Chapter Thirty-seven

Rafe bounced up off the couch and nearly sprinted to the door, knowing exactly who it was. "Hi Abs. You ready for this?" Rafe said as he gave her a quick peck on the cheek.

"As I'll ever be." She giggled as she walked into the house. "How's Ali?"

"A nervous wreck." Rafe admitted. "So am I. Abby - I'm so afraid that she'll back out."

"Aw - c'mon. Just turn on the charm, Handsome and she won't be able to resist." Abby said with a laugh. "Look at you in a suit." Abby reached up to straighten his tie. "Why are you so dressed up? Think you're going to get lucky?"

Rafe started to blush. He decided to ignore her and change the subject. "She's putting her down now. Good thing - because if Kate's asleep it'll be easier to make Alison leave."

Abby loved that she made him so uncomfortable. He was such an easy mark. So much easier to get to than Cam. She decided to give him a break. "What's that?" She asked as she noticed a notebook on the table.

"Do you really want to know?" Rafe chuckled.

"Didn't I just ask?" Abby laughed back.

"It's an owner's manual for Katrina." Rafe replied.

"A what!?"

"It's very interesting reading." Rafe scratched his head. "Hell - there's stuff I don't know about her in there and I'm her father. For instance - I thought that she loved sitting in her swing."

"I already know that." Abby said proudly. "I was over last week and she was happy in it for hours."

Rafe shook his head. "Ah ha. That's just it. Shows what you know. Apparently - she's over it."

"What?" Abby asked as she sat down and began to read.

"Yeah - you'd better start studying. According to the book she likes to be held now. The swing's so last week."

Just then, Alison slowly walked down the stairs. Rafe turned at the sound and almost keeled over at the sight of her. "Hi." She said softly.

"WOW." Rafe's mouth hung open.

"Wow is right. You look gorgeous Ali." Abby agreed.

Alison glanced down at the simple black dress she wore. It had spaghetti straps and clung to her every curve flaring at the waist and falling just above her knees. Glittery stones hung from her ears. She wore strappy black satin shoes and carried a purse to match. Her hair took all of ten minutes to do - but it looked like she'd spent hours. It was piled intricately on top of her head, a few strands were loose curling about her face. "Really?" She asked.

Rafe was speechless. One thought only filled his head. Alison was crazy if she thought he was going to let her step foot back in this house before Sunday night.

"Really." Abby replied. "Alison. You look amazing. Doesn't she look beautiful, Rafe?" She asked as she elbowed him in the ribs.

Rafe finally found his voice. He cleared his throat and smiled never taking his eyes off his wife. "She is beautiful. Since the moment I met her I've never seen a single thing more beautiful."

"Rafe." Alison sighed, her eyes filling up.

"She asleep?" He asked, then.

Alison nodded and turned her attention to her sister. "OK. Now, Abby. Listen up." Her voice sounded not unlike a drill sergeant. "She'll sleep for a few hours - maybe longer if you're lucky. If she cries at night - it's usually one of three things. She might be hungry - but I just fed her so that won't be what she's mad about until about midnight at the earliest. Anytime before that - she'll either need to be changed or she's just lonely, so just hold her and sit in the rocking chair for a few minutes. That should do it."

"OK. I'll remember." Abby said with a smile.

Alison acted like she didn't hear her. She started to pace. "I wrote everything down so you'll know her schedule. She keeps to it pretty much. Oh - you have to remember that her favorite blanket is the white fleece one with the pink trim. She likes the white bunny not the brown bear and oh - she likes the little plastic keys not the flower rattle anymore. That just happened today so I don't know if I had a chance to write it down yet." She began to chew on her freshly painted nails.

"Everything you need to know?" Alison looked around, almost willing Kate to start to fuss so she'd have an excuse to stay. She pointed to the book on the table. "It's all in there. All the phone numbers and everything too." She said sadly, knowing it was time to go.

Abby reached out and grabbed her hand, squeezing it gently. She looked into her sister's eyes and promised. "Alison. I'll take very good care of her. I'm so excited to that I really can't wait. Please - go, relax and have fun. We'll see you on Sunday."

Alison felt so useless. She didn't think she could bring herself to walk to the door. Rafe came up behind her and held up her cashmere shawl.

"You ready?" He asked as he wrapped it around her shoulders.

Alison couldn't help herself. Rafe looked so incredibly handsome she melted. Plus, he had gone to so much trouble it didn't seem fair. "OK." She said with a sigh as she turned to him. "We'll just go to dinner for now - right?"

He nodded and leaned close before he kissed her softly. "Just dinner. But you know - we don't want be late."

**************

A few hours later, Cam eased the door open and walked inside. He found Abby curled up on the couch, deep in sleep with a notebook open on the cushion beside her.

He picked it up and moved it to the coffee table. "Abby." He whispered.

She didn't reply - just turned over and grunted.

Just then, he heard a soft cry come over the baby monitor. Uh oh. He thought, suddenly panicked.

Cam tried to shake Abby awake but she wasn't budging.

"OK. Katrina." He said with a sigh as he climbed the stairs. "I guess it's just you and me. I'm begging you. Please. Have mercy on your Uncle Cam. He's had a rough day."

************

Rafe was surprised. Alison had only called home twice on the way up there. He did notice her sneak to the ladies room after her salad came though. He knew she was calling again. Poor Abby. He thought with a sigh.

Now - an hour later, Rafe watched as the candlelight danced across her features. More of her hair slipped from the pins but it just made her look more beautiful. Alison looked over at him under heavy eyelids and smiled at him again. It was no use. Whenever she did that he was completely lost.

"Angel." He cautioned her with a grin as he watched her pour. "That's your third glass of champagne."

"I know." She said with a giggle. She was sure she wasn't at all drunk - just pleasantly tipsy. She reached out across the table and linked her fingers with his. "You know what they say about champagne don't you? When it was invented? They said it was like drinking stars."

"And is it?" He asked.

"Yeah. I think it is. It's making me all giggly." She tugged at his hand and placed her lips on his. "Or maybe that's just finally being alone with you." She murmured.

They were tucked away in a little corner booth and were almost entirely alone in the place. Besides some of the wait staff there was only one other party in the whole restaurant.

"So." He said as he played with a loose strand of her hair. "What do you want to do now?"

Alison leaned closer and placed her hand on his knee. Her eyes sparkled as bright as her earrings as she asked. "Let's see. Tell me. What are my choices?"

"Dessert?"

Under the table, Alison's hand inched further up his thigh. She gave him a sultry look. "Hmmm. That sounds lovely. Should we have it here or in bed?"

Rafe sucked in his breath as she spoke. The things she was doing to him were driving him crazy. "Ummm. You choose." Rafe smiled wider. Guess my plan's working, he thought.

Alison giggled again. She knew exactly what she was doing to him and loved to make him squirm. "Well. Our room is really beautiful, especially that huge four-poster bed. And you know - we already checked in." She moved her hand from his leg and began to play with his tie, loosening it just a bit. "Let's go upstairs." She whispered in his ear.

Luckily - a waiter walked by at exactly that moment. "Check please!" Rafe managed to call out right before Alison's mouth covered his.