God Said

Chapter 5

Kate had been there for almost a week. They still hadn't used their Disneyland tickets. They'd been waiting for the weather to cool off and they didn't want to go during a weekend to try and avoid the worst of the crowds. They all knew Disneyland would be busy at least until school started but were hoping a weekday would provide better results.

"You're sure you'll be fine, Katie?" Jamie asked her while her husband continued getting dressed. Sophie was already gone. She had a prior commitment that she couldn't get out of.

"All I have to do is go to the front of the complex and wait for the right bus. Get off three stops later, walk across the street, and wait for the next bus. Get off four stops later which will be the main bus terminal for the mall and simply reverse the process get back home." Kate had studied the map she had and had even walked to the front of the building to look for the bus stop.

"You have your key to get in?" Jamie questioned her and watched Katie hold up her key. "Bus pass?" She watched Katie use her other hand to hold up her monthly bus pass that could be used to get her literally anywhere within the network of the city she wanted as much as she wanted. It was unlimited rides all day long.

"Money and our phone number here and at Ray's work?" Jamie knew she was overdoing it but if something happened to Katie she would never forgive herself and Johanna just might actually kill her. One never knew.

"Yes, I'll be fine. Besides what could happen in a mall?" The place would be packed with people shopping and every mall had security, right?

"It's not the mall I worry about. It's the bus ride and waiting at the bus stop. This is LA, after all. It's almost as dangerous as New York City," Jamie told her. That had Kate glaring at her. She was talking about her home city, her beloved New York City.

"Sorry. Just call Ray if there's something you need." They all knew there was only the one car. Ray would drop her off at her work and then drive to his. Sophie would be given a ride home after she was done.

It meant Kate had all day to kill inside a nice big mall. She could window shop to her heart's content. And like all malls it had a food court and restaurants for her to choose from.

"We'll all be home for dinner. Any requests?" Jamie asked her since so long as Katie was here they would make what she liked.

"Chinese, maybe?" Kate asked softly and hoped for the best.

"Takeout?" Jamie was willing to cook and she wanted takeout. Jamie saw her nod. "Fine." Jamie moaned a little. "You know where the take-out menus are." Katie smiled at her so maybe it was worth it.

"But you're definitely cooking before you leave for Stanford," Jamie threatened her and suddenly Kate wasn't so sure she won much.

Kate fought back. "I like having my stomach pumped."

"Ha, ha. RAY, LET'S GO! WE'RE GOING TO BE LATE!" Jamie yelled.

"Have fun, Katie." Jamie gave her a final parting shot.

Ray pointed a finger at her. "No boys!"

"I don't even know any boys in LA," Kate retorted. Which was mostly the truth. She and Sophie had gone to the beach once so far and they had run across a pair of boys that had stopped to talk to them but they hadn't offered any names and neither had Kate or Sophie.

oO{}O{}Oo

Kate patted herself down to make sure she had everything. She wasn't going to take a purse since this would keep her from being mugged hopefully. Her jeans had pockets. She wore ankle socks, her favorite Converse sneakers, and a tee-shirt over her bra; she was all set.

Locking the door behind her, she skipped her way down all three flights of stairs and walked to the bus stop. She sat down to wait for the right number with the right name across the top.

A quick trip across the street to wait for the next bus and she was soon walking all the way across the parking lot to reach the bank of doors that led into the mall. "Poor planning." It was proving to be a long walk.

However, the second she opened the door and the A/C hit her she just knew this was going to be a good idea. There was nothing like an over air-conditioned mall to stay cool in. Just a little ways inside was a directory with a listing of all the shops and a map showing where each of them were located.

The book store she knew she was going to hit and find a couple of books to read turned out to be on the far side! Just her luck. So she chose to window-shop her way down to that end. Starting with whoever was on the ground floor. She could take the second floor on her way back. So she made note of just which entrance she had just come through and began walking.

oO{}O{}Oo

"Victoria's Secret." Kate made a right turn and went in since she couldn't resist. What self-respecting young woman didn't want a matching pair of bra and panties? Even if no one was ever going to see her in them. She was going to know she was wearing them and would feel damn sexy doing it.

Her primary problem was that they had things she hadn't anticipated falling in love with and it wasn't just the incredible number of bras and panties that they had.

"May I help you?" Naturally a store girl spotted her looking.

"No, just dreaming," Kate told her with a sigh.

"Dream all you wish. You came to the right place for that. If you find something just let me know." She would give Kate a little space but would be back to press her into a purchase. It was her job after all.

Kate found things that left little to the imagination and other things that looked damn uncomfortable though a guy might find it sexy to see her wearing it.

She came across something called a Flounce that had caught her eye. It felt like the softest silk she had ever felt.

"It's a robe. Three-quarter sleeves, belt tie, it hits mid-thigh and is the softest thing you'll ever find. If I may suggest, a matching bra and panties." Her sales lady had been keeping an eye open and saw her stopping and staying for a moment. "It comes in Lipstick Red and Rose Bergonia, which is basically a soft purple."

oO{}O{}Oo

Kate just knew she shouldn't have but she was walking out after spending far too much with a robe in Lipstick Red, a matching push-up bra, and thong panties. She had no idea who was ever going to see her wearing it but she was going to look damn sexy doing it even if it was no one.

Now she was walking down the mall toward her bookstore carrying a Victoria's Secret bag and she was even walking with her head held high. She already felt sexy.

oO{}O{}Oo

Kate finally made it to the bookstore. The bus trip had taken her a little longer than she had thought it would so after this store she needed to go find the food court so she could get lunch. That meant going upstairs and back the way she had come a little which was fine with her.

Out front she saw neatly stacked books. They were clearly trying to see whoever it was. That meant she didn't want that book so she went past it. She wasn't sure just what she did want. Thankfully it was a nice big store so she had lots to choose from.

She didn't know just how but suddenly she was in the Russian section. Now she was interested it just what they had. She knew how to read and speak Russian but she'd gotten really rusty so if she could find something she just might be able to improve her ability to read and speak it.

"Ilya Kaminski. Sounds challenging," a male voice sounded off close to her.

She hadn't actually seen him get this close and he caught her off guard. "I speak Russian." Kate turned her head to look at him and instantly lost her ability to speak or even think correctly.

"You have one up on me, then. I only know English. So why Russian Poetry?" He was clearly curious.

"I was…" Kate managed to get her mind to work again. "It's just a book. Actually instead of attending my high school prom I went to a poem bash reading. It sounded like a good idea at the time."

"So you like to do different things. That's brave. And how did you learn Russian?" he asked her.

"I took a year as a foreign exchange student and chose Kiev. I needed to learn Russian to get around. I even have a couple of friends that still live there." Kate suddenly found herself swimming in those blue eyes.

"Kiev. Sadly I've never even been in Russia. France, Great Britain, Canada, Mexico, and even Japan, but never Russia," he told her.

Kate managed to shift her eyes away from him. "You'd love it, especially if you want to learn Russian."

"I'll think about it maybe in a few years," he answered. "I've intruded on your time enough. Good luck with your purchase. Russian poetry sounds challenging." Kate watched him walk away and still didn't believe she had just met him.

She naturally knew him on sight. His picture was on the back of her mother's books. He was her mother's favorite author.

"I didn't even get his autograph." Her mom was going to kill her. Maybe if she didn't tell her she wouldn't kill her.

oO{}O{}Oo

In the end, while Kate had actually considered getting that Russian Poetry book, she didn't. She was more interested in finding a book that she could read and get totally lost in. To find herself being one of the characters in the book and feel that life.

By now she was starving so with two books in one bag and her Victoria's Secret in another bag she found an escalator, rode up to the second floor, and went in search of lunch.

It had just about everything Kate was expecting to choose from. Eventually she chose Bourbon St. Cafe and got bourbon chicken with rice and a Coke.

Carrying a tray with her food and two bags she went looking for an empty table. That took a little walking and as she walked she saw people drinking coffee. She intentionally breathed in any coffee aroma she could get. She was going to have to find that place later.

With her bags on the floor under her table where no one could get them, she started eating.

"Care to share your table?" a male voice asked her. Kate looked up. It was him again.

"Um, sure. …Are you following me?" Kate didn't really know anything about him beyond him being her mother's favorite author.

"A stalker? Sadly no. I had a requirement I had to accomplish in the bookstore and I have all of," he looked at his watch," ten minutes before I have to run and I needed some sugar." He lifted up large cup of Coke to show her.

Kate looked at him sideways about the, "Sadly no," comment. "Addicted to sugar, are we?" Kate asked him so she could tell her mother something.

"In the middle of the day, yes. Morning and then evening I need my coffee. I can't live without coffee," he told her.

"I can hear that." Kate felt him there. "So you live in LA?" She somehow thought he lived in New York City instead of here.

"Yes, at least for now. My publisher's trying to talk me into moving to New York City and I'm resisting a little. Though getting away from LA does have a certain appeal." He was thinking of getting away from Meredith just as far as he could.

"I'm trying to get them let me move to London, actually. Or maybe even Copenhagen. I'm not really interested in Berlin. Paris is just far too expensive. So what are the costs in Kiev?"

"Not bad, just don't expect to find English names in the grocery store," Kate cautioned him.

"I'm Rick." Rick held out his hand to her.

She shook his hand. "Kate."

"So you live in LA?" Rick was thinking maybe he should stay. Except she looked a little young for him.

"I'm just staying for a month with my aunt, uncle, and cousin before college starts," Kate said.

"I see. UCLA, USC, or CAL?" Rick queried. Though she could be going to any number of community colleges.

"Stanford, actually," Kate told him.

"San Francisco!" Rick was a little shocked. "Golden Gate Bridge, Lombard Street, Alcatraz Island, China Town, Mission District. Lots of things to see. A little on the expensive side. One reason why I'm willing to listen to my publisher is to get away from earthquakes," Rick admitted while leaving out Meredith.

"I probably won't have any time for that. I'll be up to my neck in classes and homework, hoping I don't drown." Kate chuckled a little and got Rick to join her.

"So have you been to Disneyland yet?" Rick inquired. "Everyone should go there at least once."

"Sophie – that's my cousin – and I have plans for some day next week. We want it to get a little cooler and pick a weekday and pray for smaller lines," Kate responded.

"Maybe I'll get lucky and run into you there. Or not. Disneyland's really big. So what does Stanford have that UCLA or USC doesn't?" Rick asked her.

"Pre-law," Kate informed him. "My parents are lawyers and I decided years ago that I was going to be a lawyer."

"Now I'm glad I met you. Never know when I might need a good lawyer." Rick was enjoying his time with her. She was very pretty, maybe a little thin, had seriously long legs, beautiful eyes, and she was nice.

Rick looked at his watch and inhaled sharply. "Twelve minutes! I'm in trouble." Technically he wasn't in trouble. His babysitter knew how to change a diaper and feed Alexis but he preferred to do all that himself. He was the daddy so he should be taking care of her.

"Gotta go." Rick got up and was all set to literally run. But he stopped, took one of Kate's napkins from her, pulled out his ever present Sharpie, and scribbled something down.

"Use it or throw it away. In any case it has truly been a pleasure meeting you, Kate. I have to run." Rick picked up his soda and drank as fast as he could. Then he dropped it in the trash on the way out and ran off.

Kate grinned. He was actually running. He was handsome in person. He had blue eyes she could get lost in. He was clearly smart and obviously a little funny. She actually had something to tell her mother so she didn't kill her.

She looked at the napkin he had written something on. "He left me his phone number!?" Kate was a little shocked at that. She just didn't know what she was going to do with it.

oO{}O{}Oo

"What is this?" Kate said with her mouth full since she was stuffing it full of Chinese food now that the family was back home.

"Hawaiian BBQ with white rice and egg rolls," Jamie replied. "I take it you approve." Jamie grinned at her.

"It's delicious. I'm going to have to remember this one. Thank you." Kate knew she needed to find a way to thank all of them for letting her stay for a month and spend money on her.

"You're more than welcome. So did you have fun today? You obviously didn't get lost." She was here eating so that was a given.

"It was nice and it was simple. Next time Sophie has to go somewhere I'll have to figure out where the bus system can take me," Kate said. "It felt safe enough to go farther."

"Well you're going to get your chance in two days. We got to advance to the next round. We'll probably get killed next time but who knows," Sophie told her since she'd already told her parents.

"I'm lost. What does a debate team have to do with wanting to be a nurse?" Kate didn't understand that part.

"It doesn't but I enjoy it. I get to know a whole lot about a lot of things and fight for it. I'll have to fight for my patients when I make it to being an RN. I might have to convince them to do something that's in their best interest." Sophie didn't think her debating would come in handy but it was fun.

"I suppose I could see it," Kate said a little reluctantly.

oO{}O{}Oo

Kate had talked Sophie in going with her to the complex's clubhouse so they could use the exercise equipment.

Sophie was soon running next to Kate who was going a lot faster than she was. "I think I'm finding out we really are different. I hate this. If I'm going to run I would rather run on the beach," Sophie panted.

"Especially if it was to chase down a topless muscle-bound hunk so you could get his number?" Kate razzed her and laughed a little.

"Definitely. Don't knock it till you try it. …Okay, I've had enough," Sophie announced and turned this torture device off so she could step off of it and not land on her ass by accident.

"Wimp!" Kate teased her.

"Just for that you're buying lunch at Disney next week. I'm going home." Sophie pointed at her. "Do not stink up the bedroom when you get back with your sweaty body."

"I'll use up all the hot water just to make sure of it," Kate teased her.

oO{}O{}Oo

Sophie was sitting on her bed and saw Kate enter wearing nothing but a towel. She looked for her pajamas to take back to the bathroom so she could change in private.

Once Kate came back she found Sophie sitting on her bed holding her napkin. Kate snatched it out of her hands.

Sophie grinned at her. "What was that? It was a phone number." Her cousin didn't waste time if it was what she thought it was.

"It's nothing." Kate needed to figure out where to hide it so Sophie couldn't find it again.

"You found a boy! Do I get to meet him?" Sophie was even thinking of calling and inviting him over so she could meet him.

"No, I didn't find a boy." Richard Castle was most definitely not a boy. He was a man. A sweet, tall, handsome man with incredible blue eyes. He was probably too old for her but she could dream. She was entitled to a dream.

"So who's phone number is it? …Katie?" She was taking too long to answer her.

Kate gave in. "It belongs to Richard Castle." She sat on her bed and looked at the number on her napkin. Maybe if she looked at it long enough she could memorize it and not need the napkin. But she wasn't going to call him so what was the point?

"Who?" The name didn't mean anything to Sophie.

Kate sighed. "He's an author. Mom loves his books."

"An author. YOU MET A MAN! And he gave you his number!? You go, Katie!" Sophie had an instant idea. "Call him and invite him to come with us to Disneyland."

"No! I'm not doing that. I'll probably never even see him again." That was a huge NO from Kate.

"Oh yes, you are." Sophie got up, snatched the napkin out of her hands, sat back down on her bed, and hid the napkin behind her back.

"Give that back," Kate demanded.

"Why?" Sophie confronted her. "You said you weren't going to call him so why do you need it back?"

"Because." Now Kate had no idea.

"Because I'm calling him and inviting him to join us at Disneyland. You met a man. Was he handsome?" Sophie queried and watched Kate start to blush. "He's more than handsome, isn't he. We are so doing this and you're not getting this back until after Disney." Sophie briefly showed Katie the napkin again before hiding it behind her back again.

"Oh GOD!" Kate fell onto her bed and moaned, hearing Sophie laugh at her. She was so going to get Sophie for this.