Subj: Kate ch 27
Date: 5/16/00 2:03:45 AM Central Daylight Time
From: Karen
Kate’s jaw dropped. "Wh, what did you say?" She couldn’t believe she heard the words correctly. Pregnant?
"I said, you are pregnant. About two months along. That is why you haven’t slept well, you have been cranky and your clothes are too tight. You’re pregnant." Seeing the expression on Kate’s face, Dr. Matthews put her hand on Kate’s shoulder. "Are you okay with this, Kate? You look pretty shocked." she asked.
"You might say that, Sheila. I can hardly believe it. I’m pregnant. Oh, shit! I’m pregnant!" Kate cried. As the full impact hit her, Kate reeled. Dr. Matthews grabbed Kate and shoved her head between her knees.
"Neddie, get in here right now!" Dr. Matthews said into her shoulder. Neddie rushed in, took one look at Kate and nodded. "Help me get her to my office, quickly!" Sheila ordered.
They led Kate, still staggering, into Sheila’s office and laid her on the sofa. Neddie got a cool cloth and pressed it to Kate’s forehead.
"Anything else I can do, Doctor?" asked Neddie.
"No, that’s it. Kate was the last one today, right?" Neddie nodded. "Okay, well, you and Susie can lock up. I’ll see you tomorrow." Neddie said goodnight and taking a last look at Kate, left the room.
Sheila bent down over Kate and asked, "Do you think you can sit up now, Kate?"
Kate slowly sat up. When her head stopped spinning, she nodded her head gently. Sheila waited while Kate found her voice.
"This is such a mess!" Kate said. "I am not sure what to do?" She looked into Sheila’s sympathetic eyes.
"What about the father, Kate? Do you want to tell him? It is only fair that he knows he is going be a daddy." Sheila said.
Kate burst into tears. Sheila sat next to her and rocked her gently in her arms. She had seen too many women in her office to be surprised.
Kate tried to speak but the words wouldn’t come out clearly. After a bit, she managed to talk.
"It isn’t that simple. He doesn’t even live here. I will probably never see him again." Fresh tears streamed down her face. "I..I..I want him to know, but how?" Kate cried.
Dr. Matthews looked Kate straight in the eye. "I can’t believe you don’t know how to contact this man. He has to know, Kate, if only to take some responsibility. The law is very specific, both parents are equally responsible for a child, no matter what. You know that as well as I do. I do know someone who could help you find him."
Sheila Matthews stood up and went over to the desk. Opening a drawer, she took out a card and handed it to Kate.
Kate knew it wouldn’t do any good. How could she tell Sheila that the father lived in the year 1969; that he hadn’t lived for a very long time. How could he take responsibility for a child when he was dead?
"I don’t need it, Sheila. You’re right. I do know where the father is. I am not sure I want to find him." Kate’s tone was filled with sadness.
Sheila looked at Kate. She put the card away and sat down again next to Kate.
"Look, Kate. I don’t know what is holding you back, but I believe you really love this guy. If he loves you, what is stopping you?" she quizzed. "What’s wrong with him?"
Kate looked across the room and stared out the window. What’s wrong with him? she thought. What’s not right about him?
Feeling like she had to talk to someone about Barnabas other than Nonnie, Kate told Sheila about how they met, the beginnings of their friendship which slowly turned to love. How their love turned to passion on a night at an small inn in Maine. How difficult it was to leave this man she loved, the only man she had ever loved. That she hadn’t stopped thinking about him since she returned to Oregon. Kate didn’t tell her about traveling back in time. It sounded too fantastic.
By the time Kate finished, Sheila had tears in her eyes. "Kate, don’t be a fool! A person only finds a great love once in her life. Find Barnabas, tell him you love him, tell him about the child. I think he will surprise you. Get going, lady!" Sheila practically shoved Kate out of her office and out the building.
Without thinking, Kate called Stanley and they headed to Stephen and Ryan’s house. By the time she had arrived, Kate had made a decision. She hopped out of the car and banged on the door. A very disheveled Ryan answered.
"Kate, what is it? Are you okay? What did Dr. Sheila say?" he asked.
Kate pushed into the house and announced, "I am pregnant. I am going back to Collinwood. In my desk, you will find the power of attorney from my original journey. I give my third of the business to you guys. Anything in my house you want, take it. I am taking the cats to Gramps and Nonnie’s place in the country. I probably won’t be coming back." Kate stopped, out of breath.
Both Stephen and Ryan looked stunned. Ryan was the first to come out of it, hugging Kate tightly.
"If this is what you want, then it’s what I want, too." he said. "I love you, sweetie. Take a communicator with you so we can see the baby, okay?"
Stephen took Kate from Ryan’s arms and hugged her, too. "Listen, girlfriend, don’t forget us, okay? You know we will watch over your grandparents, so don’t worry about them." He sighed. "I was hoping you would do this, Katie. You have been nothing but miserable since you got back. I tell you, this Barnabas character must be pretty special to pull you away from technology!" he laughed.
Kate pulled them both to her and hugged and kissed them. "I will miss you guys so much. I planned on grabbing a communicator before I left. I don’t want to lose contact with my family." Tears began to brim in her eyes. The men cried as well.
They said their good-byes, tearfully. Kate got into Stanley and told him to take her home. Once there, she threw her clothes into any bag she could find. Family treasures she packed as carefully as she could.
Her three cats were running around, peeking into bags and generally getting in the way. Kate grabbed their carriers and shoved them in, protesting loudly.
"I’m sorry, babies, you are in the way." she said soothingly. They resigned themselves to the inevitable and lay quietly. No matter how loud they got, Kate didn’t give in, so why bother?
Kate got as much stuff into Stanley as he could hold. The cats were last. As she got in, Kate looked back at the old house she had lived in all her life. It was hard to leave, but she knew what was waiting for her a journey’s end.
"Stanley, let’s get to Nonnie and Gramps’ house as quickly as you can!" Kate ordered the car. Stanley took off like a rocket and landed in Kate’s grandparents yard in record time.
Gramps was mowing the lawn or rather the mower was mowing the lawn. He didn’t like all these modern conveniences, but it helped when he was too pooped to push. He looked up as Stanley landed in front of the house. Gramps yelled, "Ev, Kate’s here!" before hurrying to the car. The door opened and Kate, getting out, hugged her grandpa.
"I have something very important to tell you both. Let’s go inside, okay?" Kate led the way inside, greeting Nonnie who had come out of the kitchen. Delicious smells came wafting out into the living room. Stephen would be happy, Kate thought, sugar cookies just for him!
Suddenly realizing that she might never see her beloved grandparents again, Kate hugged them. "I love you!" she whispered.
Nonnie looked at her with a puzzled look on her face. "We love you, too, honey. Now when do you leave?"
Kate stopped in amazement. "Now how do you know I am leaving?" she asked.
"Because you are going to have a baby; Barnabas’ baby." Nonnie said with a knowing smile.
Now it was Gramps’ turn to look surprised. "A baby! Kate, that’s wonderful! Congratulations, honey." he kissed her cheek.
"No sense in looking at me like that, Kate," her grandmother said. "I know the signs. I have known for about a month now. I didn’t want to tell you for fear you might do something rash." Nonnie hugged her.
"You don’t think what I am doing is rash, Non?" asked Kate. She expected Gramps to be okay, but not her grandmother.
"Honey, you have been so miserable since you got back. You need to be with the man you love, not here pining away for him. We understand, don’t we, Paul?" she said, turning to her husband.
Gramps nodded. "Of course, we do, Kate. Take a communicator so we can keep in touch, that’s all we ask." he said.
Kate could feel tears at her eyes again. I thought I was all cried out, she thought, I guess not. She hugged them again.
"Help me get my stuff in the van, okay, Grampsie?" Kate asked. "I am leaving the boys with you, is that all right? I don’t know if they could survive the trip; besides, I don’t know if Barnabas even likes cats!" she said, laughing.
"Sure, honey, the boys are old friends. They will adjust soon enough." Gramps said, heading out the door.
As Kate and her grandfather loaded the van, Nonnie packed some cookies to take along. She also copied all her recipes onto a disc for Kate to take. The recipes had been handed down from generation to generation; with some recipes over 300 years old.
When Nonnie handed Kate the disc, Kate didn’t know what to say. Her grandmother patted Kate’s cheek and kissed her. She always knows the right thing to say or do, thought Kate.
As Kate climbed into the van, her grandparents stood outside the car door. They looked at her with such love in their eyes that Kate didn’t want to leave.
"Honey, you need to go. We will keep in touch. Don’t let us stop you from making a good life for yourself." Nonnie said.
Gramps took hold of his wife’s hand and said, "Be good to each other, Kate. Life is too precious to be at odds with it." He kissed Nonnie’s hand.
"You don’t think I am rushing into this? I made the decision so suddenly. I’m not making a mistake, am I?" Kate said, doubt in her voice.
"Go, Kate. Just go and don’t look back. We love you, honey." her grandmother said.
Gramps closed the door and they both stepped away from the van. Waving, they walked to the porch and stood, watching her. Kate blew them a kiss and started the engine. As it roared to life, she pushed the button that would send her back. Kate waved until she could no longer see her grandparents. The next place she saw was the gates of Collinwood. She was home.