Quick Brunch
Kate fidgeted with the hem of her summer dress as she waited outside of the small, quaint restaurant for her friend to arrive. She had called Maddy almost a week ago, but it had taken a few days for their schedules to open-up and coincide.
"Hey, Becks! Thanks for holding the table!"
Kate jumped a little as her friend exclaimed her arrival and approached from out of her peripheral, but quickly pasted a hasty smile to cover any possible sign of distress.
"I'm glad you could make it."
"I'm sorry it took me so long to get a time that would work. I'm in the process of opening up a second restaurant, after the success of Q3, and it's been crazy hectic! But, what about you? I haven't heard from you since the last time you were shot."
Kate tensed at the mention of her run-in with LockSat, and instinctually gripped at the cloth over the scar that now marred her stomach. It had almost been a year since her and Castle were shot in their loft, but through rigorous rehab they had both made it out together.
"Rick just finished up his final session with the physical therapist almost a month ago and, well, I kinda have some news."
Kate bit her lip and blushed as her friend looked at her over her menu. Maddy's eyes squinted as she quickly assessed her from across the table.
"Could this news be the reason you needed to meet for brunch as soon as possible, Captain Beckett?" her friend asked, with a twist of sass.
Beckett took a sip of her water, but couldn't hide the smile.
"There may have been an ulterior motive to just catching up."
Before Maddy could respond, the waiter arrived and asked what they'd like. Kate ordered the eggs benedict, light on the hollandaise sauce, and Maddy ordered the strawberry crepes.
"Oh, and two mimosas, please," Maddy added with a smile and a quick hand-off of her menu.
"Uh, only….one mimosa. I'm good with my water."
The waiter smiled and walked away allowing Kate to finally sweep her eyes back to her friend across the table. Maddy's eyes were wide in shock, and her hand had come up to hide her open mouth.
"Kate."
"Castle and I just had our first appointment to corroborate the other day. I've only told a few people, but I knew you'd want to know as soon as I could find a nice way to tell you."
"Kate."
"I had wanted to tell you the day I called, but you seemed so insistent about catching up at brunch that it could wait a few days."
"Oh my gosh, Kate."
"Maddy, I'm pregnant."
Maddy broke into a fabulous grin and let out a small squeal of immense joy.
"You're pregnant!"
"I'm pregnant!" Kate could feel her chest squeeze with happiness, and she would bet that her smile was just as wide as her friend's.
"Oh, Kate. This is amazing! I'm so happy for you and Rick, oh my gosh! Oh—my gosh! You're going to have little Castle babies! Ha! I was right!"
Kate let out a deep laugh at the reminder of what her friend had said all those years ago—almost felt like a lifetime since that murder case and her current life.
"Yes you were right, but it's only one. Nothing plural about it just yet."
"Oh don't worry, there will be more."
"Geez, Maddy let me at least have this one first."
Maddy and her laughed for a minute again and then Kate felt a gentle hand squeeze hers from across the table.
"But in all seriousness, Kate, I am so happy for you. After everything you've been through you deserve to be happy."
Kate gripped Maddy's hand and suddenly felt the sting of tears in her eyes at Maddy's simple statement. She smiled again, even though she could still feel the tears gathering in her eyes.
"I have never been happier."
