Like I warned y'all before, I am really strapped for time these days hence the slow updates. Which is killing me as much as it is killin' all y'all 'cause James and Kate's story is almost complete in my head, but I just don't have the time to put it down on paper!
Budweiser, welcome to the fold, I hope my story will not ultimately disappoint you. When I saw your name I couldn't help but wonder if you were Budweiser from the TWOP Lost forum?
Anyhoo, onwards an upwards, as usual you know what to do. RnR!
Chapter 14
James stared up at the ceiling wondering why he felt so lost and alone, then like a bolt of lightning it all came rushing back to him.
'Kate's pregnant! Four months pregnant! She told Travis! Rita! Everyone except for me!" Each thought sliding through his mind's eye like a newspaper headline. And to make matters worse she was claiming it was his, which meant she'd been exposing his poor baby to things he didn't want to think about too deeply while she was shacking up with Jack.
James wondered to himself for the hundred-thousandth time just what kind of a woman he was involved with. These last few months he'd felt so close, so complete in a way he'd never felt before and with Kate's news last night the illusion was gone. James felt like the biggest fool, Travis had warned him and deep down he hadn't wanted to listen. Travis! How could he keep this from him? Travis never kept anything from James, no matter how harsh or unpleasant James had always been able to depend on his Big Bro to be honest with him. And now with the advent of Kate even his most fundamental relationship was under pressure. Why hadn't Travis told him?
James was mentally kicking himself, he should never have let Kate into his heart or life, she was a man-eater. She sucked them in, chewed them up and spat them out, broken and damaged beyond repair. And now she was pregnant with his baby, they were bound forever.
James sighed out-loud, 'Who am I kiddin'? We were bound forever the minute she took that gun from me when we first crashed on the Island.' And every day since had just strengthened that bond, he couldn't break it or escape her no matter what he did.
With this realization came the knowledge that he was in too deep and somehow they would either have to get past this and rebuild or he would have to come face to face with what he still hoped in his heart of hearts wasn't true. Kate was incapable of truly loving someone and if that was the case then they were both doomed and he would have to walk away from her.
His alarm clock buzzed, jarring James out of his reverie, he dragged himself out of bed, unwilling to face this day. He steadied himself with the thought that he was flying out to New York today, at least that would buy him a few days to process everything, a few days of space away from Kate.
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Kate shuffled into the kitchen exhausted, although she'd fallen asleep quite easily she'd had the dream where she was on the Island again except this time Wayne and the Marshal had been dragging her down into the water. She felt too despondent about what this could mean to feel optimistic about the morning anymore, and the cold shower she'd taken to wake herself up had only served to chill her to the bone.
"Good morning." Kate said in falsely cheerful voice as she spied James standing by the breakfast nook.
James turned around to fix one of his trademark sapphire glares at her, "Ain't nothin' good 'bout this mornin' I can think of Freckles."
Kate's eyes drifted down to the floor momentarily, biting her lip she decided not to say anything in response so she just sat down on a stool. Placing her hands on the counter top she studied the marble surface like it held the secrets to life.
James walked over to the fridge, taking out a carton of milk, he set it on the counter then pushing the box of cereal on the counter towards Kate; he sat down opposite her.
"Thanks." Kate said hesitantly as she looked up at him briefly before pouring out the cereal into the bowl in front of her. She didn't dare refuse it, although her stomach churned slightly at the prospect of eating it.
James sat there studying her face trying to read what was going on behind her lowered lids.
"You look like hell." James said, finally.
Kate sighed as she looked up at him, the bags under her eyes making her look even more distraught than she already was.
"Thanks." She said again, before lowering her eyes to the cereal that refused to go down her rapidly tightening throat.
'Oh God Kate please don't start crying whatever you do.' She said to herself.
James watched her warily, looking for any sign of manipulation from Kate. He thought back to what she'd told him the night before. He admitted to himself that it meant something that she'd told him at all. That had been the most amount of words Kate had ever used talking about her past without interruption or prodding. That was a good sign, and as he watched her now, inwardly he acknowledged this.
After a few more mouthfuls, Kate put the spoon down in resignation, pushing the bowl away from her. James pushed the bowl right back at her.
"Baby needs to eat Freckles." James smirked at her when he saw her hands clench in frustration before she picked the spoon up again and mulishly started to eat the cereal again.
Polishing off the cereal in record time, Kate pushed the bowl away from her in disgust.
James smiled at her a glint in his eye and Kate couldn't help but glare at him in mute frustration.
"You got somethin' you wanna say Freckles?"
Kate pushed her stool back knocking it to the floor, "I'm gonna be sick."
Before James could react she ran to the kitchen sink and emptied the recently ingested cereal into it. James felt terribly guilty as he watched her wretch violently.
Picking up a kitchen towel he ran it under the already running faucet and handed it to Kate as she gripped the sink in desperation.
"Oh God, this baby is going to kill me." She muttered under her breath.
James stood behind her ready to support her should she need it.
She turned away from the sink and walked past him unsteadily into the living room; sitting down she lay her head back on the couch, with her eyes closed.
"Freckles-"
"I'm fine, Tex, I just need to close my eyes and catch my breath." Kate said irritably.
James complied; giving her some space he went to get her some mouthwash from the bathroom.
She accepted the mouthwash gratefully, spitting into the glass he held for her after she'd gargled it.
"Guess Baby don't like Raisin Bran, can't say I blame him." James said drily.
Kate moaned in protest, "Don't say those words!"
Rising from the couch she walked over to the box of cereal and threw it in the trash can. Turning around to face him she smiled with satisfaction.
Walking back to the couch she sat down and squaring her shoulders looked up at him as he sat down on the armrest.
"Tex about last night-"
"Let's not talk 'bout that just yet Freckles, you sure you okay? You still look a lil' green 'round the gills." He said the concern his voice also showing in his eyes.
Kate smiled at him ruefully, "It'll wear off… in an hour or so. Why do you think I always stay in my room when you go for a run in the mornings?"
James shook his head, "I thought you was just lazy."
Kate punched his arm playfully, "Hey!"
James rubbed his arm, smiling at her tenderly, "Hey yourself, that's what happens when you lie to people, they assume things 'bout you."
Kate's smile died, swallowing hard she looked up at him, "Tex, I was going to tell you. After I came back from the Doctor's today… the baby hadn't moved and I was getting worried so I made an appointment. Once I'd seen him I was going to tell you."
James watched her from lowered lids, masking his thoughts and feelings from her.
"Well Junior over there did move, last night, so you still gotta go?" He asked her in a neutral voice, hiding the worry he felt at mention of a doctor.
Kate blinked in agreement, "Yeah, I haven't been as nauseous lately and now it's back with a vengeance, I need to know everything's okay. Besides the Doctor told me to come in for regular check-ups because of… what happened last time." Her voice wavered at the end of her sentence.
James wanted to reach out and comfort her but something held him back, rising from his perch on the arm of the couch he held his hand out to her to help her stand.
"Well, it's 9:15 an' you gotta pickupProblem Child from Lucy's in less than an hour. I got some errands to run 'fore I pick Travis up at LAX, so we gotta hustle."
Kate held on to his hand as she stood next to him, looking into his eyes she searched for a sign that would indicate the things he wasn't saying. His eyes were shuttered as he looked into hers; he started to pull his hand away, Kate let go, her shoulders slumping slightly.
Taking a deep breath, she pasted a smile onto her face, drawing herself up she stepped away from him and walked away to get her purse.
James watched her go, the hurt caused by their current stalemate written all over his face.
10:30 AM
"You're late." Rita said accusingly as she got into the car, shutting the door with angry finality.
"I'm sorry, sweetie, the traffic was really bad." Kate apologized.
Rita crossed her arms across her chest after she buckled her seatbelt; she was sitting shotgun, something she knew she wasn't allowed to do, but judging her current mood she mentally dared Kate to tell her to get in the back.
Kate looked over at Rita, her heart melting as always when she looked at the vivacious little girl. "You and Ana-Lucia have a good time?"
"Unh huh." Rita replied uncooperatively as she looked out her window.
Kate didn't comment choosing to concentrate on the road. As they approached the hospital, Rita turned to look at Kate with a panicked expression.
"Is Uncle Jamie okay? Why are we going to a hospital?"
Kate glanced at the little girl putting a reassuring hand on her shoulder, "He's fine, I just have to go in for a check-up that's all."
Rita's sharp brown eyes took in Kate's red-rimmed eyes, the purplish shadows beneath them and her overall pale complexion. Kate parked the car, pulling the handbrake.
"What's wrong? What happened! I leave you guys for one night an' you look like you've just come out of Auschwitz! What's going on?" Rita demanded slightly hysterical, her eyes were getting teary.
"It's nothing, I'm just here for a check up to make sure the baby's okay, that's all, nothing to worry about, I promise." Kate said soothingly, as she rubbed Rita's back.
Rita stared at Kate for another split-second before she unbuckled her seatbelt, then leaned towards the door, and pulling the handle stepped out of the car.
"Who said I was worried?" She asked over her shoulder. Kate smiled at this; the girl was picking up James' belligerence more and more each day.
They sat in the waiting room, Rita was flipping through a Curious George book in feigned boredom, studying Kate through the corner of her eye every once in a while.
"I'm fine Rita." Kate reassured the little girl.
"Yeah that's what they all say. My friend Angela, she went to the hospital with her Mama last year for a 'check-up' an' next thing Angela knew her Mama was admitted 'cause she had a brain tumor." Rita had actually mimed the quotation marks when she said 'check-up' which made Kate smile.
"I'm serious Kate!"
"I know baby, but I really am justgoing in for a check-up and if they find tumors of any kind I will be just as shocked as Angela's Mom was when she found out. But since I'm here it will be okay even if that is the case, just like Angela's Mom."
"She died a week later, there was nothin' they could do for her." Rita said flatly.
Kate's eyes widened at this, "Okay maybe not exactly like Angela's Mom. I plan on being here next week, and the week after and many, many weeks after that."
Rita raised an eyebrow at Kate.
"I mean who else will you have to still be mad at - because I overslept once while I was pregnant and missed my appointment with you and Jamie - when you're fifteen and falling in love with a different boy every week?" Kate joked.
Rita glared at Kate's lame attempt at light-heartedness.
"Tough crowd." Kate mused out-loud.
This elicited a small smile from Rita.
Tossing the book on the table Rita turned to look at Kate, "What did you an' Uncle Jamie fight about?"
"Who says we fought?" Kate asked.
"If the reason you're here isn't 'cause you look like that, then it must be that. You look just how I imagined you'd look if you an' him had an argument." Rita said with the confidence and tactlessness of youth.
Kate frowned in concern, "I look that bad do I?" She brought her hands up to her face to try and feel out these unsightly battle wounds on her face that Rita seemed to see.
Rita burst out laughing, "I didn't say you have warts! I just said you look rough, you've got bags under your eyes, an' you look like you've been cryin', you know." Rita shrugged at the end of the sentence.
Kate dropped her hand to her lap, "He knows about the baby, it kicked him while we were… sleeping."
Rita put her small hand in Kate's, "The baby kicked? Wow! It's okay, he'll get over it. You guys love each other too much for it to be any other way."
Kate let out a disbelieving laugh, "That's the problem, he doesn't love me. And after last night he never will."
Rita frowned at Kate withdrawing her hand from Kate's, "Don't say things like that! He so loves you!"
Kate glanced down at Rita fondly, "I'm not so sure about that sweetie."
Rita got up offended by Kate's dismissal, and picked up the book she'd discarded earlier, "Whatever."
Kate sighed in frustration, 'How the hell am I supposed to raise a baby of my own when I can't even stop myself from alienating a walking, talking, nine-year old?' She asked herself.
"Kate Austen?" The nurse called out.
Kate looked over at Rita, "Are you gonna come in with me, Angel?"
Rita put down the book pretending to be exasperated as she followed a nervous Kate into the Doctor's office.
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"Well everything seems normal, the blood work we had done on you shows everything is just like it's supposed to be. You're in good health, so how 'bout we do another ultrasound?" Dr. Chavez said as he called a nurse to help Kate undress and lead her to the scan.
Glancing down at Rita, Antonio Chavez tweaked her nose affectionately, and handed her a lollipop. "And that's for being such a good niece and not distracting me at all today, miha."
Rita unwrapped the lollipop with barely concealed excitement, "Don't think that giving me a lollipop will get you out of the twenty bucks you owe me for my good behavior today Uncle Toni, we had a deal." She said as she stuck the lollipop in her mouth and widened her eyes up at him innocently.
Kate was too distracted to notice the exchange but she caught the look of disbelief on Antonio's face at Rita's sassy mouth. She stifled a giggle, ducking behind the screen the nurse had erected for her.
When she stepped out to lie on the bed in readiness for the scan she couldn't help but still feel slightly apprehensive, 'I'll only feel better when I see my growing baby on that screen.'
Antonio squeezed the gel on Kate's belly, Rita's brown eyes widening at the size of her stomach.
"How the hell did you hide that from Uncle Jamie for so long?" Rita asked in surprise.
"Rita! Language!" Kate admonished more embarrassed at the subject matter of Rita's statement than her use of a mild cuss word.
Antonio chuckled at this, as he slid the machine on Kate's distended belly, "You have grown considerably since the last time I saw you. Last month you looked voluptuous and now you just look pregnant."
"You mean fat." Kate said sarcastically. Antonio smiled at this turning his attention the screen.
As Kate had spoken the sound of the baby's heartbeat filled the room, and all three of them stared at the screen. Antonio didn't say much as he frowned slightly at something he picked up, Kate glanced at him sharply then back at the screen.
"What is it?" She asked fearfully.
Antonio frowned a little more before he asked the nurse standing in the doorway to get one of his colleagues and to bring the file on Kate with her.
"What is it?" Kate asked her voice breaking under the panic that gripped her heart.
Antonio looked at Kate, his mouth had been hanging open slightly and snapping out of his reverie.
"I'm not sure, I'll need to double-check with one of my colleagues, the baby's heartbeat is very strong but I am not quite sure what else I'm seeing here."
Kate felt all the drain out of her body, something was wrong and Dr. Chavez wasn't telling her what. 'Oh God I'm being punished for not telling James!' Kate thought desperately.
She wrung her hands in distress and started to cry, Rita noticed that her stupid Uncle Toni was too pre-occupied with whatever was on the screen to see that Kate was freaking out.
Sidling up to Kate, Rita did her best to put her little arms around Kate, patting Kate on the shoulder consolingly.
"Don't cry Kate, Uncle Toni's not a very good Doctor anyway Ana-Lucia always says so. He probably thinks he sees the baby's sex and it's just like, a finger, or somethin'."
Antonio glared at Rita sharply, which made Kate laugh through her tears, realizing what was going on; Antonio made a move to comfort Kate but was interrupted by the entrance of another doctor.
"Okay Dr. Chavez what's got the best Doctor in our hospital confused?" Asked a portly middle-aged male Doctor.
"Hi, I am Dr. Howard, Chief of Obstetrics, congratulations on your pending bundle of joy." The Doctor shook Kate's hand firmly.
Kate wiped her eyes as she took the kindly, unassuming man's hand and shook it.
He looked down at Rita and patted her on the hand that rested on Kate's shoulder, smiling at her sincerely.
"Now what's the matter?" Dr. Howard asked Antonio.
As he turned around to face the screen he looked where Antonio was staring and within seconds he was muttering in amazement to himself.
Kate and Rita looked at each other in consternation, after a few minutes of consulting and cross-checking between the scan from last month and what they had on the screen in front of them, the two Doctors turned around to face Kate and Rita.
"If you would just like to take a look on the screen there Ms. Austen you'll notice that there is that one heartbeat in the lower left corner there, do you see it?" Kate looked at what Dr. Howard was referring to.
"If you look a little further off to the left you'll see that there's another heartbeat, something that wasn't picked up on your last visit." Dr. Howard said.
"What does it mean?" Kate asked her voice shaky.
"It means it's a multiple pregnancy, you're having twins, it's just that the other one is hiding behind his big brother." Antonio said, happily.
Kate stared at the two men in utter shock, her eyes welling up with tears of joy and relief that there wasn't anything wrong with her pregnancy.
"So you mean there's nothing wrong? I'm not losing the baby?" Kate asked weakly.
Dr. Howard took Kate's hand in both of his, "My dear girl, of course not. It is a perfectly healthy pregnancy, I'm looking at your uterus and everything is fine. You just need to make sure you rest a lot and don't do anything to strenuous just to be on the safe side, but you're fine. The babies are fine, too."
Kate wiped her tears smiling at the Doctor, "Thank you so much, thank you so very much Dr. Howard, Antonio… thank you!"
Kate turned to look at Rita, hugging the relieved little girl, tightly to her. Antonio took some pictures of the scan, then turned the machine off, handing Kate some paper towel to wipe the gel off.
When Kate walked back into Antonio's office, sitting down she asked the question that was prevalent in her mind after the good news of the scan.
"How is this possible? I was told that the damage was irreparable." Kate asked.
Dr. Howard decided to answer the question, "Dr. Chavez referred your case to me to ask my opinion last month and I have done a lot of research on your case. The bottom line is, these things happen, as long as you still have a uterus and your eggs are still being produced, Mother Nature can work miracles."
Kate took this in, "Yeah but they told me it was impossible, I even did some research of my own and I never found anything positive, I just don't understand."
Dr. Howard was sympathetic to Kate's confusion, "I know it must be hard to understand, but diet, time, environment, stress, genetically sound sperm, hormones, and divine intervention even, all have something to do with it. If you get all those things right, the so-called impossible is possible. I don't want you to worry about this, Ms. Austen, just take your daughter and the picture from the scan home with you and enjoy this very special time, sooner than you know it those babies will be ready to greet the world."
Kate nodded, accepting the older man's advice, she picked up her purse and taking the picture from the scan shook both Doctors' hands before herding Rita out of the office.
Stopping in the doorway she turned around, "One last question, are they both boys? You said something earlier-"
Antonio shook his head, "It was just something I said, I can tell the sex of one of them right now but the other baby is hiding so I don't know. Do you want to know?"
"No thank you, I'll let it be a surprise. Thank you once again, and I'll see you next month."
Rita placed her hand in Kate's and let herself be led to the elevator, for once the talkative girl was silent. When they got into the elevator, Rita tugged Kate's hand, "Uncle Jamie is gonna lose it."
Kate looked down at Rita in consternation, "In a good way! Back home twins is the luckiest thing that can happen to you." The little girl explained.
Kate smiled at Rita, "Well to be honest with you, the only lucky things that have ever really happened to me started when I met Jamie, so I really shouldn't be surprised."
Rita smiled up at Kate in response to this as the elevator doors opened, Kate found herself standing face to face with Jack.
"Kate? What are you doing in Obstetrics?" Jack asked in surprise.
Kate's face was completely blank, she hadn't realized that neither her nor Rita hadn't pressed the button!
"Jack! What are you doing here?"
"I'm helping out a friend, and you? Who's this?" Jack asked referring to Rita.
Rita glared at him in indignation, "I'm Rita an' I take it you're Captain Jackass from the Island, I've heard lots 'bout you, nothin' good."
Kate threw Rita a warning glance but she wasn't really angry at Rita's insolence.
Jack was taken aback but he regained his composure and after wasting a stern glance on the unrepentant Rita, addressed Kate.
"I didn't know James had a daughter."
Kate opened her mouth to speak but Rita got there first.
"Neither did I."
Kate looked down at Rita, knowing it was remiss of her not to say something to Rita.
"That's enough. Be nice, please?"
Rita shrugged, but she didn't let go of Kate's hand as she sneered at Jack.
"Sorry, we're kinda in a rush, which way are you going? Up or down?" Kate asked.
Jack stepped in the elevator and pushed the ground floor button without a word.
Kate gritted her teeth at this high-handed gesture, 'I can't believe I thought I could suffer a life with this guy.' She thought to herself.
Jack turned around to look at Kate then down at Rita who's bright intelligent eyes were fixed on him, not missing a single thing.
"You didn't answer my question, what were you doing in Obstetrics?" Jack said.
"I was actually coming from Pediatrics, couldn't find Rita's doctor so I wandered into Obstetrics thinking it was pretty much the same thing." Kate lied smoothly.
"What's wrong with her?" Jack asked.
"None of your business Jackass." Rita sniped.
Jack raised his eyebrows at this, commenting as the elevator doors opened on the ground floor.
"Colorful little girl."
Kate smiled at this glancing down at Rita tenderly, she realized two things; this was the first time Rita had taken Kate's hand since she'd come to LA. Although they got along she had never done that before, this was a trust breakthrough for them and Kate also realized that she had come to think of Rita asher daughter.
"Oh she just takes after her Uncles." Kate said in Rita's defence.
"I take it that's one of them right now." Jack said in observation as he saw James approach them.
Kate gripped Rita's hand tightly when she saw James, 'Oh God don't let him take this the wrong way!' Kate offered up in silent prayer.
She smiled tentatively at James as Rita ran up to James and into his welcoming embrace. Kate wished she could do the same and get a similar welcome, instead she approached the pair at a more sedate pace with Jack at her side.
"How's ma lil' Angel? You have fun at your sleepover?" James asked Rita in greeting as he kissed her rosy cheeks.
"Yeah, but I missed you!" Rita giggled in response, wrapping her arms around James neck as held her up in his arms, she kissed his cheeks happily.
Then in complete unison with James she turned to glare at Jack, Kate suppressed the nervous laughter that threatened to spill out of her.
"Jacko, long time no see. You don't call, you don't write."
Jack shook James' hand in greeting, "Good to see you again James, she's just like you." He said in reference to Rita.
James looked at Rita and kissing her forehead he set her down on the ground, before turning his attention to Jack and Kate. He couldn't help the familiar feeling of jealousy that choked him to see the two of them standing together. Before he could make a comment Kate had moved to stand on his right side so that Jack was standing on his own.
Looking into his eyes she said to him, "We gotta go, I'm supposed to be meeting my Dad in twenty minutes."
James nodded at this and unconsciously stroking her arm he said, "Sure y'all go ahead an' get the car, I'll meet you in the parkin' lot."
They were staring into each other's eyes in a silent struggle to read what the other was thinking. Jack not only felt uncomfortable but he also felt a blinding wave of rage at the injustice of it all. They'd never been that close! He was the one Kate should be looking at like that, not James! Rita's smug look of understanding only rubbing salt into an already raw and open wound.
Kate took Rita's hand and waving slightly at Jack in parting; she walked out of the exit and into the sunshine, both Jack and James watched as the two females disappeared into the concrete jungle that was the car park.
Turning to look at each other Jack couldn't keep the animosity out of his eyes, face or voice.
"She's a lot happier with you than she ever was with me."
James didn't say anything to this as he waited to hear what else Jack would have to say.
"Then again, I don't have this secret military past,smartass nieces and God knows what else to make me look good."
James raised an eyebrow at the bitterness in Jack's voice.
"So what's wrong with her anyway?"
"Who?" James asked.
"Kate, she said she was here to see Rita's Pediatrician but she was on Obstetrics and between her and Rita, the bags under her eyes tell me she's the one who needed to see a doctor." Jack said.
"Nothin's wrong with her. Rita had a check-up. Kate's got bags under her eyes 'cause we were up all night doin' what healthy, grown folks do, that's all." James said smirking at the mention of him and Kate having sex.
Jack looked like he'd been kicked in the teeth, without saying anything else he walked away from James heading for the elevator again.
"Nice seein' you again Doc!" James called out as the elevator doors closed on a stony faced Jack.
James headed out of the hospital to meet Kate and Rita in the parking lot, getting into the passenger seat when she pulled up in front of him.
Kate drove out of the hospital, "Where's your car?"
"I walked." James replied, sounding bored with the conversation.
"Okay, where am I dropping you off then?" Kate asked. It was the second time she was having a stilted conversation in this car today. 'What is wrong with me?' Kate asked herself.
"You wanna tell me why you want me outta here so bad?" James asked.
"Travis' plane arrives in less than an hour and I got fifteen minutes to meet my Dad, that's all!"
"Angelface, you know Kate's got a bun in the oven?" James asked Rita who was sitting in the backseat looking out the window as she pretended not to listen to their conversation.
Rita turned her doe eyes on James' in the rearview mirror, "You mean she's pregnant?" She asked in an overly dramatic voice.
James made a face at her, "Yeah, I already know you already know, nice try though."
Rita stuck her tongue out at him before she went back to looking out the window.
James' eyes raked Kate's form, "So what'd the Doc say?" He asked her softly.
"All clear, they don't know how I got pregnant given my situation and…" Kate's voice trailed off as she tried to keep a lid on her excitement.
"Rita pass me the picture from the scan please sweetie." Kate demanded gently.
Rita dug in Kate's purse and fishing out the scan passed it into Kate's outstretched hand.
Kate looked at it lovingly before handing it to James, "I don't know how good you are at reading scans but that picture shows two hearts on it." Kate said proudly.
James gingerly took the picture in his hand and squinted to see what Kate was talking about. Part of him savoring the moment as it was the first time he was seeing a picture of his baby. Wait a minute she said two hearts.
"Whaddaya mean two hearts?"
"Rita?" Kate prompted with a grin on her face.
Rita sighed in exaggeration, "Oh my God! Twins, Uncle Jamie, duh." Rolling her eyes she went back to gazing out the window.
James stared at the picture slack-jawed then looked at Kate, then down at her abdomen as if he could see through the clothes and flesh into her uterus.
"No shit."
"Yeah shit." Kate replied chirpily, as she risked a quick glance at him before returning her attention to the road.
James shook his head in denial, "Did you know it was twins all this time?"
"Nope, just found out today, I thought it was bad news when Antonio called another doctor in but he just wanted to make sure before he told me the good news."
James cocked an eyebrow, "Antonio huh?"
Kate smiled at this, "Give me a break Tex, the guy's done an internal exam on me and you wanna get testy about what I call him?"
James looked at Kate like she was from another planet, "In a nutshell? Yeah."
Kate rolled her eyes at this, but she was still smiling.
"So what'd Jacko say 'bout the good news?"
Kate risked a quick glance at him from the corner of her eye, "I didn't tell him. I told him that Rita was the one going for a check up."
James remained silent observing Rita in the rearview mirror.
"I lied because I didn't think it was appropriate to discuss this with him, and I didn't want you to think that maybe I still have feelings for him." Kate volunteered of her own accord.
James didn't comment on this, winking at Rita in the rearview he glanced at Kate before he asked her to pull over the car. Doing as she was told, she turned to look at him in confusion.
"My car's just a block away from here, I'll be gone for a few days, left y'all some emergency phone numbers in the kitchen. Be good okay?" James addressed Rita when he said this last part.
Kate stared at James in hurt confusion, before she could say anything, James opened the car door and stepped out. Turning to look at Kate he said, "When I get back I want a paternity test."
Kate looked like he'd slapped her in the face, "What?"
James fixed Kate a no-nonsense look before he shut the door and walked off towards his car parked around the corner.
Kate glanced at Rita in the rearview mirror who was studiously looking out the window and shifted the car back into gear. Sighing inwardly Kate steered the car onto the highway, dreading lunch with her father even more than she had been ten minutes ago, all she wanted was to go home and cry. Instead she was about to sit through a taxing emotional meal with the man who she'd called Daddy but wasn't.
She was so upset by what James had said, she hadn't noticed that James had pocketed the picture of the scan.