Chapter Eleven
When they got back to the apartment building, Katie first went to back to Martin's to put the stroller away since they might not need it. After locking Martin's door, Katie went to the garage to get Sara and herself into her car to drive to Long Island to tell Martin what had happened.
A half hour later, when Katie finally reached the Tolands's house. When she pulled into the driveway, Katie turned to Sara to see if she is still napping. Katie smiled when she saw her baby girl. Sara looked a little awake but still napping. To see if that is true, Katie called out the sleepy child's name. "Sara. We're here." said Katie in a soft but loud enough to hear voice. A moment later, Sara's little brown eyes had opened up, stretched out her arms and now staring at Katie. With a smile on her face, Katie told Sara that they are here at the Tolands and the both of them are going in so Auntie Katie can talk to Daddy while Sara will be with her cousins Jamie, Allison, and Ava. During the talk, Sara give that cute little smile of her. She did that because Sara like them when Martin introduced her to them two weeks ago and they had Ava who is the same age as herself so it was always fun there.
After seeing that smile, Katie unlocked the door, got out, and went to the back of the car to get Sara out. When she finally got Sara out, Katie carried her goddaughter in her arms and walked to the front door of the Tolands. The moment they got to the door, Katie knocked on the door and right away, the door was opened and in front of Katie and Sara was Jamie.
Jamie looked at both of them and with a smile, she hug Katie and said to her, "Hi, Katie. How you are doing. I hadn't seen you like in three months." The last time they saw each other was last December when Katie went over Martin's place to asked for something and Jamie and Allison was there, visiting for the day. With a smile on her face, Katie told Jamie that she is doing well since the last time they saw each other and like to catch up on things but she is here to talk to Martin about something. Jamie smiled at her and out of nowhere, a voice came out.
When the voice came out, Katie and Jamie looked around them to see who it is? It didn't lasted that long. Right away, they saw the person who did it. It was Sara. They knew it was Sara by seeing her waving her little hand at Jamie and smiling real wide. "Hi. Cousin Jamie." said Sara who is staring at the both of them. Jamie waved back and helped Katie put Sara down. The moment Sara's feet reached the hardwood floors of the front hall, Jamie went down to Sara's level and told her that Ava is playing in the den with Allison and should go over to them while Katie talk to Martin. With a smile on her little face, Sara ran over to the den to be with Ava and Allison. Right after Sara, Jamie and Katie followed.
Once they got to the den, Sara founded Ava who is doodling in coloring books with Allison who is at home this weekend from college. Katie smiled when Sara ran to Ava and begin to talk about things that little girls talks about and moments later, Ava put an open book in front of her and Sara begin coloring in them with crayons that belonged to Ava. Katie knew right away that Sara will be very busy while she was gone. Jamie saw that smile, and turned to Katie that she better find Martin before Sara will noticed that you are still here. Katie nodded at Jamie, agreeing at that. Jamie saw the nod and right away, she went over to the french doors on the other side of the den which leads to the backyard which contains Martin. Katie followed her.
A few seconds later, Jamie was at the french doors, looking through them to see if anyone is there? Right away, Jamie stepped away from the door and begin to turned the door knob on one of the doors to get outside. Once the door was opened, Jamie went outside to find Martin. From inside, Katie can hear their voices. "Marty. Are you here?" yelled Jamie. "Yeah, Jamie. I'm here." answered Martin. "Marty. Katie and Sara are here." said Jamie. "They're here? Where are they?" asked Martin. "Sara is with Ava and Allison in the den and Katie is right outside the doors." answered Jamie. For a while, Katie is not sure that the person looking straight at her was either Jamie or Martin but from seeing that smile was certainly Martin.
Moments later, Martin asked his cousin something. "Jamie. Can you bring Katie over right before this door frame is starting to fall on me?" asked Martin. Right away, Jamie told Marty sure and is going to bring Katie over. After hearing that, the door was little open and peeked through the little space was Jamie's head. With a smile on her face, Jamie told her that she can come over now. Katie asked Jamie where is Martin at? "Marty is at mom's greenhouse." answered Jamie, talking about the house that holds Martin's beloved Aunt Bonnie's passion of gardening. Katie smiled at her and told her thanks. Jamie smiled back, opened the door a little so Katie can go outside to talk to Martin about what had happened at the playground.
Once Katie got outside, she walked over to the greenhouse to find Martin. A few seconds later, Katie had founded him. Well, a part of him. Right in front of her was a very good view of Martin's butt. Seeing that Martin got the door frame under control, Martin had bended down to see if there is no gap between the grass and the wood frame which had revealed that once in a lifetime screening of his ass. From seeing that ass in those tight blue jeans of his, Katie was starting to think that a big amount of drool is coming out of her mouth and wanting to grab it before it was too late but Katie had stopped it right away. "Katie. STOP IT!! Don't drool when Martin is like inches away from you. He will noticed. Don't even do a grab. He will definitely noticed. That's it. Start picturing Jack's butt." thought Katie but a second later, Katie made a weird face. "Now THAT is disgusting. I don't want to picturing that ever again!!" To stop this whole thinking, Katie sightly shook her head around and went over to talk to Martin.
When she got over to him, Katie cleared her voice and said to Martin, "Martin. Can I talk to you about something?" After saying that, Martin turned around and flashed those blue eyes and that smile and answered back, "Sure. What is it?" Putting her hands and criss-crossing them, Katie got down to a squat and worriedly said to Martin, "I saw Sara's mother today." Hearing that question, Martin was furiously. When Sara's mother had came to the picture? Isn't she was gone all of Sara's life? Martin knew that the mother was alive but he not even sure that was true. Truthfully, from hearing Katie's worried voice, it was true. Sara's birth mother was truly here in New York.
Wanting to know more, Martin turned to Katie, got closer to her, and asked her where she saw Sara's birth mother. With those pale blue eyes of her, Katie answered Martin's question, "I saw her at the playground at Central Park earlier this afternoon. She came over to me and told me that she wanted Sara back." Now wanting to know how Katie responded to that, Martin put one of his arms around Katie's shoulder and asked her that question. Katie felt a little comfortable when Martin did that and right away she said to him, "I told her to stay away from you and Sara and if she didn't, I will arrest her because I knew if Sara went with her, something bad could happen and I don't want that to happen at all." After that explanation, Katie felt the tears coming down her face.
Martin saw those and with no tissue anywhere, Martin put his friend's head under his chin and told her that everything will be okay while Katie can cried on his jacket. After a few minutes, Katie had stopped crying, looked up to Martin, and asked him if anything she just did then had just changed how he felt about her? With a smile on her, Martin told her that nothing had changed between them but it is a good thing that Katie had told him right away instead of later when the mother of his child will start doing something to had Sara back. Katie smiled at that and Martin did the same thing.
Moments later, Martin asked Katie if there is anything he should know about her, Sara's mother. Right away, Katie told him everything about her from her name to where she came from to her bitchiness to her huge drinking problem which is the biggest reason why Katie don't let her had Sara. Wanting to know about that, Martin wanted to ask her about that. Right away, Katie wanted to tell him about the incident that had happened when Sara was only six months old but had no idea how to start that story. Martin saw the face Katie make when she had no idea where to begin and he had to think of a way so she can say about it without any worrying.
After a few minutes for thinking, Martin had an idea. They can go into the kitchen. That particular place had always given him comfort ever since he was a kid. Aunt Bonnie always baked desserts like cakes, pies, and snickerdoddles there and the room was so warm and you can be yourself there. Plus you are surrounded by food. Like him, Katie also like to eat and could be nice there. Just talking about between snickerdoddles and lemonade. The thought of it is also making Martin's stomach growls. To tell Katie that, with a smile on his face, Martin asked her that they should go to the kitchen to talk about it. Thinking that Martin is probably wanting a snack, Katie agreed with it and right away, Martin helped Katie get up and walked over to one of the french doors that leads into the kitchen so they can talk while mingling on baked goods and lemonade.
When they got to the warm and sunny kitchen, Martin went over to the cookie jar to see if there is any snickerdoddles. After seeing the warm light brown cookies, he quickly grabbed a couple of them and put them a clean, nearby plate. Looking for some glasses, Martin turned around to Katie who was standing at a corner if she can go to the fridge to get a pitcher of lemonade? Without saying a single word, Katie walked over to the fridge, opened the door, reached in, and pull out a plastic container of cold lemonade. After closing the door, Katie walked over to Martin who is putting down two empty glasses and handed it to him. The moment he was done pouring the lemonade into the glasses, he put the plate of cookies in front of Katie's hands and asked her to carried them over to the kitchen table while he bring over the drinks. Katie did what Martin told her to do and went over to the table with a plate of cookies. Seconds later, Martin did the same thing but only with the lemonade.
Once they got to the round wooden table, Katie and Martin settled down in their seats. After putting the plate and the two drinks halfway between them and reaching a cookie for himself, Martin bite a piece of the cookie into his mouth and asked her about that incident while he was chewing. Katie stared at Martin when he did that and is about to giggle when he did that. Martin saw that about to giggle face, and grabbed a napkin to get the crumbs away from his mouth. After he wiped away the crumbs with the napkin and drank some lemonade to wash it down, Martin turned back to Katie and asked her properly, "What had happened?"
For the next few minutes, Katie told Martin what had happened?:
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October 31, 2003
San Diego, California
It was Halloween night. Katie went to San Diego to be with her six months old goddaugther, Sara on her very first Halloween. Even through that Katie had to stay in San Diego for two days, she can make the two days seem longer by spending it with her little girl.
Earlier that day, Katie drove all the way over to Jim's house from Las Vegas the moment she saw the sun rise. When she got to the front door, Katie rings the bell and seconds later, the door was open and in front of her was Jim and Sara. "Hi, Jim. Happy Halloween." said Katie with a big smile on her face. In return, Jim greeted her back by giving her a hug and told her that he is very happy that Katie is here, spending her Halloween with him and Sara. After he said that, to greet the little baby girl she was going to spend the whole day with, Katie reached in, grabbed her from her father, carried a happy Sara into her arms and gave her warm kisses on the forehead.
During the whole thing, Sara had smiled and her dark brown eyes had sparkled. Jim smiled at that and Katie saw it too. "I am glad that I am here. From now on, I am trying to spent every important holiday with this amazing girl." said Katie when she is looking at Sara. Jim smiled again and explained to her that if she is spending her holidays with his daughter, Katie better spent some of them with Nick. Katie and Nick Stokes had started dating each other since the summer before. Katie agreed with that and to tell her friend that, Katie told Jim that they better go inside to had lunch. Jim agreed with that and right away, Jim let Katie in.
Hours later, Jim and Katie was outside his door with Sara in Katie's arms to go trick or treating around the neighborhood. Sara was so adorable in the little orange pumpkin onesie and a matching green stem hat on her head. She was so cute that when mothers saw her, they were all over her and told Jim that she is so adorable that they wanted to eat her up. Jim thanked them for the compliments and told them that they will had a happy trick or treating tonight. After that, the rest of the mothers whispered to each other and waved their byes at the three of them. The moment they had left, Katie put one of her arms around Jim's shoulder and teased him for being the only single father that the mothers wanted to dump their husbands for. Jim blushed when Katie told him that and Katie giggled when she saw pinkness on his cheeks.
After a hour of trick or treating, Jim looked at his watch to see what time it is? It was thirty minutes after seven. It was almost time for Sara to go to bed. Right away, Jim turned to Katie to tell her that they better go home. Katie looked down at Sara to see if she is getting tired. It was true. Sara Elizabeth Foster was getting very sleepy. After seeing her tired goddaugther, Katie turned to Jim to tell him that it is okay to go back home. Jim smiled at her, and go back to his place, Jim got beside Katie, put his hand on top of Katie's backslide, and they walked back together to end the day.
When they got home, Jim and Katie changed Sara by changing from the pumpkin costume and into her little pink onesie. After putting her back into her crib, covering her up in a soft pink blanket, sang her lullabies, and kissing her good night, Jim and Katie went back downstairs to spend some time alone.
After a few rounds of Texas Hold' Down, Katie had won all of them and started bad-mouthing Jim for being a horrible player. Jim told her to shut up about it and if he could, Jim was about to reach the phone to call Nick and tell him to not let Katie beat him at poker. All of the sudden, Katie told Jim not to tell her boyfriend of four months about that. With a smile, Jim stopped his arm from reaching the phone and put it back on his lap. Katie smiled at that and is about to give a kiss on the cheek but at the sudden, some noise came out.
It sounded like someone is crying and it was coming out of the baby monitor that was sitting at one of the end tables. Jim and Katie knew that Sara is awake right now and someone better go up there to calm her down. Right away, Katie told Jim that she better go up since Jim had done too much for his daughter. "Thanks" said Jim when Katie told him that. "No problem" said Katie and right away, Katie got up, went up the stairs, and into the nursery to see if there is something wrong with Sara while Jim relaxed for a while.
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Five minutes later, while Jim was looking through a magazine, the doorbell rang. Thinking that could be some late trick or treaters, Jim put the magazine aside, got up, grab the bowl of candy, and walked to the front door to greet the kids. The moment he opened the door, it wasn't kids. "Jimmy!!" said the person who is in front of him. Jim knew right that the person in front of him was Alanna Hennessey, the woman James Matthew Foster hadn't seen for a long time.
Not knowing how Alanna got here or when she came back, Jim was little shocked that she, his ex-girlfriend had came back and didn't had spoken a single word. Alanna saw Jim's blank face and asked him if he is little surprised to see her? Jim went back to reality and shook his head 'no'. Right away, some smell was floating in the clean air. Jim smelled the air around him to see what it was? It smelled like alcohol, in particularly, scotch. Next, Jim went over to Alanna and started smelling her. Right away, Jim knew that Alanna had been drinking tonight and came here drunk.
To ask why she's here?, Jim asked her, "Why you are here?" With a smile, Alanna answered his question, "I'm here to see you and our daughter, silly." She answered it drunkenly. Right away, Jim got in front of Alanna's face and told her that she isn't not allowed to be here. "Why? Jim" asked Alanna who is a bit confused. With a serious look on his face, Jim told her that the reason she is not allowed to be here is that she just left their daughter on his doorstep on the day she was born and told him that she don't want him to find her. After hearing that, Alanna was thinking for a while and told him minutes later that she was high on the drugs the doctors gave to ease the pain and had no idea what she did. Jim is about to argue with Alanna some more but a voice had came from upstairs. "Jim. Sara did a little accident in her... oh"
The both of them looked up at the stairs to see whose voice is that? They founded the person who made that voice. It was Katie Carter who is at the middle of the stairs and carrying Sara into her arms. She looked a little shocked when she saw Jim and Alanna together. "Since when Alanna was here?" thought Katie when she saw the woman she hates. Alanna did that fake smile of her when she saw Katie, and said to her, "Hello, Katherine." Katie knew that something is wrong and went downstairs to asked Jim what is going on? But Alanna interrupted her by asking, "Is that my daughter? She had gotten so big." Jim nodded yes to her and wanted to end this but Alanna kept asking more questions.
"What is her name?" asked Alanna. Jim told her that their daugther's name is Sara Elizabeth. "That is a beautiful name. Sara Elizabeth Foster. Did you pick it out, Jim?" asked Alanna who is staring at Sara. Jim wanted to tell her but Katie interrupted him. "Well. Alanna, I chosen her name." answered Katie. Alanna looked up from Sara to Katie and then to Jim. To the both of them, Alanna asked Jim if he and Katie are back together because it seem like that Katie is raising her too since it supposed to be her, the person that carried Sara in her body for nine months? Jim yelled 'no' at her and told her that she better go. "No, Jim. I don't want to go!!" whined Alanna. Jim don't listened to her and told her that they better go right now. "No, Jim. I will be good" said Alanna who is about to cry right now.
Jim saw those tears on Alanna's face and told her that where he is driving her is going to help her get better. Right now, Alanna Rose Hennessey knew where Jim is taking her. Rehab. After unlocking the door, Jim turned to Katie and asked her to watch Sara while he is gone. Katie told him okay and went up to the stairs to put Sara back into bed. The moment Katie got to the top floor, Jim grabbed Alanna by the sleeve, went outside, got into his car, turned on the engine, and drove out of the neighborhood to the nearest rehab center.
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"What happened next, Katie?" asked Martin who got very interested by the story. After drinking some lemonade, Katie put the glass back on the table and told Martin that on the way to the rehab, there was a car accident and Jim and Alanna went to the hospital instead. Jim was okay but Alanna was seriously injured. Katie was making sure that Sara was sleeping when she got the call from Jim. She went to the hospital to be with Jim to give him some comfort and went back home afterward but days later, they went back there to get Alanna discharged but she was not there. After that, the both of them knew that Alanna probably went to rehab and ended forgetting about it.
After all of talking, Katie looked up and saw Martin smiling at her and about to put his hand on her arm to tell her that what she told is very good and willing to help her make sure that Alanna better stayed away from Sara no matter. Right now, Katie really wanted to kiss him on the lips. Hearing that from the guy she like had made it seem better and Katie was proud that it came from Martin. Moments later, Katie got closer to Martin, leaned over, and begin to put her lips to his own to kiss. Martin joined her and they began to kiss and maybe make out.
They are about to make out before someone interrupted them. "Martin!!" said the voice. Both Martin and Katie turned around to see who it is and founded Sara standing in front of them, smiling. She went toward Martin and her father lifted her up onto his lap. After he did, Sara gave a huge kiss on the cheek and in return, Martin asked her if she had fun with Katie. Sara nodded yes and told him that they had fun today until it had ended. While Martin and Sara are talking, Katie smiled at the both of them, knowing that they are going to be great to each other, always love each other, and care for each other.
Minutes later, another voice came into the room. The three of them had stopped talking so they can see whose voice is that? They turned around and saw two of the Tolands in front of them, Roger and Jamie. "Martin. We better finished up before the sky become dark. I really don't want to do it tomorrow." said Roger to Martin. Martin told him sure and got Sara out of his lap so he can help Roger. Sara ran toward Katie, sat on her Auntie's lap, and started eating some of the leftover snickerdoddles.
Before any of the men got to the backyard to finished up, Jamie interrupted them by asking Martin if he and Sara can stay for dinner? "Sure. Sara and I would like to stay for dinner." answered Martin. "Okay then." said Jamie who is about to go into the kitchen but someone interrupted her. "Cousin Jamie. Can Auntie Katie stay for dinner too?" asked Sara who is both looking at Jamie and Katie. After a minute of thinking, Katie turned to Jamie and told her that to bring another plate to the table. From all of this, Sara said, "YAY!!"
Two hours later, all of them plus Martin, Sara, and Katie had a dinner of lasagsa. After that, they are about to go home. While Martin and Sara are in his car, Katie was following them in her. During the ride home, Katie was thinking to herself that this day had gone good to bad to frustuaring to wonderful and back to good. She also think that this day could be one of the best days she had in weeks.