Chapter 29
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
Chris held the phone between his shoulder and ear as he signed some papers. “We agreed we would talk to Yvonne right away.” There was a hint of frustration in his voice. He didn’t want to sound like he was blaming Kate.
“I know, but it seems like the universe is conspiring to keep it from happening. She had catering jobs for Suzie and Sonja the last three nights.”
“Right, and I had to attend a school program for recruiting apprentices.” Sounds of traffic reached Chris’s ears. “Are you in your car?”
“Yes, I’m on my way home. Don’t worry. I’m using the Bluetooth kit you installed.” Kate yawned loudly. “Today I saw clients until 8 pm, and I’m beat, but I did manage to call her. I told her we’ve got to get our schedules more in sync.”
“Did she agree?”
“Yes, she’s anxious to spend time with us. She can come tomorrow. We’ll get it all figured out. Be here.”
Kate ended the call so fast, Chris wasn’t sure she heard his answered, “I will.”
Saturday, all three of them managed to be in the same place at the same time. Chris arrived at five to plan strategy and found Kate pacing her living room. Yvonne wasn’t due for another hour, but she tended to arrive at least fifteen minutes early.
After she let Chris in and greeted him with a warm kiss, she tore her mouth away from him. “Who’s going to do the talking?”
Chris wiped his thumb over her swollen lips and rested his hand at the side of her face, cradling her head. The smile and look on his face were compassionate, and he observed her warmly. “Good evening, Kate.”
She let out a shuddering sigh. “Good evening, Chris. I’m… I’m nervous.”
Chris took her hand and kissed her knuckles tenderly, before pulling her against his chest. Kate stood there for several heartbeats, enjoying his scent, his strength, and allowed herself to be supported for a moment.
“I don’t like feeling this out of control,” she confessed.
They moved to the sofa after that, going over what they knew, what they suspected, and what they wanted to avoid saying.
Kate kept bouncing her foot and worrying the seam of a cushion.
Chris answered when he could, listened when she spiraled, and more than once drew her back into his arms when her thoughts ran too far ahead.
The clock on the wall ticked louder than usual in the pauses between them.
When Yvonne arrived, she looked flustered and agitated. Instead of her usual fifteen minutes she was thirty-five minutes early.
“Oh good, already Chris is here! I need to tell you both something,” Yvonne blurted in greeting as she stumbled into the hall.
Chris caught her by the waist with his right arm, while keeping Kate securely on his left.
“We need to talk to you, too. Let’s close the door and get inside.
” Chris used his foot to push the door shut and steered both women to the living room.
“Let’s stay in and have take-out instead of dinner and the club,” he suggested as they all sat.
Kate and Yvonne snuggled together on the sofa, holding hands with tangled fingers, while Chris perched on the edge of the coffee table in front of them.
“Sounds good to me. What do you think, angel?”
“Sure. Can we get pizza?”
“Anything you want.” Chris took both their free hands connecting them in the triangle that symbolized their relationship.
“Sweet angel, Kate and I have been talking. We know we haven’t been together that long, but we would like to amend the contract now. We want very, very much for you to stay here in Kansas City with us. Permanently.”
Yvonne’s mouth fell open, and she looked from Chris to Kate and back before tears started to stream from her eyes. Kate tightened her hand around Chris’s fingers in a death grip, but he didn’t even wince, and she held on for dear life.
“Oh ja! I would love to stay. Ik hou van jullie. I love you both,” Yvonne babbled in Dutch and English before she pulled at their arms, and they fell in an awkward but wonderful embrace on the couch.
Yvonne laughed and cried. “How did you know that was just what I needed to hear tonight?”
“What do you mean?” Chris stiffened.
“Angel,” Kate inquired, “what was the news you had to share?”
“I’m pregnant.”
After a moment of stunned silence at the unexpected news, Kate stammered, “But w… what… eh… how? When?” At the same moment Chris let out a whoop and peppered Yvonne’s belly with kisses.
Yvonne reached into her purse and removed a pregnancy test wrapped in a handkerchief.
“See?” She showed Kate the positive sign.
“I don’t know exactly how long, but I think it must have been the first time we were all together.
Tante Wilma says I need to see a doctor and find out how far along I am, but I tell her I need to talk to both of you, first. Is it okay? ”
“Angel, it’s more than okay. It’s perfect.” Chris could have illuminated the room with his megawatt grin.
“I agree. It’s wonderful.” Kate’s mouth suddenly seemed too dry. Did this change what she and Chris had discussed? Would she be part of this? She managed to swallow. A baby!
“Kate?” Chris squeezed her hand.
“I’m unsure what this means for me,” she confessed.
“Don’t get me wrong. I love babies. When I was younger, I wanted to be a mother but could never find the right man to be the father.
” She made eye contact with Yvonne. “If you’ll let me, I’ll get a chance to be with you both, while you do the honors. That is, if you both want me?”
“How can you even ask such a question? Of course, you are also mother to this child. I wouldn’t dream of excluding you.” Yvonne reached for Kate’s hand again and turned to Chris. “You agree, don’t you?”
“Of course, angel. Kate, we’re a threesome. This baby is lucky. He or she gets two mothers, and you’re both going to be awesome at it. I only hope I can be half as good a father.”
“Why would you say that?” Yvonne’s expression reflected Kate’s feeling.
She grabbed Chris by his ears and pulled his face close to hers. “The next time you put yourself down like that, I’ll take a strap to your ass.”
Chris looked startled before he relaxed into her grip. Kate didn’t know how it happened, but in the next moment they shared a group hug and began tearing at each other’s clothes.