Hope 16
Epilogue
"DAD!" Kate couldn't remember when she'd been this happy. She was clad in her best dress and launched herself into her dad's arms. She had just finished attending her graduation ceremony. Rick had graduated a little earlier since his major hadn't taken as long as hers had.
Rick had Jumped to New York to pick him up and Jump them both to their apartment where they took a taxi to the university. "So this is the big secret you've been keeping." They had talked to each other over the years and while Jim knew where they both were, meaning in Australia, he didn't know exactly where.
Jim hadn't known for all that long at just what Rick could do. In fact this was his first Jump and he wasn't stupid enough to drill Rick for answers in the taxi. That didn't mean the two of them weren't going to get an earful later.
"I graduated, Dad." Kate went back to hugging her dad close. She smiled as she saw Rick standing there beaming at her. The two men she loved most in this world.
"We're celebrating at our apartment. We just need someplace private." Kate had long since gotten used to Jumping from place to place.
They had spent weekends or the summers in some of the most interesting places. She had learned all Rick needed was a picture to get them there. After that Kate had gone nuts looking for pictures of all kinds of places.
They had spent summers in Spain. Weekends in Paris, France, or Tokyo, Japan. She had even found an island where they could be alone and had gone naked for two days. That day had never been repeated. They'd both gotten sunburns in places that had never seen the sun before and was likely to never see it again.
"Good!" Jim wanted a lot of answers. "I'm so proud of you, Katie. Veronica would be too if she was here." Jim had told her where they both were and Veronica couldn't have been more happy for both of them. As far as she was concerned, it was the best university on the planet.
She didn't know a thing about what Rick could do, though. Hell, Jim had only just learned and he had started looking around for a private place so he could start getting answers.
It only took minutes and Jim found himself back in their apartment. "Start talking, son." Jim had learned to love Rick because he loved his daughter. But he wanted answers.
"Dad?" Kate tried to start explaining for Rick. Jim held up a hand. "Stow it, Katie. Now, son."
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"What do you think?" Rick asked her after they left the real estate agent to talk.
"It's a lot of money and we're going to have to get at least one boat if not two." Kate was pretty sure that Rick knew what she thought of the place as they walked through it. She'd said WOW a whole lot.
"Granted this is going to stretch us in the short term. My advance on the book is going to be wiped out. We'll be living off of the remainder of the money I have. And we need to start looking for a job for you. I can write anywhere. The question is do you want to be a lawyer here?" This place was theirs only if Kate agreed.
"It's gorgeous and of all the places we've looked at, this is the one. But if it doesn't work out we run the risk of it ruining us financially." Kate turned around to look at the house while placing a hand on her belly.
The house was practically all wood and windows and had two floors. A large deck out back with what the real estate agent called an infinity pool just off of the deck. Not that they really needed the pool. The entire house was on stilts over the ocean. It even had a slide off of the second floor that dumped you into the ocean just off of the pool. Kate had been fearful that Rick was going to slide down it in his clothes and get everything soaked.
The glass doors opened wide everywhere. Living room, dining room, master bedroom. Sun-bleached wood floors and walls. Even the open beam ceilings were the same wood. The exact opposite of their apartment in Australia.
Then there was the kitchen. Everything else was sun-bleached wood while the kitchen was a dark mahogany wood. The contrast was striking. She even loved the master bedroom. It had two lavatories that looked out onto the ocean. Even this room had glass doors that could be opened to the outside.
Pops of color came in various locations. An outdoor seating area had built-in seating that was lime green. The seating in the living room was a stark white.
There were only six of these homes and this was the last one. If they didn't pounce on it now, they would lose it. "It's up to you, Kate."
They had gotten good at calling each other their real names when they were alone. Though when they were in public they used the names that everyone else knew them by. Even all of their IDs had this name.
Kate knew Rick was willing to risk it. However, she had also learned that between the two of them, Rick was the one that would splurge and spend their money. She was far more frugal and more willing to save their money instead of spending it.
What she wanted was a job in this area. Unfortunately she didn't even have a single lead for one. Not that they had really spent much time looking for one and she blamed herself for that.
"You do not splurge on boats that are far too expensive for us. I have to agree to each of them." Kate poked her finger in Rick's chest. His response was to smile widely, wrap his arms around her, and kiss her soundly. A lot of his kisses usually left her breathless and this was one of them. He looked past her to the real estate agent. "We'll take it."
Soneva Jani is located on the island of Medhufaru, located in the Maldives' Noonu Atoll. One of the largest islands in the Maldives and highly accessible, Medhufaru is only 35 minutes by seaplane from Male International Airport and one hour by speedboat from Soneva Fushi.
2 Bedroom Overwater Villa
With a pool, catamaran net, sunken seat and daybed, the Two Bedroom Pool Water Villa affords a wealth of tropical lounging opportunities. The first floor offers a spacious bedroom, bathroom, dressing room, outdoor shower, walk-in minibar, TV lounge and kids' sleeping area. The second bedroom is located on the upper floor, along with an additional dressing room, bathroom, seating area, dining sala with roof deck and your own private water slide.
The Gathering
The heart of the resort, the Gathering is a three-storey overwater structure that is home to various dining outlets, as well as the spa, library, retail area and wine cellar. It is located next to the Observatory.
It was one of the many common areas that were accessible to everyone that lived in the community.
There was even a beach that had a large screen to view movies. You sat on the beach while the screen was out over the ocean.
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Kate was unpacking her clothes while Rick was off doing she didn't know what. He had only said, "Be right back," and had Jumped away. She trusted him enough to keep his promise to not Jump frivolously. He had to have a damn good reason to Jump. Their lives, their future together was at stake. It didn't mean she wasn't going to question him about where he went when he got back. She may trust him, but what she thought was important he might not. Did he think it was important enough and did she think it was important enough?
She didn't know why but she picked up one item and it suddenly gave her the strength to tell him. She was pretty sure and the test she had taken had only confirmed it. What she had to say was going to change them. She hoped he was ready for it. Hell, she hoped SHE was ready for it.
Kate felt a quick rush of air telling her he was back. "Where did you go?"
"I went to check on Paladin again." Meaning he had gone to check on her mother and her hired goons.
"And?" His going to check on them was important so she didn't fight over his going.
When he didn't answer right away she turned to look at him and didn't like what she saw. Rick had bad news. "They're being rescued. I counted at least four boats in the area." It was news they just knew was coming, they just didn't want it to happen.
Kate threw her item back in her suitcase and felt Rick wrap his arms around her. "We need to watch our backs from now on."
When she was little she had always hoped that her mother would come back. Now she wished her mother would never come back. Only she and Rick knew about her mother. Kate didn't want to tell her dad. It was better to let him think that she'd left them and was never coming back.
"We just bought this place. It's a home we can grow in. I even have a job prospect." Kate had counted herself as lucky. They had met a few of their neighbors when she mentioned she was a lawyer. One of the couples they had met had questioned if she was part of a law firm or self-employed. Finding out that she was on her own, they had given her the name of a possible client.
"They don't know our new names and they have no reason to look here." It meant they had to be more careful. That organization would likely be watching their parents for the day they showed up.
Kate turned and tried to bury herself in his chest. "I'm pregnant." She whispered it so softly she was almost afraid even she hadn't heard it. But she could tell he had. Rick had gone stiff.
"Pregnant? Really, Kate?" He pushed her back a little so he could see her face.
"I'm late so I took a test. …It was positive. I'm pregnant." Kate couldn't imagine a worse time for them. The group would get back together and hunt them down. Now they had to protect someone else. She was also worried about what Rick would say and what he was thinking.
"Pregnant!" The sound of his voice had her looking up and she saw him smiling which had her smiling. She was relieved and felt a lot better.
"We have to find the closest doctor, hospital, set up the spare bedroom. One of us is going to need to learn how to cook. Maybe Veronica would teach us." Rick and Kate knew she was a good cook.
"My dad!" She had to tell her dad.
"I saw him today, too," Rick told her. He could Jump anywhere at a moment's notice after all.
Kate was all set to question why when suddenly he was down on one knee and holding one of her hands. OH GOD! He's not, is he? Do I want him to? …Of course I want him to and I even know what the answer is.
She didn't give him the chance to ask her. "YES, YES, YES!" She got down on her knees so that she could kiss him.
He slid the ring on her finger. It looked simple enough and was absolutely perfect. She didn't want him spending their money on a ring. Spend it on the house, boats that they still needed to find, and get ready for the baby.
"What did my dad say?" She wanted to know why he'd gone and what her dad had said.
Rick just smiled. "He said yes when I asked him if I could marry you." Kate laughed into his lips while smiling. "He also told me one more thing." Rick had his own surprise.
"What?" What could her dad have told him? "RICK?" He was taking too long to tell her.
Rich shared his surprise. "He proposed to Veronica and she said yes. You're going to have a new mother."
"HE DID! That's wonderful!" Veronica obviously made her dad happy so that made her equally happy.
"I've got one more surprise. Your dad and Veronica suggested that we get married on the same day at the same place. We just have to work out when and where."
Kate began laughing and felt happy tears run down her face. She had a family and all she'd had to do was run into Rick at Stanford by accident.
"Dad can walk me down the aisle and you can walk Veronica down the aisle." It sounded perfect to her. "We'll work it out. Wait…she's not pregnant, is she?" Kate tilted her head while looking at him.
"No, he didn't mention it. It might be too late for both of them." Rick really didn't know.
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Rick had been trying his best to keep track of Kate's mother and the guy that had tried to kill him twice. She was back in Minnesota and he was in New York.
Rick Jumped home and found a note.
Babe,
Gone to Lhaviyani Atoll to visit a client. Took the boat.
Luv you,
K
"Lhaviyani Atoll." Rick couldn't place it in his head so he went to his room and searched for a picture and then onto the laptop to look it up. "At least it has a hospital." Kate was eight months pregnant and she had been a pain in his ass lately.
She refused to listen to him. "I'm pregnant, not an invalid!" Kate had stormed off, mightily pissed off at him.
He shook his head. "Her hormones are going to be the death of me."
Kate definitely was not a happy person when pregnant. At first everything had been fine, then she started to get bigger. "My feet hurt, my back hurts, my breasts hurt. I practically live in the bathroom and nothing fits me anymore."
Rick tried to see a silver lining. Kate's desire for sex had actually increased and no matter how bad her day had gone, they still made love. He was doing everything he could to keep up with her. "She's definitely going to kill me." He hated complaining about the amount of sex especially after he had learned just how many orgasms he could give her without ever actually having intercourse.
He was happy for her, though. She had worked hard for the clients that she did have. Their location had been the cause for the boat they had gotten for her to use.
Pershing 50 ASD
Two MAN V8 900 engines, Diesel, 900 HP, Cruising Speed of 36 kph, Maximum Speed of 43 kph, 2400 liters of fuel, fresh water tank of 500 liters, Three cabins, 2 bathrooms, cherry wood interior, Satellite TV.
Rick had argued for a larger boat but Kate had won. This boat was far easier for just her to maneuver and take her to her clients. "If your next book does just as well, Castle, we can get a larger boat if it will make you happy."
He'd celebrated his small victory by making love to her.
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Rick had just hung up the phone after talking with Jim. They were still working out all the details of their near simultaneous weddings. Together they had whittled the venue locations down to two and Jim was going to present those two to Veronica and Rick would show Kate. Flowers, invitations, music, food had mostly been decided on. Veronica already had her dress but Kate was going to wait until after the baby to go looking. "I'm not looking like a beached whale at my wedding."
Rick had wisely kept his mouth closed and let Kate's hormones voice themselves. If he agreed he was dead; if he disagreed he was dead. Knowing he couldn't win, he kept silent.
He hadn't gotten very far when the phone rang again. "Alexander." It was the name everyone else knew them by.
"Mr. Alexander, this is Lhaviyani Atoll Hospital. Your wife has been admitted and we need for you to come to the hospital as soon as you can," the woman on the phone told him.
"HOSPITAL! …What happened? Is she all right?" God, had her mother found her and tried to have her killed?
"Your wife has gone into labor. You should get here as soon as you can if you wish to attend the birth of your baby."
"BABY. …NOW? It's too soon, her due date isn't for another month at least." Now Rick was going into panic mode for a different reason.
"I'm sure your wife and baby will be fine. One month premature isn't unheard of. We will be keeping your wife for 24 hours after she gives birth. Your baby may have to stay a little longer," she warned.
"I'll be right there, thank you." Rick hung up and thought about Jumping straight there. But he'd promised and Kate would kill him, hormones or no. He decided to call Jim and tell him the news and then Jump to the boat. It should be a perfectly safe place to go to. From there he would find a way to get to the hospital.
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Kate was in tears as she held the baby to her chest and bent her head down to kiss the newborn's downy head. A girl, they'd had a girl! And she was perfect. They had both decided to be surprised as to the sex of the baby. Now they knew.
Kate felt the love of a type and fierceness that she couldn't describe. Looking up at Rick all she saw was love and tears. His face was wet with them. She reached up to brush a few of the tears away.
"She's beautiful!" Rick had thought Kate was the most beautiful person in the world he had ever seen. At this very moment he was considering that he'd been wrong.
"Have you chosen a name?" one of the nurses asked them.
"Name…right." Rick looked down at Kate. They had talked and had decided on names for both a boy and a girl. Given how Kate had been acting late in her pregnancy, he left it to her to tell the nurse.
"Alexis Harper Alexander," Kate announced and knew that their lives would never be the same again.