Surprises-Chapter 11

The short distance of road that separated the Raintree Ranch and the Davis ranch seemed like miles to Kris as she drove with tears streaming down her cheeks. Thank goodness for water proof mascara.

Even as her distress overwhelmed her, Kris was aware of two things. She had to pull herself together so she could talk to Matt, and her daughter was coming in a few short hours.

After what seemed like hours, Kris finally pulled up to the ranch and got out. She didn't expect Matt to be in the house, so she jogged out toward the running track. He was walking slowly around it, obviously deep in thought. Without hesitation, Kris called out to him. He looked up and saw her, and instinctively started running toward her.

"Kris, I'm glad you're here. I think we need to talk." He looked at her when he spoke but could not bring himself to make eye contact.

"Yeah, I know." Kris pulled herself up onto the rail and sat, looking at Matt who himself was leaning on it, staring off into the dense woods at the edge of the Ranch.

"I know you must be angry with me. I should have told you a long time ago but I was so scared… Please forgive me…" She looked at her feet, her shoes were wet with dew from the grass she had run through. Matt said nothing for a moment, apparently waiting for her to continue.

"Kensley is beautiful. She looks just like you, she's so smart and she talks all the time." She glanced at Matt. "She'll be here this afternoon if you want to meet her." Matt finally looked at her as if he were about to have an outburst, but he said calmly to her, "That would be good. Does she know about…"

"She knows you're her Daddy, but nothing about Junior." Kris looked sad suddenly.

"Kris?"

"Yes?" Kris looked at Matt who was now staring at the ground.

"What happened was just as much my fault. Please forgive me. I should never have… I'm sorry. I'm going to take responsibility. I do like kids. I'm just so young…" He looked at his palms, Kris knew he had been thinking about this for a long time.

"Matt, I just want Kensley to have a father. I know you'll be a great dad. Thanks for not yelling at me." Matt smiled a little.

"Did you expect him to be pleasant?" Kris laughed.

"Of course not, but… I had rather hoped for something better than 'heartless bitch'" she said with a slight laugh.

"Yeah I guess anything would have been better than that." Matt said, "Kris what does she like to do? What's her favorite color, food, toy?" Matt asked quickly firing questions at Kris.

Just then Kris' phone rang, as she picked it up and talked to the person on the other end a smile spread across her face.

"Well, Matt why don't you come ask her yourself. She is at the hotel." Kris said taking Matt by the hand and leading him to her car.

The drive to the hotel was full of loud music and Matt's occasional question about Kensley. As soon as the Mustang stopped Kris' hotel room door flew open and out flew a little brown haired girl running straight for Kris. All Matt could do was stare at the little girl that he and Kris had created. The little girl that only hours before had been the cause for his near nervous breakdown and the little girl that now took all the stress away.

"Wow! You have grown little missy." Kris greeted her daughter in the normal fashion making her feel older than she was. "Kensley there is someone I would like you to meet."

"Mommy?" The little girl started quizzically, "Is that my Daddy?" she said looking at Matt.

"Yeah sweetie it is. That's Matt." Kris said walking over to Matt who was just staring at the beautiful little girl Kris was holding in her arms.

"Hi Kensley." Matt said slowly. "It's nice to finally meet you."

"Hey." said a timid Kensley.

"Well, she definitely doesn't have my spunk." Kris said trying to lighten the mood. "Maybe later me, your dad, and a friend of ours Junior can all go out to dinner." Kris said knowing that this was a very long shot, but hoped that Matt could talk or at the very least knock some sense into Junior. Matt just laughed at this last comment.

"Yeah fat chance Kris." he said of the four of them ever going out to dinner.

(author's note: can't remember Kris' brothers name so we are going to call him Luke but Kris calls him Lucas.)

"Hey Lucas, can you take your niece to the Diner just up the road? I have to get Matt back to the Ranch. I will meet you guys back here in a little while." she said telling rather than asking her brother to take Kensley to the Diner.

"Aw, but Mommy Kensley wanna see horseys." Kensley said trying to sound all grown up.

"I promise you can go see the horses later." Kris and Matt said at almost the exact same time. The two looked at each other and laughed.

The drive back to the ranch was full of questions and laughter at how shy Kensley was compared to her mother. The whole way Matt asked question after question, but stopped quickly when he heard a gasp come from Kris. He looked to see what had gotten Kris flustered all of a sudden. Sure enough what he saw was a sight to behold.