Chasing Kate

Chapter 32. 2k

"How are things?" Dr Schwartz asked.

"Great, actually." I said surprised at how smoothed things had gone.

"How's Rhett & Kate?" He asked.

"Fantastic. Rhett is so much fun, he's always ready to go full force. He's a spit fire like me, Kate is exceptional. They way she is with him, I'm in awe of her."

"Exceptional? That's a big expectation to meet."

" but she is. She always has so much patience, she's so loving. I'm glad that Rhett has her as his mother."

"And how do you feel about Rhett's father?" He asked peering up from his notepad.

I shrugged. " I guess I do ok. I mean, I am nothing like her but I try. "

"Are you ok with just doing ok as his father? Or do you think you're selling yourself short?"

"I want him to be proud of me." I said.

"As you should." He says scribbling.

"Tell me some things you do with Rhett."

"Um, well Kate & I took him to the petting zoo, he and I are always playing with his cars unless he doesn't finish his dinner, I get this sense of accomplishment just looking at him."

"I see. And how do you contribute to parenting with Kate?"

"I pick Rhett up from my moms when Kate works. I make us dinner, I help with bath time and every night I tuck him in bed. I help out with the things he needs like clothing and food. We have been working on potty training."

"Have you been staying with Kate and Rhett?"

"I have but I don't spend every night there."

"How do you feel about Rhett now that the news of parenthood has settled in?"

"I love him. It's the littlest thing you know, I catch myself. Watching him sleep, feeling him nuzzle me when I scoop him up because he fell and hit his knee, the way he giggles when I tickle him, when I'm not paying attention and he screams daddy. When I see him with Kate, when he refuses to eat his vegetables, when he drew on the wall with crayon. All this and I look at him and I'm proud of myself, for creating such a precious being. For creating this rambunctious little boy who has snot running down his face and chocolate pudding smeared on his cheek. I love him and I never knew how wonderful this was. It was instantaneous. It's like someone should wake me up."

"You do realize what you told me, sounds like you're more than an okay parent. You realize that something that could have possibly collapsed your sobriety is the very thing that keeps you pushing for it? Do you know that you have exceeded any expectation I had set for you?"

"To be honest here, Lucas.
I was waiting to visit you in a rehab facility. The hooks of your addiction were in so deep. It took me forever to get you to realize that you had a problem with addiction, and to admit it. When you told me about this, about Rhett I was sure this was going to trigger your relapse. I was waiting for the second for you to blow up."

I let his words sink in. No one had expected me to thrive at this. Everyone had expected me to fall apart. I couldn't do that. I wouldn't do that. I wouldn't give an example of weakness for my son to see . He would believe I was brave, just like Brody.

"I want to be a father that Rhett is never going to be ashamed of. Regardless of what I have to do, I am committed as his father. I will always do what is in my power to protect him, provide for him and be there for him. "

I meant it. Every single
Word.

**************************

I was at work on Friday thinking about the positive changes I've made in my life.

I was wealthy, not measured by money.
I was thankful for every obstacle that was placed in my path to turn my life around.

I was in love with Kate-Anna more now than ever. She had touched my life in more ways that I think she would ever care to realize. She and Rhett had been the missing piece to my puzzle for so long, that even I didn't know it existed. If I ever fail them, I surely fail at life.

I wanted to do something nice for Kate. I wanted her to know how much her efforts, her sympathy, her ability to help me change was appreciated.
You see, Women like Kate are not property, they are a privilege. I was privileged to be apart of her life and I knew she needed to be treated as a luxury and not disposable.

I called my mom to ask her if she would care for Rhett tomorrow so I could take Kate on a date after her shift at the hospital.

I had planned on making reservations at La Gala again, but I wanted to do something original and fun with her.

I called ahead to Lenny's catering and ordered our dishes and started on planning our evening.

********************

I was about to leave my apartment when I got a text from that strange number again.

"Hope you got my money, or I'm smashing windows next time."

I'm so sick of this shit. I'm done with whoever the fucking hell thinks I owe them something. They wanna go at me, let's go. Fuck them.

I dialed that number up.

"Hello?" A deep voice said.

"Who the fuck is this?" I demanded.

The voice laughed in my god damn ear.
"Lucas, you don't need to know me. Just know I mean business. Jake said you owed me money for a score and he won't pay up. So it's time for
You to pay up."

"Jake? I haven't scored with him since I overdosed." I replied.

"Funny thing. How did he get your H?"

I remember asking that dumb fuck where he got the heroin that night.
Damn there was SO much of it. He told me not to worry, and at that point I didn't care. How much heroin did we use that night?

"How much does Jake owe you?" I asked annoyed.

"He owes me a total of 4 grand. But what he stole from me was 2k. "

"2 thousand? Are you out of your god damn mind?"

"$2000 for the H & my troubles.
You paying up?"

"I need time." I said.

"Time is not your friend,
I'm afraid." He replied.

I heard the line go silent and realized he hung up on me.

Mother fucking son of bitch asshole
Damn shit head!!!!!!!!

$2000! What the hell?

***********************

I pushed the memory back in my head and drove to get my girl.

I was excited to romance her and I really hoped she liked what I had planned.

I'm no Johnny Bravo but I haven't ever done this for a girl.

I knock on the door and she opens it.

I picked my jaw up off the floor and readjusted myself in my jeans.

Beauty at it's finest and fuck I love this girl.

Next chapter is their date. I have a lot going on and I'm trying to finish it up. Thanks for understanding. Everyone's so quite, let me know you are reading. Votes please!!!!!