Monday morning Charlie came downstairs and as he entered the kitchen he could hear voices or a voice coming from Kathleen's room. Kristen again had left for work early and to take Owen to daycare. She was doing that more and more.
"What's she doing?" He asked and the others just shrugged.
He walked down the short hall and knocked on the door, "Come in." He heard and he opened the door to find Kathleen on the bed with her laptop talking on her cell phone, "Rosemary, I said handle it. What good is my staff if they can't do anything if I'm not there...okay...call me..." She began but Charlie grabbed the phone, "Goodbye Rosemary." He disconnected the call
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" She asked impatiently
"Making sure you follow orders." He said
"Dr. Levine said nothing about not talking on the phone. I have to keep tabs on what's happening even if it's from the comfort of this bed."
"You need to relax, Kathleen." He insisted and tried to grab her laptop
"Oh no you don't." She pulled it away, "I'm going nuts just laying around. There's only so many books, movies and TV shows I can watch. Plus the doctor said not to move around and I'm not. I'm here in bed like a good girl."
He sighed heavily, "And where did you get a phone cord for the internet?" He asked
"Bailey got it for me." She explained, "What is the big deal?"
"You need to learn to let things go. Let other people handle it. Regardless of the baby, it's not healthy." He sat down on side of the the bed beside her as he heard the kids call out that they were leaving
"Charlie, I have to feel useful. I don't like this. Keeping up with work keeps me occupied while I sit here. It keeps my mind focused and apparently my staff become infantile children when I'm not there."
"You need to focus on our daughter." He reached over and caressed her belly, feeling the baby kick, "See, that's her saying, mommy please don't work so hard."
"You really think you're cute, don't you?" She said
"Why yes, yes I do." He joked
She shook her head laughed, placing her hand over his, "She's really moving around isn't she?"
"She's strong, I can tell." He said, "Probably stubborn, too."
"Oh and I suppose you think she gets that solely from me?" She asked smiling
"Well, I didn't call her Kathleen Jr. for nothing." He smiled
/
That afternoon Julia and Claudia were in Kathleen's room folding laundry as Owen played contentedly on the floor. Kathleen had offered to helpsince she could do it while staying in bed and she surprisingly enjoyed the girls company.
"So have you thought of any names for the baby?" Claudia asked folding one of Owen's t shirts
Kathleen thought for a moment as she folded Charlie's socks, "No, not really." She rested a hand on her belly, "I may have to see her first to decide what to name her."
"You could name her after our mom." Claudia suggested
"Claudia." Julia shot her a look
Kathleen smiled, "It's okay. I think that's a great idea."
"What about both our mom and your mom?" Claudia suggested and Julia rolled her eyes
"Well, I think Charlie and I need to talk about it. But I'll suggest it."
"What's your mom's name?"
"Claudia, this isn't twenty questions." Julia scolded
"What?" Claudia said, "She's having Charlie's baby. I can't get to know her?"
"You're being a pest." Julia said throwing a shirt at Claudia that landed on her head, "We're folding laundry not conducting an inquisition."
Kathleen laughed, "It's alright. My mom's name was Katherine."
"Diana Katherine, that sounds pretty." Claudia said folding the shirt
"Yes, it does." Kathleen admitted
"What's your mom like?" Claudia asked
Kathleen picked up a pair of socks and folded them, "She died last year. She had cancer."
"Oh, I'm sorry."
"It's okay. But she was very nice. We didn't always get along but she was very nice."
"I wish you could have known our mom." Claudia said
Kathleen looked at both of them, "Me too. I'm sure would have loved her. I mean how could I not when she helped raise such beautiful girls."
Claudia and Julia smiled and after a moment Claudia spoke.
"Kathleen, what are you going to do after the baby is born?" Claudia asked
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, you and Charlie." She said
"Claudia!" Julia snapped
"I was just asking." She said
"It's alright." Kathleen said her tone more serious and she took a deep breath, "The truth is I don't know. I really don't know." and Julia and Claudia just looked at each other and went back to folding laundry
A short while later Kristen arrived home and could hear voices coming from Kathleen's room. She walked down the hall and stood outside the door, out of site.
"So who was your first kiss." Claudia asked laughing
"His name was Mark and I was about your age." Kathleen explained
"Was it gross?"
"You can be such a child." Julia complained
"Don't be so hard on your sister." Kathleen said, "And yes, at the time it was kind of gross."
"What's going on here?" Kristen stood in the doorway
"Oh, hey Kristen." Julia said, "We were just folding laundry."
"And sharing first kiss stories." Claudia said grinning
"Where's Charlie?" She asked
"He went out to get dinner. He was picking up Chinese." Julia explained
"Well, don't you two have homework to do?" Kristen asked
"Oh, you guys should've done your homework. The laundry could have waited. Go on, I can finish it." Kathleen offered
Sensing the tension Julia and Claudia gladly took their leave, Julia picking up Owen as they left.
"What do you think you're doing?" Kristen asked
"Folding laundry?" Kathleen asked
"You know what I mean." She snapped, "I don't want you helping with laundry or telling the girls stories. This is my family. It was my family long before you showed up and we take care of each other. We don't need your help."
Kathleen put down the shirt she was folding, "I know that" She said softly
"Well see that you remember it." Kirsten snapped, "You are not part of this family."
"What's going on?" Charlie appeared in the doorway only hearing the tail end of the conversation
"I can't do this, Charlie. I just can't." Kirsten said and walked past him
"Kristen..." He called after her then turned to Kathleen, "Kathleen?" He asked wanting some answers but all she could do was shake her head and try to hold back her tears
/
Later that night the kids could hear arguing from Kirsten and Charlie's bedroom and were eavesdropping in the hall. Kirsten had left and had been gone all evening until almost bedtime.
"Kirsten, what do you want me to do?" He asked, "She's carrying my child and can't be by herself. It's just a few more days. I know this is hard but I cannot turn my back on her."
"How do you think I feel having to see her everyday knowing that child she's carrying is yours? Every time I see her with the kids, laughing and talking."
"Why does that bother you?" He asked, "You want us all to act like she's not here? She's confined to bed. I think the kids are just trying to keep her company."
"It bothers me because...because."
"Because why?" He asked
"Because what if...what if...you all decide you love her more than me?" She broke down in tears
Charlie was stunned and went to her but she pushed him away, "Don't Charlie, just don't." She opened the door to find the kids standing in the hall and she just walked right past them without a word
/
She went to the kitchen and noticed a light coming from Kathleen's room. She knew she was being irrational but she didn't know how to stop feeling like she did. She gathered herself and went to Kathleen's room and knocked on the door.
Kathleen was startled as was getting late, "Come in."
Kirsten walked in, "I suppose I owe you an apology."
"Only if you really are sorry about what you said." Kathleen responded and Kirsten looked down, "That's what I thought." She sat the carton of ice cream she'd been eating from on the nightstand
"You have no idea what I think." She said
Kathleen's eyes narrowed, "Oh, I think I do." She said, "You gave your heart to Charlie and on your wedding day he freaked out only to finally agree to get married but you realized he didn't really mean it and it hurt like hell."
Kristen sat down on the bed beside her.
Kathleen sighed heavily, "So you left because you were afraid of getting hurt again."
"Did he tell you everything?" She asked
"Not everything." She said, "But I gave him my heart. The first time I'd ever let my guard down to care about anyone other than myself. I'm basically a selfish person, Kirsten. I've lived my life never wanting any kind of entanglements. It's messy, you know."
"And he hurt you." She could see the pain in Kathleen's eyes coming to the surface
She nodded, "I even told him I loved him but he could never say it back. The funny thing is when I started seeing him he was dating Claudia's teacher but he got upset when he found out I was seeing another guy. Well, sleeping with another guy. It was always just a romp in bed and then they'd leave."
"Until Charlie?" She asked
"I told him he was being a hypocrite and he told me he felt bad about it but that I didn't give a damn." She explained, "And I didn't want to be someone who didn't give a damn anymore. Look where that got me." She caressed her belly
"He does care about you, Kathleen." Kirsten insisted
"He feels guilty or something." She responded wiping her eyes, "He's really just worried about the baby. Mine is the inconvenient womb she happens to be in."
"That's not true."
"Kirsten, no matter how attentive he tries to be to me, he loves you." Kathleen said, "But you're afraid he'll freak out again or maybe that he'll choose me over you?"
"I didn't want to back in that place. Standing there in my wedding dress watching him walk away." She said fighting back her own tears, "I didn't think I'd survive it then. I know I wouldn't again."
"But you love him." Kathleen said and Kristen looked down and nodded, "It's hard not to fall for Charlie isn't it?"
"It's the Salinger charm. His dad had it in spades." Kirsten quipped
"It's his dimples." Kathleen joked back and they both laughed and when they stopped Kathleen looked at Kirsten, her expression turning serious, "The truth is, I'm scared to death."
Kirsten took her hand and squeezed it, "You don't have to be."
Kathleen smiled then felt the baby do what felt like a back flip, "Ooh."
"Are you alright?" Kirsten became alarmed
Kathleen smiled, "Yeah, she just did what felt like a back flip."
"I am glad she's okay. I mean that." Kirsten said
"You know, I'm not very good at the whole friendship thing. Most everyone I know if just as selfish as I am." She replied, "I know it's a lot to ask but I sure could use one."
Kristen thought for a moment, "On one condition."
Kathleen raised an eyebrow, "Kristen, I told you Charlie doesn't..."
"I know." She said, "I was going to say only if you share that ice cream with me."
"Grab yourself a spoon." She said smiling