Chapter Sixteen

 

It was always a little unnerving to wake up in a different bedroom after time traveling. Kate rubbed her eyes and focused on her bedroom. Yep, I’m back home in Ohio. She rolled over and pulled the quilt over her head because she needed time to think. So much happened in the past few days, she needed time to process. Feeling a pang of melancholy, she realized she missed Maria and Freddie. This is how Drew must feel. Now we can miss them together.

Kate decided she could grow to love Ilene, Drew’s mom, but had a little difficulty when it came to his father. That could take years. Then there was Gia. Would she have always been in their life, a thorn in her side? Not that Kate worried about Drew and Gia, she worried about what Nicolas would do. If he threw them together enough times... Kate stopped herself. Something hit her, it became so clear. Gia was to her what Tyson was to Drew. Drew was constantly fighting off Tyson’s advances toward his girlfriend and although he trusted Kate, he didn’t trust Tyson. Kate threw off her covers and ran to the guestroom.

Drew was still in bed so she jumped in next to him. “Drew, are you awake?”

“I am now,” he laughed.

“I have been thinking...”

“Oh, no, what’s the plan now?”

“Drew, I don’t always have a plan, this is serious. Stop teasing me!” Kate put her hand on his cheek, moving his face toward her. “Look at me. I miss Freddie and Maria. I fell in love with them and didn’t have enough time to get to know them better. I’ll always regret that and now I know how you feel.”

“Thank you for that.” Drew took her hand and kissed it.

“Wait, there’s more. I understand how you feel about Tyson after seeing Gia. I’m going to try really hard not to have him in our lives...at all.”

“That’s going to be a little hard. We see him at school. He lives across the street...”

“Then I’ll try harder. I love you and want you to feel you’re my number one guy, always.” Kate snuggled up to him.

“What’s come over you so early in the morning?” Drew pulled back to look at Kate’s face.

“I guess I woke up earlier than you and had time to think. We have just a few short weeks until we go back to the cabin for Thanksgiving. I want to focus on that. Besides, I haven’t told my mother we won’t be here on that day. We’re supposed to go to Grandma Sandra’s for dinner and have to come up with an excuse.”

“Knowing you, you’ll think of something.”

“You have to help.” Kate playfully pushed him away. “You act like I’m always scheming!”

“Not scheming, never that. You just have a lot going on in that pretty little head of yours. I don’t think you’d ever be content decorating the apartment in New York while I went to work.”

“No, you’re right. I would take some courses at NYU, too. Would your father let me?” Kate knew she’d have to get Nicolas’ approval.

“Probably not, but I would pay for it myself. Nothing can stop us.” Drew’s attitude changed from friendly chatter to determination. “He’s made everyone do what he wants for most of my life. Marrying you was the first time I went against him.”

Kate gasped. That explained the fight between Drew and Nicolas at the wedding. “You always came to the canyon whenever you wanted. Wasn’t that going against him?”

“No, he let me because he thought it was a boyhood dream that I’d eventually outgrow. This trip showed what he’d planned for me. He wanted me back home now that I was old enough to be useful to him and the business. I would be his puppet, doing his bidding.”

“That’s a little harsh.”

“No, call it reality. My eyes were opened during the trip. You helped me with closure and saying good-bye to the family, but I also saw my future if I stayed. One I may not have had enough power to fight against.”

“Don’t say that. You’re very strong. I’m sure you would’ve found a way.” Kate suddenly had an idea and popped out of bed. “Be right back.” She said over her shoulder as she headed to her room. She looked around on her nightstand for her phone, grabbed it and turned to go back to the guest room when something caught her eye. Her laptop was missing from the desk. That was odd. She didn’t remember using it or taking it anywhere before she left. First things first, she went to see Drew.

He was dressed and waiting for her. “How do you always manage to do that?” Kate pointed from his shirt down to his pants and back up. He could get dressed or disappear at a moment’s notice.

He just shrugged. “What’s going on in that mind of yours?”

“You’ll see.” She quickly dialed Jordyn’s number. “Hey, Jordyn, how ya doing? Yeah, it’s been too long. Listen, I have a big favor to ask you. Would it be okay if Drew and I miss the first basketball game...well, really all of them? Tyson’s been a pain...”

Drew grabbed the phone out of Kate’s hand. “Jordyn, don’t listen to her. We’ll be there for all your games. Tyson’s not a problem for me...good talking to you, too. We’ll see you at school.” Drew finished the conversation and handed the phone back to Kate.

“Drew!” She was exasperated. “I’m trying to do something nice for you.”

“And what about Jordyn? She needs our support now more than ever. We can’t do that to her.”

“That’s so sweet. You’re sure you don’t mind? Remember what happened to me at last year’s game.”

“This year will be different. I’ll be with you. There’s no way you’re falling out of a car this year.”

Kate recalled last year’s basketball game. Tyson had asked her to go out to dinner after the game. She’d thought it was an innocent date between friends. Then he tried to kiss her and got angry when she wouldn’t return his affection. As she shut the door of his SUV, the seatbelt got caught. Tyson was so busy screaming at her, he didn’t hear her say she needed to open the door to fix it. He pulled out of the parking space as she opened the door. When he realized what happened, he slammed on the brakes causing Kate to fall from the car. She was taken to the hospital with a concussion. Kate put her hands to her head at the thought of it.

“Are you okay?” Drew put his arms around her.

“Just having a flashback.” Kate dropped her arms and wrapped them around him. “I know you’ll protect me. We’ll go to the game and come directly home. I don’t want to go to the dance.”

“There’s a dance?”

“Haven’t you seen the posters at school? There’s always a big dance for both schools after the game. It’s been a tradition, just like the game. They’ve been doing this since the 1950s.”

“Then we should go to the dance. I don’t want you to miss out on anything in your senior year.”

“Only if Jordyn and Lindsey say they’ll go with us.” Kate knew both girls may beg off and she wouldn’t have to go. That night still dredged up awful memories for her.

“Let’s go downstairs and see how much mom missed us.” Kate grabbed Drew’s hand and they ran down the stairs.

“Carl!” Kate was so happy to see him standing in the kitchen. “It seems like ages since we were all together.”

“Well, doesn’t it always feel like that when you’ve been away in another century?” He smiled at her. “Heard you met the in-laws.”

“Glad to see you back safe and sound.” Her mom nudged the three of them into the family room. “I invited Carl over for breakfast since Maya is at the canyon visiting Carl Sr. That woman sure has been busy these days. I hardly see her. You three catch up while I go see if Jackson’s up and ready to eat.”

“Carl, you haven’t been back to the canyon, have you?” Kate had to know.

He couldn’t look her in the eye and she took it as a bad sign. “Carl!”

“Okay, maybe just once this past week after your wedding. I had to see Rachel and I promised my dad I’d help him finish the sitting room upstairs. He wants a place where Mom can have some quiet time away from the girls.”

“He doesn’t know you’re his son, does he?” Kate’s stomach was suddenly in knots.

“Of course not.” He shook his head. “I promised you I wouldn’t tell him.”

“You promised not to go back after the wedding, too...”

“I needed to see her, just once more. Drew, you understand. Help me out here.”

Drew was silent during the conversation. “I’m the last one to judge. I’ve only had a year to adjust to the time travel and the two lives. It’s confusing, especially when there’s a girl involved. Yes, I can understand, but at the same time, I have to strongly object. You could change history and that’s not right.”

“But what if I was supposed to be part of Rachel’s history and this is the way it should be. I’ve been reasoning it out for weeks.”

“Good point,” Drew said, “but you know it has to end because in a few weeks Thomas and Rachel will be engaged. They marry by Christmas.”

Kate could see Carl was more dejected than ever and put her arm around him. “Promise me you won’t go back anymore, big bro.” She rested her head on his shoulder and could feel the tension radiating from him. “I’ll be here for you.”

Her mom and dad entered the room and the mood changed from somber to jovial. The three travelers told of their journey while everyone pitched in cooking breakfast. Kate poured juice and they sat down at the table.

“Dad, when did you decide to come with us?” Kate was curious because he never explained.

“After you left, I looked at your mother and didn’t have to say a word. She just said ‘go’ and I was out of here. Waking up at the boardinghouse makes it a little hard because you have to slip away without being seen and then get to your destination. When I finally arrived at the station, your train was pulling away. I managed to get to the next town and catch a later train that day. I got word to Mother that I was coming and she called the Martins to let them know I’d be at the party.”

“Why wouldn’t they tell me my father was in New York?” Kate stopped, laughing at herself. Of course, they wouldn’t know Jack Woods was her dad. To them, Jack was more important to Drew than her.

“When you went upstairs with my sister, my father told me Jack was in New York.” Drew held up his juice glass. “Just in the nick of time, too. Kate needed you.”

Her mom placed her hand over Kate’s. “Were you upset, sweetie? Now I feel guilty I didn’t go along.”

“Just for a moment, no big deal.” She tried to make light of it even though she was so overwhelmed she didn’t think she’d make it through the night, until she heard her father’s voice. “Dad helped me through.”

Kate filled her mother in on the reception and the dress she was given to wear. Drew had them mesmerized as he told how Kate agreed to all his father’s demands...even living at the townhouse.

Her mom’s expression changed to one of sadness. “Are you sure you’re alright with that, Drew? Leaving it all behind?”

He looked around the table at his newfound friend and family. “More than alright. This is a life I never thought I could have. It’s all because of Kate.”

“Mom, I have something to ask you.” Kate thought of her computer disappearance. “My laptop seems to be missing.”

“Oh, it’s down here somewhere. Tyson came over when you were gone, needing more information on your project. I brought it down here so I could watch what he was doing. He got what he needed and left.”

That seemed innocent enough but Kate knew Tyson always had ulterior motives. There wasn’t anything on the computer he could use to his advantage unless... Kate looked at Drew for a moment, hesitant to tell him. She kept a calendar on her laptop with all the events of their lives chronicled on it. There’s no way Ty could have found it while her mom looked over his shoulder. If he did, he would see that Kate wrote in ‘cabin’ for the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. Even though she used code words, he might go to any lengths to stop them from going. Her heart pounded but she quickly calmed herself. “Well, you were right on top of him the whole time, I’m sure.”

“Of course, I was, except for a brief moment when I got a phone call from a student.”

Kate’s heart started pounding again but for all the wrong reasons. This could be the start of trouble.