CHAPTER 3 – Mark

UGH!! This is taking forever. I want to get out of here and get my Katie, but I’m still stuck at the airport.

As we stand by the luggage claim area, Wanda lightly taps my arm. “Mark, stop worrying. Everything is going to be all right. We will find Katie and then hopefully we can get her talked into coming back home with us.”

Dragging a few bags, Frank steps up beside me and huffs, “Mark, you are making everyone nervous with your constant fidgeting and pacing. Knock it off.”

I just ignore him.

It is easy for him to say that, but he has no clue what I’m going through right now. I’m so close, but yet so far away. The good thing is we know where she is working, so if for some reason, she has moved again, we will just go to the hospital. I’m going to find her one way or another.

After what seems like years, we finally have our luggage and get through the airport. I hurry over to the rental car counter, and in record time, I get all the paperwork handled and get the rental car keys. I don’t wait for the others as I make a dash to the exit and the line of rental cars outside.

I only slow down when Evan yells, “Why are you in such a hurry, Mark? Do you even know how to get to Katie’s place? Slow down and we will all get there at the same time.”

UGH!! I just want to go. I don’t want to wait for everyone else.

I put my bag in the van and pull my phone out while waiting for the others to catch-up.

I slowly scroll through all the photos I have secretly taken of Katie through the years. I can’t help but to smile at her cute and adorable face. Plus, those dimples just take my breath away. I’m still amazed at how her picture can send a warm tingling sensation throughout my entire body.

As the others toss their bags into the van, I dash around the side and climb into the front passenger’s seat. I’m not going to miss a thing.

Frank climbs into the driver’s seat and as soon as everyone is in the van, we are off.

I can’t wait any longer to see Katie. I don’t care if she tries to run from me. I’m going to run after her and kiss her luscious lips. I have missed her lips. Man, who am I kidding? I miss everything about her, but her body is something I really miss. One night just wasn’t enough. I want every night.

I’m brought out of thought as Frank chimes, “We are here.”

I look around at the buildings and immediately don’t like what I see. These aren’t nice apartments at all.

The buildings are run down and as we look around, I see people screaming and fighting with each other.

Wanda slowly asks, “Are you sure Frank? Is this the right place?”

“Yes. This is the address your private investigator gave me.” Frank glances around. I can see the same look on his face as the rest of us. How can Katie live here?

Reluctantly, we all get out of the van, but Wanda suddenly jumps back inside. “I’m not going in there. I’m afraid something will happen to me and to us.”

Izzy glances back at her and mumbles, “We have to see if Katie is here.”

Wanda jumps farther back in the van as tears welling up in her eyes. “I’m not going. How can Katie live here? It isn’t safe to live here.”

Izzy takes a step towards the van. “We should all stay together. Come on, Wand. Let’s go see if Katie still lives here.”

Wanda frantically shakes her head and tucks down behind the seat. “NO!”

Evan turns towards us and softly says, “I will stay with her. You guys go and see if Katie still lives here. Okay.”

We slowly look at each other and then nod.

A part of me hopes we don’t find Katie. This place isn’t fit for anyone to live here.

I will hug her if she has moved out because I can’t even think of how scared she probably is coming home to this every night.

Frank, Izzy, and I make our way into the building and towards Katie’s apartment. We carefully sidestep around a few suspicious looking men about our age, mid-twenties. We make sure not to make any eye contact with them. Then, on the second floor, we step over an older man laying in the hallway. The entire time, we make sure not to step on any of the garbage scattered everywhere or the mice scurrying back and forth in front of us. We breathe a sigh of relief when we finally make it to the third floor without getting into any fights or provoking anyone, which we’re hoping we can also do when we go back down.

We search up and down the halls and finally found the apartment number P.I. gave us. The three of us stop in front of the door. Frank and Izzy look at me and give me a subtle nod.

This is it.

I take a deep breath and before I lose my courage, I knock on the door.

The sound of footsteps heading towards the door has my heart racing. I want it to be Katie, but then again, I don’t want it to be her. It breaks my heart thinking in the not-too-distant past she lived here or is still living here.

The door slowly opens, and relief washes over me because it isn’t Katie. An older lady looks at us with confusion swirling in her eyes. I quickly clear my throat and ask, “By chance, does Katie live here? We were told she lives in this apartment.”

The older lady looks at all three of us one at a time before she coldly answers, “No. The previous tenant moved out about a week ago. I’m sorry, but I don’t know anything else.”

I flash her my bright smile. “Thank you. I’m sorry for bothering you. Have a nice day.”

The older lady doesn’t reply before she swiftly shuts the door in our face.

For once, I’m glad Wanda’s P.I. is wrong, but if this is where Katie has been living, I’m afraid to know what the other apartment complexes where she lived before looked like.

Without a word, the three of us quickly turn and head back down to the van.

When we are finally back inside the safety of the van, Wanda leans forward from the back seat and asks, “So, was she there?”

Izzy shakes her head and softly replies, “No. She moved last week, but I’m glad she moved. I’m hoping wherever she is staying right now is better than this place.” She turns her attention towards me in the front passenger seat. “Do you want to head to the hospital or the hotel?”

How could she even ask me? I turn towards the front of the vehicle and bark, “The hospital!”

Frank buckles himself into the driver’s seat and chuckles, “Why does that not surprise me?”

Before anyone says anything else, he heads off down the road towards the hospital.

After getting slightly lost, we finally find the hospital. At the sight of the big white building, my stomach churns and my palms glisten. I really hope Katie is here. I don’t know what I’m going to do if she isn’t.

Frank parks the van and we all get out. As we stand beside the van looking at the building, Wanda proudly states, “I’m fine with going into the hospital.”

I mentally shake my head and walk past Wanda as Evan hugs her and whispers, “Even if you were afraid, I would stay right beside you again.”

Butterflies explode in my stomach as I turn my focus to the hospital’s entrance. I can almost feel that Katie is near.

I bolt off towards the hospital as the rest of the group follows close behind me. As soon as I make it inside the door, I slow down and take a few more steps before I stop. I look around.

People hustle back and forth, including doctors and nurses. It suddenly dawns on me that I don’t have any clue where to look for Katie at. I know she is a pediatrician, but I have no idea where her office is or where the children’s section is in the hospital.

I go to turn around and ask the others where to go when a something catches my eye.

“DADDY!! DADDY!! MOMMY SAID YOU WOULD COME!! MOMMY WILL BE SO HAPPY!!!”

I watch in shock as a small child runs out of the daycare area and runs straight towards me. I don’t know what is going on, but Wanda gasps and then softly whispers, “Mark, he looks just like you when you were a child expect he has dimples.”

Dimples. Did Wanda just say he has dimples?

I smile at the cute little boy and bend down to pick him up. The cutie pie smiles from ear to ear and, yes, there are dimples. I’m mesmerized by them, which are just like the ones I have been longing to see again. The same ones I have desperately missed.

Izzy slowly steps forward and softly asks, “Do you know him?”

She points to me, and the little boy frantically nods his head. “Yes, he is my daddy, Mark.”

Did he just say my name? Is this really happening?

Izzy gently asks, “Who is your mommy?”

The little boy chirps, “My mommy is Katie. She is kid doctor here.”

I think I’ve just got the wind knocked out of me. Did he just say Katie is his mommy? I believe he did and then if he is my son, he should be around 5 years old.

As tears begin to well up in my eyes, I whisper, “How old are you?”

The little boy holds up five tiny fingers and proudly chimes, “Five. My name is Casper, but mommy and Uncle Shane call me Cass. You can call me Cass too, daddy.”

Tears fall down my cheeks like a waterfall and I hug Casper tightly against me. Katie had our child. She went through all of it without me. She was alone and afraid I didn’t remember that night. She probably still thinks I don’t remember, but I do. I remember all of it. How could I forget the best night of my life?

As I’m hugging Casper, Izzy asks, “Do you know any of your mommy’s other friends?”

Casper’s little hands try to push me away, and I reluctantly loosen my grip. He flashes a big grin and nods. He points to Izzy. “Izzy.” Then he points his little finger to Frank. “Frank.” His little finger then moves to Evan. “Evan or Boss.” As he moves his little finger to Wanda, Casper’s eyes light up and sparkle. “Cute baby Wand.”

Wanda instantly pouts and snorts, “I’m not a baby.”

Suddenly, an anger woman comes stomping out of the daycare. “Casper, you are not supposed to leave the daycare. How did you even get out of the door?”

My son turns and smiles at the woman. “DADDY!! MY DADDY IS HERE!!”

He wraps his little arms around my neck and leans forwards, kissing my cheek.

The angry woman isn’t impressed with my son’s tender moment with me, but as soon as she tries to reach for him, I instinctively pull him tight against me and move away from her outstretched hands. I quickly choke down my anger and force myself to talk calmly. “I believe you heard my son. I’m his dad, and I’m taking my son with me.”

Evan quickly steps forward as the woman’s face turns red. He politely asks, “Did Katie have as an authorized person to pickup Casper a Mark Gold?”

The woman shoots a few daggers at him with her eyes and then hisses, “Follow me, and I’ll check.”

We follow her back into the daycare and into the office. As she pulls up Casper’s information on the computer, she suddenly goes silent.

Evan quickly asks again. “Did Katie have Mark as an authorized individual to pick up Casper?”

The woman slowly nods. Regret mixed with irritation flashes across her face. “I’m so sorry. The only people who have ever picked Casper up are Katie or Shane. There has been no one else in the five years he has been coming to our daycare.”

Casper sits up straight in my arms and giggles. “See, I told you. He is my daddy.”

Izzy raises an eyebrow and puts her hand on her hip and teases, “Well, ma’am, you should have opened your eyes. Casper is like a little version of Mark, except with dimples.”

I tighten my arms around my son and ask, “Do you need me to prove I’m Mark?”

The woman shakes her head and points to the computer screen. “No. Katie provided a picture with your name, and it matches.”

“Good. I’m taking my son then. Cass, do we need to grab a bag or anything before we go?”

My son shakes his head.

Good. I want to get out of here and find Katie.

A warmth wraps around my heart and slowly spreads throughout my entire body. This isn’t what I was expecting, but this is the best surprise ever. I can’t wait to finally see my love.