Chapter 1:
It's after six and he still stuck around at the hospital, he didn't want be late.
Not tonight.
Kate said she had made him a special dinner, and he looked forward to it. Lately things were great; Jack was almost scared to think about how good they were for fear of jinxing their happiness. They've been engaged for a month, and even though the date hadn't been set yet, Kate was already planning the whole thing. Their house was now full of brochures with possible venues, various bridal magazines and also brochures for possible places to go on their honeymoon. He smiled at himself; he still couldn't believe that after what they had been through finally the good star was on their side. He finished his last charter and headed out of the hospital; he couldn't wait to be home. The traffic was terrible at this hour but he needed to go downtown and pick something up for her. Jack didn't know why but he had a feeling Kate was going to tell him something important, he just couldn't quite put his finger on it. He also wanted to surprise her too. He stops by the florist, he wants to pick her up some roses, but then something come to his mind and he rapidly changes his order. He knows it's an odd request but luckily the florist doesn't let him down and gives him what he wants. It takes him another half hour to finally get home but he's too happy to even care. As soon as he enters the house he spots Kate cooking, he quickly sneaks up behind her and gently kisses her neck.
She was shocked; she was so focused on making the dinner that she didn't realize Jack had come home. Kate gives him a little kiss, "You're finally home! I was starting to think you ditched me for my bad cooking skills," she says as she begins to serve the dinner. Jack begins to help her, "Sorry babe, I closed my last charter at six and was stuck in traffic. Dinner smells good, I hope it tastes half as good as it smells." Kate gently pushes him, "You don't get to laugh at my cooking skills, and you do know you'll be stuck with me forever, right?"
The dinner is on the table and Kate lights the two candles. They're ready to eat. They start to make small talk, asking how each others days had been. Kate has done her usual errands and has tried to come up with a date for the big day while Jack has been stuck in the O.R. all morning; later being busy with paper work. Soon dinner is over and Kate convinces Jack to go in the living room to watch some TV while she finishes doing the dishes.
She has to get him out of the room, she wasn't done preparing the gift yet and she didn't want to see her surprise ruined.
She quickly finishes and puts all the plates in the dishwasher. Grabbing the cheesecake and the gift, she heads out into the living room. Jack looks half asleep. Kate is really worried because he's been working so much lately so that he would be able to take more days off for their honeymoon. She lays the desert and the gift on the table and turns the television off. He had been watching Friends. "He must have been really tired to fall asleep watching his favorite show," she says to herself not wanting to wake him. Jack opens his eyes anyway, "Hey, I didn't mean to wake you up," Kate says in almost a whisper. "Don't worry. I wouldn't have missed dessert for any reason!" he quickly replies. Kate cuts him a big piece, cutting a smaller slice for herself. Jack quickly devours the slice. It's his favorite dessert and she has been getting really good at making it. When they finish Kate puts the present in from of him, a surprised look on his face. Jack had thought that Kate wanted to tell him something, a present wasn't something he had imagined. "A present? Well, luckily I have something for you too" he says as he gets up, looking for his gift. It was in the pocket of his jacket, he takes it hoping that she won't throw it back at him. Jack puts his present next to hers, "Kate, I want you to open your gift first. If you don't like it, please don't throw it at me" he says laughing. Kate wants to laugh too, knowing that her present isn't the kind that can be easily thrown back at her. "Jack, I'd never throw it back at you, no matter how ugly it can be" she says trying to hide her nerves. It's almost time for the truth. She slowly opens the gift; in it are a bunch of seeds. Kate grins from ear to ear as she recognizes what kind of seeds they are, guava seeds, like the ones he brought her almost 3 years ago as a peace offering after a fight they had. Jack is a bit more relaxed now; at least he can clearly tell his little gift is appreciated. "It's for our garden," he tells her, "And what's a garden without guava, right?" Kate answers him by quoting what he said when he had first given her the seeds. Now it's Jack's turn, silently asks for permission to open the gift. Kate doesn't her trust her voice, so she simply nods. As Jack slowly begins to open it, the contents leave him a little puzzled. "It's a baby sock," Jack says as he holds it in his hand, staring at it for a minute before it finally dawns on him. "Kate, are you pregnant?"