The Date

Chapter 38

"Wait here," she says walking into the study. Da and I are silent in the hallway as we wait for Mum to come back. She walks towards us holding a black box. "Here take it" she hands over my Nan's ring that she left to me. She told me before she passed away; that I should give it to the girl I couldn't live without... the girl that makes me a better person by just standing next to me. That was Kate.

"Thank you," I said taking the box. The hallway went awkward as we stood there in silence.

"Why... don't you come to dinner next week," she said as Da gave her a little hug. "You and Kate of course"

"I'll call you" I smiled turning round to leave.

"Jake!" she called after me. I turned to see her moving into my arms for a hug which I returned. "I've missed you" she cried as I kissed her head. However angry I have been towards her, she was still and would forever be my Mum.

"I've missed you too," I said. That was it. No sorry or words of apology. Just I miss you. That's all it took for us to know that everything was ok.

So there I was, driving home to Kate with my Nan's ring in my pocket. Ready to ask the biggest question of my life!

I opened the door to the dark apartment and dropped my case down. The drive home took forever and all I wanted to do was see Kate. I needed to apologise and do some serious grovelling.

I saw her sitting on the sofa looking like a ghost.

When she heard me walking through she jumped to her feet in shock.

"Hi" I waved awkwardly. She looked at me blankly with a small smile playing on her face. Was she happy to see me or was she still upset about how I acted? I knew I was a complete ass.

"Hi... I was waiting for you..." she sounded different, shaken. I looked around and saw her old ripped bags packed.

"What are those?" I left my heart start to attack itself. Why the fuck where her bags packed.

"Jake... I waited to tell you..." she was crying as she tried to get the right words out. There were no words she could say right now that would be ok.

"Kate, are you leaving me?" my blood runs cold as the words left my lips. No. NO! She was not leaving me! She couldn't, not now, not ever!

"I thought after everything..." she said looking down at her bags. I saw how her body was shaking and I wanted to punch myself in the face.

"No... I'm so sorry about sending you away, I'm sorry about everything. Please just don't go" I said walking up to her so I could hold her tight in my arms. As if I could hold her there forever and she'll never leave.

"You're sorry," she said with her head in my neck. I could feel her tears on my shirt. I was such a dick for making her this upset.

"Yer look..." I pulled away to see her face. I brushed away her tears and felt her lips under my thumb. "I... last week... look this is hard for me I don't do emotional stuff ok" I pulled her down on the sofa on my lap. My heart was still thumping at the thought of her leaving. What if she didn't wait, what if I didn't get home that night? Would she have just left? The thought left me tense.

"What is it?" she asked.

"I didn't mean what I said ok I was in a really bad mood and I was starting to think things... like you and I being together was a bad idea for you... I thought the press and my lifestyle was too much for you. I thought by pushing you away I'd be keeping you safe but it only made things worse. The truth is I don't want you to leave, I want you to stay... here... with me because I love you Kate" I looked into her eyes and purred my heart out.