Kate Beckett, Investigator Chapter 21

With a cart borrowed from Eduardo, Castle wheels the large carton containing Eleanor's baby swing into the loft while Kate carries the infant. While unloading the box, Castle notices a red-eyed Alexis curled up on the couch. "Sweetheart, what's the matter?"

The teen's answer comes in a pained rasp. "I didn't get in, Dad. Stanford rejected me."

Castle wraps his arms around his older daughter. "Baby, I'm so sorry."

"Are you?" Alexis spits back. "You never wanted me to go to California."

From the corner of Castle's eye, he can see Beckett signaling that she's taking Eleanor to the nursery. He draws Alexis closer. "It's true that I would rather have you here. I love you, and I like having you around. And it's a big ugly world out there. I didn't want you having to face it on your own any sooner than necessary. But I want you to be happy even more. So, I'm very sorry you didn't get your heart's desire. Have you told Ashley yet?"

"No."

"Why?"

"I'm afraid to. We had so many plans. We even worked out what seminars we could take together."

"Economics seminars?"

"Uh-huh. Those are the only kind that interests him."

"But they're not the only kind that interests you. Alexis, you need to tell him. If he loves you, you can plan around what you both want."

"The way you and Kate do about her law school and stuff?"

"Reality has this funny habit of kicking you in the butt. But the way we try. You have to find out if Ashley wants to try – if you both want to try. If not, then at least you'll know you need a plan C."

"I never wanted a plan C."

Castle kisses the top of his daughter's head. "Yeah, I know. But sometimes, you just have to slog your way through the alphabet. By the time Black Pawn decided to publish In a Hail of Bullets, I was on plan U. But it worked out. You'll find a plan that will work for you. But in the meantime, what do you say to a giant sundae with three kinds of ice cream, three toppings including hot fudge, and both bananas and strawberries?"

"I want chocolate chips."

"Sold."

"How's she doing?" Kate asks when Castle joins her in the nursery.

"She's miserable. But she may gather enough sugar-high courage to deliver the bad news to Ashley. After that, all I can do is be there for her."

"We'll both be there for her. Sometimes, a girl needs a female shoulder to cry on. With Martha off with Rafael, I can step into the breach."

Castle leans in for a kiss. "How did I manage to end up married to you?"

Kate shifts Eleanor to her other breast. "You've always said you're lucky."

"Yes, I am."

"Alexis still not up yet?" Kate asks after Eleanor's second feeding of the morning.

"Or she just doesn't want to come out of her room," Castle says. "I knocked on her door when breakfast was ready, and she told me to go away."

"I'll try," Kate says. "Have you got Eleanor's swing all set up?'

"I ran it with three stuffed animals in there that weigh more than twice as much as she does, and everything held firm. And Graciela looked it over before she went shopping and pronounced it sound. So I have a high degree of confidence."

"Glad to hear it. After I talk to Alexis, I want to look over some of the Nesgadol case files and make sure Dad can still get whatever witnesses he needs in. Is the mysterious buyer still holding up the sale of Nellis' property in the Berkshires?"

"Ah yes, with all kinds of confounding paperwork. Who can imagine where it all comes from? And with his deposition scheduled for next week, too. Such a shame."

Eleanor stares up at her mother as laughter burbles through Kate's lips. "Yes, and we'll be sending Mirabel to escort him, just in case he gets mixed up about the route into New York City."

Castle's eyebrows bounce. "Still wearing her camera?"

"Mm-hmm. She loves the thing."

"As do we all." Castle holds out his arms for Eleanor. "If you want to try your luck upstairs, I'll find out how little sister here likes her new ride." Kate hands Castle the baby. "I suppose you could consider this a practice session for seventeen years hence. Good luck."

"Thanks."

Kate raps lightly on Alexis's door.

A tear-roughened voice comes from inside. "Dad, I told you to leave me alone."

"It's Kate, Alexis. Can I come in?"

Shuffling footsteps sound before Alexis partially opens the door. "It's all finished."

"What's finished?" Kate asks.

"My relationship with Ashley."

"Want to tell me about it? I've been through a few dumb male-human tricks."

Alexis pulls back the door and waves Kate inside. "But that's just it. He wasn't doing a dumb male-human trick. He was very sweet. He told me that if I couldn't go to Stanford, he wouldn't need to stay there. He got accepted at a bunch of schools, and he could transfer to wherever I can get in."

"So if he was willing to stay together, what's the problem?"

"The problem is that Stanford has always been his first choice. It's also the best economics school in the country. Anything else would be a step down for him. I can't let him give it up for me. And if I did, he'd end up resenting me for it. So I thought it would be better if we made a clean break."

"And he agreed to that?"

"No, he didn't. He said he was going to Stanford to make his parents happy, and he'd be fine with Princeton or Columbia."

"But you didn't accept that?"

"Stanford is still the best. He deserves the best."

"What if what's best for him is you?" Kate asks.

Alexis noisily blows her nose into a tissue. "I don't know."

"Well, think about it," Kate advises. "And I believe your dad still has some pancake batter if you change your mind about breakfast."

"All right. I'll think about that too."

Castle's just putting his phone down when Kate comes to check on how Eleanor likes her swing. "Eleanor looks a lot happier than you do. What's up?"

"Black Pawn wants me to do more promotional events for Adley Rains."

"I thought they were supposed to limit that to the late-night appearances and the local readings you've already done."

"They were, but since the last Alex Cross film, the stores have been pushing Patterson hard. With Adley being a new character, Black Pawn wants to push her too and try to spawn a movie about dangers concealed by corporate real estate developers."

"Make her sort of an indoor Erin Brockovich?"

"Something like that, maybe. But in any case, that's going to mean more time away from Eleanor and you."

"But you'll be done by the time I start law school in January?"

"I should be."

"Then we'll make it work. Oh. That sounds like what I was talking about with Alexis. I think if she and Ashley are as serious about each other as she says they are, they should be able to work something out about schools."

"Yeah, but they're still kids, Kate. I don't know how serious they really are." Castle offers a finger to Eleanor, who grasps it. "I guess we're all still learning as we go."