Quickie:
Diger - Sawyer will make up his mind at some point. His decision is the only thing you need to worry about, not when it happens. Hee!
LordXwee - Awesome German review. What's next, a Russian one? Dutch? Czech? Hah. You're awesome.
xKatie-Bearx - "Cute" review. )
freckles1230 - A girl, huh? Guess we'll have to wait and see what Doc says.
sofie - Wow! Such dedication! Thank you!
bonboni - Well, Kate has decided she wants to keep it. But it takes two to tango, so we have to wait for Sawyer's decision too.
Mathildou - Again, Kate wants to keep it. But the question that remains - does Sawyer?
xox-emily-xox - I made up the laughing thing for the story. My mom gave me a dreamcatcher for the nightmares. That was her way of helping me deal with them.
Hey guys. I'm really sorry that this chapter took so long to get posted. I've been going through a lot of stuff lately, and I haven't been able to update. But I do appreciate all the love in the reviews, as always. You all rock!! As always, enjoy!
Chapter 47
Sawyer woke up the next morning in an empty bed. No surprise, he thought, because these days, she was always up before him. He got out of bed and went into the bathroom to do his usual morning business – urinate, a splash of water on his face, and brushing his teeth. When he was finished, he walked down the stairs and into the kitchen, where he knew Kate and Clementine would be. However, to his surprise, they were not. In place of the two of them at the table, there lied a note. He picked it up and read it aloud.
"James. Clementine and I have gone out for breakfast by Cassie. Didn't want to wake you, but we'll bring you back somethin', if you can hold out that long." He paused, before continuing. "P.S. – We need to talk."
He scoffed. If she wanted to talk, fine. But he wasn't going to be the first to speak up. He looked over at the microwave for the time – 10:42 A.M. – and wondered how long ago they had left. After helping himself to a cup of coffee, he went out to the front of the house to retrieve the newspaper. To his dismay, there was his truck – Kate and Clementine inside – pulling back into the driveway. When it disappeared along the side of the house, he walked back inside and took a seat in the kitchen.
A few minutes later, the door opened and Clementine's loud chatter filled the house.
"And then, then he told me that Santa's not real. And that all the mommy's and daddy's just buy the toys for all the kids. But I didn't believe him. Because there's too many toys and not all mommy's and daddy's got enough money to buy them. So I told him that he was making it up, and that if he kept lying, Santa wouldn't bring him toys next year. But then he called me a baby!"
"He did?" Kate answered, following her to the kitchen.
"Yeah. But I told the teacher on him and he got a time out."
Kate smiled, but it faded away when she saw Sawyer sitting at the table.
"Hi daddy!" Clementine greeted, skipping over to her father for a hug.
"Hey Clemmy. How was breakfast?"
"Good. I had five whole pancakes!" she exclaimed, holding up her hand. "But they weren't the big pancakes. They were the baby ones."
"Sounds good."
"There's some for you too."
He glanced up at Kate who was fidgeting with the bag, avoiding eye contact. Instead of saying anything, he looked back at Clementine.
"Know what, Clemmy, why don't you go set up that tea party in your room? You can come and get me when it's ready, all right?"
"And you're gonna wear the hat and necklaces, right?"
He exhaled. "If I have to…"
"Good."
As soon as he heard her footsteps up the stairs stop, Sawyer sighed.
"Here," Kate said, setting the bag on the table before him.
"Thanks," he said quietly.
"Cassie said it's what you usually order. Pancakes, an omelette, and – "
"Bacon, yeah."
She nodded, and then started to leave the room. Confused, Sawyer turned around in his chair.
"Hey," he called after her. "Thought you wanted to talk?"
"Eat first."
"I can wait to eat."
"Eat first," she insisted.
Curiously, he stared after her until she disappeared from view. He heard her going up the stairs and opened the bag to eat the food she had brought him. Now he was wondering what it was she wanted to talk to him about. And why, if she wanted to talk so bad, did she make him sit and eat first? Was she his girl or his mother? Thankfully, his hunger overthrew his thoughts, and he indulged.
A mere fifteen minutes later, he had finished. He heard Kate come back downstairs and walked out of the room, spotting her on the couch – she was reading a magazine.
"Good read?" he asked, slowly sauntering over.
"I've read better," she responded.
"What is it?"
"Jack."
He stopped where he was. "What??"
She turned sideways on the couch and held up the article she was reading. There, indeed, was Jack Shephard's picture underneath the bold headline, "The Island of Doctor Shephard" – a play on a movie title. How clever, he thought, sarcastically. He scoffed. So, Jack was still yukking it up, even when it had been over a year later. Well, for one thing, if this was the way she wanted to start the conversation, it couldn't be good.
"He say anything worth readin' in there?" he asked, sitting next to her.
"Oh yeah," she smiled, closing the magazine. "He's revealed all your deepest darkest conning secrets."
"Cute." He paused to let her start, but she didn't. "So, what're we talkin' about?"
Kate took a deep breath, leaving Sawyer feeling extremely uncomfortable.
"I've been thinking. About our…situation."
"Thinkin' what?"
"I think…a decision needs to be made. Before tomorrow."
"Why tomorrow?"
"Well," she laughed nervously. "I have an appointment tomorrow. And there's only one week until the first trimester is over."
"So?"
"There's a certain point when termination is no longer an option, James."
"And you wanna get rid of it, that it?"
"I didn't say that."
"Then what're you saying?"
"I'm saying…I think we should give it a try. But…as you've said, it's not up to me. It's up to us."
He smirked. "You're gonna include me in this one?"
"Funny."
They both heard Clementine's door open and knew their discussion time was wearing thin.
"What do you think?" she asked quickly.
He sighed, looking away from her. Before he had the chance, Clementine appeared. Instead of giving Kate an answer, he stood, shaking his head.
"James…"
"I got a tea party to get to," he said coarsely.
She watched him and Clementine disappear upstairs, disappointedly. And yet, at the same time, she couldn't help but be curiously amused. Did he really just say that?
A little while later, the phone began to ring while Kate was doing the dishes. She turned the water off and dried her hands, hurrying to answer it. It was Cassidy, calling to check up on Clementine. Putting her on hold, Kate went upstairs to notify Clementine. She had to stifle back laughter upon entering the room. Sawyer was sitting on the bed across from Clementine, wearing a pink "flapper" hat that tied around his chin, with one large feather at the top. He also donned two "pearl" necklaces. He looked away, shamefully.
"Clementine, your mom's on the phone downstairs," she said, trying hard not to laugh.
"Yay!" she cried, hopping off the bed and downstairs.
Kate looked down, still standing in the doorway, holding back her amusement.
"Don't say it," he warned her.
"How's the party?" she said, still forcing her eyes downward.
He pressed his lips together, glaring at her. She walked in the room and sat in Clementine's seat, then looked up at him, unable to repress a smile.
"Nice hat."
He ripped it off his head, and threw it on the bed. That broke Kate's concentration and the giggles slipped out.
"Oh it's real funny, ain't it?"
"I'm sorry," she laughed.
"Yeah right," he muttered.
"You know, I think pink's a good color on you."
"Have your fun, sweetheart. Laugh it up. Just wait until it's your turn."
"What's that supposed to mean?" she said, her laughter subsiding.
"When you gotta do somethin' you don't like to do."
"I don't mind doing anything with Clementine."
"I'm not talkin' about Clementine."
She stared at him, the corners of her mouth turning upward.
"You'd better hope it ain't a boy," he smirked.
She maneuvered around the tea set so she was next to him, and looked up with a smile.
"I think I could handle a boy."
"Oh really?"
"Well, if I can handle you, I think I can handle anything…"
"That's it!"
He grabbed her sides and began to tickle her until his mouth found hers and he tasted her delight…