Title: Meant to Be-chapter 9
Disclaimer: Pay close attention. I do not own Third Watch.
Kim dragged herself to the doorway of her mom's house. Everything inside of her was telling her to run. Far, far away. There was no way this night was going to go smoothly and no way she would get through it without her mother telling her ex embarrassing new facts about her life since he had last seen her.
Kim groaned and opened the door quietly, hoping to enter without anyone hearing her. No such luck. Her mom was pacing nervously in the living room and jumped on her the minute she saw her. "Kim, where have you been? Michael has been waiting here for 20 minutes and I'm running out of things to say."
"What? No horrible childhood experience of mine you wanted to share with him?" Kim groused sarcastically.
"Oh please tell me you're not going to be in a mood tonight. Michael was nice enough to come here and see you on his vacation."
"Because you asked him to!" Kim pointed out, already starting to feel slightly hysterical. "If you had kept your mouth shut, he could have spent his boring vacation with his boring parents like he wanted to."
"Can we please argue about this later?" Katherine dragged her into the dining room where prince charming awaited. "Michael, look who finally decided to show up."
Kim fought the urge to pummel her mom and forced a smile on her face, "Hi Michael. It's been a while."
"Wow... Kim, you look amazing. More beautiful than I remember," Michael gushed.
Kim chuckled and shrugged the compliment off. She had to hand it to him though, he looked pretty good himself. When they had dated, he was still a little awkward and gangly. His hair was always perfectly parted and always wore preppie clothes. It was like he was heir to Izod or something. He had definitely grown into himself and filled out nicely. His style seemed more laid back and he seemed more comfortable with himself. Kim had to laugh. He was probably the only 'nice' guy she had ever dated. She tended to go for the bad boys. No kidding.
"Well, I'll let you two catch up and go and finish up dinner," Katherine smiled and made her exit.
Kim sat across the table and smiled at him uncomfortably, "I hope she hasn't bored the life out of you yet."
Michael laughed, "No. I always liked your mom. She's a great person."
Kim wanted to say differently, but chose to keep her mouth shut on the subject. "So... what has it been? 14 years?"
"Yeah, it's been awhile. But I have to say, you look the same as you did then," Michael smiled.
"Minus the scary 80's hair," Kim chuckled.
"Look, Kim, I hope you don't mind about me taking up your mom's offer tonight. I just remembered how much fun we used to have together and wanted to see you again," Michael explained.
Kim was slightly confused. They had only dated for a couple of months and to her recollection, the time they had spent together hadn't been especially fun. Maybe it was a situation of absence makes the heart grow fonder. "No, Michael, it's fine. I'll admit I was a little surprised about everything, but it's always nice to catch up with an old friend." Kim made sure to emphasize the word 'friend'.
"Well, if you two are ready, we can go ahead and eat now. Kim, why don't you come and help me serve," Katherine smiled. Once the two were in the kitchen and dishing up the food Katherine couldn't hold back any longer, "So? How's it going?"
Kim rolled her eyes at her mother's enthusiasm, "Mom, I don't know what you expect to happen tonight, but I have a feeling you're going to be disappointed."
Katherine turned to look at Kim, "Why? What's wrong with him?"
Kim sighed, "Nothing is wrong with him! Jeez! I already told you, I'm not interested."
"You haven't even given it a chance."
"Mom, what part of 'not interested' are you not understanding? I'm not looking for a boyfriend."
"Kim, you haven't had a steady relationship with anyone since Jimmy and God knows what a mistake that was," Katherine huffed.
The hair on the back of Kim's neck stood up. She was beyond mad. "A mistake? It's nice to finally know what you really think of Joey!"
"Kim, that's not what I meant. I love Joey and you know that," Katherine tried to remedy.
"Well you know what, if I hadn't of been with Jimmy, there would be no Joey. It wasn't a mistake! Coming here tonight was a mistake," Kim bit out and went back to sit down at the table.
"Everything ok in there," Michael asked with a smile.
"Peachy," Kim forced a smile. The next hour was filled with painful small talk and endless reminiscing. Mostly between Katherine and Michael. Kim wasn't interested in the conversation, but her mother was certainly going to relive the 'good times' for her. Katherine finally excused herself to clean up and Kim and Michael moved into the living room.
"You know, as a doctor I see a lot of pain and suffering and can tell you're going through both tonight," Michael tried to make the uncomfortable mood lighter.
Kim shook herself out of her mood, "Michael, I'm sorry. It's just... my mom and I don't see eye to eye on things very often," she smiled apologetically.
"I kind of get the feeling like she might have talked you into tonight."
Kim looked completely embarrassed, "You have no idea how sorry I am that you got dragged into all of this."
"Please tell me that you're not still married at least," Michael asked in worry.
Kim laughed, "No. I'm not married. My ex and I got divorced a long time ago, but we do have a son."
Michael smiled, "Your mom was telling me about him before you got here. She showed me a picture. He looks like you."
Kim smiled, "Actually he looks more like his dad, but thanks."
"Well, maybe someday I'll get to meet him," he said and took her hand in his.
Kim looked over at his hopeful face and decided enough was enough, "Michael, you're a great guy and-"
"Uh-oh. The 'great guy' speech. That's never a good sign," Michael smiled and sat back.
"I'm sorry. I feel terrible about all of this and I'm sorry you came all this way just to hear me say this, but I'm not looking for a relationship right now. I'm actually already in one, but I haven't told my mom about it."
"That would explain why she's trying to set you up with old boyfriends from high school," Michael laughed.
"It explains it, but it definitely doesn't excuse it. I'm really sorry about all of this," Kim smiled apologetically.
"Really, it's not a problem. I just got out of a serious relationship and it probably is for the best anyway. I think maybe I should just go."
"No! You don't have to do that," Kim tried to stop him.
Michael put his coat on and smiled, "It's alright, Kim. Really. No hard feelings. It was nice to see you again though and maybe someday, if this guy doesn't work out, I'll run into you mom at the grocery store again and we can try again." They both laughed and Kim walked him to the door.
"Thanks for understanding, Michael. I really am sorry about all of this."
"It was good to see you again, Kim. Tell your mom I said thanks for the dinner," he smiled and walked out into the night.
Kim leaned against the door and sighed in relief. She grabbed her cell phone from her bag and went into the bathroom. Kim dialed Jimmy's number and smiled when she heard his voice.
"Do you think you could come and pick me up?"
"Sure. So are you gonna tell me how it went?" he asked.
"Well, I fell madly in love with him. We eloped and I'm having his baby," Kim smiled at the silence on the other end.
"You're not funny."
Kim laughed, "I'm kidding, Jimmy. I told him I was already seeing someone. He just left."
"I'm sure your mom was thrilled about that," Jimmy chuckled.
"Well, actually she's still in the kitchen cleaning up, so she doesn't exactly know that he's gone," Kim bit her nails nervously.
"And you're gonna sneak out of the house too?" Jimmy laughed. "I'll just honk the horn when I pull up, leave the motor running and you can run out. Sound good to you?"
Kim tried not to laugh, "You know, I've had a really shitty night. I don't need you to give me grief."
"Oh, poor baby. I'll make it all better," he smiled when he heard her giggle.
"Will you please just come and get me?"
"I'm on my way."
Disclaimer: Pay close attention. I do not own Third Watch.
Kim dragged herself to the doorway of her mom's house. Everything inside of her was telling her to run. Far, far away. There was no way this night was going to go smoothly and no way she would get through it without her mother telling her ex embarrassing new facts about her life since he had last seen her.
Kim groaned and opened the door quietly, hoping to enter without anyone hearing her. No such luck. Her mom was pacing nervously in the living room and jumped on her the minute she saw her. "Kim, where have you been? Michael has been waiting here for 20 minutes and I'm running out of things to say."
"What? No horrible childhood experience of mine you wanted to share with him?" Kim groused sarcastically.
"Oh please tell me you're not going to be in a mood tonight. Michael was nice enough to come here and see you on his vacation."
"Because you asked him to!" Kim pointed out, already starting to feel slightly hysterical. "If you had kept your mouth shut, he could have spent his boring vacation with his boring parents like he wanted to."
"Can we please argue about this later?" Katherine dragged her into the dining room where prince charming awaited. "Michael, look who finally decided to show up."
Kim fought the urge to pummel her mom and forced a smile on her face, "Hi Michael. It's been a while."
"Wow... Kim, you look amazing. More beautiful than I remember," Michael gushed.
Kim chuckled and shrugged the compliment off. She had to hand it to him though, he looked pretty good himself. When they had dated, he was still a little awkward and gangly. His hair was always perfectly parted and always wore preppie clothes. It was like he was heir to Izod or something. He had definitely grown into himself and filled out nicely. His style seemed more laid back and he seemed more comfortable with himself. Kim had to laugh. He was probably the only 'nice' guy she had ever dated. She tended to go for the bad boys. No kidding.
"Well, I'll let you two catch up and go and finish up dinner," Katherine smiled and made her exit.
Kim sat across the table and smiled at him uncomfortably, "I hope she hasn't bored the life out of you yet."
Michael laughed, "No. I always liked your mom. She's a great person."
Kim wanted to say differently, but chose to keep her mouth shut on the subject. "So... what has it been? 14 years?"
"Yeah, it's been awhile. But I have to say, you look the same as you did then," Michael smiled.
"Minus the scary 80's hair," Kim chuckled.
"Look, Kim, I hope you don't mind about me taking up your mom's offer tonight. I just remembered how much fun we used to have together and wanted to see you again," Michael explained.
Kim was slightly confused. They had only dated for a couple of months and to her recollection, the time they had spent together hadn't been especially fun. Maybe it was a situation of absence makes the heart grow fonder. "No, Michael, it's fine. I'll admit I was a little surprised about everything, but it's always nice to catch up with an old friend." Kim made sure to emphasize the word 'friend'.
"Well, if you two are ready, we can go ahead and eat now. Kim, why don't you come and help me serve," Katherine smiled. Once the two were in the kitchen and dishing up the food Katherine couldn't hold back any longer, "So? How's it going?"
Kim rolled her eyes at her mother's enthusiasm, "Mom, I don't know what you expect to happen tonight, but I have a feeling you're going to be disappointed."
Katherine turned to look at Kim, "Why? What's wrong with him?"
Kim sighed, "Nothing is wrong with him! Jeez! I already told you, I'm not interested."
"You haven't even given it a chance."
"Mom, what part of 'not interested' are you not understanding? I'm not looking for a boyfriend."
"Kim, you haven't had a steady relationship with anyone since Jimmy and God knows what a mistake that was," Katherine huffed.
The hair on the back of Kim's neck stood up. She was beyond mad. "A mistake? It's nice to finally know what you really think of Joey!"
"Kim, that's not what I meant. I love Joey and you know that," Katherine tried to remedy.
"Well you know what, if I hadn't of been with Jimmy, there would be no Joey. It wasn't a mistake! Coming here tonight was a mistake," Kim bit out and went back to sit down at the table.
"Everything ok in there," Michael asked with a smile.
"Peachy," Kim forced a smile. The next hour was filled with painful small talk and endless reminiscing. Mostly between Katherine and Michael. Kim wasn't interested in the conversation, but her mother was certainly going to relive the 'good times' for her. Katherine finally excused herself to clean up and Kim and Michael moved into the living room.
"You know, as a doctor I see a lot of pain and suffering and can tell you're going through both tonight," Michael tried to make the uncomfortable mood lighter.
Kim shook herself out of her mood, "Michael, I'm sorry. It's just... my mom and I don't see eye to eye on things very often," she smiled apologetically.
"I kind of get the feeling like she might have talked you into tonight."
Kim looked completely embarrassed, "You have no idea how sorry I am that you got dragged into all of this."
"Please tell me that you're not still married at least," Michael asked in worry.
Kim laughed, "No. I'm not married. My ex and I got divorced a long time ago, but we do have a son."
Michael smiled, "Your mom was telling me about him before you got here. She showed me a picture. He looks like you."
Kim smiled, "Actually he looks more like his dad, but thanks."
"Well, maybe someday I'll get to meet him," he said and took her hand in his.
Kim looked over at his hopeful face and decided enough was enough, "Michael, you're a great guy and-"
"Uh-oh. The 'great guy' speech. That's never a good sign," Michael smiled and sat back.
"I'm sorry. I feel terrible about all of this and I'm sorry you came all this way just to hear me say this, but I'm not looking for a relationship right now. I'm actually already in one, but I haven't told my mom about it."
"That would explain why she's trying to set you up with old boyfriends from high school," Michael laughed.
"It explains it, but it definitely doesn't excuse it. I'm really sorry about all of this," Kim smiled apologetically.
"Really, it's not a problem. I just got out of a serious relationship and it probably is for the best anyway. I think maybe I should just go."
"No! You don't have to do that," Kim tried to stop him.
Michael put his coat on and smiled, "It's alright, Kim. Really. No hard feelings. It was nice to see you again though and maybe someday, if this guy doesn't work out, I'll run into you mom at the grocery store again and we can try again." They both laughed and Kim walked him to the door.
"Thanks for understanding, Michael. I really am sorry about all of this."
"It was good to see you again, Kim. Tell your mom I said thanks for the dinner," he smiled and walked out into the night.
Kim leaned against the door and sighed in relief. She grabbed her cell phone from her bag and went into the bathroom. Kim dialed Jimmy's number and smiled when she heard his voice.
"Do you think you could come and pick me up?"
"Sure. So are you gonna tell me how it went?" he asked.
"Well, I fell madly in love with him. We eloped and I'm having his baby," Kim smiled at the silence on the other end.
"You're not funny."
Kim laughed, "I'm kidding, Jimmy. I told him I was already seeing someone. He just left."
"I'm sure your mom was thrilled about that," Jimmy chuckled.
"Well, actually she's still in the kitchen cleaning up, so she doesn't exactly know that he's gone," Kim bit her nails nervously.
"And you're gonna sneak out of the house too?" Jimmy laughed. "I'll just honk the horn when I pull up, leave the motor running and you can run out. Sound good to you?"
Kim tried not to laugh, "You know, I've had a really shitty night. I don't need you to give me grief."
"Oh, poor baby. I'll make it all better," he smiled when he heard her giggle.
"Will you please just come and get me?"
"I'm on my way."