It was a quiet day at the Café. Katherine barely made half of what she normally made today. She wondered what could cause such a slow business day, but then she saw a flyer on her desk. The mayor was having a conference on the other side of the town, and the whole town was there. Katherine sat in her office and decided to call Taryn. “Hey girl, how's it going?” Taryn answered. “Not bad even though things are slow today because the Mayor's in town holding a conference.” “I see. So, how are the kids?” Taryn asked. “They're fine. They are at school right now,” Kat replied. “So how's Liam? Is he coming to work on time?” “Yes, your brother is an awesome partner. Although he gets distracted by the ladies way too often,” Taryn chuckled. “Oh by the way, how was brunch the other day? Did Nate get on the baseball team?” “No,” Kat sighed. “What? But Nate is so good.” Taryn confessed. “I meant no as in, brunch never happened. The guy flaked. He phoned the restaurant and told t
Katherine and the twins arrived at the fair around 3:00 in the afternoon. The place was beautifully decorated and had different rides and attractions. Vendors and patrons crowded the venue, and sounds of laughter and excitement filled the air. "I can't wait to go on the rollercoaster," Nola clapped with glee. She and Nate had never been on one before, and they were eager to try it out today. Nola's eyes lit up, and her smile broadened as she saw the ride dipped and rolled in the air. She couldn't wait to experience the happiness that the ride must bring. “I'm excited to try that slingshot ride over there,” Nathan stated as he pointed in the direction of the ride, where people were screaming with their hands either in the air or over their faces. Katherine couldn't tell if they were screams of joy or screams of pain. She gulped when she saw the ride shoot out like a slingshot and the people were thrown about like rag dolls. “That ride looks pretty scary, don't you think, Nate?” Kath
Aiden's smile was smacked off his face by Katherine's threats. “Wait a minute, I'm not here for that, I'm simply here to enjoy the fair,” he confessed as he gestured around his surrounding. “Oh, I thought you were here to antagonize me,” Katherine gulped while she ran her sweaty palms down the side of her pants. “And how would I know you would even be at the fair? It's not like I'm stalking you or have intel about your every move,” Aiden added. Katherine felt like an idiot now. “You're right, Mr. Windsor. I feel so silly now," she giggled awkwardly. “Look, Mrs. O'Hare, I am over our last encounter. I was having a bad day, and I'm normally a gentleman. You just caught me on an off day, that's all,” Aiden admitted. “Really?” Katherine asked. She found that difficult to believe. “Yes really, and I also want to apologize for the way I overreacted. I am sorry, Mrs. O'Hare, for my outburst; for insulting you; threatening you and I apologize if I made you uncomfortable that
Things were going swimmingly for Aiden that evening. He and Katherine were sitting on a bench under some palm trees enjoying popcorn and snow cones. He felt like he was on top of the world with every word he and Katherine exchanged. "Can I ask you something?" Aiden inquired after taking a drink from his snow cone. "Sure," Katherine replied, as she indulged in the salty, buttery snack. "Why did you choose baking as a career choice?" Katherine paused at the unexpected question. She took a breath before answering. "Well, it wasn't my first choice," she began. "You see, my parents wanted me to become a lawyer, but after a summer road trip in my final year in high school, I realized that wasn't what I wanted." She looked at Aiden, who now seemed more intrigued. "I met someone who taught me that doing what I loved, rather than doing what was expected, is the key to happiness." She smiled as she remembered all the things she learned from Nile. "That person sounds very smar
TWO MONTHS LATER It was the end of the Christmas term, and the twins were doing extremely well in school. There was a Christmas concert being held, and the students were being rewarded for their exceptional academic excellencies. A small ceremony was expected after the Christmas performances, plus there would also be a guest speaker who would also be responsible for handing over the awards to the children who were being awarded. Katherine didn't know that the guest speaker was none other than the city's own Aiden Windsor. Katherine was extremely proud of her kids. Nathan was being awarded the first place awards in Science and Geography, while Nola was getting first place prizes for Mathematics, English and Social Studies. Nathan was second in Mathematics, English and Social Studies and Nola was second in Science and Geography. Their mother couldn't be more proud, her children were outstanding and everyday she prayed God would continue to bless them and keep them safe. Kat was s
Katherine’s hands trembled as she painted her lips with the red lipstick Taryn loaned her. All the makeup that was applied to her face was actually courtesy of her best friend. The only thing Kat owned that could be considered makeup was her cherry blossom lip balm. “More,” Taryn commanded. “Don’t you want him to cower at your luscious lips?”“No, I’m not a harlot.” “Gimme that,” Taryn grabbed the lipstick. “Here, just pucker up,” Taryn held Kat’s jaw and applied more red. A knock sounded at the door. “Thank God,” Kat sighed, feeling thankful for the interruption. "Katherine, are you decent?” It was Katherine's mother. “Come on in, mom,” Kat said. Her mom entered with a smile on her face. “Wow! Honey, you look amazing.” “Thanks mom,” Kat smiled. “I haven’t seen you dolled up like this since —” her mom trailed off. “Anyway, the kids are ready to go.”“Thanks for getting them ready mom, I just need a few more minutes to get my hair styled,” Kat replied. “They are very impati
“Hey there little man, you look sharp in your little bow tie.” Aiden stooped down to speak to Nathan. “You don't look too bad yourself. But I'm not a little man, I'm a grownup,” Nate scoffed as he flexed his bow tie. “Yeah right. Grown-ups don't sleep with night lights,” Nola giggled, outing her brother. “Says the girl you think the boogeyman lives under her bed,” Nathan snarled. “Well you're stupid,” Nola grunted. “And you're an idiot,” Nate retorted. “Hey, hey kids. Let's all just calm down,” Aiden took a deep breath. This showed him a glimpse of how hard parenting was. A part of him felt proud to be dating a woman like Katherine. A grin lit up his face. Dating. What a magnificent word. “Well, she started it,” Nate grumbled. He always had to have the last words. “So where's your mom?” Aiden asked the twins.“We had to leave her and aunty Taryn behind,” Nate explained. “Something about getting her hair styled.”“Beauty and perfection takes time,” Nola giggled. “Right Aiden?”
Taryn continued pestering Katherine and Kat kept denying that anything was wrong. “I know something went down. So come on, what is it? It sounded like you were having a stroke, and it sure looked like you were getting stroked, if you know what I mean,” Taryn chuckled. “Drop it, Tee. I said Nothing happened. I told you I'm just thirsty. End of story.” “You're thirsty alright. You were looking at Aiden as if you wanted to drink him all up,” Taryn giggled. “Stop it,” Kat slapped her playfully. “Look at your face. You're as red as a tomato,” Taryn taunted. “And I sure as hell didn't remember applying any blush on you.” “Nate and Nola O'Hare,” The MC called, and the place erupted in applauses and cat calls. The twins walked onto the stage and collected their prizes. Kat, Taryn, and the grandparents all stood up and cheered. Aiden gave them hugs and whispered something to both of them. They smiled and hugged him again. Katherine's dad snapped photos of both of them, while
A week had passed since Katherine and her babies were released from the hospital. She felt overwhelmed on most days, but she was grateful for having her husband, her parents, and Mrs. Lewis by her side. Miss Polly had moved back home to Scotland to be with her sick mother, but she sent her best wishes. Taryn and Dustin were still on their honeymoon, but they couldn't wait to come home and meet the babies. They wanted to cut their trip short, but Katherine insisted that they stayed and enjoyed their getaway. Mr. and Mrs. Riley were at the Café overseeing things. Mrs. Lewis was upstairs checking on the babies, while Aiden and Katherine enjoyed a nice quiet lunch in the dining room. "They are fast asleep, and they are the cutest little beings I've ever seen. I realize that Kaden is trying to take the mittens off his hands," Mrs. Lewis stated as she entered the dining room."He wants to suck on his fingers like I used to do when I was small," Aiden explained. "And Adeline sleeps with
"I can't believe I fainted after seeing my child being born," Aiden expressed as he cradled his children in both of his hands. Six hours had passed since Katherine gave birth, and she and both babies were doing well. She was now laying in bed resting, while Aiden sat in a chair holding the sleeping babies. "I can't believe it either," Katherine remarked. "Taryn and Dustin will find this amusing when I tell them." "Dustin isn't gonna let me live it down," Aiden shook his head and smiled. A knock sounded on the door. "You have visitors," Dr. Murray announced as she entered the room. Mr and Mrs. Riley were walking behind her with huge smiles plastered on their faces. "Oh, my sweet pea," Mrs. Riley gushed as she walked over to her daughter. She rubbed her head and then caressed her face. She then turned her attention to Aiden and the babies. "They are beautiful," she cooed. "Shhh, you don't wanna wake them," Aiden whispered. "They are so adorable. I could just eat them up," Mrs. R
The drive over to the hospital was agonizing for both Katherine and Aiden. It felt like they had been driving for hours, even though it was approximately a fifteen minute drive. When they got to the facility, they were taken to a private room that was reserved for Katherine. Doctor Murray was already there and waiting since Aiden had called her earlier. Once they had gotten their room, Dr. Murray made sure Kat was comfortable with what was to come next, even though this was her second time experiencing labour. "Now that you're all set up, we have to check how dilated you are," Dr. Murray said to Katherine, who was wincing in pain. "The contractions are a bit far apart, but they still hurt like hell," Katherine stated as she adjusted herself on the bed. Aiden was right by her side, holding her hand every step of the way. He watched as the doctor began to probe Katherine. They both noticed how Dr. Murray's eyebrows were raised in curiosity and Aiden got a bit worried. "Is everyth
Katherine stood beside her best friend, admiring her in the mirror. She could tell that she was nervous, but she looked absolutely beautiful in her wedding dress. "Just breathe, Tar," Kat encouraged her. "I am breathing, but I think this dress is too tight. It's cutting off my circulation," Taryn fussed."Are you sure?" Katherine asked as she began to gently tug on the back of the dress. "Maybe I should've chosen a different dress." "Nonsense, this dress was made for you, literally." Taryn's dress was a silk satin fit and flare that hugged her body from her chest to her hips, then flared from her mid-thigh, creating a sexy yet sophisticated look. "I think I'm gonna be sick," she gave out as she scrambled towards the bathroom. Katherine followed behind her and found her knelt over the toilet. "Listen, I'm way too big to be walking this fast," Katherine breathed as she caught her breath. "Sorry," Taryn managed to say before hurling again. "Let it out, sweetie, let it all out,"
Dustin had been waiting for a big break in his career. For the past couple of months, he had been investigating a case that meant a lot to him. A long while back, he got information about a suspected pedophile and since then he had been obsessed with solving the case. The man's name was Donny Perez, but the evidence wasn't much, so he needed something to stick the nail in Donny's coffin. "Everyone, please stay in position," Dustin ordered over the police radios.He was parked in a neighborhood across the street from a lemonade stand. The chief got his nineteen-year-old niece Sarah to work undercover. She was posing as a vendor selling lemonade to help out an animal shelter. Even though Sarah was nineteen, she was really little because she has a trait of dwarfism. She was well-equipped to do the task, and they had police posted all over the neighborhood. Dustin and his partner watched as a few persons came up and purchased their refreshing cups of lemonade. He checked his watch, and
Aiden was at the office when he got a call from Grandma Debs, asking if he could meet up with her. He was curious as to what she needed, so he agreed to meet up at Katherine's Café. Aiden and Grandma Debs have developed a good relationship because Grandma Debs knew that it wasn't Aiden's fault the way things went down with Violet, and since they were going to be a part of each other's lives, it made sense that they remained cordial. On his lunch break, he went over to the Café and found Katherine in her office because she refused to stay home. If Aiden was being completely honest, he loved how beautiful and glowing she was at this stage, and he admired how strong she was. Most women would be at home counting down the days until they gave birth, but Kat refused to stay in bed. As long as she wasn't overworking, Dr. Murray said it was quite fine for her to do some light work. "Hi, my love," Aiden greeted as he entered the office and walked over to her smiling. "Hey," Kat returned th
A week after the ruling, things were almost back to normal. Katherine spoke to Grandma Debs almost everyday. She also invited her to stay with them for the weekend and for the family Sunday dinner. The kids were like the only close family she had at the moment, and she wanted to maintain a good relationship with them. They had movie night on Saturday and it was fun. It was wonderful to see Grandma Debs, Aiden, and the twins getting along so well. The next day, Taryn and Dustin also came over to join the traditional Sunday dinner. Mrs. Lewis, Grandma Debs and Taryn were busy in the kitchen, while Katherine rested upstairs. She felt out of place not being involved, but she knew that at her stage of pregnancy, she needed to take things slowly. The twins were preoccupied helping Aiden and Dustin to set the table and get things in place. Katherine woke up and made an attempt to go downstairs to help, but she was shocked when the twins intercepted her and brought her back to her room.
The trial began a week later, and it didn't take long for the judge and juror to decide the fate of Violet. With all the evidence, it was clear that she was guilty. The only decision that needed to be made was her punishment."Your honour, the evidence presented in this case is damning and inexcusable," the lawyer representing Nate and his family stated. "Though the evidence is there, we see no reason why the book should be thrown at my client being that she's not a repeat offender," Violet's lawyer presented. "Not a repeat offender? If I may point out, she was being investigated for embezzlement and fraud. And if I recall, she fled the country before an arrest could have been made.""That's hearsay, your honour.”"Would I have brought this up if it was only hearsay?" The lawyer pulled out a few documents from a pile that was in front of him. He them gestured to the officer to bring it to the judge. "This doesn't look good, Mr. Ryan," the judge said to Violet's lawyer after reviewi
After Aiden informed Katherine about the trial date, they both decided that they would have a sit down with Nate over the weekend and tell him about what was happening. After Katherine finished work that Saturday evening, they all sat down in the living room to have a discussion. "What did you guys do today?" Katherine asked Nate and Nola, who were sitting on both ends of the large couch in the room and were engrossed in their tablets. "I helped Ms Lewis in the garden. We will have lots of potatoes and strawberries by the end of the month," Nola said as she placed the tablet beside her. "That's great Nola. I can make some strawberry tarts when they are ready.""I played on my tablet most of the day," Nate answered without taking his eyes off the screen of the device. "Nate, can you please put the tablet aside," Aiden requested. "We have something important we want to discuss." "Okay," Nate said as he tucked the tablet in the corner beside him. "Thank you," Aiden said."Alright,