Til We Meet Again (7 page)

She felt as if she were starting to see what was happening.  She sat on the bed and held the note. 
Grace needs to be reunited with Donald.  But how?
She thought.

She thought of Dean and held her left hand out in front of her.  The ring was beautiful.  The diamond glittered in the lamplight and she couldn’t wait to become Mrs. Dean McKenzie. 
That’s it, he’s the missing link,
she thought.  Dean would need to check with his mother about his own heritage. 

“What’s going on in here?” Dean asked startling her.  He stopped when he saw her.  “Oh my…you look…wow, you’re beautiful,” he stammered.

Katie rose off the bed and went to him.  “Thank you,” she said.

He wrapped her into his arms.  “So what’s going on?” he asked again.

“I had another dream.  This time it was Grace with Donald’s parents.  Her first night staying with them.  She’s devastated Dean.  She doesn’t know where to turn or what to do,” Katie told him.

“I know,” Dean replied.

“How, how do you know?” she asked.

“I think I had the same dream.”

“But…how?”

“I don’t know how but I’d like to know how I fit into this picture,” he told her.

“What was your great-grandparents name? she asked. 

“I don’t remember.  I know somebody along the way changed it to MacKenzie because it was more Canadian,” he told her.

“Exactly.  Could it be that you’re Donald and we’re totally meant to be together?” Katie asked.

Dean looked at her in awe.  “I don’t feel that old,” he teased.

Katie giggled.  She stood up and moved in front of him.  She waited while he parted his legs and she stood between them, the fabric of the gown taking up a lot more space.  She reached down to touch his face and then bent down to kiss him.  “I love you so much,” she whispered.

“Katie, I can’t live without you,” he told her.  “You look like someone out of a dream.”

Katie giggled again.  “I am,” she laughed.

Dean laughed too but he reached up and kissed her once again being serious.  He slid the zipper down and pulled it down her arms.  They let it pool at her feet and he carried her back to bed where he made love to her and they slept, uninterrupted, until morning. 

Chapter 6

Katie woke the next morning and put a hand to her head as she sat up in bed letting the sheet fall down.  She suddenly didn’t feel very well.  .

“That’s a nice view to wake up to,” Dean said groggily.

Katie made a noise to agree.

“What’s wrong?” Dean asked suddenly very alert.

“I don’t feel well,” she told him.

“What’s wrong?” Dean repeated.

“I just feel really dizzy and I feel like I’m going to…” she bolted from the bed and ran to the washroom.

Dean could hear her throwing up and he got out of bed quickly and followed.  He looked for her robe on his way but couldn’t find it.  When he reached her, she was as white as a sheet, kneeling in front of the toilet.  He grabbed a towel and wrapped it around her.  “I couldn’t find your robe,” he told her.

“It’s probably in…” she stopped as another wave of nausea overtook her, “in the guestroom,” she continued before she threw up again.

“I’m not leaving you,” Dean told her.  He knelt down himself and rubbed her back and stroked her hair.  He could feel her trembling. 

She sat back on her feet and took a deep breath.  “I think I’m finished, for now.”

Dean helped her to stand up but she didn’t make it all the way before he noticed her swoon and he caught her in his arms as she passed out.

In an instant her eyes were back open.  She was in his arms and he was putting her back in bed.  The room came into focus and she looked at him.  His expression told her he was scared and she reached a hand out to him.  “I’m okay,” she said softly.  She reached a hand to her throat as if it would help the pain caused by throwing up.

“You just passed out, I’m calling your doctor,” he said.

“It was just because I’m sick and I stood up too fast,” she told him.  “Sometimes when I stand up too fast, my blood pressure drops too far and I black out.  It even happens when I’m well.  Could you please get me a nighty from the second drawer over there?”

Dean nodded and pulled one from the drawer and handed it to her before he sank onto the bed beside her grateful that it wasn’t anything more than a stomach bug.  “Do you think it was something you ate last night?” he asked.

“We had the same thing,” she reminded him as she pulled the nightgown over her head.

“Not quite, I had rice, you had the potato,” he said.

“I doubt I’d get food poisoning from a potato,” she replied.

“You’re probably right.  Can I get you anything?” he asked. 

“A cup of tea might be helpful,” she said.  “Maybe it will calm my stomach and I can get to work.”

“Uh-uh.  You’re not going to work today, no way,” he said sternly.

“But…”

“You’re not going to work today, boss’ orders,” he said again.

“Yes sir,” she said and saluted him.

“I’ll be back with that tea,” he said as he stood up.  “Behave yourself and if you need anything, yell.”

Katie watched him leave and was grateful he was there with her.  She let her head sink back into the pillows and wondered what it was that could have given her such an upset stomach.  That feeling crossed her stomach again and she bolted once more for the bathroom.

Dean walked into the bedroom expecting to find Katie and she wasn’t there.  He set down the tray he’d brought and went to the bathroom.  Sure enough she knelt once again where she had been.  “More?” he questioned.

“Only a little bit.  Mostly just dry heaves and they hurt,” she said.

“Your tea is ready, why don’t you come and have some of it,” he said as he helped her rise.  He held an even firmer hand on her waist but she didn’t black out on him this time.  He led her to the bedroom and fluffed up a bunch of pillows so she could sit up.  Once he had her settled, he handed her the tea cup.  She accepted it from him with shaking hands.  “Be careful, that’s hot,” he warned her.

“I know it’s hot, but I can’t stop shaking,” she replied.  She slowly raised the cup to her lips with two hands and took a small sip.  It was really hot but it felt good on her aching throat.  She blew over the surface of the tea trying to cool it a little before she took another sip.  This was a little better and she was able to take a little more.  She could almost feel it hit her stomach and the calming effects were almost instant.  “That’s good,” she said.

Dean sat down on the bed and had some of his own coffee while he watched her.  She looked very pale and he hated to see her feeling this way.  He himself hated feeling this way.  “I’m not going to work today either,” he told her.

“Why not?  You’re not sick,” she said.

“I want to take care of you,” he told her matter-of-factly.

“I can take care of myself.  I’ll probably stay in bed all day,” she told him.

“Maybe I’ll go in later or I’ll just go and pick up some work.  I can easily work from here today,” he replied.  “I want to spend some time with my new fiancée anyway.”

Katie smiled.  She looked at her left hand, which held the teacup, and admired the diamond glittering in the light.  “Gee, what would we have to talk about?” she teased.

“Oh, wedding plans perhaps,” he replied.

Katie smiled again.  “I’d like that,” she said quietly.

“Then I’ll have a shower, go to work, see if there’s anything pressing and come back home,” he said.

Katie nodded and took another sip of her tea.  It was settling nicely and she thought she might try to eat something after Dean left her.

Dean kissed her before he went to the shower and told her to rest.

Katie took another few sips of tea before she set it beside her on the nightstand and settled back against the pillows again and closed her eyes.  She had been pretty lonely when she’d first moved here despite the town not being that far from the city.  It still felt like starting over and she was grateful that Dean had been there when nobody else had been.  Not even the ladies at the library were as friendly to her as Dean had been.  It hadn’t taken them long for the attraction between them to grow.

Katie opened her eyes when she heard the water turn on.  She suddenly had the need to be with Dean and slowly got out of bed.  She slid out of her nightgown as she left the room and crossed the hall to the bathroom.  She pushed the door open and went inside.  “Care if I join you?” she asked.

Dean opened the curtain.  “Not at all, as long as you feel alright,” he replied.

Katie stepped under the hot spray and felt a little better. 

Dean took some soap on his hands and, after he lathered it up, ran his hands all over her body. 

She did the same for him and he waited for her while she washed her hair still afraid she’d lose her balance or black out again.

When they finished they toweled off and Dean picked up her nightgown and handed it to her.

She took it from him but set it on the end of the bed.  She stepped toward him and into his arms.  “Make love to me please,” she said quietly.

“Are you sure?” he asked but kissed her before she could answer.

She nodded and let her towel drop.

He lifted her up and set her on the bed where he did as she had asked.

“I love you so much,” he told her as he held her.

“I love you too, Dean,” she replied, tears building in her eyes. 
Why am I crying?
She wondered.  They had made love plenty of times, what was so different about this time?

“What’s wrong?” Dean asked noticing her tears.

“I don’t know, I just feel really emotional.  The tears just came to my eyes.”

Dean held her close.  “It’s been a busy few days.” 

Katie nodded.  “I guess I could go to work today after all,” she said.  “Obviously the tea helped, and um, so did this,” she said indicating their lovemaking.

Dean chuckled at her.  “Only if you feel up to it,” he replied as he slid away from her.  “But if I’m going to go in, I need to be getting dressed.”

Katie sat up on the edge of the bed and smiled as she watched Dean get dressed, admiring his long lean body. 

“What?” Dean asked as he tucked in his shirt.

“Just admiring the man who will be my husband,” she replied. 

“I could say the same for you,” he replied as he looked at her sitting there, her perfect curves and beautiful face.  He went to her and kissed her.  “How do you feel?” he asked still concerned.

“I’m okay,” she replied.  “I think I’ll come with you.”

“Are you sure?” he asked.

“Yes she said and stood to start getting dressed.

Dean left her to dress and went to the bathroom to shave.

It wasn’t long before they were walking into the library together and all the staff who had been waiting impatiently outside for him to arrive and open the doors followed them inside.

They all went to the staff room to put their personal things away and as soon as Dean closed his office door and Katie was left alone with the others that the questions began flying.

“So what’s going on with the two of you?” Susan asked.

“Is it serious?” Betty added.

“How long have you been seeing each other,” Stephanie piped up.

Katie held up her hand.  At once everyone noticed the ring on her finger and gasped.  “We’ve been seeing each other since Canada Day and he proposed last night,” Katie told them.

Three hands reached out to grasp hers and pull it forward to examine the ring.

“It’s beautiful.”

“Wish it were mine.”

“Wow, you are so lucky.”

Katie smiled at her co-workers. 

“So when’s the wedding?” the questions started all over.  “Where’s it going to be?”  “Oh, you should get married at the beach, that would be so great.”

Katie again held up her hand and the everyone quieted.  “We’re not sure when we’re getting married, but we definitely know where and you will all be informed, when we know more details ourselves,” she told them.  “But we really should get to work because I don’t think being engaged to the boss is going to get any of us off the hook if Dean comes out here,” she told them.

They all smiled and went off to their respective duties.  Katie smiled and walked away.  A few minutes later she walked past Dean’s door and suddenly couldn’t resist the urge to go in.

“Hi,” she said.

“Miss me that much?” he teased.

“As a matter of fact I do,” she replied.