Castle and The Originals

Chapter 30

"Please make him stop." Alexis staggered across the master bedroom balcony with Kate's cell phone in her outstretched hand.

She squinted in the sunlight glaring off the ocean waves.

Kate laid the paperback book she was reading face down on her belly; being pregnant did have its conveniences. She took the phone from the grumpy redhead and scrolled through the seven texts that, according to the time stamps, her husband had sent throughout the morning; the first coming a little after nine and the most recent around eleven-thirty.

Rick: Mornin' beautiful

Rick: Miss u

Rick: Still sleeping?

Rick: Is there anybody out there?

Rick: Not so funny anymore : (

Rick: Keys r n my hand

Rick: I can't get a spending ticket n my future

Kate spoke to the teenager as she typed a response. "Thanks, where'd I leave it this time?"

Pregnancy brain had kicked in full force; she had lost her cell phone three times in the week they'd been at the beach house. She'd lost the car keys twice as many times, but at least they had extras of those.

"Theater room. Little basket. Remotes..."

Kate fought back a chuckle; Alexis was most definitely still half-asleep. "How'd you hear it?"

Alexis pulled a patio chair out from under the glass top table and plopped down in it; her face immediately fell into her hands. "Didn't, he finally texted me. Something about making sure you hadn't been kidnapped by a crazed barren woman hell-bent on stealing the babies and raising them as her own."

"WHAT!"

"Worked too, got me out of bed didn't it?" Alexis snorted into her open palms before running her fingers through her sleep messed hair.

"It is almost noon." Afraid that she had inadvertently sounded scolding, Kate added to her comment. "When I was your age and on break, I usually slept under dinner; drove my parents crazy."

Kate watched Alexis' smile fade; her eyes suddenly boring holes into the back of her petite hands. Had that sounded like regret? Or moreover a guilt trip; Kate needed to fix it quickly.

"Savor it now sweetie, pretty soon the house will be filled with screaming babies. You'll be lucky if you get any sleep at all."

Alexis chortled. "Hadn't thought of that. Do you think it's too late to have Dad soundproof the nursery?"

Kate nodded her head as she sent the text to Rick.

Kate: Whoa hold up there speedracer!

The response was almost instantaneous.

Rick: Everything okay?

Kate: I'm fine... not so sure I can say same 4 Alexis, u woke her up

Rick: It's almost 12

Kate: Great minds... did u need something?

Rick: Just 2 say I luv u & the peas

Kate had no idea what that meant. Alexis' phone chimed from the pocket of her hoodie. She pulled it out to read it. For an instant Kate thought maybe it was from a Ashley but when Alexis rolled her eyes she knew it had to have been from Rick.

"I assume you have the beginning of this sentence?" Alexis held the phone so Kate could read it.

Dad: And the pumpkin