Page 113 of Perfect Chemistry

There were various pieces around the shop with carved inlays, overlays, and combinations of the two. I wanted to give the owners options between the three. Personally, I preferred the carved mantels. The decorative filigrees were carved into a solid piece of wood that would become the mantle. I played with different stains to create the look of blooming flowers on one of the pieces. I wasn’t one hundred percent happy with it, but Kai swore it was perfect. I loaded the cumbersome samples into my wheelbarrow and trudged out to my jeep. I wanted to get these over to the site before it snowed.

Arriving at the site, Paul and Jack had several guys come out and help me take the mantles into the house. I couldn’t help but chuckle, listening to a couple of them grumbling about the weight and cumbersomeness of the wood. Paul quickly shut them up by telling them I loaded them in my jeep myself. They at least had a second set of hands to help unload.

Jack wanted to set them up on saw horses so that the owners could see each one and decide which they preferred. Paul didn’t like that, and had the guys help me mount each one over a fireplace. There were four smaller fireplaces in the main bedrooms on the second floor, and the grand fireplace on the first. I had already cleaned up the grand fireplace, so it made no sense to have them sit there as comparisons.

Paul had me mount the stained floral inlay in the master bedroom. When I stepped back, it took my breath away. The mantle looked like it was always meant to be there. “You should take a pic and send it up to Gyllenhall. He’ll be over the fucking moon with this work,” Paul commented, patting me on the back.

I nodded, fumbling to pull my phone out of my pocket. I couldn’t see what I was doing because everything was suddenly blurry. I heard Paul chuckle as he passed me a tissue. I blinked a couple times, causing tears to run down my cheeks. When did I start crying? I snapped a couple of pictures, and tucked my phone back where it was.

“You did good, kid,” he said, throwing his arm over my shoulder and giving me a half hug. “Come on, let’s get the other three up before the Craigs get here.”

“These were just samples, Paul,” I explained, not understanding why he was having me mount them in place.

“Katie, these are fine. If you are really not happy with your work, we’ll take them back down. But I don’t think Mrs Craig is going to allow that to happen when she sees ’em.”

Fucking dust making my eyes water.

We quickly went about getting each mantle hung in their respective places. I had butterflies in my stomach the rest of the day, waiting for the Craigs to come and decide if they liked them or not. I was coming up from the basement when I heard screaming from the second floor.

“WHERE IS SHE?!? OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD!” Mrs Craig’s voice filled the house.

I ran up the stairs expecting for her to be upset with the placement. I was ready to take them down when she barreled into me and threw her arms around my neck. “They’re amazing. You have a gift, Katie. Thank you, thank you, thank you,” she gushed, squeezing me and rocking excitedly.

“So these are okay?” I chuckled, pulling back a bit to truly gauge her reaction.

“You have no idea!” She exclaimed, pulling me into the master suite. “Look at it! It’s just stunning! How did you make it look like that? Tell me your secrets!” She squealed, running her hand over the carvings.

Seeing her so happy, I couldn’t help but smile. I told her how I created the carvings, and then used various stains to create the colored effects. When Paul asked if she wanted to see the other three options, I thought she was going to have a heart attack. He explained that I had intended these to be samples for her to choose from, to which she adamantly chose to keep each in their respective places, as mounted. I lost count how many times she ran over and hugged me before I finally managed to head home.

* * *

I wasn’t sure what made me do it. When I got home, it was like I was possessed. Now I was standing in the bathroom staring at the stick on the bathroom counter, and I wanted to vomit.

The last few months were a blur of appointments with all kinds of doctors. Kai had been so pissed when he found out that I never applied for any disability compensation after leaving the military, and set me up with an initial appointment to review my medical history with a veteran affiliated clinic. There was so much in my records that I knew nothing about.

I had been diagnosed with traumatic brain injury after a concussion during my second deployment. I had been referred for psychological evaluation for my PTSD, but no one ever followed through with the referral. I thought I was fucked up because I couldn’t cope. Instead I learned that people with TBIs are more prone to depression and PTSD issues than others.

We found out that I had a lot more damage to my body after the roadside bombing than I ever knew about. Maybe I hadn’t asked enough questions back then? Kai was certain that Tyson would have known and just wanted to protect me just like Kai was trying to do now. I think Tyson would have done something like that. He would have done everything he could to shield me from anything that would cause me heartache.

Now I was staring at a stick and I didn’t know whether to be happy or cry. Could I do this again? Could I go through all of this again?

“Kitkat, you okay in there?” Kai called from the bedroom.

I had been in here staring at the stick for thirty minutes. Should I tell him? Should I wait to see? I felt myself starting to shake and let out a choked sob.

The bathroom door burst open as Kai rushed in and pulled me into his arms. “What’s the matter? Did I do something? I’m sorry I got back late. What happened, Katie? Talk to me,” he murmured while hugging me into his chest and rubbing my back.

He stiffened suddenly, and pulled me away from him. He saw it. He studied my face, before cupping it in both hands and kissing me softly.

“Katie, are we having a baby?” He whispered quietly, staring into my eyes.

I stared back and nodded before bursting into tears and giggling, “I’m pregnant, Kai.”

“Fuuuuck! You scared the crap out of me!” He hollered before pulling me into a tight hug and laughing with his face buried against my neck.

“I’m scared, Kai,” I admitted out loud. Holding onto him as tightly as I could. This was my third pregnancy. I didn’t dare to hope. What if it was another ectopic?

He scooped me up and carried me to our bed. He pulled me against his body and held me. “You are not alone, Kat. This is not just you fighting everything by yourself anymore. We will take this one day at a time,” he promised, kissing me softly on my cheeks, my eyes, my forehead, and my nose. “We will take this one step at a time. And this little rainbow,” he spoke softly leaning over my stomach and kissing just below my navel, “is enough hope.”

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