Part VII: Love Lost?
"Katherine." Someone seemed to be calling Katie.
But she didn't look. She just stared at her bedroom ceiling, as if she was enclosed in an isolation bubble.
"Katherine dear. Are you alright?" It was a voice of a woman.
Katie was still staring elsewhere, until she felt someone's hand on her shoulder, it was her mother.
"Oh… Mom… I'm sorry." Katie sat down to face her mom and gave her a peck on the cheek.
"My dear… you're lost in thoughts again… is there something bothering you?" Her mom's voice was obviously worried.
"I'm fine mom. It's just… nothing." Katie smiled in reply.
"So when are you guys leaving for London?" she stood up to get a comb on top of her drawer.
"Probably next week dear. How was your date last night?" Her mom inquired.
She was hopeful Katie would say it was wonderful, at least wonderful enough for Katie to say she's asking the person out again.
Katie stared at her mirror. She smiled. Her mother saw the smile. Katie never smiled after a date.
Whenever she saw Katie in the morning after another one time date, Katie would complain about how her dates annoyed her, how she would never take them out again. Right now she was happy. Katie's mother silently thanked the heavens, God, gods, angels, or whoever had the power in the world. Someone broke through Katie's icy barrier.
"Hope you take her to dinner with me and you father sometime, so we could meet her." Katie's mother smiled sincerely hoping Katie would somehow affirm her observations.
"Maybe..." Katie answered as she turned to her mother.
The room fell silent. They were lost for words. Her mother thought it was time for her to depart. Katie still had to absorb the newness of the feeling she was radiating, but her daughter smiling was enough for Mrs. Singer.
"I'll go now dear. Please drop by at dinner tonight. Your brothers are in town." She gave Katie a kiss on the forehead.
"Yes mom. I'll be there by 8." Katie replied as she accompanied her mother out the door.
"You do know this is still not a sure thing." Grace said as she stood beside the bathroom door while Jessie brushed her teeth.
"Huh?"
"You, and my boss… Katie Singer…"
"Who said there was a thing Grace?" Jessie wiped her mouth and started to wash her toothbrush.
Grace pulled a copy of the Boston herald. Apparently, Jessie forgot to tell them a particular detail that night. The latest issue had a full blown picture of Katie and Jessie's kiss on the dance floor with the headline, SINGER'S LATEST CATCH.
"Oh…" Jessie was partially shocked.
"Oh? Is that all you can say?" Grace shook her head in disbelief.
"You do know she only dates a certain person once."
Jessie looked at Grace confused.
"Remember the stuff we used to read about Katie Singer Jess. THE Katie Singer…" Grace said as she pointed Katie on the newspaper's front page.
Jessie remembered what newspapers said about Katie Singer, the daughter of the famous lawyer and real estate developer Brian Singer. She was beautiful but heartless, those were the words used on interviews by several dates she had: Tara Brody, the Emmy award-winning actress, Melissa Parkins, the model, and few more. But the latest before Jessie was Jill Macintosh, the Mayor's daughter. They said Katie was all business. It was as if she intended to drop them off after the date and never look back. Katie was a rock. She was never involved with anyone. Jessie's face grew sad. She realized Katie didn't call that night even if she promised she would. Grace felt awful at the sight.
"Oh… Jess… I'm just saying be careful. I know you had a great time with her…" Grace came closer to give Jessie a tight hug.
Jessie seemed she was about to cry. She tried hard not to.
"But you know Jess… if it's still worth anything… She never did look good with anybody except you." Grace looked to see Jessie's eyes, they were teary.
"I should go… work…"Jessie smiled weakly.
"Tad please take your feet off the table!" Sarah said as they waited for Katie in her office.
"Hey you guys… you're early." Katie greeted as she came in.
"Well aren't we in a good mood." Sarah pointed out with Tad suspiciously gazing at Katie.
"Did you finally get laid?" Sarah added gaining a grin from Tad.
"No." Katie said in response.
"No?"
"No." Katie repeated.
"So is this what we think it is?" Tad asked careful not to ruin Katie's mood.
Katie turned to her friends, and then she smiled. It said more than she could have put in words.
"I can't go out with you guys tonight. I'm going to try and pick her up at work." Katie said as she sat and started to read the newest reports from the finance department.
"Her? Who?" Sarah asked as she and Tad furrowed their brows.
"Jessie Sammler." Katie replied giving Tad and Sarah a quick glance then went back to reading.
"Jessie who?" Tad asked.
"The girl I was with last night." Katie said, slightly amused.
"Oh." Sarah and Tad said in unison.
"You're not…" Tad started but was cut off.
"No I'm not." Katie said while still focused on the report recent gains and acquisitions.
"But you are going to…" Sarah interjected.
"Yes I am." Katie answered her eyes not leaving the papers in her hands.
"So does that mean…" Tad asked but was cut off again.
"Yes I do. I know… I need to tell her. I will. Not to worry." Katie looked at her friends and smiled.
"GOOO KATIE!" Tad and Sarah screamed and danced like they were cheerleaders back in high school.
All they had to do was create pyramids and do back flips and they already had a routine. You could always hand them pompoms.
Katie laughed at the sight, and then ordered them both to calm down.