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Kate kissed her uncle goodbye on the cheek outside of a steakhouse right outside Chinatown in Washington, DC. She was full and happy, having just spent several hours laughing and reminiscing with her Uncle Lenny over some delicious wine, steaks, and desserts. The duo parted on the sidewalk and Kate headed down to the metro stop a block south of her.
She yawned while she went and sat on the stone benches underground between the tracks, staring at the metro screen announcing that the next train would not be arriving for another 14 minutes. She looked around at the other people on the platform, which was only three strangers picking spots as far from one another as possible. One young man was leaning against a column while flipping through his phone, engrossed in the mini screen and ignoring everything else around him. She wondered if he would even notice if the train was arriving.
There was an older woman in a hotel maid’s uniform and orthopedic shoes who looked like life had worked her much harder than it had ever rewarded her. A little past her was a university student sporting her collegiate sweatpants, sweatshirt, and even shoes proudly while reading a small book that she was almost done with. Kate sighed and stared back at the screen above her head. She was down to 7 minutes now.
Kate pulled her purse onto her lap and rifled through it, trying to pass the time. She pulled out her phone and looked at her messages, realizing that she had missed a phone call. Derrick’s name popped onto the screen with a short message.
Missing you.
Short, sweet, and to the point like Derrick always was. He knew how to melt her heart with something as small as two words. She couldn’t stop herself from smiling when she read it and felt herself sigh. It was nice feeling those warm and fuzzy feelings of love again and everything about picturing Derrick was very, very warm.
Kate suddenly stood up and slipped her purse back up over her shoulder and headed towards the escalator and up, out of the metro station. She turned down the sidewalk and headed towards Derrick’s apartment. The thought of going home to her empty apartment was much less appealing than going to see Derrick and wrapping herself up in his thick, strong arms.
Home was lonely and cold, full of memories she was desperately trying to push far away. Derrick’s apartment only had memories of laughter, kisses, and curling toes in warm, twisted sheets. Those sheets, those arms, and that boyish grin is where she needed to be tonight.
CHAPTER FIVE
“Kate?” A crackling voice broke through the receiver as Derrick held the phone up to his ear.
“No, this is Derrick. She is in the shower. Did you find something new, Detective?” Derrick had answered Kate’s phone as soon as he saw Detective Snow’s name pop up on the screen.
Kate had surprised him by coming over late last night and Derrick couldn’t have been more pleased. They had definitely not slept as much as they should have, considering that they both had to be at work this morning but it didn’t seem to matter to them during the night.
All that mattered to Derrick was that Kate had forgiven him and she was where she belonged-back in his life, back in his arms, and back in his bed. Nothing further had happened between them because Kate wasn’t ready for that still. Just the sensation of being held by him and feeling his warm protective arms around her was what she needed.
“Oh, hello Derrick. This is Detective Snow from the precinct. I wanted to talk to Kate about a development in the case. I am at her apartment but she didn’t answer the door.” Liz Snow told him.
“Oh, she is over at my apartment. She won’t leave for work for at least another hour so come on by!” Derrick told her excitedly and then recited his address to her. He was eager to hear any good news about the case. Derrick knew that he had failed Kate, and not just a small fail but an epic level of failure, betrayal, and abandonment. The guilt plagued him every moment of the last two weeks and even though Kate had finally forgiven him, Derrick was nowhere near forgiving himself.