Sorry the chapters have been pretty slow lately. I'm really going to try my best to get a chapter to you guys every week, or at least half of one so you have something. I think part of the problem was that I was watching the show follow one plot-line and then trying to write my own at the same time. Hopefully now that it is over I can get back to writing. Something good has to come from the tragedy of them canceling our beloved show, right? Enjoy!
Chapter 16
"Dad?" I ask as I flip through the pages of a National Geographic magazine, pausing every so often to pretend to read something; my mind is on everything except elephants and aggressive alligators. He glances up from the tomato he is cutting with a smile, "My birthday is in two weeks and Patrick wants-"
"Wants to have sex to celebrate your entrance into adulthood? Age means nothing when it comes to sex, Kat! Getting pregnant is tough at any age, especially when you're not married," he says frantically. He pauses and then adds, "Don't get married either!"
"Dad," I say, staying calm in the face of his panic, "He bought me tickets to a concert."
"Oh, well that doesn't seem to have any serious consequences," he narrows his eyes at me intensely, "unless there is going to be drinking or drugs involved."
"Nope, none of that," I reply, nervously folding the tip of a page about polar bears and global warming forward and back, "but the concert is a few hours away and we'd have to drive back pretty late."
"Well, just drive the speed limit and-"
"We actually wanted to spend the night there and just drive back the next morning," I say, spitting the words out quickly so that I don't second guess myself and avoid telling him altogether.
He stops slicing the tomato and looks up at me, "Stay the night…like in a hotel….with Man-boy?" He doesn't sound happy about it, judging by the use of his nickname for Patrick, which he only uses in cases where he has a specific reason to be disgusted by him.
"You know, they say that driving without the proper amount of sleep impairs your ability to drive almost as much as alcohol."
"Kat," he sighs, knowing that he doesn't have a lot to argue that with.
I take a deep breath, "Dad, I'm almost eighteen and I have been listening to your lectures about not getting pregnant since I was nine. We'll be sleeping in that hotel room. That's it. I promise."
He smiles and shakes his head, "Oh, I'm not falling for that one," he says, wagging a finger in my face.
"Well, you don't have to. By then I'll be eighteen and I am choosing to go, whether you like it or not," I say, and although my tone is gentle, the words are not, "Please, just trust me on this."
"Fine, but I won't be happy about it."
"They were amazing!" I gush, my hair blowing in the wind that is entering from the open passenger window. Patrick glances at me with a satisfied smile and keeps driving, eyes laid on the empty city street ahead of us, "Thank you so much. This is the best birthday present I've ever gotten."
"I have a knack for gift giving, or so I've heard," he replies. I look at him inquisitively and laugh, because for some reason I can't see him spending hours dwelling over what to get someone for Christmas or their birthday.
"From who?"
"You…about four times now."
"Sorry, I just had so much fun!" I brush my hair away from my face, a useless gesture since it blows right back. I roll my window up and brush it out of my face again, this time with success. Patrick glances at me and smiles in reply to my apology.
With that, the excitement starts to wear off and exhaustion sets in. I lean my head against the headrest as we drive in silence. A few minutes pass and I open my eyes again. I glance at Patrick, who is searching the right side of the street for our hotel. "Patrick?"
"Hmm," he responds, not taking his mind off of his current task.
"Thanks again," I say. He nods, obviously sick of my excessive gratefulness, but not willing to make me aware. He finally locates the hotel and makes a sharp right hand turn into the parking lot. He stops at the front doors.
"I'll run in and get our room keys," he says as he slides out of the driver's seat, leaving the car running. He disappears into the building and reappears seconds later. He pulls around the back of the building by the entrance that is closest to our room.
The door to the hotel room swings open and I stop in my tracks, backpack of overnight necessities in hand. The room is tiny, made cramped by the two armchairs, a desk, and a TV sitting atop the bulky dresser. In the center of all of that is the bed-the one and only bed, perfectly sized for two guests.
I hear Patrick mumble a few obscenities from behind me. "Be right back," he says. By the time I turn around to gather his reaction, he is already swiftly retreating down the hallway. I follow him and enter the lobby as he is arguing with the person at the desk about the room he reserved.
"Two beds. How much clearer could I have possibly made it?" He snaps in response to whatever the man at the counter had just said to him about the apparent mix-up.
"Like I said, the computer says single bed, so-"
I hurry up to where he is and grab his arm before he can spit an angry response at the desk attendant. The last thing we need is to be escorted out and then have to choose between sleeping in my car or driving around looking for another hotel that looks like it might be cleaner than the bathroom floor of a bar. Because quite honestly, the chance of finding another decent hotel within an hour of driving is pretty slim. I pull him aside. He sends one more angry glare in the direction of the desk attendant before turning his full attention to me.
"Patrick," I say, a comforting smile plastered on my face, "It's no big deal. Let's just take the room."
He stares blankly at me for a moment, "Are you sure?"
"Yeah, it's fine," I shrug, trying to make it seem like no big deal. He surely doesn't mind as long as I don't mind.
"I just didn't want you to get the wrong idea…"
"I know," I assure him, my appreciation evident in my voice, "It's okay."
"Okay," he replies. With one last look of contempt at the desk attendant he walks away with me and we head back to the room. My bag is in the doorway keeping the door ajar. I snatch it up and enter the room. I set it on the bed and turn to look at Patrick as he closes the door behind him.
"I'm not tired," I state. He looks at me quizzically.
"You were practically falling asleep in the car a second ago."
"Well, it was a nice, refreshing power-nap."
A smile graces his features and he takes a step toward me, "So what do you suggest we do to burn off all this excess energy you have?" He inquires. I take a step toward him and lace my fingers with his. I look up into his eyes, filled with desire and admiration. I rise to my tiptoes and plant a kiss on his lips. One kiss turns into two kisses, and before long I feel the support of an overused hotel mattress underneath me.
