Understanding is more profound than knowledge. Many people know you, but very few who understand you.
"Hey, baby, how are you feeling?" JJ asked, walking up to Kat as she finished getting ready for work that day.
"I'm doing okay, just really tired" Kat smiled up at JJ from her seat on the edge of the couch so she could get her heels on even though she hated how they felt on her swollen feet.
"Baby, why are you wearing heels to work? You're almost five months pregnant with twins," JJ asked, noticing she was putting on six-inch stilettos and seemed unhappy about her footwear.
"I still wear heels because I can, and the only other thing I could wear is running shoes. And that's not going to happen because that would just look bad with my work clothes" Kat smiled at him as she stood up, ignoring the annoyance she was feeling from her body.
"We could get you a bunch of flats," JJ suggested, knowing what her response was going to be, mostly because he was so much taller than her.
"You know I find them uncomfortable," Kat laughed, shaking her head at JJ's response.
"Yeah, that's true. What about some nice shows like Vans or Addidas? I'm picking up Mom and Dad at noon and Ma and Pa at five. Do you need me to do anything else?" JJ questioned as she picked up her bag for work, which would involve visiting the local CIA office before the Texans office.
"No, I'm picking up Blaze from daycare at three, and then I'm making dinner at 5:30. I like that idea, Babe, we may need to go shopping after the appointment tomorrow. Are any of the guys going to be here for dinner, so I know how much to make?" Kat asked as she walked up the stairs to get Blaze, already knowing she would be feeding an army for dinner tonight.
"Our brothers, Rae, and the kids, but I'm not sure about any of the guys on the team," JJ replied, knowing what she was thinking.
"Let me know, oh and Junie, Pharell, and Jaelen are going to be here as well," Kat spoke, coming down the stairs with Blaze following after her.
"So, it's a party?" JJ laughed, realizing how many people were going to be in their home.
"Basically, I've got twenty steaks marinating in the fridge. Please, have Dad have them on the grill by 5" Kat smiled as she and Blaze walked out the door to head for her 4Runner.
"Alright, I'll see you at work; I love you!" JJ called after her, knowing he would be about forty minutes behind her.
"I love you, too!" Kat smiled as she buckled Blaze into his car-seat, glancing up to their front door where JJ stood watching her.
As they left, a huge smile came across Kat's face as she thought about how blessed she was. She was happy with her life and was always excited to go to work, come home, and spend time with her family. Since she was pregnant, she hadn't left on a mission yet, but Kat knew that she'd be ready when the time came. Kat had been going into the CIA office three times a week to help plan active missions and guide her operatives safely through their jobs.
"Mommy?" Blaze spoke from his car-seat, bringing Kat out of her thoughts.
"Yes, baby?" Kat replied, glancing at him through the mirror.
"What are the babies?" he asked in his tiny two-year-old voice that always made Kat smile.
"I go and find out tomorrow what the twins are. What are you hoping for?" Kat inquired, knowing how excited Blaze was to be a big brother.
"Boys!" he exclaimed, making Kat smile even more.
"So you want little brothers, what if they're little sisters?" She asked, hoping he would be okay with whatever the babies were.
"I be okay with that," he smiled, looking back at her through the mirror.
"Do you want to go with Dad and me, or do you want to stay with Grandma and Grandpa tomorrow when we find out about the babies?" Kat asked him as they got close to their exit.
"I stay with Grandma and Grandpa. Are Uncles coming?" Blaze smiled, hoping he'd get to see his many uncles.
"Of course they are!" Kat laughed, knowing how close he was with all the men in their lives.
"Yay! I'm excited for summer!" Blaze exclaimed, pumping the air.
"I am too, baby. After today, Daddy and I get to spend as much time with you as we want until football practice starts again," Kat smiled. She was excited for a bit of a break and to be able to enjoy her growing family.
"We going anywhere?" he questioned, quicking his eyebrow, an expression he had learned well from Kat.
"We were thinking about a month in Hawaii if that sounds fun to you," Kat replied, hoping he'd be happy with a month just chilling by the beach with their family.
"Yes! Can you teach me to surf?" Blaze asked with his puppy dog eyes, knowing his mom knew how to surf.
"How about we teach you how to swim first" Kat laughed, knowing that Blaze couldn't quite swim well enough yet, but knowing he wouldn't give up on learning to surf like her.
"And then you teach me to surf?" he asked again, not giving up on being a beach bum like Kat would have happily become if she hadn't chosen her career field.
"Fine, when I think you can swim well enough, then I will teach you how to surf and skateboard" Kat smiled, pulling up to his daycare, knowing Blaze wanted to do all the crazy things she used to do when she was a kid.
"Yay!" Blaze exclaimed as Kat turned off the new truck JJ had insisted she get once they found out she was expecting.
"We'll be leaving in a week and staying at a big house on the beach. Is that cool with you?" Kat asked as they walked in, still talking about their coming trip.
"Awesome!" Blaze exclaimed, fist-pumping the air in excitement.
"I will see you at 3, Baby. Be good today," Kat smiled, giving Blaze a kiss, knowing she wouldn't get a call from his teacher about him.
"I will. I love you, Mommy!" Blazed smiled back as he ran off into the playroom where his friends were.
"I love you too," she laughed and smiled at his teacher, "See you later, Angie."
"See you later, Mrs. Watt!" Angie called back.
Thirty minutes later, Kat pulled up to the stadium to meet the new players they had signed. Kat was looking forward to this season because one of their new players was Kalen, her college best friend before joining the Marines. As she locked up her truck, Kalen Ballage jogged up to her and grabbed her purse off her shoulder.
"What the fuck! Oh, KB!" Kat exclaimed, fixing to throw fists even if she was pregnant.
"Sorry, I thought you heard me," Kalen replied, rubbing his neck, knowing he had almost gotten himself hurt by scaring Kat.
"Was a little lost in thought. So how does it feel to be a Texan?" Kat asked her friend as they slowly walked into the building.
"I love it! I sat on the bench for three years with the Dolphins, and now I actually get a shot here! Plus, you and JJ are here, and I get to see Blaze and these two growing inside you grow up," he smiled, placing his large hand tenderly on her growing baby bump.
"You becoming a Texan was going to happen if you hadn't become a free agent. Now I don't have to make the decision of who I'm trading to get you" Kat smiled back, excited to have Kalen close to their family again.
"I want to thank you again for this," he beamed down at Kat, feeling grateful for her pushing to change his career for the better.
"You're welcome, bro. I know the type of player you are, and I know your character. When I started working for this team, I knew that having good players, who are good men, would take it places. Good men are more driven to be better players and not to get into trouble," Kat grinned, remembering the arduous journey she had gone through to create the team they had now.
"So, how far along are you now?" Kalen asked, opening the door for her like the gentleman he was.
"Five months. JJ and I find out the sexes tomorrow, and then next week, we're taking Blaze to Kauai for a month," she replied, pressing the button for the elevator to go up to her office.
"Oh, that's really cool!" KB exclaimed, excited for his best friend.
"Yeah, I have a feeling they're going to be boys" Kat smiled, looking at her stomach and stroking it, excited to meet them in a few months.
"You prefer boys don't you?" Kalen asked as they stepped into the elevator that had finally arrived.
"Yes, I do, but I still want a girl sometimes even if we have to adopt her like we did Blaze," Kat nodded, wanting JJ to have his Daddy's Girl.
"You're very good with boys, as is obvious with the respect everyone has for you here and in the industry," KB commented, making Kat smile.
"Thank you," she chuckled as the doors opened for the floor with the executive offices, enjoying being able to chat with her friend.
"You're welcome, wow you're office is huge, and it looks out onto the field!" he exclaimed as he followed her into her beautifully large office.
"Yeah, I like it, especially since the practice facility and the stadium are on the same property. I am one of three that has their office in the stadium." Kat smiled, looking out at the field she had spent so much time on when she started working for the Texans.
"Coach and our owner are the other two," Junie answered before Kalen could ask as she handed Kat her breakfast shake. Junie knew that she hadn't eaten before coming into the office, like always.
"JJ prefers it this way, doesn't he?" Kalen laughed, remembering how protective of Kat he was when she was at ASU.
"Yeah, he does. The security for this portion of the stadium is intense. The risk of me getting hurt because of a disgruntled fan is far less" Kat smiled, remembering the same thing that Kalen was, "Thank you, by the way, Junie. I forgot to eat before I came into the office."
"I figured as much," Junie chuckled, standing in the doorway of Kat's office, "The only reason you ate before work when I lived at the house was that I made breakfast."
"That is true. Hopefully, I can make breakfast for the boys every day while we're all on vacation," Kat blushed, "Okay, Kalen, this is Junie, my assistant. Junie, this is Kalen, my best friend from the month I did at ASU. We just pulled him off the free-agent list."
"It's very nice to meet you. Kat talks about you all the time" Kalen smiled, "You're dating Jaelen Strong, right?"
"It's nice to meet you too, and welcome to the team," Junie smiled back, shaking KB's hand, "He actually proposed last night, so I guess he's my fiance."
"Oh my god! Junie! Are you serious?" Kat exclaimed, setting down her shake to hug Junie.
"Yes!" Junie beamed, thrusting her hand out so that they could look at the beautiful ring on her finger.
It was a stunning two, and a half-carat cushion cut diamond ring. The band was rose gold and was perfect for Junie. Kat was overjoyed for Junie, and she could see that Junie was thrilled about the engagement to Jaelen.
Abditory (n.) a place into which you can disappear, a hiding place.