Chapter 12: The Choices Then and Now
After nearly driving for three hours on the road, Katherine, Liam and Louise pulled into a motel to rest for the night. However, Kat knew that what she pulled off after picking up Louise from Tommy and Kimberly's place she became aware of the consequences at hand. Absconding with a child that wasn't biologically hers, going on the run with her eldest son, jeopardizing her marriage with Jason, and initially facing charges of kidnapping was too much for her.
Kat sat at a table as she watched the kids sit on the bed and watch cartoons as she looked through her wallet at some of her pictures. There was one of her, Jason, Liam, Darren and Keira before Louise came to live with them. Tears filled her eyes looking at the picture then she pulled out a family picture of her with her parents and her brothers Phil, Ian and Grant before the Hillards moved to London.
"It seems like everything is coming full circle," Kat thought to herself as she stared at her family photo, "Mom and dad thought I was going to end up like Phil and Ian…I know what Jason and I did was wrong but it was our choice back then."
"Mommy?" Kat heard Liam call her, "Why are you sad? When can we go home to daddy, Keira and Darren?"
"I…am not sure kiddo," Kat sighed as her son spotted the picture.
"Mommy…is that Uncle Ian before he went away with Aunt Cindy?" Liam asked, "Why isn't Lauren in the picture? Who are those two other men in the picture?"
"This picture was taken before Lauren was born," Kat added, "Those two other guys in the picture with Uncle Ian, grandpa and grandma is my oldest brother, your Uncle Phil and the other one is my younger brother, your Uncle Grant…this was way before any of you guys were born…the old days like I remembered it with our family.."
FLASHBACK: 6 years ago- London
Kat was sitting her bedroom as she waited for Jason to arrive back from classes as she looked at the test again…it was positive. She was literally in tears as she learned she was eight weeks pregnant, but it wasn't the best of news towards her family who literally flipped out. All she wanted was Jason to come home but when she came downstairs Jason arrived home, only to be confronted by her parents.
"GET OUT!" Mr. Hillard yelled at Jason, "JUST AS I THOUGHT MY SONS WERE A DISAPPOINTMENT RAISING THEIR KIDS YOU JUST HAD TO MAKE MATTERS WORSE!"
"DADDY STOP!" Kat yelled.
"KATHERINE STAY OUT OF THIS!" Mrs. Hillard replied, "This doesn't concern you."
"Kat don't worry about me," Jason said, "Everything's going to be fine."
"HE'S NOT GOING ANYWHERE SO STEP ASIDE AND LET JASON PASS!" Kat yelled.
"YOU TWO HAVEN'T REALIZED WHAT YOU DONE!" Mr. Hillard replied as both Kat and Jason were upstairs hearing Kat's parents berate about their situation, "I got two sons, one whose been married twice before he's thirty that had both of his wives abscond with his kids because he's a bloody drunk and another son with a lame excuse for a drug addict wife endangering the life of our granddaughter."
"Peter I know what you're feeling," Mrs. Hillard replied, "Katherine is still in high school and if she considers keeping this child…then it's going to be another problem on our hands."
"My little girl decides to get knocked up by some American teenage boy with the prospect of bringing into this world another grandchild out of wedlock!" Mr. Hillard snapped, "There is something called birth control and I'll be damned to see another innocent child be exploited to the skeletons that their uncles and now my knocked up daughter have exposed Claire. Look with the results of Phil and Ian?"
"You think Jason is going to leave Katherine to raise this baby on your own? At least Grant we don't have to worry about because he's a kid but with Phil…that was a shame losing Lucy and Steven when Sharon moved to South Africa with that Simon guy and Lisa absconding Bobby after his alcoholism became bad and what about Ian? Lauren is the only grandchild we got left to look after."
"That's the point Claire what if along the road Jason and Kat mess up their lives because they're too young to become parents. Phil was married twice before he hit thirty and ended up divorced losing his kids, and with Ian someone has to keep a round the clock watch on him for Lauren's sake. I…sometimes wonder how our grandkids are doing these days or if they remember being a Hillard for that matter?"
"Sharon had her new husband Simon adopt Lucy and Steven from what Phil told me and wanted to legally change their surname. I'm going down this weekend to pick up Lauren for Ian's place…there's something shady about the nanny Cindy hired to look after her."
"I…I just don't want this child to be exposed to the shame of this family," Kat heard her father say, "Maybe…we can persuade the two of them to fix the problem and make it go away."
"The hell with them!" Kat cried as she slammed her bedroom door closed, "I'm going to end up like my brothers if I choose to keep this baby…our baby Jason."
"I know Katherine," Jason said comforting her, "I know…no one is not going to take this baby away I promise you because I love you and this baby."
"Do…you think we're making the right choice?" Kat asked, "Are you going to be with me through all of this?"
"No matter what happens I will always be with you and love you," Jason smiled, "I would give up my life for you and this baby and make sure that we get a new start away from everything with you, me and this baby."
END OF FLASHBACK
"Mommy…what happened to Uncle Phil and Uncle Ian?" Liam asked, "Why don't we go back to England to visit them? Are we going away to England?"
"I…haven't talk to your Uncle Phil since you were a baby," Kat replied, "You still remember Uncle Ian but he's just going through some stuff right now that you're too young to understand. However, I promise…you'll get to see Lauren soon. You want to know something sweetie when me and your daddy had you…it was the best thing that ever happened to us because I knew we would do anything to keep you safe."
"Then why can't Louise go with Uncle Tommy and Aunt Kim?" Liam asked, "Daddy says that she's their daughter and that Mr. and Mrs. Healy weren't her real parents."
"Mommy Kat…whatever happens I'll do whatever you tell me," Louise replied, "What do you want me to do?"
"I…I…I'm not sure," Kat sighed, "I acted on impulse on this and…now I'm in trouble because of it and there's no turning back."
"It's not your fault mommy," Liam said as he turned to Louise, "Louise...why can't you go back to your real mommy and daddy? Because of you I can't see my daddy, or my baby brother and sister because of you! Mommy I want to go home!"
"I know but we can't!" Kat snapped, "I feel like this was the same thing we went through before you were born Liam!"
Oliver Residence…
Meanwhile back in Reefside, Jason drove up to Tommy and Kimberly's place to search for Kat, Liam and Louise. They spent hours searching the neighborhood with the help of Connor, Kira, Ethan and Trent. With Tommy and Kim worried about Louise, all Jason could think about was Kat and Liam. Coming to terms of why Kat absconded with Louise and Liam, it reminded him of what happened during those days back in London with Kat before Liam's birth.
"Huh hey bro…I just wanted to say sorry for everything that is happening," Tommy replied.
"I know I just want to find my wife and my son," Jason sighed, "And…give you guys back your Louise and try to make her come to terms with everything."
"What's wrong?" Tommy and Kim asked, "You look so distant Jason."
"Because…it feels like I'm reliving six years in London all over again," Jason replied, "What Kat and I told you about us eloping in Essex was not because I got Kat pregnant…but there's more to it than anyone knows. We nearly destroyed Kat's family because of what we did with our decision to runaway for the next few months and hide out until Liam was born. They believed that I would destroy Kat's life by getting her pregnant out of wedlock."
"What do you mean?" Kim asked curiously, "What does this got to do with what's happening right now with Louise?"
"Because…Kat's parents were against the idea of us keeping Liam for the sake that we were going to end up like her older brothers losing their kids," Jason sighed, "The worst part both of us remembered were we were given two options: either accept five hundred dollars as a offer to abort the baby or pass it off as their own child without the shame that Kat was a unwed teenage mother. The night Kat's parents found out about her pregnancy everything was turned upside down that a few weeks later…we pulled a runner till Liam was due."
FLASHBACK…
It was a sunny afternoon down in Essex while Kat and Jason were hiding out in her brother Ian's flat in Essex, England. They made sure to stay off radar in case her parents were tracking them. She was eight months pregnant and almost due in five weeks. Thanks to a local school nearby they decided to enroll to finish off their education and graduate.
"So…have you two decided on a name yet?" Ian asked, "Do you know what the sex of the baby is?"
"The doctors know but I would like to wait until the baby is born," Kat replied as her and Jason were looking after baby Lauren, "So…Cindy's off at her sister's place?"
"Been there for about two weeks now but don't worry she's fine," Ian said, "About you little sister? How are you two holding up?"
"We feel like fugitives on the run because your parents either gave us the option of terminating the pregnancy for five hundred dollars or revoke our rights as parents and let them make the baby think their the parents," Jason sighed, "Why did it come down to this?"
"Like I always said…mom and dad think I'm going to end up like Ian and Phil," Kat sighed, "Have…you heard from Phil lately?"
"Yeah…he's doing well trying to get his life back," Ian added, "He attends his regular AA meetings and not to mention that mom and dad called him awhile back asking about the two of you…but he kept it quiet and still determine to drag the pair of you back to London to sort out your little mess."
"Not unless I have anything to say about it!" Jason snapped, "I'm not giving up this baby and I want your parents to know that your sister means the world to me…that I would do anything to keep her and our baby safe!"
"Just do what Phil did whenever he got Lisa and Sharon knocked up…marry them so the kids wouldn't be born out of wedlock," Ian suggested, "It can ensure that you keep your kids."
"Yeah and look how that turned out," Kat sneered, "That's what my life might wind up to be according to mom and dad! I'm not going to ask Jason to marry me all of a sudden because he got me pregnant and it will ensure that I keep my baby…I want to marry Jason someday because…I'm in love with him and I'm sure that…I…I want to spend the rest of my life with him and only him."
"How about it Katherine?" Jason suddenly asked, "What…if I asked you we go elope right now and get married so that we can prove to our families and your parents that we're not going to make the same mistakes they thought Phil or Ian made raising their families. What if we head back one this baby is born and I prove to your parents that I promise I wasn't the biggest thing to ever screw up your life? I love you Katherine and you are the best thing that has ever happened to me."
"I love you too Jason Lee Scott," Kat smiled kissing him, "You were never a screw up in my life…you were just what I needed in my life to find meaning. It's you and me forever then? If you're serious about this and in your eyes I know you are then…"
"Oh…then I'll do the honors," Jason said as he was trying to find a ring, "Huh Ian a little help here."
"Here use this…it's a moon ring that I found behind the couch," Ian smiled giving Jason the ring, "This will do for now I guess."
"Katherine…will you do the honor of being my wife?" Jason asked getting down on one knee.
"Yes…I will marry you Jason Lee Scott," she replied as he slipped the ring on her finger and hugged him, "I know I can trust you completely…it's you and me."
END OF FLASHBACK
"You see…the situation we're all in involving Louise feels like déjà vu all over again when Kat and I were trying to cope before Liam's birth," Jason said, "Now you understand why it hurts so much and why my wife is planning to run off…because she doesn't want to go through the prospect of losing a child…even if it's not hers."
"I'm sorry…I guess you can say a lot has changed within six years," Tommy said, "I guess we're all even here that we couldn't cope well with becoming parents at such a young age. I see you loved Kat and Liam and the thought of losing them…it tears you up inside."
"And I can say is…I'm on the verge of losing them because of your daughter Louise!" Jason snapped, "Back then we couldn't cope with all the drama happening in London with Kat's family and I felt bad that I just wanted to give Kat a fresh new start with a new family and prove to her family that I was a good man for her! Now it's happening again that we're making choices that are out of our character because like Kat's parents, it is you guys!"
"I…should have never brought up the concept of ever finding Louise!" Kim suddenly yelled, "I knew what the consequences were and I never expected for things to turn out this way!" A moment later the phone rang, "Hello?"
"Kimberly…it's me Kat," Kat replied on the other end, "I know Jason's listening because I had a feeling he found the note…before you do anything I need you to listen."
"I'm still here," Kim firmly said, "I know Liam and Louise are with you."
"If Jason told you the story of what happened to us before Liam's birth…then you figured out what made me do what I did Kimberly and I thought of running but…it would be déjà vu all over again just like what we did with Liam," Kat said with tears, "You know I love Jason so much and just tell him I'm sorry for what I did and would you mind coming down here?"
"Kat…we're not going to press charges for attempting kidnapping it was just a misunderstanding I know," Kim pleaded, "Kat…I'll meet you just tell me where you are so we can go home together."
"You and me together…I'm at a motel outside of Reefside," Kat said, "I'll…convince Louise to go home with you and tell her that she's your daughter. It maybe hard but we'll make her understand. I'm…doing this so I don't have to make my son relive what Jason and I went through before he was born running off not knowing what to do, how to make things right for once…even though everything all of us went through about the truth about Louise…she was never ours to begin with."
"Kat…I'm really sorry about what happened," Kim said, "I'm sorry for all of it."
"There's nothing to apologize about," Kat replied, "Just tell Tommy and Jason to get to the motel and get the kids…I got to promise Liam once Louise realizes she truly belongs with you and Tommy it will all end."
"Thank you…" it was all Kim could say, "Kat?"
"No…I just come to realize that the choices we made back then would try to come back and haunt us causing us to relive those memories again," Kat replied, "I'm…making sure this time around I'm doing the right thing and I'm not going to make the same mistake twice."
