A/N : Sorry for the delays in getting a new chapter of this story up, but with all the interconnecting that is going on - it's just dependent on when I get around to certain things, as I think of them flowing in my head.
So this chapter is really seeing the progression of Kitty and Artie's relationship - and I have it where it is in terms of the timeline of everything, because I do think that this is when they really did start to get serious about one another, and see a future with each other; and something as you can see it seems that others maybe be seeing as well.
Anyway, not much else to say; except for thanks for reading and you all know what to do at the end.
Love,
KJ xoxoxoxoxoxoxo
Chapter 4 –
Having not been able to get to Las Vegas, over spring break; since he'd been asked to run a day camp for some of the school children at the local elementary school in Lexington; Artie made the trip over to Las Vegas in the summer holidays, to spend some time with Kitty, and she was then going to fly back to South Carolina with him, once his two weeks in Las Vegas were over, since it would then be that of Marley and Ryder's wedding; both of which them were attending.
Arriving on a flight from South Carolina, at seven o'clock in the evening; he exited the plane, bidding a goodbye to the flight crew who had been attending, and then headed out down the gangway to McCarren International Airport; and hoping that Kitty was there to meet him, after he'd given all the information of when his flight would be in.
Exiting the gangway, and walking through to the passenger pick up lounge, he glanced around in search of the blonde girl, who he was pretty sure he was starting to really fall for; and smiled when he saw, and give a wave to him and with a wave also back to her headed over to where she was.
"Hi" he said, as he approached Kitty; and she in turn looked to him with a smile.
"Hey four eyes" she said, with a smile to him; and Artie gave a laugh.
"You do know that I have had corrective eye surgery, right" he said, as he placed his bag down that he'd taken on as carry luggage. "And the only time now, I wear glasses is if I am reading a lot, or doing up stuff like reports"
"I know" replied Kitty, with a laugh, and gave him a hug. "Think of it as a term of affection then"
"Okay, sure thing Miss Kitty" he replied, with a laugh and tapped her on the nose. "Or maybe I should call you Koneko"
"What now?" asked Kitty, looking to him and shaking her head.
"Koneko" replied Artie, with a smile. "It's Japanese for Kitty"
"Okay, so weird you know that" replied Kitty, with a laugh. "But you are Seb's best friend, so it really doesn't surprise me that you would be weird"
"Thanks" said Artie, with a laugh. "So did we want to get my other bags?" he asked, giving his maybe girlfriend, that he wasn't clear on as to yet; a smile. "And we can head to your place"
"Sure let's do that" said Kitty, with a nod; and Artie picked up his bag from the ground, before taking Kitty's hand with his free hand. "But I booked you a room at the Rampart" she said, and Artie looked to her; his eyes widening. "I thought that was what we'd agreed on, that you would say at the casino I worked at"
"You booked me a room at the casino" said Artie, and Kitty looked at him, giving a small nod. "I don't have the cash for a casino hotel room for two weeks that I'm here"
"Well it's a good thing, I'm just joking then" replied Kitty, with a laugh.
"You're joking" said Artie, with a laugh also; and Kitty nodded. "Thank god for that, because a hotel for two weeks in Vegas; definitely don't have that kind of money"
"I had you there though didn't I" said Kitty, with a smile to him as they neared the luggage claim area and went over to where the bags were going around on the conveyor belt. "You seriously thought, I'd booked a hotel room for you"
"I did, yeah" replied Artie, with a nod; as he saw his bag and grabbed it as it went to go around.
"Is that your only bag?" asked Kitty, and Artie looked to her again with a nod.
"It is" he replied with a smile to her. "And as I am lead to believe I pack a lot less then what you seem to do every time you come back home to South Carolina"
"Yes, well I am a girl" replied Kitty, looking to him with a smile also, as Artie nodded, replying, "So I've noticed", and allowing Kitty to continue talking. "And I also at the time had to be bringing Christmas presents too, so there was that as well"
"Yeah, guess it must be hard being away from your family" said Artie as the two of them started walking again through the crowd of people also arriving in Las Vegas, and out to Kitty's parked car outside. "I know I'd hate living too far away from my parents, being that I am their only kid and all that"
"I guess I do kind of hate being as far from everyone as I am" replied Kitty, looking to Artie, with a small nod of her head. "But I also love what I do as well" she continued, as she got her keys out from her handbag. "So I guess you really can't have it both ways, now"
"I don't know about that" replied Artie, with a laugh. "We both know someone who gave up a really great job, because they missed someone back home, and that's worked out well in the end" he continued with a smile, as Kitty gave a laugh and nod. "And Mik's now got a great job on the network where she worked when there before, and Seb and her are also finally getting married too"
"Yeah, I really can't see the two of them not being with one another" replied Kitty, with a smile also to Artie, as they neared her car; one which was supplied to her by her work. "Even though I did try and push her maybe to give another relationship ago, when she was in San Fran" she continued, as she unlocked the car and opened the back of it. "Her heart is ever only going to belong to Seb"
"And his vice versa to that of her" replied Artie, with a nod, as he placed his bag into the back of Kitty's car. "So what's the plan whilst I'm here?"
"Well I have taken a month off work" replied Kitty, looking to him with a smile, as she went to the drivers side of the car and Artie around to the passengers, both of them getting into the car. "As I've got a lot of leave owning, since I haven't taken much of it; except for over the Christmas break and all that when I have used it" she continued, as she pushed the button to start the engine; and the car starting up, on the Lincoln MKZ that she drove. "So I figured since you'd becoming here, I would take advantage of the time I have"
"I do like the sound of that" said Artie, with a nod. "Getting to spend some time with you; and just you, no one else being around to make comments and stuff, it will be good"
"Yes, well those people are ones to talk" said Kitty, with a laugh, as she looked to the mirrors of her car to make sure they were in the correct position for driving.
"So this is a nice car" said Artie, looking at the interior of it, as Kitty pressing the D button on the dashboard near the steering wheel and getting the car into gear to move.
"Perks of the job" she replied, with a smile. "Certainly better than having to pay off one that I would buy, and it wouldn't be anywhere near as good as this"
"Definitely" said Artie, with a nod as Kitty moved out of the car space and started heading away from the airport. "I totally love that it doesn't have conventional gears, and it's all push button"
"Hmm, me too" she replied with a nod as she steered the car out of the car park. "So I was thinking" she said as she drove, quickly looking to Artie. "We head to the strip before going to my apartment, and then I can show you a little of the Vegas night life, and we can also get something to eat"
"Sure" replied Artie, with his own smile to her. "Sounds good" he continued, with a nod and Kitty continued to drive towards the Las Vegas Strip, with Artie now in her presence; both of them happy to be finally spending some quality time together.
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Having been in Las Vegas for a week with Kitty, and both of them thoroughly enjoying that of one another's company and getting to spend time together, and finding that they did actually have quite a few things in common with one another, that they didn't realize they did.
"That was I got to say, totally awesome way to spend an afternoon" said Artie, as they left the Pinball Museum, where they were able to play some old classic vintage pinball machines. "And I also really impressed at how well you can actually play"
"It's not my first time there" replied Kitty, with a laugh, as they headed over to her car. "One of the guys from work told me about it one day" she continued as she unlocked her car. "And I thought it would be a great way to distress, and it was"
"Yeah, it certainly gets the frustrations away that is for sure" replied Artie, with a laugh also as they got into Kitty's car, and she started it up and put it into gear.
"Yes it does" replied Kitty, with a nod, as she started to drive. "But I do think I prefer some other methods for getting rid of frustrations"
"Yeah totally" replied Artie, looking to her with a smile. "So where to now?"
"Well, we have a few hours before we can grab dinner" said Kitty, as she came to a stop at a red light. "So if there is anything you're wanting to do, or see, we can do that"
"So we're going out for dinner again, tonight?" asked Artie, with a laugh, and looking to him as the light turned green and quickly nodding her head, Kitty started driving once again.
"It's just easier" she replied, as she turned down a street. "And to be completely honest with you, I am not the best cook so I tend to eat out pretty much every night"
"Wait, you don't cook anything ever?" asked Artie, looking to her with a small laugh. "Not even like ramen noodles"
"My culinary skills are limited to probably toast and that's it" replied Kitty with a laugh. "I can practically burn water, in fact I have burned water" she continued with a quick smile to him as she continued to drive. "Just ask anyone in my family what happened when I was left to boil the eggs one morning"
"Do I even want to ask?" asked Artie, with a laugh; and Kitty looked to him shaking her head.
"Let's just say I thought boiling meant you had to let all the water like disappear in the pot" said Kitty, with a smile to him. "And the eggs exploded"
"You're kidding me now, aren't you?" asked Artie, looking to her as Kitty gave a laugh, replying "No"
"Okay, wow" said Artie, with a small laugh. "Just, wow"
"Yeah, so the only thing I ever did when home was cut things" replied Kitty, giving a laugh also. "I was not let near any of the actual cooking of things, because as my mom would say it was like I was cooking dyslexic"
"Hmm okay well tonight then" said Artie, looking to her with a smile. "I am going to cook you dinner, and you're going to help me with it"
"I don't think that is such a good idea" replied Kitty, shaking her head. "I don't know if my apartment is exploding egg proof safe"
"Well it's a good thing we're not going to be cooking eggs then" replied Artie, with a laugh and Kitty laughed as well. "And what I'm going to try and teach you, well it's practically not able to be failed as long as you keep checking it every so often to make sure the stock hasn't evaporated too much"
"Okay, and just what exactly are you going to be trying to teach me to make?" asked Kitty, looking to him with a smile.
"Gumbo" replied Artie, with a nod. "And like I said it can't be possibly something you can fail on"
"It has been a long time since I have had a really good Gumbo" said Kitty, with a nod. "And hopefully you like it spicy"
"There is no other way to have Gumbo's" replied Artie, looking to the girl he was now pretty sure he saw a forever with. "It's just a crime for it not to be spicy"
"Yeah, I went somewhere here and it was on the menu" said Kitty, looking to him with a small laugh. "And it was like where is the chilli, and the heat; because it was like non existent"
"Well, don't worry I'll make sure it's extra hot tonight" replied Artie, with a smile to her; as Kitty gave a nod and smile to him also.
"I'm sure that's not the only thing that will be hot tonight" she said, and with Artie giving a laugh at Kitty's double entendre; the two of them headed to the store to get all the things that Artie would be needing to cook them dinner that night, the two of them finding that of the domestic bliss that they currently had going on with one another to be something ironically that they both really liked.
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Cooking together in Kitty's small and also hardly used kitchen, was something of a fun experience for them both, and certainly also that of a learning curve as well for both to them as well; getting to know that of each other's skill sets and also how they actually worked together as a team too.
"Okay try this and tell me what you think" said Artie, getting a small spoon that was beside him and getting a small amount of the stock that had been boiling with half the vegetables and also the spices in it, after he'd already rubbed the chicken in the same spice mix and browned it in that pot.
"Sure" replied Kitty, with a nod, to him; and tried the sample of the dinner that Artie held out to her. "Wow, that's amazing"
"Really?" he asked, as Kitty gave a smile to him and also another nod. "It's spicy enough for you?"
"Definitely" said Kitty, with a small laugh. "I'd say just the right amount of spice to it"
"Okay, well I also do have to add some Tabasco sauce to it, towards the end of cooking" he replied, with a smile and small laugh also. "So I think it's safe to say it will be very spicy still at the end"
"Yes" said Kitty, with a nod, as Artie added back into the pot the browned chicken and also the spicy sausage as well. "And along with the grilled corn that will do later and the bread that we bought at the store" he continued, with a smile to Kitty as he placed the lid on to the pot and turned the stove down to a simmer. "It's going to be a pretty nice meal"
"It will be" said Kitty, with a smile also. "Think I need to be keeping you around if you can cook like this"
"Well I got to say you've proved yourself to be that of a worthy assistant" said Artie, with a laugh. "And you're not as bad as cooking at you make out you are to be"
"I don't think it's wise to risk it though" said Kitty, with a laugh also. "But anytime you want assistance in the kitchen with some of the easier things, then sure I can help out"
"Okay, yeah" replied Artie, with a smile to her. "I'm sure you'd be able to find even simple recipes on Pinterest that you could do, when I'm not here" he continued, as the two of them walked over to the sofa in Kitty's apartment and sat down on it. "I follow Mikki and Ellie, and also Linda on there; and they have some pretty simple recipes saved, that I'm sure you'd be able to pull off"
"Maybe" replied Kitty, with a nod; as she got her phone from where she placed it on the table earlier, when they'd come back home. "But if it's one thing that Mik and Marls got that I didn't get, it was the cooking gene" she laughed. "So I'm not even going to attempt anything either of them would pin"
"Yeah okay" said Artie, with a laugh. "So what's your user name on there, maybe I can give you a follow"
"Want to see what I like, huh?" asked Kitty, with a laugh; and Artie looked to her with a smile and nod as he took his own phone from out of her jeans pocket.
"Well you are more than welcome to follow me back" he replied, with a smile to her. "And also as well if I do see any really simple recipes, then it's an easy way for me to send them to you"
"True, but again; I can't see myself actually doing any cooking if you're not around" she replied, with her own smile to him. "And as for my user name on there, it's KatieBeth"
"KatieBeth?" asked Artie, with a small chuckle as he went into the app that he had on his phone, and searched for Kitty's account. "Why that, and not just your name?"
"Don't want people to be able to easily find me" she replied, with a small shrug. "And it was more so that because my last name is Kapowski, and Mik's on tv and she had that name at one point; with it being not all that common" she continued, with a small sigh. "I'd get creeps trying to friend me on Facebook, Twitter and other social sites, so I made myself very private where I use my real name, and upped the security on them; and the others I just use an alias like KatieBeth"
"Okay is this you?" asked Artie, turning his phone towards Kitty; and looking at the screen she nodded as Artie smiled and hit follow for her account. "So guessing Katie, is a variation of Katherine?" he asked, as Kitty nodded as she went to her own Pinterest app and seeing it said Artie had followed her, followed him back also. "But not getting the Beth part"
"My middle name is Elizabeth, so it's from there" she replied with a smile to him; as Artie gave a nod.
"Katherine Elizabeth Kapowski" he said, with a smile. "Well that I did not know was your middle name"
"And now you do" replied Kitty, with a laugh. "What about you?" she asked, with a smile to him. "I know your actual first name is Arthur" she continued, as Artie gave a nod. "But what about middle name?"
"Richard John" he replied, with a small laugh. "Arthur Richard John Abrams"
"You have two middle names?" asked Kitty, with a laugh; as Artie gave a nod.
"Yeah, my parents named me Arthur, after my great grandfather on my mom's side; and then Richard and John, were my dad's great grandfather, and then his great great grandfather" he replied. "So hence why I definitely prefer Artie"
"Yeah, I mean I haven't really gotten to know your parents yet" replied Kitty, looking to him. "But why would they inflict that kind of name upon you?"
"I guess I do like that I know my name has a meaning behind it" said Artie, with a small smile to her. "But it is also quite a lot to write on any forms I have to fill in, and also as well if I were to sign my name with the R and the J it would also be quite long too" he continued. "So that it probably why I just stick with A Abrams when signing"
"Yeah try signing Kapowski, it's just not an easy name at all to sign when you're wanting to join" replied Kitty, with a laugh. "So hence why my signature is that of almost a mere squiggle mess"
"Hey, as long as no one can copy it, then it's all good" replied Artie, with a laugh as well; as Kitty nodded.
"So how long is this dinner going to take?" asked Kitty, looking to him with a smile. "Because it smells so amazing and is making me really hungry"
"It needs to simmer for about an hour and half" replied Artie, with a nod. "And then after that and added the stuff we got to add into it, about another thirty minutes on top of that"
"Okay, so do we want to watch something for a bit whilst it cooks?" asked Kitty, as she grabbed the remote control for her television and turned it on. "What sort of stuff do you like to watch?"
"Bit of everything really" replied Artie, with a smile to her; as Kitty went into her Netflix app on the television and the two of them watched some things together, before continuing to add to the Chicken Gumbo that was cooking, and it could then later be eaten.
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Spending two weeks, in Las Vegas enjoying that of one another's company; and then having to head to South Carolina for the upcoming wedding of Marley and Ryder, they knew that their little bubble of just the two of them would soon be broken, since there were that of many other people around who would be taking up their time and also be on the lookout to see just what their relationship actually was. And whilst not having defined it officially between that of each other, they did both see each as that of a boyfriend or girlfriend; rather than just someone who was that of a friend, they kind of both knew they saw one another as that.
Having gotten in from Las Vegas, the evening before and gone to Artie's place in Lexington; they were now driving to Sebastian and Mikki's house, agreeing to go around to that of their best friend and sister duo's place for dinner.
"So this is the first time you've seen their place, right?" asked Artie, as he headed into the direction of where the two of them lived.
"It is, in person" replied Kitty, looking to him with a nod. "But I did insist that Mikki give me like a video walk through not long after she and Seb moved in via Skype"
"Hmm, and what did you think of the place?" asked Artie, as he pulled into the street that would lead to that of Mikki and Sebastian's house.
"Really nice" said Kitty, as he turned into the drive of his best friend's house; and pulling up behind that of Mikki's Hyundai Tuscon that she now drove. "Okay who's car is that?" she asked with a laugh, looking to the car they pulled up behind, that was parked in the drive next to car that she knew to be Sebastian's one.
"That would be your older sister's car" replied Artie, with a laugh. "She not tell you, that she had to get a new one?"
"No, she did not" said Kitty, shaking her head. "But then again I do remember her saying something about her car being serviced when she was over in California not that long ago"
"Well that was when she got a new one" said Artie, with a smile to her. "Because Bert found that the old car, had a crack in the head gasket"
"That then makes sense as to why new one then" replied Kitty, with a nod; as the two of them got out of Artie's car, a 2014 Toyota Corolla. "But as to why it's such a big car, well that's just crazy" she continued, shaking her head as they walked up to the front door of Sebastian and Mikki's house. "Now both her and Seb have massive cars"
"They do, yeah" replied Artie, with a laugh. "However it does make sense, when you think about it" he continued as he pushed the doorbell to let them know that they had arrived. "Because I honestly think in probably another year from now, maybe a bit longer, that they will have had a baby"
"Oh definitely" said Kitty, with a nod. "I'm honestly surprised they haven't had one already, since getting back together"
"Yeah" said Artie, with a smile to her; as the front door to the house opened and Sebastian stood on the other side.
"Hi, you guys made it" he said, looking to them both with a smile. "Come on in"
"Thanks, hi" replied Artie with a smile to his best friend, as Sebastian stepped aside to let the two of them walk into the house, and he then closed the door.
"Yeah, good to see you again, Seb" said Kitty, with a smile, to him; and Sebastian nodded giving that of his soon to be sister in law a hug.
"You too, Kits" he replied, with a smile also. "You're treating my best friend, properly right?"
"She's treating me just fine" said Artie, with a laugh. "And speaking of getting treated properly?" he asked with a smile. "Where is Mik?"
"Upstairs" replied Sebastian, with a smile to him. "She was just putting away the laundry, when you guys rocked up"
"And my fiancé never does a damn thing when it comes to that" said Mikki, as she walked from down the stairs, and over to where the others were; wrapping her arms around that of Sebastian's waist, placing a kiss to his cheek with a smile. "Don't know why I put up with him"
"You were the one who yelled down at me to go and get the door" replied Sebastian, looking to her with a smile and tapping her on the nose. "And we all know damn well that you can't live without me"
"Hmm sad, but so true" replied Mikki, with a laugh; and looked to her sister and also old friend. "So do I even want to ask how it was for two weeks in Vegas, alone for the both of you?"
"If you value your life" replied Kitty, with a smile to her sister. "And you and Seb want to marry soon" she continued, as Mikki gave a nod. "Then I'd be not asking"
"Sure" said Mikki, with a laugh and took her arms from around Sebastian's waist. "So do you want to have a proper tour of the house" she asked, going over to her sister and giving her a quick hug; one that Kitty returned, before linking her arm up with her sister. "Since the only one you've had is a quick Skype walkthrough"
"Sure, yeah" replied Kitty, with a nod; and giving a quick smile to each Sebastian and Artie, the two of them walked off away from the two males.
"So, that's going to take them forever" said Sebastian, with a laugh. "Want a beer and we play a bit of a video game"
"Sounds, like a plan yeah" replied Artie, with a nod and smile to his best friend.
"Okay awesome" said Sebastian, with a nod also, as the two of them headed into the second living area of the house, where Mikki and Sebastian had gotten another television, solely for that of watching movies and playing games; before later on Mikki cooked dinner for the four of them, which they ate before Kitty and Artie returned to his place in Lexington.
End Note: I'd already pretty much established in my notes that I go to massive lengths of writing, so I can plan out the stories; just where the dynamic with Kitty and Artie really did shift, going from that of being friends who had spoke a lot before the others knew about them, to then 'hooking up' over New Years, to where they are now, and kind of realizing, well this is definitely the person I do want my forever with.
And I think it was important for them to have that time that is just the two of them together, and getting to know one another just that little more; which clearly they hadn't really got a proper chance to do.
Not sure where the next chapter will lead me yet; I tend to really go with the flow on the connecting of all these stories up, but I do vaguely have a really good idea of what I do want it to be, so until then; thanks for reading and I will catch you on the flip side!
Love,
KJ xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo