. Yes, Michael Sheen. In 1999, Kate even had a daughter with him. But in the few years since, despite meeting Kate two or three times a year, she had never seen her with a boyfriend. Had her little butterfly wings created a storm and blown Michael Sheen away? Even so, recalling that Kate seemed to have few male friends, Catherine found it strange. Aren't Western women supposed to be more open? Despite her confusion, she felt a sense of relief.
At that moment, both their stomachs growled in unison. Kate and Catherine looked at each other and burst into laughter.
"Alright, miss, let me change and wash my hair, and then we'll go out for dinner," Kate said, ruffling the little girl's hair before heading to the bedroom.
"I saw half a pizza in the fridge. Why don't we heat it up in the microwave?" Catherine suggested as she tidied her clothes.
"If you want to spend the night at Marston Hospital, be my guest. But don't count me in," Kate's voice floated out from the bedroom.
"Oh, God, how long has it been in there!" Catherine wrinkled her nose and waved her hand in front of her face, giving up on the idea.
Though women typically take a long time to change, Kate didn't keep the little girl waiting long. She soon came out, toweling her hair dry. The white long-sleeved T-shirt fit her perfectly, and the women's jeans showcased her long legs beautifully. If she had worn low-heeled sandals, it would have been perfect. Unfortunately, possibly influenced by the little girl, she wore white running shoes, which, combined with her short hair, made her look like a tomboy.
"By the way, why are you back in London? It's not summer vacation yet," Kate asked suddenly.
"Well..." Catherine thought for a moment and decided to tell the truth. "I came to London to shoot a film."
Kate froze upon hearing "shoot a film" but quickly recovered, asking in surprise, "Shoot a film?"
"Of course," the little girl shrugged, adding, "My agent is downstairs. If you don't believe me, you can ask him."
Kate took several seconds to process this news and then asked a flurry of questions:
"How did you get into acting?"
"Did Mr. Vincent agree to this?"
"Did you sneak out on your own again?!"
"Alright, Kate!" Catherine rolled her eyes adorably. "I already told you, my agent is downstairs. You can ask her if you have any questions."
Seeing that Kate still looked doubtful, she added, "How about this, Kate? Let's go eat first. I'll explain everything to you tonight."