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It’s the last day of school for Kara Danvers. She’s taking her time, cleaning out her locker…pulling the clipped magazine pictures from the door, doing her best not to tear the edges. She presses them into the front of her notebook, using the last of the adhesive on the worn tape to hold them in place.
“Hey, Kara!” she hears the excited greeting from her right side. She knows it’s Winn and lets out a quick breath before reaching up to close the locker door. She leans against it and gives him what she hopes is a friendly smile.
“Hi Winn. What’s up?”
He skids to a stop on the waxed tile floor. “Hey. Um, James and I, we were… well we were wondering if you wanted to come to the graduation party at Reiner Beach tonight?” He barely gets the invitation out without stuttering his words and as much as Kara wants to be nice and mingle with her classmates one more time, she needs to summon the strength to turn him down. “I mean…if you want. I’m sure you have better things to do, but I thought we could…well maybe we could hang out.” His face is beet red from the effort.
“Thanks, Winn,” she says softly, almost regretting the tone when she can literally see his hopes rise, “but I have plans with my sister. I’m leaving town tomorrow to spend the summer with my cousin, so I want to get in as much time with her as I can.” She watches as he deflates. “But thank you for the invitation,” she reaches out and squeezes his fingers. “I really appreciate it.”
“N-n-no worries, Kara,” he says quickly, averting his eyes to displace his embarrassment. “I hope you h-have a nice summer…and good luck…in college.”
He’s gone before she can respond and she just sighs.
He’s a nice guy. If only she liked nice guys.
Or…guys…in general.
She bangs her head lightly against the gray metal of her locker.
“That can’t be beneficial…for anyone really,” she hears a melodic voice say from behind her and Kara nearly swallows her tongue.
“Miss…Miss Grant!” she exclaims as she bolts upright, dropping every book in her hand across the shiny floor. The tiny woman takes a step back as Kara stoops to retrieve her things. “Um...it’s not. Not beneficial at all. It’s stupid,” she flounders for words as she picks up her books and can feel the heat creeping up her neck. “Sorry,” she blurts when she rises and sees the amused smirk on the older woman’s face. “Um…I really enjoyed your talks in Honors English, Miss Grant,” she attempts to recover some dignity. “But I didn’t think you were still coming to campus.”
The blonde smiles and reaches out a hand to lean against the row of lockers, drawing Kara’s eyes to the bare length of her arm, the stylish bangles hanging loosely on her thin wrist and back across to the curve of her neck. The sleeveless blouse she’s wearing is modest, but leaves just enough skin exposed to drive more heat into Kara’s face.
“Just here for your commencement, Miss Valedictorian,” the woman teases. “Miss Humphrey asked me to say a few words,” she sighs wistfully. “I really did enjoy talking with all of you this semester. Gives me a break from the newspaper.”
Kara gawks. Cat Grant. Editor in chief and owner of the Midvale Journal has been the sole tormentor of her thoughts for the majority of her senior year. It’s amazing she’s even passed a single class with the vibrant woman nearby, much less been named the valedictorian. “I’m…I’m really glad, Miss Grant,” she manages to say with a smile that she hopes isn’t creepy. “I learned a lot. English isn’t my greatest subject, but you helped to make it really interesting.”
Cat gives her a close-lipped, adorable smile that Kara can’t help but return. “I’m glad, Kara,” she says softly. “Now, run along darling,” she says with a whimsical flick of her fingers. “Don’t be late for your own party,” she winks as she passes the girl, giving her a quick pat on the arm and Kara can swear she almost passes out.
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“She touched me, Alex,” Kara whispers fiercely, “right here!” She points to her left arm…and pokes…then dissolves into giggles and leans against her older sister as she laughs.
“I’m cutting you off, lush,” Alex laughs as she puts an arm around her. “I knew you couldn’t hold your booze.” They’re lounging comfortably on the walkway of the Midvale city water tower…a Danvers family tradition that she wouldn’t dare break. Jeremiah brought her up here the night of her high school graduation, just as his dad had done years ago.
Now that he’s gone, Alex swore she’d uphold the tradition for her little sister.
Her lush, little sister.
Kara hiccups. “Can too hold my booze! I carried all that up here,” she dissolves into laughter again at her bad joke. She rolls onto her back on the sleeping bag resting on top of steel grating. “This is so dangerous,” she says on the end of a laugh. “I can’t believe Jeremiah condoned climbing a water tower and getting wasted.” They both fall quiet for a few moments remembering. “I miss him, Alex,” she murmurs. “I know we don’t talk about it and I know I shouldn’t bring it up, but I miss him. He was such a good dad,” she says as she looks to her big sis with tears in her eyes.
“Yeah,” Alex chokes out with a smile. “He definitely was. And he totally brought me up here the night I graduated and got me drunk on Miller Lite.” They laughed. “He got me drunk and got me to admit I had a crush on Susan Vasquez from my senior chemistry class and dared me to leave a letter in her mailbox the next morning telling her how much I liked her.”
“Oh my god,” Kara gasped. “He was such a matchmaker! I remember her! Didn’t she go to Northwestern?”
“She does,” Alex smiles. “We’ve uh…been talking,” she says sheepishly.
Kara sits up at that and smiles so wide Alex thinks it might stick. “That is so cool, Alex,” Kara says gleefully and gives her a sloppy hug. After a minute, she pulls her sister’s face down to meet her own. “Do we have any more beer?” she whispers.
Alex snorts. “Yes, butch. We have more beer.” She hands over another sixer. “Drink up and get ready to tell me more about Miss Perfect Newspaper Editor.”
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“Then there’s the way she rolls her eyes…god, it’s got to be the hottest thing I’ve ever seen,” Kara gushes as she regales the hotness of Cat Grant.
“Rolls her eyes? Really?” Alex asks incredulously.
“Oh god, yes,” Kara hisses. “Like, can you imagine working for her and having that sass directed at you every day?? I wouldn’t last a morning,” she confesses. “I’d implode before lunch.”
“You’ve got it bad, little sister,” Alex laughs. “Really, really bad. In fact, I think you’re in love,” she draws the word out teasingly. She pauses. “In fact, I think in true Danvers fashion, you should somehow let Cat Grant know how much you love her,” she says.
Kara sits up with wide eyes. “Alex, no.”
“Alex, yes,” her older sister says with a wicked smile. She’s on her feet before Kara knows what’s happening, disappearing into the service closet at the base of the water tower. Kara can only watch as she returns with what looks like a paint can? And a brush in the other?
Oh, this can’t end well.
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The next morning, a very spry Eliza Danvers is waiting at the bottom of the water tower for her precious offspring. “Ok, heathens!” she yells as they jump off the bottom rung of the ladder with grimaces on their faces. “I have Gatorade and Tylenol for the drunks and we’re headed to Annie’s for breakfast,” she smiles as she wraps her arms around both of their necks.
She ushers them towards the car but takes a glance upwards and freezes. “Well, Kara, that is one way to get your point across,” she chuckles and pulls her youngest daughter’s head into her chest. “You know, you don’t have to do everything Alex suggests…you know that, right?”
Kara rolls her eyes, which causes a surge of hangover headache to roar back to life. “Yeah, yeah.”
“At least you spelled everything correctly, dear,” Eliza soothes as she tucks them in the back seat and shuts the door. “She had to do it in John Deere Green,” she laughs as she spies the letters scrawled across the water tower…at least three feet high.
Kara loves Cat
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8 years later…
Carter Grant sits in the vet’s office with their newly adopted puppy, Molly. He’s twelve years old and she’s maybe 4 months? At least, that’s what the vet at the rescue place said. She’s timid and shy in front of people and wild and rambunctious at their house…but his mom loves her just as much as he does and he just wants to take as good of care of her as he can. He hopes the vet is nice, because he promised his mom he would do this on his own as much as he could.
“Carter Grant?” he hears his name called before the door even opens the entire way.
“Y-yes? I’m Carter,” he says as he stands. Molly stands too, her lanky legs splayed because the fuzzy hair on her feet causes her to slip.
“Well, hello there!” the friendly woman says as she drops to her knees. Molly runs to her immediately, wiggling and whining a bit to get more attention. Carter laughs. He’s never seen her warm up to anyone like this since they brought her home.
The blonde veterinarian stands up with the puppy’s lanky legs hanging from her arms. “You must be Carter,” she says as she places Molly on the table in front of her. She reaches out one hand carefully to shake his hand but holds on to the pup with the other. “I’m Dr. Danvers,” she says as she meets his eyes. “Why don’t you tell me a little bit about Molly so we can get her all checked out?”
He launches into their very short history quickly, nodding as the doctor tells him about everything she’s checking for. It doesn’t take too long and then Molly’s leash is being tucked back into his hand with kind eyes. “Molly seems very healthy, Carter. And very happy,” she smiles.
“Thanks, Dr. Danvers,” he smiles shyly. “Um, my mom is in the waiting room. Would you mind telling her what you told me? I don’t want to forget anything,” he says sheepishly.
“Sure thing. Let’s go out.”
They make their way down a brightly lit hallway to the almost empty waiting area. One swinging door and Molly is whining to make her way to her second favorite person.
“Mom!” Carter exclaims after letting Molly make her way over. “Everything is good with Molly, but I asked the veterinarian to come and give you the summary too.”
“I’m so glad, darling,” the woman says, rising from her seat after giving Molly more than the appropriate amount of ear scratches and tummy rubs. She finally lifts her eyes to the scrub laden doctor waiting a few steps away…and freezes.
Kara freezes as well, her eyes darting between the same hazel eyes and the same blonde hair, dressed down in jeans and a hoodie that still manage to set her heart on fire… “Miss Grant…” she almost stutters. She takes a few deep breaths to calm her nerves. “Cat,” she finally says with smile.
“Kara Danvers,” the shorter woman says slowly, a smile breaking across her face like a slow surf upon the beach.
Carter suddenly takes interest. “Kara? Ohhh….” He gives a little giggle in his mother’s direction. She breaks the gaze she has set upon the doctor to give him a playful swat.
“Carter, darling, why don’t you take Molly to the car? I’ll be there as soon as I speak with the vet.”
“Sure, mom,” he says knowingly, giving Kara a bit of a funny, pointing look as he backs out the door, Molly nipping at his heels as they run towards the parking lot.
“Cat,” she finally manages to say again. “It’s good to see you again.” Kara literally gulps air into her lungs.
The older woman relaxes. “You too, Kara,” she smiles. “I guess I should have kept up with what was going on with you. I didn’t realize you worked here now,” Cat gestured around the clinic, vaguely referencing Midvale in general.
Kara nods. “I’ve missed it. Eight years of school is long enough to make you want to come home for a while, you know?”
Cat nods. “I bet.” They spend a few moments of awkward silence trying not to look at each other. “Well, I guess I really should be going. Carter and Molly are waiting,” she says quickly.
“I’m sorry!” Kara blurts suddenly, which echoes in the empty waiting room. She shakes her head in remorse. “I am so sorry Miss Grant, if what I did caused you any grief. Honestly, it was just a silly dare and I would definitely take it back if I could and…”
“Kara!” Cat says sternly causing the younger woman’s mouth to snap shut in shock.
Gulp. “Yeah,” Kara asks on an off-breath.
Cat smiles. “It’s fine.”
Kara gulps in another breath of air. “Fine?” she croaks.
A bit of an indulgent smile passes over the older woman’s face. “I’ll admit…it was a bit of a scandal at first…” she cuts playful eyes towards the young doctor, “but I’m not the only Catherine in town, so it was pretty easy to pass off.”
Kara exhales audibly. “Oh, thank god.”
Cat turns at that... “But I’m guessing from your reaction that you weren’t referring to any other…Catherine?” she poses in a quick question.
Another gulp. “Um…” Kara panics. “I…I was…I did…” she huffs out a breath in frustration and closes her eyes. A second later, she feels warm fingers slide around her wrist. She looks down and feels the tension lesson. “It was you,” she whispers.
“Hmmm,” Cat nods.
“I really am sorry,” Kara repeats softly.
Cat’s eyes shift up. “For what?”
Kara shakes her head. “I was young and…drunk…and I embarrassed you.”
Cat shakes her head in laughter.
“What?” Kara asks, trying to keep up.
“I wasn’t embarrassed, Kara,” she confesses. “I was flattered.”
Kara freezes, her brain unable to process the information. “Flattered,” she whispers to herself.
Cat chuckles again as she lets go of the warm skin in her hand. “I need to go, Casanova. Carter and Molly will need dinner soon.”
“Are you still flattered?” Kara asks bravely as she sees the sun setting on the sleepy town. “Because to this day the first thing I see when I look out into Midvale are my words on that water tower,” she waits as Cat’s hand rests upon the front door.
“Maybe. Depends on the day I guess,” Cat confesses as she looks back with a smile. “They’ve tried to scrub it off, you know,” she gestures towards the visible tower through the front door. “Just won’t budge. I can even see it from my balcony.”
“Maybe that’s for a reason,” Kara says as she takes a step closer.
Cat narrows her eyes. “What are you suggesting, Dr. Danvers?”
“Have dinner with me?” she blurts.
She nods, bringing forth an outrageous smile from the young doctor, then smiles and turns back towards the door before she pauses... “One thing, Kara…”
“Yeah?”
“Do NOT try to take me up that water tower…”