Double Up

Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Kate folded her arms across her chest and waited for him to continue.

"Remember a few months back, when Paula asked that we do a photo-shoot with the kids so that we could put a picture at the back of my next book, and you said no, cause well, they were still so small and.."

"Yea... I remember..."

"Well, I was thinking, now that they're a year older, maybe we could have that photo-shoot"

"Castle, why are so keen on having them put in your book? "

"It's not about my book Kate. Wouldn't you rather have an official photo-shoot, where you know what pictures are being taken, than have some random people click pictures of them and start some idle gossip about us?"

"Why are we talking about this now?"

Kate was beginning to get frustrated.

"I was talking to Paula, we were thinking of a good day to have the photo-shoot"

"So you already decided by yourself that were going to do this?" she seemed angry now.

"No Kate... it's not..."

"I can't believe this, then why are you even asking me?"

"It's not confirmed yet Kate, I just want you to see it the way I do"

"I can't do this right now Castle. It's their birthday; the last thing I want to think about now is publicity for your books"

she was just about to walk out when he yelled "Kate! This has nothing to do with publicity for my books, you're clearly misunderstanding this whole thing!"

"Okay fine. I'm misunderstanding this. But I really don't want to talk about this right now okay!"

saying this, she walked out of his study. He couldn't understand why she was reacting that way.

Was it wrong that he wanted official pictures to be out there before any of his fans clicked some random pictures and they appeared on page six news? Was it wrong that all he wanted to do was show his readers that he was a proud father of two beautiful babies?

Of course, it was already out in the news the day they were born, but no one had officially seen them yet, and now that they were a year old, they'd be getting out in the world more often than before, his fans were bound to see them and he really didn't want people clicking pictures of his children that way.

When Kate stepped out of the study, she went straight to the kitchen and poured herself a glass of water. She hadn't intended on snapping at him so much. She didn't want to get angry and she was already feeling bad for yelling at him.

But she couldn't understand why he was so keen on having that photo-shoot. Actually, she knew his intentions were pure. He would never want to expose his family just for the sake of publicity.

In fact, he made a lot of sense, it was better to have an official photo-shoot and have their picture published in his next book, than to have their pictures appear on page six with some made up rumour or some idle gossip about him.

then what was it that was making her feel so against the idea of their photo's being taken for his fan's to see…

She took a deep breath, and closed her eyes, trying to calm her mind down. She wanted to go back in there and apologize and hear his entire point of view.

She put the glass down, and realized Alexis was now standing before her. "Is everything alright? I overheard the two of you arguing." She looked so genuinely worried.

"I'm sorry. Alexis… don't worry... we'll sort it out" she smiled at her eldest daughter and they walked back out into the living room to where the kids were. Suddenly, Rick came out of his study; he had changed and had his car keys in his hands.

Kate was about to ask him where he was off to, when Alexis spoke up. "Dad, where are you going?"

He looked over at Alexis, then at Kate, and back at Alexis.

"I'm just going to pick up the cake."

Kate stood up and went over to him. "I thought you said we had to pick it up later in the afternoon when we're coming back from the zoo"

He put his coat on at the door, not making eye contact with her. "Uhhh... yea. But the kids will be tired then; I think it'll be best if I just pick it up now"

"Okay. But... come home soon."

He just nodded and left. Kate wasn't feeling too good. She didn't like it when they fought. Even the smallest of arguments they ever had left her feeling horrible. She closed the door after he left and leaned back against it.

Why had she lost her cool with him? He was being nothing but reasonable. She then remembered she had to call her dad.

She walked to where her phone was and quickly dialled his number.

"Hey dad"

"Yea, we're all fine."

"I called to tell you that the cab will come to pick you up at 6 pm"

"You shouldn't have dad" she chuckled.

"Okay, I'll see you"

She walked back to where the kids were. Alexis was seated on the ground now with Nate and Jo and they were playing. Kate sat with them and said.

"Grandpa's getting you guys some new toys too"

Nate looked at her and pushed the ball towards her. And clapped to himself. She smiled and rolled the ball back to him.

After a few minutes of silent play,

"How did you get used to all of his fame? I mean why does everything have to be out there in the world?" she asked Alexis out of the blue.

"Dad is very careful with what he wants the world to know, and what he wants to keep to his own private life. And he sees to it that Paula doesn't let anything out without his permission."

Kate nodded.

"This is about the twins?"

"Yea. He was talking about a photo-shoot. For his next heat book."

Alexis ran her hand through Jo's soft curls.

"He's proud of them. You can see it in the way he looks at them. And I've seen his fans talking about them on his fan-sites. They all can't wait to see these two. He probably just doesn't want wrong info or pictures going out there. He wants to be aware of the pictures that reach his fans."

"Yea. He tried explaining that to me. I just… wasn't ready to listen I think." Kate looked down at the ground.

"What are you afraid of?"

Just then Nate pulled the toy that Jo was playing with, out of her hands. And Jo whined. And when Nate wouldn't give it back to her, she began to cry.

"Nate honey, share your toys with your sister"

Jo crawled into her mommy's lap and pointed to Nate, in an attempt to complain, and her eyes began to get moist. "No baby, don't cry. He'll let you play with it too" she soothed her little one.

just then Nate put the toy down and began crawling away from them towards the kitchen, Alexis crawled behind him and pulled him back to sit in her lap "Where you wandering off to big guy?"

Nate began to look around frantically, like he was searching for something.

"What are you searching for baby?"

"Da…da"

Kate's eyes widened.