Til We Meet Again (17 page)

Katie smiled at Grace.  “Thank you so much,” she said.

“You’re welcome my dear.  Goodbye.”

With that she was gone and Katie didn’t realize she had tears running down her cheeks until Dean walked in and asked her what was wrong.

“Remember that visit you had from Grace?” Katie asked.

“Yeah, was she just here?” he asked.

“Yes, she was.  She sat under the window.”

“She upset you?”

“No, she said everything would be wonderful and that we are going to be just fine,” Katie told him.  “Same as she told you.”

“I told you,” he said. 

“I know you did.  I’m glad she stopped by though.  It’s definitely reassuring,” Katie replied and then she smiled.

“What’s funny?” Dean asked.

“I said she stopped by, just like any old friend would, like it’s a normal occurrence to have a ghost pay a visit.”

Dean laughed too before he sat on the bed and together they quietly ate breakfast.

“This is kind of fun sneaking around like this,” Katie said between sips of her tea.

“It is.  How upset do you think everyone would be if we told them we spent the night together?” Dean asked.

“There are many who would be upset, my mother would be downright pissed,” Katie said and laughed.

“What’s so funny?” Dean asked.

“Just how much my mother gets upset and for no reason whatsoever most of the time.  And also how she seems to live in the dark ages when she thought men and women waited until marriage to consummate the relationship,” Katie told him.

“I read once where that was pretty untrue.  I can’t understand that anyway,” Dean said.

“What?”

“Well, how 500 years ago men and women were just so much more capable of holding off until marriage than we are today.  I saw you and wanted your body, mind and soul,” Dean explained.

“I know.  I’m sure the urges were the same back then,” Katie agreed.  “In fact wouldn’t it have been worse knowing that having sex outside of marriage was forbidden?”

“But don’t forget that sex was frowned upon a lot more back then too,” Dean reminded her.  “It was a very bad thing to have any desires whatsoever.”

“I just don’t understand it all,” Katie said.  “I could understand if a woman was having sex with a new man every night but if you’re in a loving, committed relationship, why can’t you express that?”

“I don’t know,” Dean replied.  “But I’m sure that there were many more men and women having sex outside of sacred relationships than we will ever know.”

They ate the rest of their breakfast in silence contemplating what they’d discussed.

“Well my dear,” Dean said getting up off the bed, “I better get myself into the shower and back to my place before your brothers show up and I’m not there.”

“Yeah, or someone shows up here unexpectedly, like my mother,” Katie said.

“Yeah and she takes a horsewhip to my ass and clucks at you for cursing yourself,” Dean replied.

Katie laughed at the image of her mother chasing Dean all the way out of the house, whip in hand and cursing a bluestreak.

“What’s so funny?” Dean asked.

“The image of my mother doing that,” Katie replied.

“Gee, thanks.  I’m glad I can provide you with such amusement,” Dean said trying to pout.

Katie laughed at him as she got out of bed and gently swatted his behind before she planted a kiss on his lips. 

Dean went to the bathroom and Katie sat on the edge of the bed and had another sip of her tea.  She closed her eyes and thought again of Grace and Donald.  The tragedy of their relationship and the despair Grace suffered.  She opened her eyes again and looked around the room, stopping where Grace had been moments earlier. 
It was doomed from the start for them,
she thought and frowned.  Then she felt something in her stomach almost like a somersault and she pressed her hand to her stomach as it happened again.  “Oh my God,” she said out loud.  She had been so caught up in her own thoughts she hadn’t heard the water turn off and was startled when she heard Dean talking to her.

“What?  What’s wrong?” he asked sounding really concerned.

“Come here,” she told him and after he’d sat beside her on the bed she took his hand and placed it right where hers had been.  “Wait a second,” she whispered and watched as his face lit up.

“Is that the baby?” he asked.

She nodded.

“Oh my God,” he said and the grin on his face told her he was as thrilled as she was.

“That’s amazing,” he whispered, not moving his hand so he could feel his baby kicking.  “I love you so much,” he told Katie kissing her.

“I love you too Dean,” she replied when he had pulled away.  “Isn’t it wonderful that the first day our baby kicked is our wedding day?” she asked.

“It
is
wonderful but we also have Grace to thank,” Dean replied.

Katie’s smile faded and she nodded solemnly.

“What?” Dean asked although he was pretty sure he knew the answer.

“Grace lost her baby,” Katie replied quietly.

“I knew you were going to say that,” Dean said.  “But we discussed that.”

“I know, it just doesn’t seem fair.”

“I agree, it wasn’t fair, any of it, but now we, you and I, get to make it all right.  Why don’t I draw you a bath?” he offered.

She nodded and took another sip of her tea as Dean left the room and she heard the water running.  She smiled again as she felt the baby once more and she just knew Grace was happy for them.

Dean returned a short time later and took her to the bathroom and they talked while she bathed taking turns feeling her stomach for more movement.

“I better go,” Dean said after a while.

“I guess you better,” she agreed.  “I’m fine here, don’t worry.”

“I will see you later,” he told her and gave her a kiss.

“Yes you will,” she replied.  “And I’m gonna look hot!”

“I know you are and I can’t wait,” Dean told her.  “I can’t wait to take it off either,” he teased as he cupped her breast under the water.

“We’re not going to make it through the reception are we?” she asked.

“Nope, maybe we’ll have to somehow get the limo all to ourselves between the church and the reception,” Dean suggested.

“Mmmm, can’t wait,” Katie murmured as Dean leaned in close for yet another kiss before he left. 

“Finish soaking and get dressed and go do whatever it is you have to do,” Dean scolded playfully.

“Yes boss,” Katie replied saluting him.

“And don’t you forget it,” Dean said back.

Katie stuck her tongue out as he walked out of the bathroom.

“Don’t stick it out if you don’t intend on using it,” Dean taunted as he shut the door.

“Oh, I’ll use it later,” she called out.

“Can’t wait,” Dean called back from the top of the stairs.

Katie laughed and rested her head back and closed her eyes waiting to hear the front door close.  When it did she grabbed the shampoo and started washing her hair.  She got out of the tub and wrapped herself in her robe and went downstairs where she sat down. She sighed contentedly before she looked at the clock and realized that she would be needing to get ready to go as she was sure one of the two girls would be along to pick her up to take her to the hairdresser’s.

She went back upstairs where she sat on the bed for a moment trying to figure out what she was going to wear so she wouldn’t have to pull it off over her head later when her headpiece would be in place.  She decided she would have to wear a long sleeve blouse most likely with a cardigan to keep her warm while she had her hair done and a pair of jeans.  She looked around the room and decided she would clean it up and change the bed so that everything was nice and fresh and clean when they returned later that night.  She also cleaned up the bathroom and gathered a load of towels to wash.  When she returned from the laundry room she decided she would place some candles around both rooms. 
Perhaps we can have a romantic night anyway, depending on how I’m feeling,
she thought as she set them strategically around the two rooms.

Just as she was finishing, the doorbell rang and sure enough Stephanie and Beth stood waiting.

“Morning,” Katie said as she opened the door.

“Morning,” Beth chimed.  “How are you?  Are you feeling okay?” she asked.

“As good as I can be, so far,” Katie answered as she stood back so they could come through the door.

“Hope you don’t mind that your brothers shared your secret good news,” Stephanie said as she set down a carry-on case.

“Not at all, I told them to.  I was going to tell you when we were trying on the dress but I was so afraid my mother would overhear that I didn’t want to say anything at the time,” she apologized.

“Don’t sweat it, we understand,” Beth said with a wave of her hand.  “Just jealous that it’s you and not one of us first,” she said.

“Hey, speak for yourself,” Stephanie piped up.  “I happen to be enjoying the time I have with Tom.”

“I didn’t mean that,” Beth said.  “I want to finish school before I start having kids.”

They laughed and teased one another about having more fun practicing getting pregnant.

“Well the baby felt the baby kick for the first time this morning,” Katie told them.

“What?” they cried in unison.

“Yeah, it happened, Dean felt it too,” she said.

“Oh my God, that’s so exciting,” Stephanie said.

The both reached for her stomach and everyone waited, holding their breath, but felt nothing. 

“Guess she’s gone back to sleep,” Katie said.

“She? Do you know something else we don’t?” Beth asked.

“No, I just said that.”

“Anyway, we have to go soon but we were instructed to make sure we fed you so we brought you food,” Stephanie told her.  Out of the carry case came some fast food bags and the smell made Katie hungry instantly. 

“I haven’t had that in ages,” Katie said.

She ate faster than the other two had ever seen and they laughed at her for the duration of the meal. 

When they had finished, they cleaned up the garbage and put their coats and boots on for the trip to the hairdresser’s.

“Do you have your headpiece?” Stephanie asked as she tied up her boot.

“No, it’s still upstairs,” Katie answered as she ran up the stairs towards the computer room where the gown now hung from a hook in the ceiling, the train draped over chairs to keep it from wrinkling.  She touched the fragile fabric before she reached onto the bed and picked up the headpiece she’d found wrapped carefully in the attic.  She ran her fingers gently over the veil she’d found in an antique shop that matched the dress perfectly.  She’d seen Grace’s photos and, despite them being black and white, thought she’d found as close a match as she was going to.

She pulled the removable veil she’d had custom made off the tiara, leaving it lay on the bed. She didn’t want to wear that part of her headpiece for the reception.  She went back downstairs where Beth and Stephanie were waiting and she placed it in Stephanie’s outstretched hands. 

“It’s beautiful,” Beth said gently touching the delicate metal.  “Where did you find it?”

“It was in another trunk in the attic,” Katie answered as she pulled on one glove and then the other.

“It
is
really nice,” Stephanie agreed as she held it carefully in her hands. 

“I’m ready,” Katie announced.

“Let’s go or we’re going to be late,” Beth said as she pulled the front door open and allowed Stephanie to lead the way.  She followed, leaving Katie to lock the door. 

They all climbed into Beth’s SUV, since it had the most room, and when everyone was buckled in, Beth backed out of the driveway and Katie gave her directions.

“This is it,” Katie said pointing.

“There’s a spot right out front,” Stephanie added.

Beth pulled into the spot and they got out of the car to find Katie’s mother pacing outside the front door.  “It’s about time you got here,” she said.

Katie walked over to her mother and kissed her cheek.  “It’s great to see you today too mom,” she said and walked inside.

“Don’t you go taking that tone with me,” Maggie replied following her daughter through the door as the other two passed worried looks between them.

“What tone mom?  We weren’t late, it’s going to be a long, unnerving day and I understand,” Katie replied.

“Understand what?” her mother asked, suddenly confused.

“Understand that today is stressful for everyone and that you’re on edge just like the rest of us,” Katie answered before turning her attention to the clerk at the counter who was trying desperately not to laugh at what she was observing.  “Wedding party for Katie,” she said.

The girl nodded and led them all around to the back where four hairdresser’s sat in their respective chairs sharing stories about past customers.