The next few weeks passed without event. Kat was doing better in her classes but she was still going to have to go to summer school to make up for what she had missed. Chris was expelled for his act of 'aggravated violence towards a student'. Her father was being understanding but she could tell the pregnancy really bothered him. The more weight she gained the more she could see it in his face. She could see the disappointment even though he tried to hide it.
The nursery was starting to take shape. The ghosts had supplied most of the furniture. Casper and her had finally made up. Casper seemed to except what Kat had done. In side he had struggled with it.
Over the last few weeks Kat had no idea how Casper would treat the baby. At first she thought it would think of it as a little brother or sister. She got her answer in the middle of the night at end of June. It was hot and she was sleeping in a light night gown and only had a light sheet covered her. Her eyes were closed as she was trying to sleep.
She heard Casper leave the room and return a few minutes later. He was in the habit of drinking water at night during the heat. She was almost asleep when she felt a hand on her stomach. The cold of it told her it was a ghost. She of course knew it was Casper. He was the only one of them that would touch her.
"Hi there little guy," he whispered. "I hope you are girl. We have too many boys here already."
Kat was laughing inside. She never understood why people talked to a pregnant woman's stomach.
"You're Father isn't around darling," he said still rubbing her tummy. "You need a daddy though. I want to be your Daddy and I'm going to do my best."
That caused Kat to open her eyes and look up at Casper. He jumped back in shock.
"Casper," she said sitting up. "What are you doing?"
"Oh Kat," he said smiling at her. "I was just..."
"I heard you," Kat sighed. "Look I know you like the baby very much. I know you've done a lot. I love all the gifts you've given me. It's just...there is no way you can be the baby's father."
"Why not?" he demanded.
"You are child," she said. "You act like a child. You are one in soul. You just can't handle it."
That angered Casper. He was sick of being treated like a child. It took a lot to set off his temper but Kat was pushing it. He lay down next to her and kissed her. She gasp in surprise. It felt so strange and cold. His hands were on her.
"Please Kat," he begged. "Let me show you that I'm grown."
Kat moaned at the sensation. It was like someone was slowly moving an ice cube along her skin.
"No!" she cried suddenly trying to move away. "This isn't right Casper."
He didn't move away from her. Kat twisted away and kicked. Her foot knocked down the lamp off her beside table and knocked it to the floor. The crash yanked Casper out of his mood. He looked down at Kat.
"I'm sorry," he said. "I'm just so angry. I love you Kat and all I want to finally grow up and have a family."
"What the hell is going on here?" Came Stretch's voice.
He floated into the room and looked from Casper to Kat. He then noticed the broken lamp on the floor. Casper was looking at Kat with a pleading look. She knew he was begging her not to tell his uncle what he had done.
Kat didn't know what to do. She knew Casper wasn't in his right state of mind but she also knew it wasn't right to lie about it. She was almost ready to explain it when Casper beat her to it.
"I stepped over the line," he explained floating away towards the door. "I'm sorry. I'll sleep somewhere else."
Stretch looked on in shock as Casper floated away. Had he heard him right?
"Casper made advances?" Stretch asked.
Kat was surprised that Stretch said it so delicately. She guessed it was because of the time era he had grown up in.
"You could say that," Kat said covering herself up with the sheet again.
"That boy is going to get it," he growled heading for the door.
"No," Kat cried. "Please don't. I've put him through too much."
"What have you put him through?" Stretch asked.
"I guess I've been leading him on for years," she said looking out the balcony windows.
"Well it wasn't right still," he said. "He'll still be punished."
"Who told you to keep an eye on me?" Kat asked suddenly.
"What?" he asked surprised by the question.
"The night you saved me from Chris you said that you promised someone you'd keep an eye on me," Kat explained. "Who was it and why?"
She was grateful to Stretch. If it hadn't been for him she could have really gotten hurt. Without a word Stretch sat down on the bed.
"I just wish I knew who it was," she said. "Whoever it was had a really good idea and they asked the right person."
That statement surprised stretch. He turned to look at her. Without a word he patted her leg, got up from the bed, and walked from the room. It left Kat in a state of confusion. For some reason she felt pulled to stretch. His sudden kindness and concern for her warmed her heart. Even though he hide his kind heart Kat could see it was there. Even though he still picked on her and teased her she could tell it was a front.
Somewhere deep down she was starting to fall in love with him.