Chasing Kate

Chapter 28. Friday Night.

I unloaded a sleepy Rhett out of my car and laid him on his mothers couch.

I just sat there in the silence, starring at his little chest moving, breathing in air.

I take my phone out and capture a picture of him as his long eyelashes flash behind his eyelids.

I smile. He looks so much like me. I can see it now.

Kate-Anna comes home and starts preparing dinner in the kitchen.

Leaving Rhett asleep, I go in and stand in the door way. I'm silent for a long time while my eyes follow Kate working her way around the kitchen.

There was so much I wanted to say, but nothing would come out, so I just watched her. I'm unsure of how long I watched her before she realized I was there.

"Oh gosh. LUKE! You scared me." She said breathlessly, putting her hand over her chest.

"I didn't mean to." I said, Shifting from one leg to the other.

"Whatcha making?" I gestured with my head.

"Lasagna and salad." She smiled.

Lasagna is my favorite.

"Smells good." I say.

She just smiles at me. I can see a nervousness about her and it's very odd for her.

"What do I need to do?" I asked.

"Need to do? For what?" She said.

"For Rhett. What does he need?" I asked.

"Oh. Umm. I'm not sure. It will be spring soon, so I suppose clothes?" She says almost as a question.

"Clothes?" I ask.

She nods.

I walk further into the kitchen and prop myself up on the counter, looking toward her.

I clear my throat.
"What can I do for you?"

"For me?" She says confused.

"Yes, for you. For you to trust me and not see me as this big huge fuck up. Rhett is my son and I want to be in his life."

"I know that Rhett is OUR son, Luke.
I won't keep him away from you."

I kind of sounded like a dick and I didn't mean to.

"I don't think you understand, Kate-Anna." I said.

"Understand what? I lied to you and you hate me?" She asked raising her voice.

"I do not hate you." I said.

Silence.

"I am hurt at the fact that I've almost missed 3 years of his life, but I'm here now. I'm hurt because I wouldn't have made you do this alone, Kate. I would have dropped out of OSU or something, but I wouldn't have made you do this, alone." I say.

"Rhett is ours. We share responsibility and I'm sorry that I haven't been here to share that."

"Lucas, it's ok. It's not your fault. I thought I was doing the right thing as a a parent. I didn't mean to let it go on for so long. I wanted you to be able to go where ever your life took you without a shackle keeping you from that. You deserve it. " she says.

"Rhett is my life now, Kate. You're part of that too. " I say back to her.

"I don't know if I can do this, Lucas." She says.

My mind races.
She can't do what? Let me be in Rhett's life? She didn't want to see me, see about our future? She didn't want me to be around? I wasn't stable enough.

"Do wh... What?" I managed to ask.

"Pretend that I dont feel something for you. " she said.

"Why would you pretend? " I ask her.

" I betrayed you. I can't stand the thought of everything going through your head. I'm a terrible person, Lucas."

I can't hear her say these things about herself. If I had to pick any one woman to share a child with, it's her.

I step toward her and take her face in my heads.

"Stop. Stop Katie." I whisper against her face.

She looks at me with sadness in her eyes.

"I don't know what is between us. I don't even know if you feel it as strong as I do. I know I want to be in Rhett's life, I do know that what I felt for you that night is still there. I don't know how this is going to work, but I don't want to not do this." I say.

"But. But Lucas." She says and I hush her.

"No Buts, Kate. I'm tired of regrets. I want Rhett and you to be in my life. I love him so much already. I don't know how or even why, but I know that I love you too."

I pull her in a hug and kiss the top of her head.

"You love me?" She asked.
I nod and smile.

"I love you, Lucas Wesley." She said.

I inhale her scent, and standing there in the kitchen with her, smelling tomato sauce boiling, knowing my son is asleep in the next room is exactly how I wanted to spend my Friday night.

I've been chasing Kate for so long, I didn't stop to realize that she's always been mine.

Authors note:

Hey guys! Sorry this update is sorta short. I'm having a hard time trying to tell the story the way I want to get it to sound good in words. I hope
I'm doing it justice.

Please vote and comment. Thanks for all the reads.

There's still more to come.