Chapter 11: Chapter 11

The two curled in their sleep.

Facing but not seeing each other.

They both had a sleepless night the before today. One had difficulty sleeping, knowing the other was mad and upset about her, while the other could not sleep because he had been digging everything to protect the girl he cherishes the most in the world.

They were too close but yet too far. They are both at an arm's length, but they cannot stretch their arms to reach out. All with and due to different reasons. Reasons which for now seem so blurred to see a clear picture of what the future has in store for them.

But unknown to both, their situation is what brings them closer together.

While they were sleeping like babies, Kelly was waiting at home for Kate to be back. Kelly had been calling her on her phone, but as it was on full silent mode, with no sounds and even vibration, which Kate would do when she goes to school and kept inside her bag, Kate did not notice. She is never late without notice, or, at least, she lets her mom know when she will be home so Kelly can wait and join her for dinner. The mother started to worry. She was contemplating about calling for the police or waiting a little more. But Kelly also thought about Nick.

"He might not like it if we drag their name without his notice," Kelly thought aloud. "It's a family matter. He deserves to know."

Kelly knew Nick was busy with many things nowadays. As much as possible, she did not want to add trouble to her stepson. But turning to the police might not be a simple issue. Kelly did not want to ruin the Eudovic's name over nothing if Kate was safe. Kelly trusts her daughter. She must have just been caught up with something, or maybe her battery got drained, and there was no way to contact her mom or anything. Her mother's instinct tells her Kate is fine, but the fact that she isn't home yet without any words from her was also not to be taken lightly. It was the first time, after all.

Kelly waited for another five minutes, but when Kate was still nowhere in sight, she decided to call Nick.

The door was left open, so Nick woke up when he heard his phone's ringtone playing. He was still dazed, but he sprinted up when he realized Kate was still with him, sleeping in the bed. The clock on the wall indicated it was already almost half-past eight. The faint light in the hallway was the only guide to navigate his steps safely to his desk. It was deep dark in the office without the main lights on.

He traced his phone by listening to its sound and answered right away.

"Mom?" Nick greeted.

Since Elijah got married to Kelly, she became his dad's wife. She became Nick's stepmother, and Kelly treated him like her own son, so Nick had no reason not to call her mom as well. It also pleased Elijah to hear Nick calling Kelly "mom."

"I am so sorry to bother you," Kelly earnestly apologized, thinking she was bothering Nick with her call.

"No, no, I was supposed to call you, but I forgot, I am sorry," Nick hurriedly explained.

Kelly was confused.

"Ha? Sorry... What?" Kelly asked.

She got distracted by what Nick just said that she forgot she was going to tell him about her thoughts to call for the authorities' assistance to find her daughter Kate.

"My old Principal at Rosa Parks called me this afternoon," Nick did not want to bother his stepmom about Kate's issue, so he made his version of the situation sound light.

"I'm sorry, Nicky, I don't think I understand," Kelly became even more confused. But she recognized the name of Kate's school.

"I was summoned by the Principal at Kate's school, so I met her, and I offered her a ride home, but I had to drop by the office. She is here with me, and we will be home in about fifteen minutes. She was doing her homework while I was working, but she must have gotten bored. She fell asleep in dad's resting room. We will be heading out as soon, and can I join you for dinner tonight? I am starving," Nick sheepishly asked.

"Thank God! I was just about to tell you I was going to call the police to find Kate," Kelly's voice was muffled by her suppressed cry as she felt so relieved Nick was with Kate, or Kate was with Nick. Either way, she was safe. She felt a sharp thorn was pulled out of her chest. But to make sure her assumptions were correct, she asked again.

"You mean, Kate is with you, right?"

"Yes, mom. I will bring her home safely," Nick politely replied. "I'm sorry I made you worry," he remorsefully added.

"It's okay, as long as you are both safe and fine, it's okay," Kelly answered emotionally. "Get home soon, you two. Let's have dinner together."

It's been a while since they had a meal together. There was a slight pinch of loneliness as they used to have Elijah along with them, but now he is gone. There were only three of them to enjoy a joyous meal. Kelly missed Elijah again. But having Nick around also eases her longing for Elijah, Nick reminds Kelly of her late husband, and she is made a promise to Elijah's grave that she will love Nick as Elijah loves him. The way Elijah loved Kate as his own daughter, Nick is also her son by heart.

Kelly prepared the table, estimating the time of the youngsters' arrival, she sat at the table, and as she waited, memory played in her mind. They were also seated at the table then. Nick and Kate left the table early that dinner when the atmosphere became awkward.

"I am so sorry about Kate being so stubborn," Kelly apologized as Kate declined Elijah's suggestion to adopt her legally.

Elijah smiled warmly at Kelly.

"Everything happens for a reason. Who knows, it's not Kate's decision alone, but it's fate doing its ways for the future?"

"What do you mean?" Kelly asked. She was relieved that Elijah did not take Kate's childishness to heart. Kelly thought Kate was just being childish, but even as the mother, she could not decide for Kate about such a matter. They both respect each other to step on such a line.

"I am not sure, but I am optimistic about whatever is going on right now," Elijah answered.

He could not tell his wife, Kelly, that he could discern a different emotion from his son, Nicholas. He wasn't sure, but he had been with Nick for all their lives, and as the father, Elijah can tell a lot of things about his son, which Nick himself is not aware of. He is a filial son, and so he feels upset that Kate might cause Elijah to be sad, but Elijah can see a subtle relief in Nick's aura whenever Kate stands firm in her decision to decline the adoption.

Nick hurriedly woke Kate up after his call with Kelly was cut.

"Kate! Kate! We have to get home. Mom is waiting for us. She got so worried about you she almost called the cops to find you," Nick grabbed Kate's backpack and hanged in his shoulder. He tried to wake her up without touching her, but Nick had to shake her arm gently as she wouldn't budge.

"Hmmmmm..." Kate stretched her arms upwards, and she blinked a few times before she realized it was indeed dark already, not that it was only her eyes or her sight. She bounced up from the bed and asked.

"Oh my god! What time is it?" she panicked. Kate did not hear what Nick said earlier. "I need to call mom."

"I talked to her already. We just have to hurry home. She is waiting for us for dinner," Nick was in haste that he held her by the wrist and started walking out of the office.

"How long did I sleep?" she asked again. Not shaking off Nick's hold in her hand. She was so preoccupied with what she had just done.

"Am not so sure when you started to sleep, but from when I saw you asleep, it's been more than two hours," Nick answered as they waited for the elevator. He had to make sure he turned off everything as he was the last person to leave the whole office floor.

"Besides, did you know you as sleep talking?" Nick looked at Kate with a frown, but with an obvious smile he was trying to suppress.

"No, I'm not," Kate defended. She was looking mortified. She had never slept with anyone, so no one has ever told her she talks in her sleep.

"Yes, you do."