Double Up

Chapter 15

Chapter 15

"Did he just say what I thought he said?" Alexis said.

"Oh my God! Baby, say that again!" Kate told him.

"Da….da" he said, still looking around

"Isn't it too early for them to talk?"

Kate couldn't stop smiling. "It is. But the doctor said that by the time they're one, they will pick up words and sounds and put them together. I can't believe it… his first word and he said dada."

Kate's eyes moistened. She wasn't sure if it was joy, or sadness that Rick wasn't here to hear it, or whether it was the fact that she had fought with him and he left without telling the kids he was going somewhere.

Whatever it was, Kate carried the little guy in her arms and hugged him close. "Your daddy's coming home soon honey, don't worry."

She kissed him and said "But be sure to say 'Dada' to him when he comes home okay"

"Oooo" he mumbled. And they both laughed.

It had been an hour now, and Kate was getting worried.

"Rick, everything alright? Where are you?" she texted him. But he didn't reply.

Five minutes later, he walked through the door and went straight into the kitchen to put the cake in the fridge. Kate saw him enter and she walked in behind him

"Where were you, why didn't you reply to my text" she asked, a tint of unintended anger in her voice.

"I was driving, I was just five minutes away when I got your text" he placed the cake in the fridge and stood up straight and shut the fridge door.

"So you couldn't reply when you parked?" she asked taking a step back from him.

He turned sharply and looked at her.

"You wanted me to reply when I was in the same building, on my way to the door?" he said firmly.

"Rick…"

Just then the doorbell rang. "I'll get that" he said. And walked past her to the door way.

It was Martha. "Mother! You're here!" he kissed her on the cheek.

There were hugs and kisses all around and the kids seemed to be so delighted to see their grams.

After she had wished the twins and showered them with kisses, she handed Alexis a bag of gifts she bought for them and said, go open it up for them, I'll be there in a sec. she then walked up to Kate and gave a tight hug

"Katherine darling, how are you doing"

"I'm great Martha, how's the acting school coming along"

"Wonderful dear!, now tell me, is there any specific way you want us to deck the place up while you guys are at the zoo?"

Kate looked over at Rick, but he seemed to busy himself with something else in the kitchen.

She looked back at Martha "go wild!"

"Wonderful, now what are you guys waiting for, go. Take the kids out to the zoo, have some fun and come back"

Martha turned Kate around and tugged her forward into the living room. "Go Go Go!" she said.

Kate laughed. She then turned to find Rick rolling out the pram for the twins. He folded it up and lifted Jo in his arms

"Let's go" he said.

"Wait dad. There's something we have to show you…"

she looked towards Kate and signalled towards Nate.

"Uhhh... yea..." Kate went and carried Nate in her arms

"come on honey… do it once more for daddy"

"What did he do?" Rick asked... confused.

"Just wait and watch dad" Alexis said excitedly. They were both waiting to see the look on his face when he hears Nate say dada.

"Come on Nate, what did I tell you earlier?"

"Am I missing something here?" Rick asked.

"No rick, he said his first word"

"What, really... what did he say?" Castle stepped closer, eager to hear his son say something, anything.

"That's what we want him to say himself!" Alexis said, now getting impatient.

Nate looked up at his daddy and reached out to him and said "Bbbrrrrrr"

Rick looked at Alexis then back at Nate. Then back at Alexis.

"That's not a word honey"

"Dad! We're not kidding!"

"Okay boy, come here," he took Nate from Kate and held him in his other arm. "These ladies are putting too much pressure on you to speak. You don't have to say a thing for the next 6 months or so…"

he explained to the little guy while walking to the door.

Alexis laughed "He's not going to believe us until he hears it himself"