Chapter 7
Having made his two stops, he pointed his truck towards Kate's house, hoping to catch her at home. He didn't want to call and give her time to prepare for his arrival or even maybe leave. He wasn't sure if she wanted to see him again.
He pulled into her driveway and again parked directly behind her BMW. Could it only be just yesterday that he was here and discovered his impending fatherhood? It seemed like much longer but he had done much soul- searching since then. His heart was pounding wildly in his chest as he made his way up to her door, unsure of the outcome of this visit.
He had made up his mind, but he had to know how she felt.
He knocked lightly on the door and stepped back, waiting for her to answer. He heard her approach the door, and then held his breath as she opened it. She was again surprised to see him; she wasn't expecting to see him back at her door so soon. She knew the news she had given him had shocked him, and didn't blame him for needing time to deal with it. After all, it had taken her a good part of the past six months to come to terms with her feelings.
"Jack?" He looked so helpless standing on her doorstep, almost boyish, like a teenager who had just gotten into trouble and needed her help.
He let out the breath that he had been holding, "Hi Kate, can I come in?" Jack's face carried his usual serious look. It was not often that people saw the other, softer side of Jack that she had come to love. She secretly hoped that she would someday get to see that side of him again.
In the past six months Kate had gone through a myriad of emotions. Immediately after Jack left, she was angry and resentful, and many tears had been shed in his honor. Those feelings were eventually replaced with anxiety and fear when she learned that she was pregnant with his child. How could she do this on her own? Why did Jack leave her? What was she going to do?
She slowly came to accept Jack's actions and absence, and fell in love with the small child that was growing inside her. However, she would have never made it through to this point without the help of her father and supportive friends.
Her father had been the stabilizing force in her life and had been there for her since Jack's departure. She was eternally grateful for him but still mourned the loss of the sister she once shared everything with. The sister she knew was all but gone.
Just in the past month, Kate found a new resolve and determination to raise this child on her own. She still had not heard from Jack and had come to the realization that if someone didn't want to be a father, you just couldn't force it. And then Kim had come for a visit, giving her new hope.
Kim's surprise had almost mirrored Jack's. She was more like Jack than she knew, and Kate thought Jack did a great job raising her, despite his strong denials that it was all Teri. As they sat and talked, Kim's initial surprise gave way to understanding and sympathy. She just wanted her dad to be happy, but she was thrilled with the idea of a new sibling, regardless of Jack's involvement. She promised to keep the secret and let Kate tell him on her own, but thought Jack might surprise just her.
Kate nodded to him, and Jack strode past her and sat down in the same place he occupied yesterday. Kate wasn't sure why he was here, but he definitely had something on his mind.
They sat opposite each other, neither of them speaking. Kate figured he came here for a reason, and allowed him to start.
Finally, Jack broke the silence, "Kate, I...I've done a lot of stupid things in my life." Another deep breath, "I truly am sorry for leaving you the way I did, it wasn't fair to you, but I felt it was something I had to do. I wasn't even sure I was coming back and needed you to be able to move on."
Kate got the feeling that this was really hard for Jack to admit, since he was a man who did not share his feelings easily. It touched her heart, this gentle side of him, and she was reminded again why she fell in love with him.
"Jack, it's ok, you don't have to do this. I understand now what you thought you had to do, it took me a while, but I got through it and—"
He cut her off, his voice intense, "Kate, do you love me?"
She looked down and closed her eyes, she couldn't lie to him, "Jack, I...I never stopped. I tried to make myself, but..." A single tear fell from her closed lashes.
To Be Continued...
Note: It is really hard to get Jack and Kate's reactions right, so forgive me if I didn't portray them correctly. I didn't realize how hard this was going to be until I started.
Having made his two stops, he pointed his truck towards Kate's house, hoping to catch her at home. He didn't want to call and give her time to prepare for his arrival or even maybe leave. He wasn't sure if she wanted to see him again.
He pulled into her driveway and again parked directly behind her BMW. Could it only be just yesterday that he was here and discovered his impending fatherhood? It seemed like much longer but he had done much soul- searching since then. His heart was pounding wildly in his chest as he made his way up to her door, unsure of the outcome of this visit.
He had made up his mind, but he had to know how she felt.
He knocked lightly on the door and stepped back, waiting for her to answer. He heard her approach the door, and then held his breath as she opened it. She was again surprised to see him; she wasn't expecting to see him back at her door so soon. She knew the news she had given him had shocked him, and didn't blame him for needing time to deal with it. After all, it had taken her a good part of the past six months to come to terms with her feelings.
"Jack?" He looked so helpless standing on her doorstep, almost boyish, like a teenager who had just gotten into trouble and needed her help.
He let out the breath that he had been holding, "Hi Kate, can I come in?" Jack's face carried his usual serious look. It was not often that people saw the other, softer side of Jack that she had come to love. She secretly hoped that she would someday get to see that side of him again.
In the past six months Kate had gone through a myriad of emotions. Immediately after Jack left, she was angry and resentful, and many tears had been shed in his honor. Those feelings were eventually replaced with anxiety and fear when she learned that she was pregnant with his child. How could she do this on her own? Why did Jack leave her? What was she going to do?
She slowly came to accept Jack's actions and absence, and fell in love with the small child that was growing inside her. However, she would have never made it through to this point without the help of her father and supportive friends.
Her father had been the stabilizing force in her life and had been there for her since Jack's departure. She was eternally grateful for him but still mourned the loss of the sister she once shared everything with. The sister she knew was all but gone.
Just in the past month, Kate found a new resolve and determination to raise this child on her own. She still had not heard from Jack and had come to the realization that if someone didn't want to be a father, you just couldn't force it. And then Kim had come for a visit, giving her new hope.
Kim's surprise had almost mirrored Jack's. She was more like Jack than she knew, and Kate thought Jack did a great job raising her, despite his strong denials that it was all Teri. As they sat and talked, Kim's initial surprise gave way to understanding and sympathy. She just wanted her dad to be happy, but she was thrilled with the idea of a new sibling, regardless of Jack's involvement. She promised to keep the secret and let Kate tell him on her own, but thought Jack might surprise just her.
Kate nodded to him, and Jack strode past her and sat down in the same place he occupied yesterday. Kate wasn't sure why he was here, but he definitely had something on his mind.
They sat opposite each other, neither of them speaking. Kate figured he came here for a reason, and allowed him to start.
Finally, Jack broke the silence, "Kate, I...I've done a lot of stupid things in my life." Another deep breath, "I truly am sorry for leaving you the way I did, it wasn't fair to you, but I felt it was something I had to do. I wasn't even sure I was coming back and needed you to be able to move on."
Kate got the feeling that this was really hard for Jack to admit, since he was a man who did not share his feelings easily. It touched her heart, this gentle side of him, and she was reminded again why she fell in love with him.
"Jack, it's ok, you don't have to do this. I understand now what you thought you had to do, it took me a while, but I got through it and—"
He cut her off, his voice intense, "Kate, do you love me?"
She looked down and closed her eyes, she couldn't lie to him, "Jack, I...I never stopped. I tried to make myself, but..." A single tear fell from her closed lashes.
To Be Continued...
Note: It is really hard to get Jack and Kate's reactions right, so forgive me if I didn't portray them correctly. I didn't realize how hard this was going to be until I started.