#but due to my bad luck. the order didn't arrive and this happened 5 times. we tried with several different stores and it didn't work...

[mel-loly]

-MY CHOPPER FINALLY ARRIVED!!!!!!!!!!!😭💖

[catherinequeenie-benstridge]

What if - Chapter 3

Are you ready and excited for Kate and Steve, the mysterious guy, date? And we already know....a family member from the British Royal Family will visit the museum...who will that be?

I'm sure after this chapter, you will be able to connect some dots!

Hope you like it! It's quite a long one!

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5 of June 2005

That had been a boring, yet exciting Sunday for the young couple: Kate was preparing herself for her date with Steve, fixing her hair, applying a very light makeup and a nice skirt. Steve on the other hand was more nervous that he could ever imagine, he went for her usual incognito outfit, a pair of jeans, a leather jacket, a cap and sunglasses (even tho it was already dark), he didn’t want to be recognized.

Catherine arrived there ten minutes earlier, she didn’t seat too close to the door but enough so he could see her. She ordered a beer and waited there, looking around trying to avoid staring at the door for too long.

Steve was about to go out when his father stopped him at the door.

-Where are you going?

-I, uhm...I’m going to have a drink with some friends.-He didn’t like lying but he knew his father would try to convince him not to do it.

-Okay, be careful and have fun. And take a driver with you, please.

-Yes, bye.-He jumped in a car and asked the driver to park behind the National Portrait Gallery because the pub was close enough.-Thanks. 

Steve got out grabbing the red rose he got for Kate and walked straight to the pub. When he was finally on the other side of the street, in front of the pub, he froze. 

What was he doing? 

A cold shiver ran through his spine and made him very afraid of her reaction. Would she be okay with who he was or would she ran? He looked at his watch: 7.45pm. Without knowing, he stood there for nearly forty minutes, froze with fear. She looked stunning, looking all over the place and playing with her hands and the pint she had ordered. <<God, she is beautiful…>> Then, the real panic started.

After another ten minutes of hesitation, he saw some of the waiters smoking at the back door.

-Excuse me, there’s a young woman sitting there, brunette, green eyes. She’s wearing a skirt and is drinking a beer.-He handed the rose to one of the girls there.-Could you give her this rose? I..I have to go.

Once the girl went back inside, he stood back in the dark of the street watching. His palms were sweating and he started fidgeting with the zipper of his jacket. Steve saw how the waitress approached Kate and how she gave her the rose, her face suddenly changed. That smile she gave to the waitress was the saddest Steve had ever seen. 

Catherine looked at the flower on the table and didn't know how to feel. Disappointed? Upset? Frustrated? She let out a sigh and stood up, leaving some money on the table. Walking out to the rather chilly night, she stopped right in front of the door, whipping some tears away and breathing deeply. Kate looked at the flower once again and smiled while shaking her head and started walking back home. 

The brunette didn’t notice that a pair of regretted eyes were looking at her while she took off. Steve felt like the worst person in the world. He walked to the car and asked the driver to go home, when they were entering Trafalgar Square the driver stopped due to a red traffic light. Steve looked through the window and saw Catherine approaching the pedestrian crossing but she didn't cross, instead she stopped in front of a litter bin.

Kate stood there, debating if she should throw the rose or keep it. She felt so stupid. She looked at the flower, tears fighting to come back, her hand squeezed the steam nearly breaking it in half. Trying to calm herself down she walked away of the bin when she heard the beeping of the traffic light alerting the walkers it was about to turn red. As she crossed, she whipped out the tears with the sleeve of her jacket, leaving it wet.

Steve looked as she walked away, feeling a guilty knot in the throat. 

Kate opened the door of her house, going up the stairs wishing her sister was already asleep but luck wasn't on her side that day. She tried to get to her room unnoticed but Pippa, who was watching a movie in the living room in her pyjamas, always had an annoying good hearing, so she clearly heard her footsteps. 

-Hi! How was your mystery date?- Pippa stood up to go get her sister to sit with her but she froze as soon as she saw the brunette.-Squeak…?

Kate was looking at the floor, sobbing. She left the rose on the dinner table and didn't even looked at her little sister when she went straight to her room. Pippa tried to go after her.

-Hey...Catherine…-But the eldest had already closed the door right in front of her face.

The room felt too big in that moment for Kate. She didn't event checked her phone incase he had sent a message, but right now she was way too sad and angry to check anything. Instead, she took her clothes off and put on a comfy pyjama. The brunette looked at her phone on the night table, thinking whether to look at it or not. Right when she was about to do it a knock on the door got her attention.

-Kate, it's me. Can I come in?

Catherine opened the door and found her sister with two cups of tea and a warm smile.

-Come in.-She sat on the bed and her sister followed, leaving the cups on the night table.-Sorry about before I…

-It's okay. I just need a name, James and dad will take care of everything.-The comment made Kate laugh and looked at Pippa. Her eyes were still red from crying and the younger sister put a hand on the others cheek.-Do you want to talk about it?

-I...I was at the pub where he told me. I waited there for nearly an hour.-Kate stood up, starting to walk up and down the room.-I waited there looking at the door every time someone came in, hoping it was him. But nothing.-She was starting to get angry again just thinking about it.-And then, then this waitress comes to me with that rose. You should have seen my face, I looked like a stupid fool. How could I be so naive…

Pippa saw as her eldest sister, always so cheerful and happy, sat next to her again, both hands on her face starting to cry again.

-What makes me so angry is the fact that I don’t even know him, we’ve only talked two or three times and for less than five minutes! How can I have such strong feelings for him?-Kate looked at her sister, sobbing. The younger woman embraced her trying to comfort her and stroking her hair.

-Darling, we can not choose this kind of things. We can not control them or even understand it. If you...If you met him it’s because you two were meant to meet. And it’s not a bad thing to feel this strongly about someone so soon.-Pippa stroked her sister's hair very gently, as if she could broke at any time. 

After some minutes in silence, with the only sound of Kate's sobbing, they reheated their cups of tea and switched on the TV, just laying there next to each other. The sisters fell asleep watching some random movie they put on. 

Catherine saw herself in a car with her father, dressed in a wedding dress; there were a lot of people in the streets waving at her, screaming her name, like she was somehow important for them. She felt like the car was too small and was about to start hyperventilating but her father grabbed her hand.

-You'll do great. Just breathe, it's going to be the happiest day of your life.-She looked at their hands and realized what she was holding. A wedding bouquet. Lily-of-the-Valley, Myrtle, Hyacinth and Sweet...William.

The brunette suddenly woke up, heavily breathing and nearly sweating. She looked at the alarm clock, 3am. The sigh that came out her mouth felt too heavy, her sister was peacefully sleeping next to her so Kate tried to get out of bed without waking her up. Blaming how sleeping she was, she had no idea why she grabbed her phone on her way out of the bedroom.

When she put the kettle on, she instinctively checked her phone. Seven missed calls, five voicemails and thirteen messages, all from Steve. Feeling too weak for all of it, she waited until her tea was ready and once she sat on the couch she heard the voicemails.

-You have five new messages. First message.-She sipped her tea, waiting, almost hearing her heart pound when it started.-Catherine...I...I don’t, I couldn’t….Second message. I am sorry, that’s what I wanted to say, I...Third message. I want to explain, I..I had a phone call and had to rush home because my grandma needed help with something.-Kate thought that sounded like an excuse.-Fourth message. That was an excuse, I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to lie to you, I will understand if you don’t want to talk to me but If you could just send me a message just to know you got home okay last night, I would appreciate that.-At that point, Kate’s eyes were watery, about to start bursting into tears.-Fifth message. It’s me again, I am very worried about you, you haven’t replied and I am worried something happened to you. Please, I know I’ve been a jerk and don’t deserve anything from you. You know I won’t be able to go to the museum so I wanted to say how I regret not going into that pub, I hope one day I can properly explain myself...I’m truly and deeply sorry Catherine…

The brunette felt how some tears ran down her cheeks. For a moment she thought it was really sweet the way he cared for her but that was instantly washed out by the memory of herself alone at the pub. She had no idea what to feel. She was mad but at the same time she wanted to talk to him and see him again, she sigh at the thought. 

After some minutes, she checked the messages, but they said the same as the voicemails. She decided to reply.

“I got home okay. You don’t need to worry.” 

She read it ten times before realizing it could sound rude but she didn’t care. She wasn’t happy, not at all. After what felt ages, Kate fell asleep with the phone on her ear, listening to Steve’s voice and dreaming again with that white bouquet and the flowers, specially about the Sweet Williams…

Steve was wide awake on his bed, he couldn’t sleep, not until knowing Catherine had arrived safely home. His phone rang at 4 in the morning, letting him know he had received a message. He sat down on his bed, quickly looking at the screen. It was hers. He could tell she was angry, and he was the only one to blame, that was for sure. Steve laid back down, not knowing how to make the situation better.

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Chapter 2 | Chapter 4