Chapter 499 Worries
When Catherine heard that, she just waved it off with a grin. "Nah, I already told Carol I'd look after Todd till he's back on his feet. Can't go back on my word now, can I?"
Susan, seeing Catherine's refusal, hesitated a bit before saying, "How about you take a few days off and chill at home? I mean, my wedding's coming up, and as the mother-in-law, you're kinda a big deal. We gotta get you some killer outfits."
Catherine thought for a sec and replied, "Alright, let's find a day when you're free. We can hit the stores for a few hours and grab some nice clothes. That way, I can still keep an eye on Todd. He's gotten used to me being around. Besides, Todd's leg is just starting to get better, and the caregiver's young and not family, so they won't be as attentive as we are."
Susan frowned a bit at that.
Seeing Susan's worried look, Catherine figured she was concerned about her overdoing it. She patted Susan's hand with a smile and said, "Don't sweat it, I won't get too tired. The caregiver handles all the running around now."
Since Catherine put it that way, Susan couldn't argue much. But she still reminded her, "Mom, you know, people talk. Spending too much time with Todd might get folks gossiping."
Catherine was taken aback and stared at Susan, confused.
Susan, feeling awkward but needing to say it, hoped to remind Catherine to avoid any rumors. Otherwise, if things got messy, it would be a headache for everyone.
"Have you heard anyone say anything?" Catherine finally asked, frowning.
Susan quickly shook her head and, trying to lighten the mood, smiled and said, "No, I just think Carol's got a strong personality and a lot of quirks. She's in a cold war with Todd right now. I'm worried she might come back soon and give you a hard time. I don't want you to deal with that."
Susan lied smoothly, feeling a bit guilty but unsure how else to get her point across.
Catherine shrugged it off. "Carol's got a sharp tongue, I'm used to it. At most, she'll throw some shade. What else can she do?"
Susan was at a loss for words, seeing Catherine still not getting her point.
Catherine stood up and said, "Alright, Todd needs someone to take him for a walk after dinner. You should head back and look after the kids."
Without waiting for Susan to respond, Catherine turned and went back to the ward.
Watching Catherine's back as she took care of Todd, Susan felt a wave of frustration. It was a feeling she couldn't share with anyone, like a heavy weight on her chest, making it hard to breathe.
Two days later, Susan took Catherine to the mall in the afternoon and bought her a couple of outfits, shoes, and bags for the wedding.
After shopping, Catherine rushed back to the hospital, saying she didn't trust the caregiver to look after Todd.
Susan had to lug all the shopping bags home herself, feeling more and more uneasy, like something bad was brewing but she had no clue how to fix it.
If she tried to drag Catherine home now, Catherine would probably flip out, and Todd wouldn't be on board either.
Plus, Susan noticed Catherine had been looking pretty good lately, more lively. For years, Catherine's eyes had been dull, and she rarely bothered with her appearance. But now, she was dressing up a bit, adding some color to her outfits.
Seeing these little changes in Catherine, Susan felt a bit better. Catherine had been through a lot, and Susan wanted her to find someone to be happy with. But that someone couldn't be Todd, especially with Carol in the picture. If Carol found out, it would be a total disaster.
For days, Susan couldn't eat or sleep well, her mind constantly racing.
But she couldn't just confront Catherine about it. She felt bad for her and tried to convince herself she was overthinking it. Maybe Todd and Catherine were just close friends, and Todd wouldn't cross any lines.
Susan hoped Seb would come back soon and talk to Todd about letting the caregiver take over so Catherine could come home.
That afternoon, Susan was nodding off at her desk.
Her phone ringing snapped her out of it.
Seeing it was Seb calling, she couldn't help but smile.
"Hey there," Susan drawled.
"Are you snoozing at your desk?" Seb's voice came through.
"How'd you guess?" Susan raised an eyebrow.
"Without me around, you must be running on empty. With the warm afternoon sun, no wonder you're dozing off thinking about me," Seb teased.
Susan rolled her eyes. "You're getting cocky. Watch out, pride comes before a fall."
"I've never seen a wife wishing bad luck on her husband," Seb said, pretending to pout.
Susan sighed. "Just don't get too full of yourself, okay?"
Then Seb got serious. "I'll be home tomorrow night."
"That soon?" Susan perked up.
"Want me to stay away longer?" Seb joked.
"That's not what I meant," Susan pouted, not in the mood for banter.
Seb seemed to pick up on her mood. "What's wrong? You feeling down?"
Susan sighed, not ready to spill the truth. "Just a bit anxious. Pre-wedding jitters, I guess."
Seb laughed. "I'm great at curing anxiety. I'll take good care of you when I get back."
Susan knew exactly what he meant by "take care."
Just then, Seb said, "I gotta jump into a meeting now. Talk to you later."
"Go ahead," Susan said, knowing Seb had been swamped with work, trying to get back to Maple Valley sooner to be with her.
"Wait for me tomorrow night," Seb said in a low, suggestive tone.
Susan blushed. Just as she was about to give him a playful scolding, Seb hung up.
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