Don't Move On
Chapter 8
More or less two weeks had passed since Kate first stood in front of Sawyer's door. That first time, she wasn't sure exactly what to expect; but she thought and hoped that the sleek black F-150 parked in front of his modern L.A. house, and the relatively well-kept front lawn contrasting the unkempt patio out back were enough for her to assume that there was more to Sawyer than what his rugged demeanor suggested. She eventually realized that Sawyer constantly surprised her, intrigued her.
"What's this, Sawyer," Kate cried out to Sawyer who was downstairs getting ready to wash his car. Ain't I allowed to do somethin' I just do, a hobby, habit, Sawyer maintained when Kate pointed out that his car was already gleaming and didn't need any washing really.
"What?" Sawyer called out as he made his way up the stairs, stopping at the last plight. He found Kate crouched in front of the drawers, her backpack by her foot, her clothes in a little pile, the bottom drawer open. It was the day after their fight, the day after Sawyer asked her to stay; and Kate was claiming the drawer he had offered.
"Where'd you get this," Kate asked, holding up a Canon digital SLR camera, which, didn't need any expert to know, was top of the line.
"Got loadsa' people owin' me loadsa' things, Freckles," Sawyer said plainly.
"You know how to use this," Kate asked further, ignoring what Sawyer had just said, choosing not to ask what he had meant.
"What, am not lookin' like the artistic kinda guy fer ya, Freckles," Sawyer smiled, perhaps relieved that she had not prodded.
Kate rolled her eyes. "So you're telling me you can point and shoot, Cowboy," she teased.
"Ha!" was all Sawyer said in return. He then grabbed the camera, made his way downstairs, took off his shirt, and still holding the camera, went straight out to do his carwash. What all that was about, Kate didn't know for sure, but she giddily, but perhaps ridiculously, fancied the image of a photographer Sawyer.
Despite the fact the Kate had insisted that he could go run some errands and that she was going to be just fine, Sawyer made sure to stay at home. He'd said he didn't want to have to upset Kate over that again, but perhaps it was more because he didn't like the possibility of coming home and not finding her there. Nonetheless, the first time Sawyer had to go out since their fight, he went to talk to Kate, to assure her that it wouldn't take him very long, but more to somehow assure himself that she wouldn't go running away.
"I'd have to go get some money, sweetheart," Sawyer said, making sure that his voice was calm and reassuring. "But the bank's just…"
"Around the corner, I know, passed by it on my way here," Kate said slowly, with a tone insisting that she'd be fine and that Sawyer would find her right there when he returns.
True enough, when Sawyer got back, he found Kate waiting for him, half naked between the sheets, her breasts showing teasingly against the sheer, see-through fabric of her unbuttoned shirt.
"Freckles, if I keep comin' home to somethin' like this I ain't gonna mind havin' to go out every once in awhile," Sawyer said mischievously as he slowly made his way, laying beside Kate who just smiled.
"This was meant to send me just rushin' home, ain't it," Sawyer ran down his fingers through Kate's cleavage, then circling playfully around.
"Well," Kate smiled sexily as she moved, straddled on top of Sawyer. She took of his shirt, slowly ran down her fingers from his chest down to his waist, unbuttoned his pants, and effortlessly pushed them away. "You have to tell me if the plan's working." She lowered herself, her breasts intentionally brushing Sawyer's chest. Feeling him harden, she teased him some more. She kissed his shoulders, moving up to his neck, then to his ears. "Is this going to send you rushing home," she whispered.
"Tempin', sweetheart, but you got to be doin' a bit more than that," Sawyer grinned. Kate threw her head back and laughed. Sawyer shifted then they were suddenly lost in between the sheets, Kate's sheer see-through shirt and whatever was left of Sawyer's clothes thrown mindlessly on the floor.
Kate couldn't explain it, but she had not liked the thought of Sawyer leaving her alone in the house; and when she had told him that she was going to be fine, the truth was that she wasn't entirely sure. Since that first time though, Kate had grown to like being left at home, if only to surprise Sawyer when he gets back.
Perhaps it was because there was an effort to brighten up an otherwise banal and almost boring living that Sawyer and Kate kept on surprising each other. Sawyer would come home bringing flowers for Kate (which she claimed she liked receiving) or whatever it was that reminded him of her while he was out. Kate, on the other hand, would surprise him with little notes inside his wallet, a nice little meal, or Sawyer's favorite—Kate waiting for him in the bath tub.
But it was today, during a lazy Thursday afternoon, more or less two weeks since Kate first stood in front of Sawyer's door that a surprise came, a surprise neither of them planned.
It took about five rings before Sawyer and Kate stopped staring at the wireless phone lying on the center table, lowered the volume of the television, and decided to answer the call. They've used that phone many times before of course—what with all their food deliveries and cable services, but this was the first time the phone actually rang, rang without them expecting anyone to confirm their order or to check whether or not their cable channels are back on.
"What," Sawyer answered the phone; not minding the rudeness of his voice.
"Ummm… Hello, may I please speak with Sawyer," the woman on the other end of the line was clearly a bit taken aback, but her voice was unfamiliar to Sawyer.
"Who's this," Sawyer asked, not caring to shift to a more neutral tone.
"It's Claire. Claire Littleton," the woman said, her voice sounded as if she was expecting Sawyer to recognize her just then.
"Claire…" he asked, slightly annoyed.
"From flight 815… from the island," Claire said.
"Claire from the island," Sawyer repeated so that Kate would know. He then gestured for her to move closer and listen, and with this, Kate pressed her ears against the wireless phone so that both Sawyer and her could hear Claire.
"How's you and the baby," Sawyer felt obliged to ask, but his voice was suddenly a bit more welcoming.
"O, you know what, I think Aaron misses you and well, your voice, don't you Aaron," Claire replied; Sawyer was almost sure she had a smile on her face. He could hear the baby in the background and he remembered how, back in the island, both Claire and Aaron seemed to like it when he read to the baby.
"Yeah? But surely you ain't callin' me just to come aroundn' tellin' me that," with the hint of impatience in his voice, Sawyer was sure that if Claire was indeed smiling, that smile would have faded just then.
"O. Well," Claire paused. "You see, I called…," Claire hesitated, then started again. "It's about Kate," she finally blurted out.
Sawyer fell silent. For a minute actually, there was silence on both ends of the line. Claire, however, noticing that Sawyer wasn't going to say anything soon, continued.
"Kate…she died…killed herself…on the island…," Claire said difficultly in between suppressed sniffs.
Kate stood up and made her way across the kitchen, out the backdoor, and into the empty patio. Sawyer saw her wipe a tear. He couldn't understand why he was taking this as badly; Kate after all, was with him. But to hear that Kate had died… it was so unimaginably painful.
"Uhhh…," he voiced out, suddenly remembering that Claire was still on the line and that he wasn't supposed to know this news until now.
"Anyway," Claire began again, more calmly this time; and much to Sawyer's relief since he really didn't know what there was to say. "I thought of having some sort of a little memorial service for her. I already called a couple of people, mostly the other survivors, and pretty much everyone is in L.A., said they'd come," Claire said, it was as if she had rehearsed this part.
Because somehow he didn't want to offend Claire, Sawyer let her go on despite his inexplicable yet growing irritation. But Claire was just giving him unsolicited (and unnecessary because Sawyer knew the place) directions to the venue when he interrupted her.
"I ain't sayin' I'm goin'," Sawyer said offhandedly, it was hard to tell what he really felt.
"O, okay. Ummm… if you should decide to go then, I'll see you this Sunday."
Sawyer went out the backdoor as soon as he had hung up the phone. The empty patio, the flowerless garden, and the dusty ground covered with dried leaves suggested that he hadn't been out there for quite some time. He found Kate sitting on the ground, her knees wrapped tightly in her arms. Sawyer sat beside her and Kate immediately rested her head on his broad shoulder. He then smiled, not only because he felt Kate ease up to him, but also because just then, he had an idea, an idea for a surprise that Kate wouldn't have expected that first time she stood in front of Sawyer's door.