161. Chapter 161

AN: Apologies for the delay in posting. Holiday guests and gatherings at my house, and it was nice. I hope all of you enjoy the holidays.

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Chapter 161

The previous owner of the apartment next to the Castles had sold the apartment completely furnished, and the high quality furniture in each room had been pushed together to be out of the way for assessing the space. Before the work began, Martha looked at everything that had been left and found a number of pieces she wanted to keep. What they were keeping was taken to the two storage units, and the rest was given to a charity.

After that, work on the second floor started in earnest…and exactly on the schedule Julian had promised. Additional bracing and soundproofing was added to the second floor, the supporting columns were installed near the stairs, the stairs were removed, and the resulting missing floor and ceiling areas were completed. A full bath was left upstairs, good lighting was installed, and the large, open room was ready to be painted and prepared as a gym. Castle had already consulted with one of "his guys" about furnishing it for his purposes and Kate's, and allowing space for places the children could play while he, or they, worked out. With that much accomplished, he told Julian to have the room painted, and then to start work on Martha's apartment, and Merritt had those plans waiting for Julian. Martha had already taken charge of decisions about the downstairs apartment, so leaving her to continue as she pleased didn't seem to be an issue.

Kate agreed with her husband that furnishing the gym could wait until they had some time at the beach house, so they planned their departure date and started packing.

Jamie was playing in his room when Kate brought his dinosaur duffel bag and started packing his clothes.

"Why are you putting clothes in my suitcase?" he asked. "Is Daddy going to write in books again?"

"No, Buddy," Castle answered from the doorway. "This time we're going to our house at the beach, and we can stay a long time."

"Yes!" Jamie answered with an excellent copy of one of his father's air punches. "And play in the water?"

"The ocean water and the pool," Castle confirmed, and was grabbed in a hug around the legs by his little mini-me. He picked him up and said, "I think you're happy about that." Jamie nodded vigorously.

"How about a little love for the Mommy who's making sure you have clothes to take with you?" Kate asked, looking at her two men. Castle whispered something to Jamie, they conversed briefly with whispers and nods, and his little boy grinned; then they advanced on Kate. When Castle leaned forward, Jamie kissed one cheek, and Castle kissed the other, and they both hugged her.

"Yeah, that was good," she laughed, hugging them back. "I feel loved." Castle gave him a fist bump and put him back on the floor.

"Are we going now?" Jamie asked.

"We're going right after you get up tomorrow morning," Kate told him. "It's almost dinnertime, so it isn't too long before you go to bed, and then you can wake up and go to the beach. We can stop on the way for breakfast."

He started jumping and bounced around repeating, "Play in the water" as he bounced.

"Well we know he's happy about going. He's got a good beat going there, too," Kate observed. "You think we might have a little musician in there?"

"Time will tell. Mother would be thrilled if we did. But there's definitely enthusiasm in there," Castle answered with a chuckle.

"Our bags are packed. His bag is packed. I think we're ready. We should still have anything else we need there from the last trip."

"I'll take everything to the car now so we don't have to slow him down tomorrow morning."

"And we're ordering in so we don't have to clean up the kitchen," she called as he took Jamie's bag downstairs.

"Yes, ma'am," drifted back upstairs as he reached the bottom.

xxxxx

The next morning, Jamie dressed himself in the clothes his parents left on his bed for him, and was downstairs in record time. "Can we go now?" he asked when he had barely reached the floor at the bottom of the stairs.

"We're ready. Hurry, hurry," Castle teased as he picked up his son, holding him with one arm around him, sort of like a football, and rushed to the door with a giggling little boy. Kate was already there holding the door and laughing along with them.

They stopped at a little place where they often stopped for breakfast on the way to the Hamptons, and let their son talk about the beach and the pool and looking for shells while they waited for their meal.

When they were finally in their beach house, Jamie immediately ran for the doors to the back yard, taking his shoes off as he reached the door and asking to go to the beach. His parents looked at each other with a "Why the hell not?" look of amusement, and took off their sandals. They were all wearing shorts and they all had plenty of clothes to change into; so Castle unlocked the door, they each took one of Jamie's hands, and Kate said, "Pick your feet up, Baby Boy. We're going to the beach." Jamie took his feet off the ground, and his parents dangled him between them, as they jogged across the back yard and down to the beach. Castle reined in a little of his exuberance to take Kate's new center of gravity into consideration but not enough to insult the control she still maintained.

By the time they got their feet wet, Jamie and Castle were playing chasing games in the shallow waves that washed up on shore, Jamie laughing and making splashes as he ran. When Castle slowed down, his son kept splashing, alternately jumping up and down and stomping in the water.

When that began to settle, the couple took his hands and swung him between them, taking him farther into the water than they would let him go on his own. They swung him into the waves that reached just above their knees, dipping him up and down now and then and laughing as he squealed in delight. All of their clothes were soaked, but none of them cared. It was a beautiful, sunny day, the sun was shining, a soft breeze was blowing off the water, the sea birds were noisily flying overhead, and all three of them were enjoying their first day at the beach. The stifling heat in the city wouldn't affect them for about six weeks; and when they returned to Manhattan, it would be almost time for Peanut to make her entrance into the world.

When the excitement started to wear down a bit, they went back to where the sand was more solid and sat down.

"That was fun," their little boy said from where he sat between them. Both his parents agreed that it was fun, then he looked up at them with a big grin. "We're all wet in our clothes."

"Yeah, we are. We won't do that again, though." Castle told him. "Just today, because when we got here, we were so excited to get to the water. We have swim suits for after this. Let's sit for a minute and then take a walk. Taking walks is good for Mommy and Peanut."

"Did Peanut like the water?" he asked Kate.

"Put your hands right there," she told him. "I think she's excited about the water, too."

"Daddy, she's pushing my hands."

"Let me see," Castle said, not wanting to be left out. Kate leaned back on her elbows while the little guest inside her communed with her enthralled daddy and big brother. When Peanut calmed down, Castle asked, "Are we all ready for a walk?"

Jamie was up in a flash, but an eight month pregnant Kate took a little longer. That center of gravity thing wouldn't be ignored. Castle grinned and offered her his hands, and she took him up on the assistance. "You're pretty proud of yourself right now, aren't you?"

"I'm proud of us," he said soothingly to avoid ruffling unnecessary feathers...or hormones. "We have a good marriage, a great little kid, and we're about to have another one…our grownup child and her husband will be here this weekend. I can't imagine life getting much better. We're good."

"Yeah, we are," Kate agreed, and he leaned to kiss her.

"You're kissing Mommy again?"

"I like kissing Mommy, so I'm gonna do it again." He made a big show of it the next time then turned to his son and said, "Okay. Ready for a walk in wet clothes?"

"Yeah." Pulling at his clothes, his son observed, "My shirt is stuck to me."

"Mine, too. Mommy's, too," Castle answered, grinning at his wife with a quick eyebrow wiggle. "You can run if you want to, but don't get too far from us and don't go in the water without one of us with you. Understand?"

Jamie nodded and ran a little ways ahead of them, then he ran back and ran in circles now and then, obviously enjoying any part of being at the beach.

"We shouldn't have any trouble getting him to sleep tonight," Kate said with a smile. "That's one happy little boy."

"I'm telling you. I don't know whose DNA caused it, but part fish, that one," Castle answered.

By that night, they had been back to the beach in swimsuits and then in the pool later, and had to finally tell Jamie he wouldn't be in the water again that day except for his bath. Castle took him in the shower with him to speed the bath process; and as predicted, their son was asleep almost by the time his head hit the pillow.

xxxxx

The rest of the week was spent in working out some kind of routine for the next few weeks. Castle thought of places he had gone and things he had done with Alexis when she was that age…about the time he had bought the house…and checked to see how much of it was still available. In the mornings they would go for walks through the neighborhood and stop at a park where Jamie could play, often with other children. They set up play dates with a couple of the children, a boy with a younger brother and a girl about his age who was also the only young child in the household.

There was another woman whose daughter was a little older than Jamie who had been watching Castle for a few days, smiling and angling for his attention. In spite of the fact that he paid a lot of attention to his wife and very little to her, she started a conversation one afternoon while Kate was across the little park and suggested a play date for the children, at her home. "You could give your wife a little break from taking care of your son," she suggested pointedly. "I imagine she's too tired to do much right now. I could help with that."

As far as Castle could tell, her little girl didn't seem to be the least bit interested in Jamie. She had another girl her age to play with.

Castle leaned toward the as yet unidentified woman and said quietly, "So let me be sure I understand you." He could see the interest in the woman's response. "You want me to bring my son to your house to play with your daughter, while your husband is away I presume?" She nodded with a seductive look. "And while our children are playing in another room, you expect me…" She smiled and nodded. Then his demeanor changed. "To come to you and cheat on my wife, the woman who is carrying my child…hurt her like that and take the chance of teaching my son that's how you should treat the woman you love? Everybody here knows I've been married twice before, but neither of those divorces were because I cheated on anybody. Kate is all I need for the rest of my life. Talk to the other little girl's father. Your daughter actually wants to play with her. He turned and left the shocked woman behind and went to help Kate, who was pushing two little boys on the swings.

She had been glancing over at the conversation Castle was having but didn't seem to feel the need to interrupt. When he reached her, he looked angry.

"Everything okay?" she asked.

"No. I'll tell you later."

"Why don't you boys climb on the jungle gym for a little while? We need to head home soon," she suggested, and the two little boys got off the swings and bounded over to start climbing. Looking at her husband, she insisted, "Now, tell me what's stuck in your craw."

"That woman asked if I wanted to set up a play date for our two children to give you a little break since you probably didn't feel like doing much right now. She said she could help me with that." He took a deep breath before telling her the rest of the conversation. "That will probably turn into gossip that says people like her don't need to bother me with the idea of cheating on my wife again. I hope it does. I would usually be more gentlemanly; but you were right here, and she was showing you that much disrespect."

She grabbed his shirt collar and pulled him to her for a kiss…an impressive kiss. "Mmmm… That was nice. Wonder how she liked them apples? You know she's watching."

"I hope so," he answered and slid his fingers into her hair to kiss her again, both of them smiling conspiratorially as they parted. "Time to go, Jamie," Castle called. There was some argument from his son, but he finally came; and the other child's mother was back with her younger child.

"Thanks for giving me a few minutes to let Matt play on something more his level," she told Kate. "I appreciate it, especially with you being that pregnant."

"No problem," Kate answered. "I still have plenty of energy." She looked directly at the woman who had propositioned her husband when she said it, and the woman looked first embarrassed and then angry and turned away from them.

Castle wrapped his arm around her shoulders and she took Jamie's hand as they headed for home. "I was absolutely rude. That isn't like me, but…"

"It was okay this time."

"I had a reputation for a while before I met you, and between relationships I did earn some of it," he said quietly. "And I'm sorry that some of that was here where it might cross your path, but I've never cheated. The opportunity was there to help other people cheat, though. Around here it isn't unusual for spouses to see other people…even without anybody being pregnant…bored women who are married to rich, workaholic and egocentric, wandering husbands. We're likely to be invited to a couple of parties while we're here, and I don't want this community to think I'm looking for anybody but you. Word travels fast here."

She looked over at him and smiled. "Then it was definitely okay to be rude this time."

xxxxx

Alexis and JD spent the weekend with them, and Martha and John came to visit on Sunday the following weekend. While Martha and Kate were sitting on the long porch on the back of the house, John and Castle were talking in the kitchen over drinks. "I've got to give you credit for taking care of your mother, Richard…"

"Richard? Not Rick? Mother finally got to you, didn't she?"

"You didn't let me make my point, Kid. I've got to give you credit for taking good care of your mother; but damnation boy, you're messing with my plan."

"What kind of plan am I messing with?"

"The one where I eventually get your mother to marry me."

"Wait a minute. To what?"

"Well, it looks like all the women in your family require some patience to win over. It was encouraging that she let me take care of her when your father showed up out of the blue, and I was relieved that she didn't seem to want to do anything but close the book on that. I've been trying to wait her out, and I think we were making progress; then you decided to give her a place of her own… That's worrying, you know?"

"I didn't know it was that serious. I guess I thought both of you were happy with the status quo."

"It's serious for me. She's the first woman I've thought about marrying since my wife died. That was when JD was about twelve. I'm a patient man, but I'm not getting any younger, and my wait time is more limited than it used to be. If you've got any suggestions, I'm listening. You know I already love your family like they're my own anyway."

"Mother has been in and out of marriages several times. I think she's as skittish about the idea as Kate and I were; but I think if she commits, the two of you could make it. You'd certainly be the best stepdad I've ever had. You have my blessings. Talk to her…before she's girled up the apartment too much. The work just started this past week."

"Do you think she'd be willing to move into where I lived with another wife?"

"I don't know. Kate moved in with me where there had been two other wives, but I did a lot of remodeling and redecorating after each of them. Your place is huge. Do you need that much room anymore?"

"No. I'm still there because it's where I've been for so long it's hard to imagine living anywhere else."

"What if you can head her off at the pass and help her plan the apartment? It's new to both of you, and neither of you need a huge place anymore. Talk to her about marriage. See how it goes."

"Well, if it goes well, how it's going to go is that I buy the place from you. I'm just as rich as you are, and I'm not taking advantage that way."

Castle chuckled and took a sip of his drink. "You're getting the cart ahead of the horse, aren't you? Don't you need to ask her first?"

"You're right." He took another sip of his own drink and admitted, "I want it to work. She's a wonderful woman."

"Yeah. She is." Castle finished his drink and suggested. "Talk to her before you leave tonight. This is a romantic kind of place…a nice walk on the beach at sunset, the porch overlooking the ocean. I asked Kate to marry me on that bench in the back yard. It worked for us."

"I might do that…at least bring up the subject. I do love her, Rick. I'd treat her right."

"I know that, John. Not a doubt in my mind."

Later that evening, Rick and Kate found an inconspicuous spot near the back windows to shamelessly spy on Martha and John as they walked out to the back lawn and talked for a while and then sat down on the bench.

"How do you think he's doing?" Kate asked with a little grin.

"Hard to tell from here. We can't see their faces."

"I guess we'll know before long." They heard Jamie moving around, and Kate warned mischievously, "We're about to be busted by a three year old."

They moved back into the kitchen and met Jamie, who was asking for something to drink.

Before they left, Martha took her son aside and asked, "Richard, what would you think of my getting married again?"

"Depends on who you're going to marry."

"John?"

Castle smiled. "He's already family, Mother. You'd just be making it official."

"Would you mind if we both lived next door?"

"I think we'd love it. Did he ask you?"

"We talked about it. I haven't been seeing anyone else for a while now, and I couldn't find a reason to discourage him. I've slowly started to depend on him, and I trust him. That's been hard for me since the last husband. And it would be nice not to spend the rest of my life alone."

"Do you love him?" he asked, pulling her into a hug close to his side.

Leaning against him, she admitted, "I realized while we were talking that I do. It sneaked up on me."

"I know the feeling." He kissed her forehead. "I think the two of you would be happy together…next door or wherever you want to be. He's a good man. I have a lot of respect for him."

"So we'd have your blessings?"

"All of them you could want."

She leaned her head on his shoulder and asked, "Do you think I have it in me to make it last? It's never worked before."

"I think you do. You and I just started with the wrong people, but I think we saved the best for last, don't you? The two of you always look happy together."

"We are," she agreed, looking up at her son.

"Then say yes. Make his day."

She cupped the side of his face in her hand and rubbed her thumb across his cheek lovingly. "Thank you. For taking care of me...and your blessings...and encouraging me in the right direction...and being such a good son. I love you, Richard Rodgers."

"I love you, too, Mother. Now go and talk to the other man here who loves you."

She kissed his cheek and went to find John. He was sitting on the porch with Kate, the two of them keeping an eye on Jamie as he played in the back yard; and Martha sat down beside him, took his hand in both of hers, and asked, "Is the offer still available?"

"You know it is."

Castle sat down next to his wife, and looking up at her children, Martha said, "Then John and I have an announcement to make."

"Is that a yes?" he asked. When she nodded, he placed his other hand over hers and said, "Your mother and I are going to be married. I can't think of a better family to be an official part of."

"You already felt like an official part of us, John," Kate answered.

"Now you can have the paperwork to prove it," Castle agreed. "We're happy for both of you. Let us know about weddings and dates and what you want. We'll be glad to help."

"We'll call you after we have time to talk," his mother promised."

Because he knew they would be leaving late, John had engaged a car service; so he called the driver to pick them up and the family talked for a little longer until it was time to leave. John went out and scooped Jamie up to say goodbye, Martha gave her grandson another hug, and they were gone.

"Well, that was exciting. I want to call Alexis, but we should leave it to them to tell their grandchildren, shouldn't we?" Kate asked.

"Yeah, let's leave it to them." Picking up his son, Rick said, "Time to be indoors." There was no argument, just a couple of noises of disappointment. Later there was a bath where there was a different kind of playing in the water, followed by pajamas, storytime, and bed.

"What are my chances of getting lucky tonight?" Rick whispered with a brazen smile, wrapping an arm around Kate's shoulders to soften the sound of the question with a feeling of understanding . "I'm trying really hard not to think about what my mother might be doing tonight."

"I think I can provide some distraction," his wife answered, squeezing a handful of male backside as they reached their room.

xxxxx

Late the next morning, Martha called and asked if they would be willing to join the rest of the family at Bob Weldon's office for a quiet civil ceremony the following Friday and then go out for a nice dinner to celebrate.

"That fast, mother? You don't want something…"

"Richard, neither John nor I are getting any younger, and both of us have done this before. We just want to be married. Nothing fancy."

"Of course we'll be there. Is there anything we can do to help?"

"Alexis and JD are helping, and it's been fun. And John has gone all man-in-charge on me. He keeps telling me he has as much money as my son and he intends to take care of everything himself. We're to tell him what we want and let him handle the cost. The other husbands were usually happy to let me pay for as much as I would. It's actually kind of nice that he wants to take care of me. The only one I could ever count on for that was you."

"And you still can. But a good man wants to take care of his wife, even when she's the independent sort; so I'll back off and let John take over. But you call if you need me for anything, even if it's just to talk."

"I will, Darling. Thank you. And I'll call with more details about next Friday when we have them all."

"Bye, Mother."

"Was she giving you a wedding date?" Kate asked.

"Bob's office at City Hall, Friday of next week and dinner afterward. Just the family. They don't intend to make a big fuss of it."

"They're not wasting any time."

"Both Mother and John mentioned that they aren't getting any younger. She says he's being very take charge, insisting on paying for everything."

Kate chuckled. "And how are you feeling about all this?"

"Like I'll finally have a stepfather I can be proud of. One I can trust with my mother."