Page 22 of Coveting Catherine

Kassie turned around. She held a tissue in her hand and wiped her reddened nose.

“What is it? Is Emma sick? Did her pacemaker stop working?” Catherine blurted out.

Kassie’s eyes widened in surprise at seeing Catherine standing before her, demanding to know about her daughter. Kassie shook her head. “Emma’s fine. Michael says we’re lucky, the pacemaker is handling her symptoms. She still gets a bit nauseated, but the meds help,” Kassie rambled.

Catherine’s eyes narrowed. “Why are you here at the hospital? Are you following me?”

“No, I came from an appointment.”

“With who?” Catherine’s hands settled defensively on her hips as she blocked Kassie’s way.

“I’m on my way out. If I followed you, don’t you think I’d be on the pediatric floor?” Kassie reasoned.

“Ha. How did you know what floor I’m on?” Catherine insisted.

“Maybe because you’re wearing cartoon scrubs. You only wear those when assigned to the peds floor.” Kassie explained as she stared through Catherine. “I need to leave.”

“Not until you tell me about your appointment. You seem upset.” Catherine ground out, infuriated at herself for caring so much when she tried to remain angry with her friend. Kassie rarely left the mountain. With Chase's hospital close by, and his ability to treat anything wrong with Kassie or call someone else in, Catherine wondered if the situation warranted a specialist.

“What does it matter to you? You told me to stay away from you, and I respected your wishes.” Kassie argued, clearly hurt by Catherine's remarks from days before.

“I find it awfully convenient you came all the way to Seattle when Chase's hospital is across the lake.” Catherine's voice held a suspicious tone.

A moment later, Elizabeth rounded the corner and caught up to the two women standing off to the side of the hall. “Oh, Kassie, I'm sorry,” Elizabeth enveloped Kassie in a tight hug, and Kassie's shoulders began to tremble. Catherine fought to keep from pushing Elizabeth aside from Kassie and demand to know what happened.

“It's okay, Lizzy. We knew it was a long shot.” Kassie assured Elizabeth as she stepped away from her embrace.

“What was a long shot? Kassie, are you sick?” Catherine's stance against Kassie started to unravel at the edges as worry for her friend took precedence.

Kassie's back went straight as she sniffed. Elizabeth patted her shoulder, “You'll call as soon as you get home? I'm finishing up the meeting with the board, or I’d offer to drive you.”

Catherine's anxiety over Kassie increased.

“I'm fine. Victoria's waiting in the car. I left without my purse and returned to get it. She drove me because Chase interviewed for the last doctor position today and attended a meeting with immigration for Ahmet. I didn't want him to miss the appointment,” Kassie babbled and fidgeted again. Two signs Kassie hid something. Catherine briefly wondered how Kassie kept the secret about Ash and Whiskey without her usual tell-tale signs.

“What. Is. Wrong?” Catherine enunciated each word.

Elizabeth sent Kassie a sympathetic glance before walking away from her friend.

Catherine watched as Elizabeth turned the corner. When her gaze landed back on Kassie, it wasn't tears she witnessed. It was fury in its purest form. “What difference does it make to you? You don't want our kids to play together. Emma doesn't understand why Melody can't sleep over with Nugget. Melody doesn't understand why Uncle Chase and I don't love her anymore. I understand you're mad. I get it. I'm honoring your wishes to stay the hell out of your way. You can't have it both ways. Either you’re angry with me or want to try to work through this. I don't feel like it's the latter, move out of the way and let me pass.” Kassie's hushed tone didn't come out angrily. It sounded hurt.

Surprised by her outburst, Catherine moved aside and let her friend walk out of the hospital doors. She watched as Victoria, Kassie’s older friend, stepped forward and placed an arm around her. They moved toward the car and Catherine struggled with her emotions. Maybe she didn’t feel as angry toward Kassie as she thought. What possible good did it do her now when she planned to leave without saying goodbye to anyone? Catherine sighed and continued on her way.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Victoria observed Kassie dragging her suitcase through the kitchen of the house directly across the street from Catherine and Ash's rental.

“Luv, how did you get Chase to agree with you doing this?” A worried Victoria sipped the awful coffee from the coffee pot as Kassie changed into black leggings and a long-sleeved black top with a hood. She closed the bag.

“He didn't agree,” Kassie admitted as she wiped her forehead. The hormones she took for IVF made her feel fine one minute, and she found herself drenched in sweat in another. Not to mention, her emotions jumped from crying over the last piece of bread to snapping at Chase for allowing her to sleep in when she needed to set up meetings for the teen ward.

“Oh Luv, don't tell me you let this come between the two of you,” Victoria gently chastised the newlywed.

“I didn't. However, when Chase finds out, he'll have his say.” Kassie's nose scrunched up as she shrugged her shoulders. She placed a basket of goodies from Bryanna’s Bakery on the table and sat as she glanced at her watch.

Victoria's eyes widened in shock. “Please tell me Chase knows you’re here.”

The guilty squint on Kassie's face answered the question for her. Victoria frowned. “Where exactly does Chase think you are? He's not the type of man to let his newlywed wife stay out at all hours of the night,” Victoria's eyes narrowed while Kassie fidgeted and squirmed in her seat.

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