I just want to clarify a few things.
One: I do not write for the reader, but merely I write so that the characters will stop pounding at my head long enough to get a few hours of sleep at night. If some people get enjoyment out of what I write that just makes my day better. :)
Second: SPOILER Rick will regret it. Yes, he still loves Kate, but they agreed to move on, he's just trying to get over her. (Yes I did just 'he still LOVES' her)
Third: I love the characters, I love my readers, but most of all I love to write. So thank you all for reading my story or stories. Just remember that I love you all no matter what I say sometimes. :)
Fourth: I have been so busy, added to writer's block. So... Sorry for the long wait, but thanks for sticking around.
Live, Laugh, Leila
Chapter 18
Mid-October...
"Please don't say what I know you're thinking." Kate begged with Sloane.
"I told you to call him." Sloane ignored Kate's pleads.
Kate threw her head over the side of the bed. She was currently lying horizontally with her legs extended and her toes gripping on to the wall, whilst her head dangled off the bed, her hair cascading down the side of mattress. She glared at Sloane who was sitting on the floor, her back to the side of her own bed so she was facing Kate, reading a People magazine that had Rick Castle and "Partner in Crime" Gina Cowell on the cover.
"Do you really think it would have made any difference if I called him." It wasn't a question.
"It might have. It says here that they only recently started dating but they have been spending more and more time together." Sloane paraphrased from the article.
"We broke it off, said we could move on." Kate said more to herself than Sloane.
"If you broke it off and said you could move on, then why did you decline Brad's offer for dinner the other day?" Sloane dropped the magazine on her lap.
"How did you know Brad asked me out?" Kate asked shocked at her friends knowledge.
"Becks we were all standing in the living room listening through the door while the commercials were on and were waiting for Nebula 9 to come back on." Sloane looked at Kate, despite the fact that her face was upside down Sloane gave Kate a knowing look.
"All of you were listening?!" Kate asked shocked. Sloane only nodded. "You're going to Hell one day." Kate narrowed her eyes at her friend. She was still upside down so the glare lost some of its impact on her friend.
"I think and you and Brad would be cute together. You both are so geeky and shy. It's cute just thinking about it."
"This is exactly why I didn't tell you." Kate rubbed her eyes with the palms of her hands.
"Did you decline because you miss Rick?" Sloane asked seriously.
"What!? No... No..."
"You're a terrible liar, yet you're an amazing poker player." The blonde shock her head.
"Okay. I do miss Rick, but that's not why I said no to Brad."
"Then why did you say no?" Sloane challenged. Kate closed her eyes, refusing to look at her friend. "That's what I thought." She whispered.
X-X-X-X
It was six when Sloane left to meet Henry for dinner. Kate had declined the offer of a double date, instead saying she needed to catch up on some homework. She was sitting on her bed a plate of pasta and her school books open when the phone rang.
"Hello." She answered on the second ring.
"Hey Katie!" Johanna said excitedly on the other end of the line.
"Mom!" Kate put her food down and re-positioned herself on the bed so she wasn't looking at her books and many papers spread out over the small space.
"How are you doing?" Her mother asked a touch of concern in her voice.
"You saw the magazines didn't you?" Kate asked not bothering to beat around the bush.
"Yeah. I'm sorry Honey."
"It's fine really. We both said that we were through, and it's time to move on. It's okay."
"Really?"
"Yeah. It was nice over the summer. Great even. But we said we didn't want to do the long distance thing so we broke it off. I'm glad he's able to move on."
"But are you able to move on?" Johanna asked after a beat. Kate didn't respond, she inhaled slowly. Johanna was about to speak when Kate cut her off.
"Mom, I... uh... gotta go. Homework and..." Her voice trailed off.
"Yeah... Okay... Bye Sweetie. Call when you get a chance." Johanna whispered quietly into the phone.
"I will Mom. Bye. I love you."
"Love you too."
Kate ended the call quickly. Her mother's words echoed around in her head, repeating a thousand times over. "But are you able to move on?". She couldn't answer, she didn't have an answer. She would never admit to anyone that she still thought about Rick, but his appearance in her mind was becoming less and less, but still too often for her to think about any other guy but him. His book still rested among her other books, when she couldn't sleep and she was certain that Sloane was asleep she would pull it down and re-read his hand written message to her, allowing a small of piece of him to live on in her heart. Her eyes roamed over to the book, soaking in the dust jacket that still, only a few months old looked like it had gone through Hell and back. She smiled slightly and pulled the book down from its home on the shelf and flipping to the dedication, they had always been one of her favorite parts of books, every dedication had a story, whether it was just a name or a quote, all were different and unique in their own special way. Her lips curled up in a small smile whilst her eyes darted over the three lines. She began flipping through the pages, the small black words blurring when her eyelids became heavy. Sleep washed over her, her eyes fluttering closed, her body falling limp as she relaxed back into her pillows, her grip slackening on the book as it fell to the side.
X-X-X-X
Week of Thanksgiving...
"Mom, I'm coming. Don't worry. My flight leaves at 7 in this time zone, I'll be there by 3:45 New York time." Kate said hurriedly into the phone, grabbing clothes and throwing them into a small carry on bag. Her mother's voice crackling through the receiver.
"Ok Katie. I'm just worried. Sorry." Johanna said. "I'll let you go now."
"Alright. Sorry I snapped Mom."
"It's fine. Love you. See you in a while."
"Love you too. See you soon." Kate hung up placing the phone back in it's cradle.
She turned around to face the mess of her dorm room. Sloane had left earlier that morning to get home sooner. Thank God she cleaned up a little. Kate thought. She was grabbing clothing out of drawers and tossing them into her bag, haphazardly, some of the articles ended up discarded on the floor or littering her bed or desk. She began snagging them in her hands and throwing them back into her dresser drawers. She was one last sweep of the room with her eyes, making sure she didn't forget something. Her wondering gaze fell on Rick's book, perched among her other various reading material on the shelf behind her bed. She began debating her mind whether or not to take the book with her.
X-X-X-X
"Katie!" She heard her name as soon as she was stepping off the gangway. It was mother's voice calling her, but she could never get a view of the woman, her eyes roamed over the crowds of people, looking for any sign of her parents. She saw her dad first. He was waving, beaming as his gaze caught hers. Standing immediately next to him was her mother, nearly jumping out her skin with glee.
"Mom! Dad!" She called back making her way through the crowds people to greet them. After long embraces and exchanged 'hellos' Jim picked up the bag that Kate had discarded in order to hug her parents properly.
"Home? Anyone?" He asked wrapping an arm around his daughter's shoulders and pulling her into him. She nodded vigorously.
"Home." Kate echoed quietly. The place she had missed so much since the start of school, the place she grew up in. She had counted down the days until her return to the safe haven she still called home.
Sorry for the long wait. But here's the next chapter. I know I might get a review or two that talk about the last chapter, Rick's chapter is coming up next, I'm going to try to get to you by New Year's Eve.
Please leave your thoughts.
And have a Merry Christmas. (Happy Holidays to those of you who don't celebrate Christmas).