So ... it appears the 2nd part of my we-don't-tell-you-where-we're-going vacations is at my uncle's ... who has a computer and the Internet ... looks like you'll get your updates before the 19th after all ;-)
Hope you like this chapter.
They spent nearly two hours talking about their respective jobs. Just as two long-lost friends would do. When they parted and went home, Kate was even surprised to realize that he had made her forget what had happened earlier with her father.
It had been hard. Probably one of the hardest things she ever had to do – except burying her mother of course – but she would stand by her decision. It was the only way to make him understand. She would call or go to the hospital to know more about his condition but she would not visit him. If he wanted to see her, he would have to accept that he has a problem and ask for help. It would not be easy for her not to see her father but she would stuck to her decision. It was for his own good.
She spent most of the rest of her day looking for facilities or rehab centers that could help her father without completely ruining her. She printed several brochures out and put them aside, deciding that she would take them with her when she goes to the hospital on Monday.
O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O
The next day, Kate decided to go for a run in the park early, before the heat prevented her from doing anything of her day. She woke up around 8, put on her running shorts and a tight fitting tank top and left her apartment. Apparently, she was not the only one who had thought about an early outing. The park was almost as busy as it was in the afternoons when the weather was warm and sunny.
Kate ran for about an hour and a half before stopping to stretch her legs. She was going to sit on an empty bench for a while before going back home when she heard a child yell.
"Daddyyyyy ! I can't stop !"
She turned around to see a young redhead on rollerblades, arms in the air trying not to fall. Before she had time to react and catch the girl who was passing near her, she saw Rick Castle arrive on his own rollerblades, make a sort of loop and catch his daughter under her arms. Right, Alexis. Kate had not recognized her with her helmet and her sunglasses.
"You were doing great Sweetie!" Rick said, really enthusiastic.
"But it's scary. I don't know how to stop. What if I hit into someone?" Alexis asked.
"Well, that's a good way to stop." Rick answered seriously.
Kate couldn't help but laugh at his answer, which made the two Castles look at her. They hadn't noticed her before, Alexis being too scared and Rick trying to catch up with her.
"Hey Daddy, it's Kate!" Alexis exclaimed, starting to move as if she was going to run to her but forgetting that she had rollerblades at her feet.
Kate saw Alexis start to move and roll and caught her just before she lost her balance.
"Hello Alexis." Kate said, laughing as the girl tried not to start rolling again.
"Do you want to put your shoes back on Pumpkin?" Rick asked, rolling the rest of the way to them.
He was getting the backpack off his back, trying to open it while Alexis was nodding, still very focused on trying not to move her feet.
Kate saw it happen but couldn't move fast enough to prevent it: Rick rolling to them, the strap of the bag getting stuck on his shoulder, the grass line approaching …. Before she could react, Rick was on the ground, on his stomach, the backpack still in place but its contents spread all over him. Kate and Alexis burst into laughter, making fun of him. Kate picked the girl's shoes from around Rick's head, carried Alexis to a bench and took her rollerblades off, Rick trying to get back on his feet and getting all his stuff back. He sat on the bench next to his daughter and took his own rollerblades off.
"Well, one thing is certain, the Castles are not good on rollerblades." Kate stated, laughing when she saw both of them pouting.
"At least we were trying. You were just … what … running?" Rick said, looking at Kate's shoes. "That's boring."
"Yeah, because diving head first on the grass is so much better." she continued laughing.
He grumbled something she could not understand and it made her laugh even harder. At the same time, Rick looked for something in his backpack and took off his sweaty T-shirt. That was very effective at making her stop laughing. She just looked at his bare chest for a few seconds before he put on a clean T-shirt. He looked up and caught her staring.
"See something you like Kate?" he asked, grinning.
"What? Uh … no." she said, blushing and going to sit near Alexis.
"Come on, I saw you. Admit it. You just couldn't resist my toned chest."
"Kate, is your daddy still sick?" Alexis asked, changing the subject, much to Kate's relief.
"Yes, he is still sick. But he will get better soon." Kate answered, trying to convince herself as well as Alexis.
O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O
At seven o'clock, Kate found herself in the park for the second time of the day. She had somehow been convinced by Rick and Alexis to come and have a diner picnic with them that night. The two Castles were already waiting for her on what they called "the rollerblades incident spot" when she arrived, carrying a bag with home-made cupcakes for the dessert. Alexis was wearing a green plaid summer dress and was playing with her braided hair, her feet swinging under the bench. Rick was dressed in black jeans, a white short-sleeved shirt and sunglasses. With both his arms stretched along the back of the bench, he looked … hot. When he caught sight of her walking towards them, he smiled and stood up. Alexis had seen her too and skipped to her and took her hand. Rick picked up the basket he had prepared and joined them.
"You look great Kate." he said, smiling at her softly.
"Yes, your dress is really pretty." Alexis added.
"Thank you, but it's just an old dress I dug out from my closet. Yours looks much better Alexis." Kate said, blushing at the compliments.
"Must be the woman and not the dress then." Rick said, making Kate go even more red.
"Ok, so, where do you want to eat?" she asked, trying to change the subject.
"Usual spot?" Alexis asked her father.
"Usual spot." he simply answered.
Alexis let go of Kate's hand and run off. Kate looked at Rick with surprise.
"Don't worry, she knows where she is going. So, what did you do today?" he asked while they continued walking to the 'usual spot'.
"Oh, nothing much. Chores. Laundry, grocery shopping … and I made cupcakes for dessert." Kate said, pointing to the bag she was carrying. "What did you do?"
"When we got home it was time for lunch so we ate. Then I wrote for a while when Alexis was taking a nap and then we went to the hospital to visit my mother. She's being discharged tomorrow. And then we went back home and got prepared for our picnic." he answered. "Is your father really going to be ok?" he asked after a few seconds. "You didn't seem really convinced this morning when you answered Alexis. I hope it's not too serious."
Kate didn't answer and closed her eyes.
"You don't have to answer. I'm sorry I asked, just forget about it." Rick said.
"No, it's ok. It's just … so fresh. And the outcomes depends entirely on him. There's nothing anyone can do if he does not want it to change." Kate explained. "We … um … we lost my mother four years ago and apparently he started drinking after that. I was at his place on Friday night for dinner when he collapsed so I brought him to the ER. They detected his alcoholism through the different tests they made. I haven't talked to him since then."
She didn't know why she was telling all this to a person she had met just a few days before but it felt good. Really good.
"Is that why you were crying in the hallway yesterday?" Rick asked tentatively.
"Yeah. I went to see him but he just ignored me. I wrote him a letter basically asking him to choose between me and alcohol."
"Are you going to be ok?" he asked, looking at her with concern.
"Yeah. I'll just do whatever I have to do to help him. But let's not talk about that tonight. Where is your usual spot?" Kate asked, changing the subject.
Rick smiled and took her by the hand, leading her out of the path.
Any thought? Commentaries?