Chapter 14, Connection

Days went by. Yes, jack was making more of an effort than usual, coming home no later than nine thirty. But again Kate was longing for human warmth, for more than friendship, for… No nothing, she was great.

It was Thursday. She had cleaned the house, walked the dog and comeback home.
Sitting on the couch, half watching a soup opera that she secretly despised but watched anyway, she was bored. No other word for it… just bored.

Kate sat in her daze... all of a sudden her bag started vibrating; she snapped back to life and searched for her mobile. Why is it that when you need something else your mobile's in the way but when you want you're mobile it's impossible to find it?
She took the phone and looked at the screen. Her heart skipped a beat.

Sawyer.

Her number was saved since when she called him! Just what Kate needed. Deciding not to torture herself she pressed the red phone button more times than was necessary. Breathing out a sigh of relief she sank into the sofa... but to Kate's true annoyance her phone rang again.

Sawyer. Again.

Kate only picked up out of anger.
"Can you leave me alone? Or have I got my own personal stalker now? And can you please delete my number?!"
"Wowa freckles! Feisty! I'm getting more and more interested in how your mind works!" The familiar voice answered. He sounded somewhat surprised, probably expecting her to fall back into being a, what did he call it? A sweet, stick to the sidewalk kinda girl.
"Well as I said before I'm not as predictable as you thought."
"No, I see that. Guess that means you're not a boring surgeon's wife."
"Well you're not exactly bland yourself."
"Why thank you, kind lady." He overplayed. "Me and you: outsiders. Well, you really don't sound like you fit into a perfect married woman's life. Those sorta girls take all kindsa shit, then apologize for it. But you cupcake, don't seem to be one to take shit or to take any unnecessary blame. But what I don't get is how you've managed to still keep you're sweet lilttle housewife image up… Freckles, you're something else."
Kate was amazed at that. He was reading her! These were thoughts she had kept somewhere deep inside her. Not even admitting them to herself!
"You sound a bit of a misfit too," Kate laughed.
"Well then, I guess we have a connection."

Chapter 15, The Serious Man of Science

That same day, Kate waited desperately for Jack. The conversation she'd had with Sawyer: after being so angry at him she still slipped back into a flirty talk… She needed to prove something to herself; she needed to prove Jack could be charming, could flirt and that they still had the spark to their relationship. Waiting for him made it seem like it was days. She busied herself making a romantic dinner: a two course meal with a candle and wine. Kate was never much of a cook but she had taught herself the ways of a wife and one of the top abilities had to be cooking.

Jack came home at later than what he kept trying since the argument; he came at ten. But Kate still wanted the romantic dinner. She wouldn't give up so easily!
"Hey honey" Kate said rapping her arms around Jack's neck, leaning in for a kiss. He kissed her but it was just a peck on the lips.
"You're in a good mood tonight Kate."
"Guess so, look what I made!" Kate said dragging Jack by the hand into the dining room.
"Aw Kate, thanks, you shouldn't have…" Jack sounded happy enough. Kate was pleased.
As they sat down to eat the first course (salad) Kate kept trying to start up a flirty banter.
"How was work? Did you miss me?" She said, pouting.
"Well a girl with an asthma attack was brought in today I had to use albuterol: a bronchodilator used on asthma patients and patients having bronchial spasms to dilate the bronchia and improve breathing…"
Kate sighed. She had no chance of understanding what he's talking about.
After Jack finished his ramblings about medicine, using jargon that sounded like a foreign language, he started paying attention to the food.
"So Jack, did you pick up any girls on the way from work?" Kate was trying to get a flirtatious answer out of him.
Would it work?
"Huh?"
No it wouldn't work.
"Because many women would notice you: you're hot! What can you do?"
"Kate, I appreciate the food, it's just what's got into you?" Jack answered frowning, "This isn't you."
Kate gave up. No use, the man was serious and had misunderstood who Kate was. Yes she could be adventurous, flirty and outgoing if she got the chance. They ate the rest of their meals exchanging some boring details of their day (Kate obviously left out her conversation with Sawyer). Jack was a serious man, Kate thought, Jack was a serious man of science.