FicWad

Chicago winters had this strange way of making him feel more alive and at home than he would in another state or country. He closed the door behind him, feeling the cold nip at his skin delicately as he walked down the sidewalk to his favorite café down the block from his house. Most people in his situation would disguise themselves with large sunglasses and oversized baseball caps, except him. He just needed his hoodie and a cap, and the occasional coffee cup that he was on his way to retrieve.


She twisted her body back at the sound of the bell to see who could have entered the small coffee shop. Wondering why she did such a move, she turned back at the girl in front of her when he almost caught her eye.

“Can I please have the decaf skinny latte with a small dash of milk,” she placed her order. The younger girl walked back to the machines and fixed the aforementioned drink. She looked back again at the man who had just entered the building, questioning herself if she hadn’t seen him anywhere before. She furrowed her eyebrows in thought, twisting her lip a bit.

“Excuse me,” the young waitress knocked her out of her thoughts, with an attitude to match her looks. She muttered small thanks and paid for her drink. She moved to a small booth by the window and kept her eye on the boy, trying to put her finger on where she saw him.

“Hi can I have the skinny latte with a small dash of milk,” he said to the girl before him. With a great big smile bearing all her teeth, she nodded happily almost skipping to get his order. He shook his head in amusement and smiled. No matter how many times he sees this girl every time he comes here, she always seemed to know how to act surprised and excited to see him there.

“Thanks Sam,” he gratified. She smiled and waved when he walked off to his original spot.

Surprised to see another person had occupied it today. He looked at her strangely, trying to remember where he had seen that face before. After moments of racking his brain for a clue and staring at her questionably, he snapped. He walked closer to her, trying to get a better view of her face. Unsuccessful when she was actually trying to hide her face away from his in attempt to not let him know she was actually looking at him. With a small flick of her arm unnoticeably revealing her bracelet he remembered.

“Kate?” he asked wearily, hoping it was actually she and he wasn’t going to make himself look stupid in front of them. She popped her head up and looked at him. Her jaw almost dropped in surprise.

“Patrick?”

He watched her closely in shock, trying to remember all the times they shared.

“Are you serious?” she asked in amazement. She thought he looked exactly the same since they parted ways after graduation, just of course manlier and older.

“Yeah, I can’t believe it’s you either,” he said.

“Please, sit Patrick,” she encouraged, pointing at the seat in front of her. He gladly accepted the seat; relieved he didn’t have to stand gawking at her like an idiot.

“So Mr. Rock star I can’t believe you actually got your dream job,” she complimented him, smiling. Patrick chuckled shyly, feeling his cheeks heat up.

“Yeah, at least we can say that the time Joe and I spent in his basement actually did us good,” he smiled.

“How is Joe doing?” she asked sincerely. The three of them were inseparable from middle school to graduation. The first time she saw their video on MTV, she was so shocked she dropped her bowl of ice cream on the floor, making a mess on her best friend’s very expensive carpet.

“He’s actually great. He’s got a girlfriend now and they are pretty serious,” he informed her, taking a sip of his coffee. He silently groaned in pleasure as the sweet taste tickled his taste buds. She smirked.

“Oh wow, our Joey is actually dating and he is serious?” she asked. He nodded. “Oh my word who would have ever thought?”

“Yeah, that was my reaction when he told me. But his girlfriend is such a sweetheart. They actually compliment each other,” he smiled at the thought. Patrick did once upon a time have feelings for Joe’s girlfriend, as Patrick introduced the two. But he soon realized it would’ve never lasted, as they were too different to resolve.

“And you, have you got someone special? I bet you have a wife and kids by now,” she asked.

“You remembered?” he shifted his eyes up to her. She nodded, knowing he was talking about their ‘secret futures’ they made in the eighth grade.

“You’d be surprised I haven’t got there yet, still waiting for the potential wife,” he said, looking down and twirling the swizzle stick in his drink absentmindedly. She raised her brows in a way as if to say ‘oh really?’

“I am surprised. You were always the family guy.” He shrugged.

“Well, some things don’t work out when you want them. Plus with my career I think it’d be hard to raise a family,” he said with a wave of the hand to dismiss his plan. He looked up at her and smiled. “And you? Have you found your rich husband yet?”
She laughed rolling her eyes. Patrick took in this manner with delight, remembering the way she would laugh at him or Joe when one of them said something ridiculously stupid. He missed those days dearly, before either had to care about the world but just themselves and having their English homework done or face the consequences with Mr. Blackwell. She licked off her spoon.

“Well clearly the invisible ring on my wedding finger is not blinding you,” she joked. He looked down at her left hand and saw the ring was missing.

“So much for wishing. I guess you really can’t plan your fate,” he said. She wiggled her brows.

“So since you know my career, have you finished your medicine course?” he asked her.

“Yeah, I actually finished this year. I’m actually a general practitioner but I chose to work and focus on the pediatrics at Chicago Grace hospital,” she said excitedly.

Her job was the dearest thing to her. She loved to see the faces of children when they knew they would be all better in a couple days. It always excited her how they had no other care in the world but to make sure they were being taken care of. Kate had never had that maternal intuitive of wanting her own children, but the children she saw everyday made her go home every night with a new perspective of children, and she adored the ones who came to see her.
Patrick laughed at Kate’s excitement, thinking how cute she looked. He did realize something different about her though, she seemed so much happier.

“That’s amazing. I can’t believe you’re only twenty-three and already taking care of sick children,” he said. She smirked in pride.

“Yep, I told you I was smart. I mean, I did skip a grade,” she said smugly. Kate started first grade at the age of five when her parents realized their child was quite the genius when she would read her father’s newspapers perfectly and had the dialect of someone too wise for her age. She was then able to jump a grade and graduate high school when she was only sixteen. Kate didn’t want to waste time and jumped right into college to study medicine and got her doctorate at twenty-three.

“Don’t think you’re such a genius, I also got the chance to finish school early,” he stuck his tongue out at her.

“Yeah but you didn’t take it,” she threw back.

“Yeah who were the ones who cried so hard and said the kids at high school would make fun of me for being short, when only you guys wanted me to stay so bad?” he asked, raising an eyebrow. She kept quiet in defeat.

“Yeah but they were gonna make fun of you,” she said quietly. He laughed and rolled his eyes.

“Thanks,” he said sarcastically.

“Just looking out for you,” she grinned.

“Whatever,” he shook his head.

“So am I gonna be able to see you again after today?” she smiled. Patrick let out a shy laugh, becoming a shade of red in his face.

“Well it depends what you intend to do with me,” he hinted. Kate rolled her eyes.

“Sure maybe in your dreams boy. It’s just I haven’t seen you in six years and you know being a rock star takes a lot of time away,” she said, looking him in the eye. He looked down at his now empty cup and sighed.

“I’m sorry I never kept great contact Kate,” he apologized sincerely, still looking down at his cup. They had emailed and called one another for a while but those slowly became fewer and fewer until they eventually stopped coming through. Seeing his sad demeanor Kate tried to make him feel better.

“It’s okay, I mean I basically lived at school during my studies. It would have been hard to see each other,” she said, shrugging her shoulders. Patrick forced out a small smile.

“So does this Friday night sound like a good night to go out? You can even come to my place and see the guys,” he asked hopefully.

“As long as a parent doesn’t call me for an emergency and interrupt our fun,” she laughed.

“You even have to work on a Friday night?”

“Don’t you?”

“Touché.” They laughed. Just then Kate’s work phone rang. She grabbed it out of her bag fast and answered.

“Hello?” she answered, pointing her index finger up as to ask for a minute from Patrick. He nodded, taking this moment to look at her. She had definitely changed over the years. Her thin and auburn hair had more body and turned a shade darker making it redder and a few inches longer than her usual shoulder length. Patrick noticed her figure was fuller and more sculptured; she looked more toned and less thinner than she was in awkward teen stage. Patrick couldn’t help but notice her breasts seemed to be fuller and rounder too, making him wonder if she had a job done on them. Being a considerate man, he opted to not ask and think she has her reasons to why they looked that way .She snapped her phone shut and shoved it back in her back.

“Speak of the devil, I gotta go and take care of a young man who fell off the tree,” she said, grabbing her things and standing up. Patrick followed her actions and walked her outside. Kate then turned back to him and handed him a card.

“That is my number and I hope to hear from you before Friday,” she smiled. Patrick nodded, happy he had another chance with her.

“Of course you will. Go and take care of those kids,” he said, pushing her slightly. She rolled her eyes, a habit he figured she could never let it go.

“Sure thing. Tell Joey and the guys I say hi,” she called back, getting inside her car. He waved her off as she drove, and made his way back to his house.