Double Up

Chapter 16

Chapter 16

When Kate came downstairs with the pram, folded, she went to the back of the car and put it in while Castle was getting the kids settled in the baby seats at the back seat of the car. Castle was still not talking to her properly and not willing to make eye contact either. This was not how she wanted this day to go.

She waited till the kids were settled in and then got into the passenger seat. He started the car and they drove for a few minutes

the tension between them was pretty obvious. Kate wanted so badly to say something to him, anything, she wanted him to look at her, the way he does when they usually drive out somewhere with the kids.

But she was so afraid that she had upset him so much so, that anything she said could turn into an argument. And she didn't want to have a fight in front of the kids. They didn't need to see their mommy and daddy fighting. Especially not today.

Hadn't they already ruined it for them? If there was one thing the kids were accustomed to seeing, it was their parents always talking, touching, kissing, showing some signs of affection for each other.

Hence, Kate knew that even the kids were probably sensitive to the tension between them. She turned a little in her seat to look behind at them. Castle noticed her movement, and was curious to know what she was looking at. Kate noticed him angle the rear-view mirror to look at them in the backseat.

"You two are going to see real live animals today." Kate told them.

Jo giggled. And that made Castle smile. Kate watched him for a while. Then she looked back at the kids.

"Did I ever tell you guys the story of when your daddy and I were almost attacked by a tiger?"

Castle laughed at that, and then looked at the rear-view mirror. "Oh yea, why haven't I told them that one yet?"

"ttt…"

"Yea Nate... Tiger" Castle said for him. And then he began to narrate the entire incident to the kids.

Now and then allowing Kate to add her parts of the story.

But Castle's story telling was much more animated, what with the sounds and actions, even while driving, that she let him tell most of the story. The kids listened animatedly. And Kate loved hearing them laugh.

By the time they had reached the zoo, Kate knew that even if things were not totally sorted out between them, the air between them felt lighter. When they got out of the car, Castle went to the back of the car to get the pram out, and Kate opened the back door. But before reachin in to get the kids out, she said

"Castle... Listen…"

"Kate. Not now... please. Let's just give them a nice day out at the zoo. We can talk later."

Castle himself knew, that it was a bad idea to not talk this through, but he really didn't want to argue with Kate here and now.

"Okay yea" she softly spoke and looked down for a second. Taking a deep breath to calm her emotions.

Once the kids were all set and ready to go, then went into the zoo. The kids were s delighted to see the different animals. Recognizing all of them from the stuffed animal toys they have at home.

Kate and Rick had minimum interaction, but they saw to it that the kids were entertained at all times. Nate said 'dada' again, but to Kate's disappointment, it was when Castle had disappeared to go get them something to eat.

"Come on baby, just once, say it when daddy's around. For me… please" she pleaded with the little guy in her arms. He simply touched his forehead to hers and kissed her nose. She smiled.

"Okay. Take your time buddy. No pressure" she chuckled.

When Castle came back with two hot dogs in his hand, and a cup of pudding for the kids, they sat at a bench and ate. They had taken the kids out of the pram and allowed them to sit on the bench with them.

Kate was feeding Nate the pudding, and Castle had kept Jo on his lap while he fed her. suddenly, Castle's Phone began to ring, so he kept Jo on the bench and got up to take the call elsewhere…

Nate dropped some of the pudding on his clothes, so Kate got up to go get his napkin from where they had kept it in the pram pouch.

She had hardly turned her back on them for a minute, but when she turned back to look at the bench, Jo was gone.

She hurried back to the bench,

"Jo? Joanne... baby. Where are you?"

Kate's heart began to beat faster. Panic rising in her. Castle, on hearing the panicked tone of his wife's voice, turned around from where he was and saw her. He knew something was wrong. He quickly ended the call and ran back to where Kate was.

"Kate!" he called out. "What's wrong?"

Kate turned to where she heard her husband's voice coming from.

"Where's Jo?"

"Oh my God, she was just here…" he began to look around. "She couldn't have crawled far off! Just look around honey... she'll be here"

Kate couldn't seem to move her feet from the ground… she kept staring at the bench that Jo was seated at just a minute ago. Where could she have gone?

She somehow managed to move to the bench and carry Nate up in her arms.

She walked around, searched... but all the while, the wildest of possibilities kept emerging in her mind…

Where could her baby have gone…? Castle was frantically looking around, possibly beginning to panic too.

Nate began to cry, realizing the state of his mommy. "No baby... please... don't cry. God I so wish you could talk right now. Where did your sister run off too?!"

Kate seemed to be growing desperate now. She was on the verge of tears. Castle must have searched every corner of the area they were at.

"Come on Jo. Don't do this now. Not today!"

He spoke to himself. Worry filling him. He spoke to one of the zoo authorities too. And they alerted the security guards too. 15 minutes had passed and they still couldn't find her anywhere.

"Rick…" he heard Kate's voice from behind. He turned to face her. She looked so scared. He'd never seen her this way before. Never.

"Rick... what if…"

"Shhhh…" he pulled her into his embrace. Holding her tight and softly whispering to her

"Don't even think of it, were going to find her, and everything will be alright"

he pulled away then and said… "Look at me"

and for the first time since they left the house that day, Kate really looked into her husband's eyes.

"You're Kate Castle; you don't give up this way. Come on…" he took Nate from her arms. "We'll find her."