"I'll be over in a minute for yours and Ms. Katelyn's order."
When I reach Katelyn, she tilts her head up, waiting for a kiss, and I happily oblige her. "This is a delightful surprise," I say as I sit down across from her. I don't bother with the menu because I order the same thing every time I'm here.
"I was at the hospital and left late. Figured we'd stop here for dinner."
"Well, you know I'm always up for Rosa's cooking," I say this as she approaches our table. She blushes and sets our drinks down in front of us.
"Mr. Harrison, you sure know how to make a woman feel good about herself."
"He does have that charm," Katelyn says with a sigh and smile.
Katelyn and I place our orders, and I reach for her hand. My thumb plays with the diamond on her ring finger, moving it back and forth. People, mostly the media, often ask why we've never married. I suppose for some people it's odd. We adopted each other's children, took each other's names, and have always acted like we're married. There have been many times when I've referred to her as my wife, and she has called me her husband. So, why not make it official? People want to know, and the answer is a piece of paper does not define our love for each other or the life we're living, or the lives of our kids. The bottom line, this works for us, and that's all that should matter. If something happened to me, Katelyn's taken care of, as are the kids and any future grandchildren.
"You look troubled."
Katelyn smiles softly and leans forward to rest the elbow of her other arm on the table. "There are a few things I'd like to discuss."
"I'm all ears."
"Josie, Jenna, and I had a video chat today," she pauses, which I take as an opening to say something sarcastic.
My mouth drops open. "What did Liam do now?" The likelihood that he did anything wrong is so far-fetched, it's laughable. For the past, however many years, that boy has been on the straight and narrow, and he took JD and me right along with him.
Katelyn rolls her eyes and lets out a small giggle. "Josie has invited us all, kids included, to go away for the holidays. She rented this massive lodge that will fit us all comfortably. According to her, the house sits at the base of the mountain, right by the ski lodge. The Davises are going, and I told Josie we'd go as well."
"I'm game. When do we leave?"
"End of the week. We'll fly to Vermont."
"The land of Ben & Jerry's, maple syrup, and cider donuts. I'll be one happy man." I lean back and pat my stomach.
"You'll be fat if you eat like that."
"And you'll still love me," I point out. Katelyn gives me a side-eye glance but doesn't confirm she will. Her avoidance of my statement hurts a little bit. "What about the kids?"
"Josie is going to call Noah and Peyton. I'll take care of Quinn and Elle. I'm not sure if Quinn and Nola are going to her parents’ or not. We really hadn't talked about the holidays."
"That's a bit odd for you. Normally, you know everyone's plans before Thanksgiving. What's going on?" Over the past few weeks, I've noticed something has been on Katelyn's mind, but each time I've asked, she's brushed me off, saying it's nothing. The thing is, I can't fix the issue if it's nothing, and the last thing I want is for Katelyn ever to have to worry about anything. I tug slightly on her hand to get her attention. "Talk to me."
Katelyn inhales deeply. "I'm fine, I promise. The kids are as well. But there is something I want to show you after we eat."
"Okay," I say without hesitation.
As if on cue, Rosa is back with our food and a loud growl bellows from my stomach. I don't bother trying to cover it up with my hand or even apologizing. It knows what I'm about to feed it.
"Plates are hot," Rosa says as she sets them down. "I'll get you some more drinks." I rub my hands together and pick my fork up.
"You act like you haven't eaten all day," Katelyn says.
"I've been with JD, which means we ate at In-N-Out Burger. He's like a kid with a sugar high when it comes to that place."
"Which I don't get. It's not like Jenna tells him he can't go."
I shrug. "It's JD. Who knows with him?"
"What did he get for a tattoo?" Katelyn asks.
"One of Jenna's drawings of a sugar skull. He did it as a surprise."