Life, Love, and a Career Ch. 04

She agreed. We walked in the house and as agreed Kate went upstairs. I could hear the bedroom door close. I walked down the hall into the kitchen, turning the corner, I saw Allie sitting with Mom in the family room.

"Mom, these need water. I just picked them up for Mother's Day."

I set the flowers on the countertop. I walked into the family room, looked right at Allie and said, "She is upstairs and will not come down until I go up."

I paused but as unladylike as possible I spat out, "What do you and the ass want?"

"Elizabeth Maryann!" My mother screamed.

I stared right at Allie, "No!" I fired right back.

"The ass uninvited his only daughter," I paused for effect, "his only daughter, his only child was uninvited to her childhood home because of me."

I asked again, "What do you want?" I turned looking at my mom.

"Kate wouldn't tell me but I knew. I knew because of how she responded that day. I knew but out of respect I didn't push it. I knew because of her response when I tried to discuss it with her."

I looked at Allie and repeated again, "What does the asshole want, because he isn't seeing Kate. I will not let him; he will not see my fiancée. She wants nothing to do with him."

In a soft but broken voice, Allie said, "You have every right to protect her and as I told Frances, I am glad you did, and continue to do."

She stood, "May I please see my baby girl. I miss her. He doesn't know I am here."

I felt bad for her. She just wanted to see her daughter a few days before Mother's Day. I started crying as I turned and walked upstairs and into the bedroom. Kate was on the bed, she had changed in sweats and a t-shirt. I held her while replaying the conversation. I told her whatever she wanted, I would support her, she is my one and only.

A few moments later I walked Kate down the stairs, into the family room holding her hand with my other hand around her waist.

Allie immediately started crying, Kate moved to hug her. Mom and I left the room.

I didn't go far. We left them in the family room as we were making dinner.

At 6:00 we invited Allie to stay for dinner. She declined saying that she needed to get on the road to get home before he did. He would work until midnight. It was only a five hours drive and she would stop along the way if needed.

My mom packed her a box for the road with a few small single sized servings of juice, snacks and a few pieces of fruit.

Kate walked her out the door. When she came back she went upstairs. I could hear her take a shower, but she never came back down. I carried some dinner up to our room but she declined saying she wasn't feeling well enough to eat.

That night, I lay behind her holding her, soothing her pain as best as I could. Bound and determined to make certain he knew the pain my baby was in. I would make certain he knew how he hurt my baby.

November '87 - Holidays Suck

In the middle of the night, I felt Kate hurry from the bed and run into the bathroom across the hall. I ran after her to help as soon as I heard her get sick. As she had done for me, I soothed her with a warm washcloth and just comforted her.

The difference was she had been crying. I saw tears flowing down her cheeks and her eyes reddened from crying. As I hugged her I could feel her whole body shake when she cried.

I held her gently in my arms as we lay on the bathroom floor. I heard a soft knock at the door. I assured my mom that we were okay. But we weren't, something was wrong with my fiancée.

We returned to bed once Kate calmed down. We lay there as I held her comforting her, promising her whatever the problem was, I would fix it.

"I love you Miss" she softly whispered back.

Kate's worries are my worries and would wait until a more appropriate time to dig deeper into this, she needed rest.

Friday morning, the week before Thanksgiving Ken stopped by my cubicle and asked to see me. He had a project and wanted to discuss this with me. I stood and followed him to his office. When we walked in Ken's office, I saw sitting at the table were Monica, Liz, Joe and Kate.

I was immediately on the defensive not knowing what to expect.

Monica started, "We have obtained a new contract and client for payroll services and staffing services." I started scribbling notes right away.

Monica went on to detail on how she was awardees an RPO bid for a small local hospital. St. Clemente Hospital had outsourced the contract for all food and beverage payroll and staffing services to the company. They would become our employees and we would not only payroll them but we would handle all staffing, and human resource issues, including benefits. The hospital would handle the scheduling of the managers would work with Kate and Joe keeping them notified of time and attendance issues for us to handle.

The contract was to start on January 1st. There were currently 120 employees being converted over and there were approximately 20 vacancies.

Monica looked at Joe and Kate, "Can you two handle this? Heads nodded and affirmations were made.

Then she looked at me, "Beth, Joe and Kate have an initial challenge, paperwork and payroll problems, it's a long term project for them. You on the other hand have a short term problem."

Monica turned to Ken who stepped in speaking. "You have the challenge. I need twenty vacancies filled and ready to go in six week."

Monica added, "Ken, Liz and I know you can do it without killing yourself. What do you think?"

I looked at Liz, she smiled and nodded. I turned to Monica and Ken and shared the same affirmations. And with that we stood, Ken asked that Liz and I stay back.

With the door closed again Ken said to me, "I am giving you this shot. Fill the jobs and this account is yours. Am I clear?"

"Yes sir." He went on to explain a few processes and how he and Liz will guide me but Ken was certain I could do it.

I went back to my desk and got to work, smiling and dialing.

Thanksgiving was the five of us, Mom, Dan, Chelle, Kate and me. It was casual and festive but mild. Mom, Chelle and I were humored by the ongoing jabbing back and forth between Kate and Dan.

Hard barbs were flying back and forth between the two of them on a wide range of topics. Starting with his silly unexplainable diet. At one point Kate said, "Ken, you have a see-food diet. I never see you without food on a plate or a plate in your hand."

Then she attacked his love of country music. He attacked her love of classical music and my love of rock and roll. That's when it got crazy.

"Whoa there buddy!" She jumped in, "The bedrock and cornerstone of all music is classical, and it started there and moved forward. And in every genre of music I will point out notes, styles and the backdrop of Rock n Roll."

I sat back then let Kate continue. She could handle herself with the best of them without a doubt especially when it came to our combined love of music and hockey.

Once sports hit the topics, out of the blue Kate made a smart ass comment about the game of football. Something about the "Icky hard and fat sweaty men running up and down some millionaires' backyard grabbing each other" and why it would be considered a sport.

I laughed, enjoying her smartass sense of humor as did Mom. Then things turned interesting.

Kate said, "I let Beth grab me for free anytime she wants. Whether I am wearing clothes or not. There is no need to run in the backyard, although..."she started giggling.

We all busted out in full laughter as Dan countered saying that he would 'bump uglies' and let those men grab him if he got paid what those football players got paid. It was a good five minutes before we stopped laughing.

I swear Mom got up running to the Powder Room so she didn't pee her panties, which caused another five minutes of gut busting laughing.

That night in bed Kate and I were teasing each other when I asked if she wanted to bump uglies. Well, we started laughing and couldn't stop. At one point Kate ran to the bathroom as she was ready to pee her panties just like mom almost did. As the giggling finally slowed, we thought we heard noise from Chelle's bedroom.

I couldn't resist so I screamed, "Are you two Bumping Uglies in there?" And just started laughing all over again.

We finally calmed down and snuggled slowly getting comfortable. As I was almost falling asleep Beth started breathing slightly quicker and out of the norm, she was restless, almost shaking.

"Baby, what's wrong?"

"Forgive me, I didn't mean to disturb you."

"Baby, please talk to me. I know something is bothering you. Is it work related? Is it the asshole? Your Mom?" I turned and looked at her, "Do not hide anything from me, we are lovers and partners. Please."

"Miss please no, I am fine. There is nothing that I can't handle."

I was now upset. Without starting an argument, I decided to do something even more drastic and boy was it a mistake.

I pulled back the covers, got out of bed, put on my sweatpants and a top, and grabbed my pillow, walked to the door. I paused slightly waiting on Kate to stop me which she didn't. I opened the door, walked out, slamming the door as hard as possible.

From the corner of the house I heard my Mom, "Everything okay out there."

Very angrily I responded that I was "fine" and stomped down the stairs. It was hasty and now thinking back on it, it was not a well thought out decision.

The couch was not comfortable to sleep on. I was cold but I was pissed. What was she not telling me? I tell her everything. The longer I lay on the couch, the more upset I got. I was losing my temper and losing a battle in my mind as I wanted an answer.

Thirty minutes later I stood up, grabbed my pillow and with my tail between my legs I walked upstairs determined to find out what the hell was going on. As I opened the bedroom door, I heard her. She wasn't just sobbing, she was absolutely all out crying, her whole body shaking.

I sat down on the bed with my back against the headboard. I was trying to console her and have her stop crying.

"I was wrong. I am sorry for losing my temper but Kate I want to know what is going on."

"Beth, I can't." Still on the bed, she curled up against me, her head in my lap. "Miss, I want to carry a baby for you. I want to make you a mother. I want to feel that bond. I don't know how it will happen and it scares me to the point I get sick."

She hesitated. "I am afraid of you leaving me if I can't give you a baby." Kate grabbed me, squeezing me in a tight hug, "Please Miss, don't leave me, you are all the family I have left."

I gently lifted her head from my lap and slid down the bed wrapping my arms around her. I let her curl up against me. I held her close to me and just soothed her.

"Kate, I will never, never leave you. Not for another woman or a sweaty man." She laughed. "Seriously, my dear sweet baby, I will never leave you."

"But Miss, you want a child."

"Kate, do you want a child? Your job isn't to produce a baby for me. You need to ensure that this is what you want. Do you want to be a mother?"

"Miss, Beth, more than anything in the world. I want a family!"

"Okay we will figure this out, I will figure it out." I just held her, soothing her gently, rocking her in my arms.

"Beth, I promise you I will figure it out. I know you want to give me a son or daughter. I will figure it out."

I kissed her, "I have a few ideas but they are very scattered right now. We will figure it out."

It was time to broach a new subject. "Baby, do you like working or will you want to be a full-time mom when we have a son or a daughter?"

"Ohh Beth, I want to work. I love the work I do. It gives me so much confidence and makes me so happy." She smiled up at me, "Joe says so many great things about you. About your work, how fast and how much more you do than some others in the past."

"Yes Miss, please I would want to work if you would allow me after our babies are born."

"Babies Kate?"

"Yes Miss, two a boy and a girl." She snuggled into me, her head on my shoulder.

"Kate, I want one to, I want to get pregnant. I want one also and it scares me."

She squeezed me tight, laughed a little and said, "Well Miss I guess we need a sweaty man to start bump uglies."

We started laughing and didn't stop for the next twenty minutes. Sleep eventually found us but our alarm clock woke us shortly afterwards.

It was Black Friday shopping time!

As Chelle, Mom, Kate and I stood in line at Century III Mall on a cold Pittsburgh winter morning, I leaned over to Mom and told her about the argument. I admitted I was scared but I would do anything to make her happy. I admitted that she and I discussed it during our conversation but not that it was real at that point. Reality was kicking in when my mom whispered something in my ear.

Kate and I were feeling a need to someday be a mother, a parent. She held my hand and assured me that she couldn't wait to be a Máthari. I looked inquisitively, learning that it was Irish for grandmother, or wise older woman. Yes, she truly was my Máthari.

On December 16^th, I met with Ken and Liz telling them that I had seventeen of the twenty vacancies filled and offers out to the last three. If those didn't work out I had five on the bench as standby candidates.

Three nights later I lay with Kate, holding her comforting her. I asked, "Mom said she would love to be a grandmother and watch our children.

******End of Chapter Four*****