Chapter 12
April 15th 2005
Kate inserted her key into the front door of the apartment, listening out for any signs of life as she walked in she remembered that James and Rita were down at the Center today. Putting down the groceries she was carrying in her arms, she shut the door, then picking them up again walked into the kitchen.
There was a note on the counter from Rita telling her to meet them at the Center when she got home. Kate smiled at the smiley face at the end of the note, Rita was so grown up that it was only when she did things like that one remembered she was only nine.
The last four weeks had been incredible and Kate knew she would always treasure the time the three of them had spent together. They'd gone hiking and biking at Topanga State Park where Kate worked as a hiking guide, rollerblading on the Santa Monica pier, swimming, to the movies, shopping and even taken a road trip up to Lake Tahoe with Jin and a very pregnant Sun last weekend.
James and Rita had had many an argument as they were both so stubborn and Kate had played referee more times than she could remember. Kate smiled at the memory of the last big fight those two had a couple days ago. They were supposed to be teaching Kate some combat techniques and had gotten into an argument about which method of evasion was more effective. James had slammed the study door while Rita slammed her bedroom door leaving an bemused Kate on her own in the sitting room. Eventually James had gone to apologize to Rita who'd screamed at him before breaking down in tears, James had handled the situation quite well, hugging the sobbing little girl and trying to make her laugh by telling her a funny story about a similar argument he'd had with her mother when he'd first met her.
Kate sat down in the Lazy-Boy in the sitting room as she thought about how much having Rita around had changed him. He was a natural with kids and Rita and him were like father and daughter, something that convinced Kate that once their baby was born, at least he would have paternal instincts. 'Oh God, I have to tell him, Travis will be back any day now.' Kate thought in desperation.
That morning she'd realized that she couldn't fit into her work uniform anymore, and since James shared her room now, it was getting very difficult to hide her growing size from him. She'd woken up last week to see James studying her belly, Kate had distracted him with a kiss and some rigourous love-making but she knew her time was up one way or another.
Jumping when she heard the phone ring, Kate picked up the phone and was distracted from her thoughts when she heard who it was on the other line.
"Dad?"
"Hi Katie, you haven't returned any of my calls." Her father said on the other line disapprovingly.
"Yeah, I'm sorry about that, when did you get back?"
"A fortnight ago. I want to see you, how about lunch tomorrow?"
"I can't tomorrow Dad, I'm spending the day with Rita and Jamie will be out of town."
"So bring the little munchkin with you. I won't take no for an answer Katie. I've only seen you once since you got back from that Island."
"Okay Dad, where did you want to go for lunch?" Kate relented.
"I've already made reservations at The Pacific Dining Car for one o'clock." He said.
Kate shook her head ruefully, it was just like him to do something like that.
"Okay Dad we'll see you at one." Kate said hanging up the phone without even waiting for him to respond.
Kate went to her room and taking off her uniform studied her body in the mirror, her breasts were twice as big as they had been two months ago, her hips were wider and fleshier, so was her ass. Kate cupped her belly, it was just at the point where it could fool some people into thinking she needed to lose some weight but it was a little too firm. She marveled at how much she actually liked her body like this, the new curves made her look voluptuous and she'd always admired that type of figure on other women.
As she ran her hand down her stomach, Kate thought she felt a tiny flutter of movement but she was unsure.She heldher breath as she waited for it to happen again she finally giving up when nothing happened. She'd read somewhere that the baby should be kicking by now, worried, she'd made an appointment to see Dr. Cortez tomorrow. She'd go to see him before lunch with her father, Kate wasn't worried that Rita would be with her as the little girl had already guessed Kate's condition two weeks ago.
Putting on her sweats, Kate crawled onto the bed to take a little nap before she went to join James and Rita.
"Kate! You were supposed to meet us at the Center 4 hours ago!" Rita exclaimed as she barged into the bedroom.
Kate woke up, "What time is it?" Her words came out slightly slurred as she was still groggy from sleep.
"Well it's four hours too late for you to meet us at the Center." Rita retorted.
Kate fixed Rita a stern look as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes, spotting the clock she saw it was 9 p.m.
"Oh my God! I'm so sorry! You guys weren't waiting for me all this time were you?" Kate exclaimed alarmed at the time.
"Not to worry Sass, around seven thirty Little Nicky an' I decided to go eat dinner on our own. Figured you didn't wanna hang with us." James said as he walked into the bedroom, a semi-frown on his face.
"You alright? Been tryin' to call you all evenin'."
Kate nodded, her face apologetic, "I'm sorry I fell asleep, I only meant to take a little nap while I waited for the traffic to die down."
"The Center's not that far Kate you could've walked." Rita sniped.
Kate turned to look at Rita in surprise, she really seemed unimpressed with Kate for missing their appointment.
"I said I was sorry Rita." Kate said irritably.
"Why are you so tired these days anyway Kate?" Rita shot back.
Kate's eyes widened in apprehension, before she could reply James stepped in between them, "Okay, okay, that's enough, Little Nicky why don't you get your stuff so I can drop you off at Rambina's."
Rita managed to throw Kate one last dirty look before she left the room. James turned to look at Kate who looked upset.
"She didn't mean nothin' by it Freckles, it's just that she'd organized a lil' show as a surprise for you with some of the other kids at the Center." James explained, sitting down next to Kate on the bed.
Kate immediately felt tears in her eyes, "Shit. I just fell asleep, I can't believe I did that."
James rubbed a hand on her back, "Hey don't worry 'bout it. She can do it some other time. Now come on get up so we can drop her off, I hope whatever it is that made you arrange this sleepover is gonna be good."
Kate had almost forgotten about her surprise for James! Smiling mysteriously she said, "Oh don't worry about that, it will be good!" Getting up she put her sneakers on, picking up her purse she followed James out of the bedroom.
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The entire car ride to Ana-Lucia's was strained, Rita wasn't speaking to Kate and Kate was finding it hard to give the little girl her space. In the four weeks that Rita had been staying with them she had never had an argument with Kate and now that Kate was on the receiving end of Rita's frostiness she started to understand why James got so upset when the two of them argued.
Ana-Lucia came to meet them, Rita practically shot out of the car while it was still moving, leaning into the driver's side she kissed James goodbye and without even saying a word to Kate ran into Ana-Lucia's house.
Ana-Lucia looked at James and Kate in question, "Is she gonna be pissy all night?"
"No, she's just pissed at me, you'll be fine Hotlips." Kate said, her tone self-deprecating.
Ana-Lucia nodded in understanding, "Okay, you still picking her up in the morning?"
"Yeah, I'll be here at ten o'clock like we agreed. I'll see you then." Kate replied as James started to reverse the car. Waving at Ana-Lucia he turned the car onto the road and headed for the highway.
"So where we goin' Sassafras?" James asked.
"Downtown LA, a place called Simon's Hofbrau." Kate replied.
James' eyebrows shot up, "You're takin' me to a strip-joint? Is this 'cause of what I said the other night, 'bout missing the bachelor life?"
"Yeah well, I don't want you to think that I'm not fun or that I wouldn't let you go to a place like that. I wouldn't let you go alone but I'll most definitely come with you. One of the girl's at work, Cindy said she used to work there and it's real classy." Kate said in her defense at the incredulous look on James' face.
James shook his head in amazement, "You're really somethin' else aren't ya?"
Kate didn't look at him but he could see her cheeks dimpling with the smile she was trying to hide.
"Have I met Cindy? She sounds… interestin'." James said as an after-thought.
Kate whipped her head around to glare at him, James laughed at the look on her face.
Kate got out of the car, "I'll go in and get our table, while you park. I'll see you in there."
James did as he was told, he had to drive around for ten minutes before he could find a spot to park.
When he got inside the restaurant/bar/adult cabaret, he swore when he realized that the place was empty. There was one attractive, statuesque blonde dressed like a Dallas Cowboys cheerleader and the rest of the room was empty.
Frowning he looked for Kate and saw her sitting at a table in the center of the room by the stage. Walking towards her, he froze when he realized the woman sitting at the table wasn't Kate! Pausing in consternation, James was about to beat a hasty retreat when the spotlight came on stage and he heard the music start.
Looking up at the stage James' jaw dropped when he saw the woman on stage, it was Kate! She was wearing a black and wine red satin basque, the requisite stockings, garter and black forties style shoes. James didn't know how or when she managed it but her hair was tumbling down in wavy curls that immediately made him think of Greta Garbo or Marlene Deitrich.
She looked like she'd stepped right out of a forties fantasy onto the stage in front of him.
"Come on babe why don't we paint the town…. And all that jazz." As the lyrics kicked in, Kate who'd been standing there in a pose started to move, with her riding crop in her hands she started to dance sensually to the music as she sang along with the music.
Looking directly at James who'd sat down, his legs too weak to support him; she danced to the song even going so far as to shimmy up a pole at one point and slide down it with one leg.
Half-way through the performance, a few female dancers dressed all in black joined Kate on the stage lifting her up and twirling her around as Catherine Zeta Jones sang, "Hold on hon we're gonna bunny hug, how 'bout some aspirin"
'I definitely need some aspirin!' James thought as he watched the dancers stroke Kate on stage before she shook them off and danced for him some more.
James gritted his teeth when he saw Kate kiss a cute little redhead on the lips, then stroke the face of another dancer while she pulled Kate's garter off with her teeth. The song ended with Kate's foot on the redhead's head and her riding crop resting against her left thigh.
As soon as the routine ended, Kate and the dancers left the stage, James swallowed the entire contents of the bourbon the cheerleader waitress had placed in front of him at some point. Setting the glass down James placed a hundred dollar bill on the table; as Kate came to meet him at the table, looking very pleased with herself.
James stood up immediately and grabbing her arm started to drag her towards the door, as soon as they were outside James kissed her roughly.
When they broke away Kate gazed into his eyes, "I take it you liked my performance?"
"I don't think like does what I'mfeelin' any justice Sassafras. Let's get outta here before I attack you right here, right now." He said as he dragged her towards the car.
Kate struggled to keep up with him but she couldn't help the smug smile on her face as she was dragged to the car.
Five minutes later, James stopped the car in an alleyway, dragging Kate out the car he flung her against the wall ravishing her on the spot.
Kate didn't mind the slightest, his reaction to the performance thrilled her to the very core and she was more than obliging when James lifted her legs and started to show his appreciation.
When they got home, James didn't let Kate take off her outfit insisting on her keeping it on he disappeared into the kitchen while Kate waited in the bedroom for him.
She couldn't keep the smile off her face, 'So far so good. Now all I have to do after this, is tell him about the baby.' Even the thought of this couldn't dispel her smile or her good mood.
James returned to the bedroom with a tub of ice cream and just the one spoon. Kate looked at him as understanding dawned on her.
James wiggled his eyebrows at her, "You think you're the only one that can work someone into a lather Sass?"
Dipping the spoon into the ice-cream tub, James licked some of the ice-cream off it then fixing a smoldering look on Kate he said, "Buckle up sweetheart the night's just beginnin'."
