Chapter Thirty-three
"Remember the last time we were keeping secrets together? When Rafe and Alison bought the house? Oh God, Lucy. That was so much fun." Abby sighed and stared at her tea. "I'm just glad to have someone to talk to. I want to tell Ali, but I'm terrified."
"I can't tell Rafe. I want to. It's killing me not to. Abby, Colin's a great kid and Doc's happier than I've seen him, well – since Livvie left town. I don't want to do anything to spoil it."
Abby needed Lucy to get exactly what they were up against. She pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose and stared into Lucy's eyes. "She loves him. So much so that I'm 99% sure she spent the night with him last night."
"Oh Abby." Lucy sighed.
"It's serious Lucy. This isn't a crush or a fling. I think this is it for her. Kate certainly believes it and I have to tell you, I recognized well the look in her eyes. Can you imagine if this goes where I think it's headed?" Abby couldn't believe the words were coming out of her mouth. "Rafe and Caleb as in-laws?"
"It's too absurd to contemplate." Lucy shivered.
"It's too inevitable not to." Abby countered. "You didn't see her Lucy. She's over the moon."
"You're right. I know you are. I'm just…" Lucy trailed off, at a loss as to what to do next.
"There's nothing we can do to stop her. She's eighteen. If Rafe takes this badly…"
Lucy stared at Abby, her eyes opened wide. "IF!?!"
Abby shoved her hair out of her face and gave Lucy an exasperated look. "OK, WHEN then. C'mon Lucy. I get what the problem is and I'm trying to figure out a solution. Work with me here."
"Goodness. We'll have to tell Rafe with either Chris or Ian standing right next to him. He'll keel over for sure." Lucy nibbled at the biscotti the waitress placed at their table. "He'll be furious at both of us too, for knowing all along and keeping him in the dark."
Imagining just that type of scene in her mind Abby sighed heavily. "You said it. Lucy. And here we are, stuck right in the middle. What are we going to do?"
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Kate came bouncing down the stairs. Lucky for her, her parents went to pick up her sister before they came home. It gave her enough time to cower under Grant's glare and rush upstairs to hop in the shower. Her hair was still wet and she was dressed in an old t-shirt and faded cotton shorts. She had just reached the bottom when the front door swung open.
"Hey sweetie." Alison smiled as she saw her daughter. She ran a hand over Kate's damp head. "Late start this morning?" Kate was usually an early riser, just like her dad.
"Hi Mom!" Kate was still so giddy. She hugged her mother close. "Happy Mother's Day!"
"Thanks!"
"Hey Mom!" Grant called out from the kitchen.
"Hi! Honey? Can you go help your father with the bags?" She grinned at him. "I stuck him with them again."
"It's Mother's Day." Kate laughed as Grant made his way to the door. "You're allowed."
"Watch it, Squirt." Grant cautioned a speeding Becky with a smile. She nearly mowed him down.
"Oops sorry! Katie! Guess what?" Becky asked as she sprung up and down.
"What?" Kate replied.
"Danny broke up with that other girl. I heard him tell Dr. Ian."
"Becky!" Alison scolded. "You shouldn't be eavesdropping."
Becky turned to look at her mother curious. "Maggie's mom said that too. Why is everyone telling me Danny's mom dropped something?"
"What?" Both Alison and Kate said at the same time, completely confused.
"Danny's real mom - wasn't she Eve?" Becky looked at them with innocent eyes. "Isn't she with Grandpa Ed? What did she drop? Why is she so clumsy?"
Kate looked at her mother and they both burst into hysterical laughter. "Becky…" Alison tried to catch her breath. "Sweetie. That's not what it means."Becky stared up at both of them wondering why everyone always found her so funny. She guessed she didn't understand. She blew her bangs out of her eyes and placed her little hands on her hips, glaring at them both. "How should I know? I've only been eight for like two weeks. Give me a break."
Her reaction made them laugh louder. Becky somehow thought being eight was a huge milestone in her life. Finally, Kate was able to speak. "OK. We'll give you a break." She grinned.
Becky wasn't finished with her story. "Anyway, Dr Ian said if Danny wasn't such an idiot he wouldn't have let Katie go."
"I agree." Rafe said loudly as he and Grant came back inside.
"No kidding." Kate smiled at him.
Becky turned to look at Kate again and gave her a lopsided grin. "And I told Mrs. Thornhart too bad for him because Katie has a new boyfriend now."
"Really?" Rafe asked, staring straight at Kate.
Becky twirled the end of one of her pigtails around her finger. "Yeah. Colin. He's her boyfriend now - right Katie? I mean - you let him kiss you and everything."
"When was this?" Rafe's voice began to rise.
Kate blushed to the color of a ripe tomato. "Umm. I – well – I…"
Rafe continued to look intently at his older daughter. Grant all at once knew exactly where Kate had been all night. Becky snapped her bubblegum and started to hop up and down and Alison, though quite curious about all this herself took pity on Kate.
"Leave her alone, all of you." She turned to focus her attention on the worst of them all. She gazed lovingly at her husband. "Rafe we came home early for a reason remember?"
He didn't respond. Alison could see that his mind was spinning furiously and he looked like he was going to lose it.
"Rafe Kovich - are you ignoring me?" Alison's voice was incredulous.
"No." He said, glancing at her quickly. "Hold on. Just a minute." He whirled back to glare at Kate. "Who the hell is this kid? Where did he come from? What are his parents like?"
Kate thought she would have more time before this came up. She stared at him nervously. "Daddy. Can't we talk about this later?" There was no answer to any of those questions that would diffuse this situation.
"No. NOW." He demanded.
It was clear Rafe wasn't budging. He crossed his arms over his chest and narrowed his eyes.
How did she begin to describe Colin? She couldn't very well say what she was thinking. He's amazing, Dad. He's the kindest person I know. He's gentle but strong and he's so funny. I'm going to spend the rest of my life with him so get used to it. And oh - by the way - his father's a bloodsucking cretin who killed you once and ruined your wedding. But it's no biggie.
Kate knew she wasn't going to get out of this easily so she decided to give him at least something. "I met him on my way home from visiting Danny. He's not from around here. He plays guitar and he's very nice..." She began.
"If he was nice he'd at least meet your parents before taking you out." Rafe countered.
"He hasn't actually taken me out yet." Kate replied, telling the complete truth.
"Then it's not serious." Rafe sounded relieved.
Kate didn't reply. She simply stared at her feet. If he only knew. If he only knew she was sure Colin would be in danger of losing his life and she'd never see the light of day until she was well into her 50's.
Alison wasn't convinced Rafe was right. She saw something come over Kate's features as they talked about Colin. From what she could see, this was way more serious than Rafe had even a clue about.
There were other things to discuss and Alison thought they should get to them. "Kids, now that you're all here, let's sit down. Your father and I have something to tell you."
"Are we moving?" Grant asked
"No. We're not moving." Alison replied with a smile as they followed her into the kitchen.
"Is someone sick?" Kate asked, worried.
"No one's sick. Everything's fine." Rafe assured her.
Both Grant and Kate were clearly nervous, but Becky was barely paying attention. As she sat on the window seat before them she was busy tugging at the band-aid on her scraped knee. It was pink with white polka dots. Her knee really hurt when she had tripped the other day but the band-aid was so cool it was almost worth it.
Alison grabbed Rafe's hand and smiled. "We love you all very much." She began.
"That's supposed to be news?" Grant said with a grin.
Rafe gave his son a look as a warning.
"Sorry." He grinned wider.
Alison looked lovingly at all of them again. "And we are so happy to have each one of you – but your dad and I were thinking that maybe we should add on to our family…"
She didn't get to finish.
"Oh my GOD!" Kate's mouth dropped open in shock. "Mom's pregnant?!"
Grant nearly fell over. "No way!"
Becky finally perked up. "Mom's what?"
"Mom's going to have a baby, Angel Face." Rafe crouched down to look in the little girl's eyes. "Becky. You're going to be a big sister."
"Like Katie?" She asked with a huge smile.
"Like Katie." Alison replied.
"Cool." Becky's eyes got dreamy. "I can teach a baby all kinds of stuff."
"You sure can." Alison turned her attention to the other two kids. "You guys OK with this?"
"Are you? Mom really…" Kate didn't know quite how to finish.
"What?" Alison asked.
"I think it's great. You two are nuts – but it's great." Grant interjected with a smile.
Alison had expected that. Grant was always easygoing. "Katie?"
"Its wonderful news I'm just – I mean maybe I shouldn't be – but I'm just really surprised." Kate looked from one of her parents to the next. "Weren't you?"
They smiled shyly at each other before glancing back at her.
"You mean you planned this??" Kate couldn't believe it.
"It was your father's idea at first but yeah – we did." Alison replied.
Unbelievable, Kate thought as she shook her head, but then, she suddenly understood. At this moment she could almost see the rest of her life with Colin. How many kids would they have? Where would they live?
She could feel three sets of eyes on her and blinked. Snapping out of her dream world she finally spoke again.
"Well." She smiled. "You two are amazing parents. You should have as many kids as you can."
"I wouldn't go that far." Grant snickered.
Kate was truly happy for them. They were where she wanted to be when she was their age. Falling in love with Colin gave her a whole new perspective. As she looked at them she knew there was nothing more to do but celebrate. "Congratulations!" Kate said as she hugged them both.