Chapter Thirty-four
"Are we going somewhere?" Livvie asked.
Caleb crossed the room and pulled the closet door nearly off its hinges. "Yes." He said his voice sharp. "Go pack."
"Mind telling me where?" She asked, annoyed.
"To find our miserable excuse for a son." He snapped back.
Livvie walked over to chaise lounge on the other side of the room and lay down. She didn't look like she was going anywhere anytime soon.
"Olivia? What are you doing? I said we're leaving. Get a move on." Caleb's voice shook with unleashed anger.
"I'm not going anywhere with you." She replied.
He was not at all in the mood for this. "Olivia…"
She stood to face him, her eyes glittering with annoyance. "NO. I'm not. I'm warning you Caleb. Leave him alone."
He stared at her and couldn't hold back a bitter laugh. "You're warning me??"
Livvie glared at him. "Yes. And I couldn't be more serious. Leave him alone. This whole thing is already a catastrophe. I won't let you make it worse."
He stared at her in disbelief. "What are you talking about?"
"Don't play dumb with me. You know exactly what I'm talking about. I'm talking about the fact that our son hasn't stepped foot in that door for three years. Three years, Caleb."
Completely frustrated, Livvie began to cry. "When he left – Caleb, he was just a little boy. Now.." She sighed. "…now - he's a man and you can't order him around anymore."
Livvie stared Caleb in the eye as she added. "Not that you ever could."
The truth of her words stunned him. "I thought you wanted to see him." Caleb countered.
"I do." She replied. "But not like this." Livvie walked over to him and grabbed his hand. "Leave him alone."
"He's my son." Caleb stated.
"Yes – he is." Livvie replied. In so many ways she thought to herself.
Caleb wasn't finished. "He's denying his legacy. If he doesn't follow – you know what that means." His voice grew soft as he said, "We'll watch him die, Olivia."
Livvie nodded sadness filling her eyes. She hated to be reminded of that fact. "I'm not at all happy about that, but that's his choice."
That was exactly the point. Caleb thought. He'd made the wrong one.
Caleb took her face in his hands and kissed her quickly. "Ah, but it's not mine." He smiled as he pulled away.
"You've made that clear, Caleb. Colin wants no part of this life. Neither did you once, remember?"
Resuming packing, Caleb simply glared at her in response.
Livvie began to plead with him, hoping she could make him see reason. "You had this forced on you and then when you had a second chance to be mortal – ultimately - you chose this life instead. You tried to do the same with me and look how that turned out. This time, you let me choose on my own and I chose to live this life too, despite the sacrifice. If he doesn't want to follow us Caleb, please, don't force him to."
"Olivia…" He sighed.
"Please." Livvie begged. "Please. Let him be."
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"Rebecca Elizabeth - how many times do I have to tell you? This is not a playground." Rafe called out, clearly irritated.
"Sorry Mr. Kovich." Chloe said sheepishly. "I was teaching her a cheer."
Rafe glanced over at Becky, who's bottom lip was quivering. It was so hard for him to stay mad at her she was so precious. But she had to understand. He was simply trying to keep her from getting hurt. "It's not your fault Chloe. Becky knows better than to do cartwheels in the gym." He said as he gave her a glare.
Confident she got the message, he went back to sort through the order forms in front of him.
"Daddy?" Becky's sweet little voice broke his concentration. She tugged on the hem of his sweatshirt.
"What Angel Face?" He asked, not looking up.
"How come Chloe does cheers in a gym all the time but I can't do them in this one?" She said quietly, her voice shaking with tears.
Rafe sighed. Guess he was wrong. "Ah, Becky..." He bent down to scoop her up, setting her on the counter. He kissed her nose and smiled. "Because the gym where Chloe does her cheers is much bigger and there aren't other things in the way. If you slipped in here and hit your head do you know how sad I'd be?"
She scrunched up her face and tried to guess. "Sad times a million?" Becky asked, wondering how much that actually was. It sounded like the right amount to her.
He couldn't help himself. He burst into laughter."No. Try sad times a gazillion." He replied as he pulled her close.
"That's a lot a lot isn't it?" She said hugging him tight.
"Yep. It's a lot a lot." Helpless to resist her, he stared to cave in. He pulled back and kissed her forehead. "I'll tell you what. Go ask Chloe to put the mats down in the studio. You can do your cartwheels in there OK?"
Her little face lit up like the sun. "OK!"
That look in her eyes made it all worth it. Rafe helped her down off the counter and patted her head as she ran off. He watched as she took Chloe's hand and skipped toward the studio.
He was so busy staring after Becky he didn't hear the door open. He grinned when he saw who came inside.
"Hey Luce!"
"Hello Cousin." She smiled back. "Busy afternoon?"
"Pretty busy. Plus, I brought Becky with me to let Alison sleep a bit. She's been sick half the day lately. I thought I'd give her a break. What brings you over here?"
"To give my congratulations to you." She pulled him into a hug. "Goodness! Another baby - how exciting!!"
"Thanks." Rafe laughed as she pulled away. He squinted his eyes at her, curious. "You don't think we're nuts?"
"No. People like you and Alison are the ones who should have kids. Look at how you just were with Becky. Gosh, cousin. I never had a doubt, but you are. You're an incredible father."
"Yeah well. They're so easy when they're her age. It's Kate I can't figure out lately." Rafe admitted with a frown.
Lucy's heart began to pound. How much did he know? She thought frantically.
Rafe seemed to be thinking out loud. "There's this new guy who we've seen but never met. I know she's sneaking out to spend time with him and it seems I can't stop her."
"Don't try." Lucy cautioned him.
"What?" He asked confused.
Lucy took a deep breath and began. "If she cares enough about him to sneak out to see him don't try and stand in her way. It'll push her right towards him Rafe."
"Is there something you want to tell me?" Rafe asked suspiciously.
Lucy shook her head at him. "Just that I know how much you love her. Don't lose sight of that. Don't let other things get in the way." She needed to get out of there before she said too much. She began to move towards the door. "Wow. Look at the time. Kevin's going to kill me I'm so late."
She was acting so strangely. Rafe looked at her with concern. "Lucy?"
"Ta!" She called out as she turned and walked away.
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It was amazing but she'd been able to keep them apart. Though her father was adamant that Colin should meet him, Kate had managed to avoid it for two whole weeks. She had spent every moment she could manage with Colin. Today they had spent part of the afternoon talking - and the other part of it not talking at all.
"Five more minutes." He whispered against her lips, his hands moving to toy with the buttons on her shirt again.
She smiled and swatted his hands away. "I'm going to be in trouble, Colin. I'm already really late. I have to go."
Relunctantly, Kate stood and moved to grab her purse.
"This arrangement isn't working for me." He said as he grabbed her hand and pulled her back into his arms.
"Me either." Kate sighed. "We have to figure something else out. Becky's made my father even more suspicious if humanly possible. He wants to meet you and he won't take no for an answer."
Colin tried to appear nonchalant as he asked, "When?"
"At my graduation party this Saturday." Kate shivered just thinking about it. "I knew it wouldn't last. We're really lucky that Lucy and my Aunt Abby have kept quiet for so long."
Colin's voice held more confidence than he felt. "So. I'll meet him."
She gave him a look. "Kevin and Lucy will be there. Are you going to pretend you don't know them?"
"I'll figure it out." He said as he pulled her close.
"Colin…" She said with a sigh.
"I'll figure it out." He promised as he placed a kiss on her hair.
"You don't know my father Colin. He is going to totally freak out. It is not going to be pretty – trust me." She held him tighter.
"Give me a chance. I'll get to know him. I'll win him over with my incredible charm." He laughed.
His confidence was cute, but she knew her father too well. "Colin. This isn't a good idea. If he reacts the way I'm expecting him to my party will be completely ruined. My mom will be all upset and it's not good for the baby. If she gets stressed out my father will get even more mad. I can see it now. Believe me – that's exactly what will happen."
Colin eased back and looked into Kate's eyes. Tears threatened to spill from them as she blinked furiously. "Katrina? Do you not want me to come?"
She shook her head and pushed him away gently. She began to pace the room. "No. That's just it. I want you to be there. I want us to be able to leave this cabin and walk down the street together. I want you to meet my friends. I want to stop having to hide the fact that I'm crazy about you."
"You're crazy about me huh?" He asked with a grin.
"Stop fishing for compliments Morley, I'm not in a good mood." She glared at him.
She looked amazing when she was angry. Her cheeks got flushed and her eyes turned a deeper shade of green. He loved how she looked when she was annoyed with him. Even with that, he wished there was something to do to make it all go away. "So I gathered." He began to smile wider. "Want me to legally change my name to Molloy?"
She sank into the couch again and began to laugh at him despite it all. "That might be a good start."
"It's going to be OK." Colin said as he sat down beside her.
"That's really easy to say, not easy to accomplish." Kate replied as she turned to face him. "I know you're trying to make me feel better but this is pretty much hopeless."
"It's not hopeless. It's just not easy." He gave her a grin as he leaned in and began to nibble on her ear. "Nothing worthwhile ever is." He whispered.
"Colin." She sighed as she melted into him. "Oh God. I really can't stay."
"I know." He murmured as his lips sought hers.
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"I'm sorry I woke you." Abby said again.
"It's OK. I'd had slept all day if you didn't stop by." She said with a yawn. Alison moved to push her hair off her face and her new ring glinted in the sunlight.
"That ring is so beautiful Ali." Abby said with a sigh. "I need to have a talk with Cam. All I got was a new bathrobe and breakfast in bed."
"It is gorgeous huh? Rafe has excellent taste - doesn't he?" Alison said as she let it catch the light again. "You know, you and Cam should go to that Inn sometime, Abs." She gave her sister a dreamy grin. "It's pretty amazing."
"You certainly can't stop smiling for days every time you two get back from there." Abby commented, already trying to figure out how to make it happen.
She watched as Alison ran her finger over the stones in the ring. Something in her face changed as she did. "Alison? What's the matter?"
"I'm worried about Katie." She replied. "Something's strange is going on with her and this Colin guy. It's making me really nervous and for the life of me I don't understand why."
Abby knew exactly why and averted her eyes. "I'm sure she'll be fine."
"If you knew something you would tell me right Abby?" Alison asked.
"Ali…" Abby said softly.
Watching her sister's reaction, Alison began to panic. "Abby. C'mon. Tell me. What's wrong? Is he going to hurt her?"
"No." Abby promised as her head shot up. "I don't think so. It's just that it's complicated, Alison. I really think Kate should be the one to explain it to you."
"It's serious though, isn't it?" Alison asked then. "She thinks she's in love with him doesn't she?"
"From what I can see, yeah. She does." Abby replied.
"I can see it." Alison looked off into space. "I can see the look on her face lately and I know exactly what she's thinking. I see her rushing off – now that school's done – and I know she's not going to work half the time. I just don't want her to get hurt – Abby."
"Talk to Rafe then." Abby said softly.
"What?" Alison was completely confused.
Abby took her sister's hand and looked into her eyes. "Trust me. Please. Talk to him and get him to ease up on her a bit. If he gets on her case this is going to end badly and I don't want to see that happen."
"Abby. What do you know?" Alison pleaded.
"If I see something else I'll tell you – I promise." Abby hung her head, already feeling like she'd said too much. "Just tell him to go easy, Alison. It'll be for the best."