It had been embarrassingly easy to track Sara down. Catherine had simply sent a letter to her old address. It had been returned to her with the forwarding address label slapped on the front.
She hadn�t been prepared for the Tamales Bay location. Somehow, she hadn�t pictured Sara as someone who would run home to mommy. The situation with Grissom must have been more traumatizing than she had realized. She had a feeling her work was cut out for her.
She should have thought ahead to make reservations at the Bed & Breakfast before she had actually put in for the vacation. The B & B was booked solid for the entire three days. This axed her plan of coincidently showing up there for her holiday with Lindsay. But a nearby resort was recommended that catered to kids. Catherine was able to get reservations there. After they checked in, she registered Lindsay for a supervised beach party, which fortuitously included youngsters registered at the B & B. She arranged to have Lindsay dropped off there. Catherine then set off to implement her plan.
When she got to the B & B, she was even more disappointed that they weren�t staying there. The furnishings were quaint and the atmosphere was welcoming. Several guests were sitting in chairs that over looked the ocean. A mature woman with graying dark hair approached her.
�Can I help you? I hope you�re not looking for a room. I�m afraid we�re booked until Thursday.�
Catherine smiled. �I found that out when I tried to book last week. I�m on holiday in the area with my daughter and had thought we might stay here. I had heard about it from Sara Sidle, whom I suspect is your daughter. We used to work together in Las Vegas. I�m Catherine Willows.� Catherine held out her hand.
The older woman took the hand weakly, obviously stunned. She glanced about unsure what to do.
Proceeding with her plan, Catherine forged on, �I haven�t heard from Sara since she left. She didn�t even tell us where she was going. How is she doing?�
At that moment, the French doors overlooking the beach opened and Sara entered.
Catherine now understood why Sara had fled Grissom and Las Vegas and ran to the safety of her mother�s arms. She was pregnant.
Sara took off her sunglasses and saw Catherine, whose mouth was still agape.
�Catherine, what are you doing here?�
Recovering, Catherine smiled. �Lindsay and I came this way for a few days. She wanted to see the ocean. I tried to book a room here but it�s full. We�re staying up at the Generations Resort. Lindsay is at a beach party that I guess will end up here. I thought I�d check the place out while I waited for her.�
�It�s okay, Ellen. I�ll be fine.� The older woman nodded and went to the reception area, but kept close, watching the proceedings.
Turning to Catherine Sara explained. �Ellen is my foster mother. I won�t go into the details of my childhood. Suffice it to say that the circumstances have always made Ellen Tramle very protective of me.�
Catherine nodded slowly and stood with her mouth opened.
�Wow. Sara. I don�t know what to say.�
�Catherine Willows, speechless. That�s got to be one for the books.� Sara smiled in spite of herself.
�Why didn�t you tell him?� Catherine asked.
�What makes you so sure I didn�t?� Sara responded.
�Because if he knew, he never would have let you leave. Or he�d be here with you now.�
�And that�s exactly why you had better not tell him.�
�Don�t you think he has the right to know?�
�Probably. But I spent 4 years waiting for him, wanting him, loving him. I won�t let this baby be a tool, a means to getting what I so desperately wanted, still want. This baby is all that�s important now. If he doesn�t want me for me, he won�t have either of us. I have finally found some pride.
�Catherine, swear to me that you will not tell him about this baby. Or for that matter, where I am. Or even that you have seen me.�
Catherine shook her head. �This is wrong, Sara. He loves you.�
Sara huffed. �Yes, so much that he couldn�t even look me in the face the day after we made love. He gave me the most amazing night of my life, then walked away as if it were nothing. Because it was nothing to him.�
Catherine had to say something. �You�re wrong. He felt he had been a disappointment to you, to himself. He wanted more for you.�
Sara shook her head in disbelief. �Swear to me on Lindsay�s life, or I�ll have to go someplace else to have this baby. I�d rather have it here with the support of my family. But I�ll leave if I have to.�
Catherine reluctantly nodded. �I swear on Lindsay�s life that I will not tell Grissom that the woman he loves is having his baby or that she is at her mother�s.� She would have to find another way.