Katherine pushed him back and said,

"Now will you first let me do my chores. else I am really going to throw you out of the house".

"You really want me to be out of your house Katherine?"

Katherine's angered expressions suddenly changed when she heard him pop that question.

She looked at him and sighed.

"You stay right where you are standing. Don't even dare to take one step ahead. That's like the hard periphery for you now. Ok?"

She said and continued to clean the remaining utensils.

Shawn admired her from behind and thanked his stars for making tonight happen after eight long years. He couldn't believe his luck for he had got what he had wanted so bad in his life for so long.

Then suddenly he sprang a question at her,

"Did you wear this dress deliberately to seduce me?"

She flushed in an instant for being caught by him but she retorted back,

"God no. I had formally called you for dinner to my place, so I, being the host should prep up right? How could I call you wearing pajamas?"

"Just like the way you used to call back in college days".

He said and came forward again but slowly this time.

"This dress is too tight".

"Not really", she said,

"The neck is too low".

"If it bothers you so much I will go ahead and change it", Katherine replied getting irritated and didn't even turn back

"Why would you change? I kinda like it", he said and smiled.

"I like wrapped up presents".

Katherine turned back and with a shocked expresssion on her face she asked,

"You were never like this in college?"

"You were also never like this in college. You should have atleast tried to seduce me once. Then by now, we would be having a battalion of babies rolling all around", he said and chuckled.

But Katherine's face turned all serious after hearing his last sentence.

"What happened Kat? Did I say something wrong?", Shawn asked, seeing her face turn all gloomy.

"Nothing", she said and turned back to continue cleaning.

"I am asking what happened Kat?",

Shawn came close and asked her.

"I can never be a mother !!!".

"What? Why would you say something like that?"

"It's true Shawn. That's the reason why Trent left me. I have severe polycystic ovaries. I might even get them removed this year".

"Then Kate?"

"I adopted her after getting separated from Trent. She was just 4 days old when I happened to know about her. She too was abandoned just like me, so we became each other's support".

"But she looks so much like you, your eyes, your hair !!!", Shawn exclaimed all surprised at the sudden revelation.

Katherine smiled and then said,

"It has always seemed like God's plan to me. There was one college girl who got pregnant when she was just 16. She had her whole life pending in front of her and she wasn't ready to take care of the child, so I did".

Katherine said and cleaned up the final plate in the sink.

Shawn stood there all silent, listening to the words that she just said.

"So let me make it very clear to you Shawn. I don't know what you expect from me, from us. But I can't handle getting stranded in the middle of the road again. It had happened once and I know it might happen again, but this time I might not be strong enough to take it. So if you want to back off, you might just do it right now. I will completely understand and if....".

"What are you talking about Kat? How can you even think that I will leave you just like Trent did? You are all that I have wanted from my life?", Shawn said, but his tone sounded all hurt.

"I know that Shawn, but I am just being practical. We are adults here", Katherine said and removed her gloves.

"I don't know, how can I explain what I want from you Katherine. I want a life with you. My days should start and end with you. That's all I want", Shawn said and moved ahead to hold her hand, but then

"Shawn uncle.... !!!"

They were interrupted by Kate's voice.

"Can you please help to open the ice cream tub for me. I can't open it", saying that the cute little girl forwarded the ice cream box in her hand.

Shawn looked at her face and smiled and said,

"You can call me Shawn, we are friends now. Aren't we?", saying that he opened the box for her.

Her eye gleamed with excitement to see the box and she immediately dug her spoon into it.

"Um.... so nice. Mom, can we keep Shawn uncle in our house? He can get us ice cream every day".

Katherine was surprised to hear her speak that way.

"Will you quickly go back to bed, Kate !!! It's late".

"But I am not that sleepy mama", Kate said looking at Katherine and then she turned towards Shawn and asked,

"Will you come and read a story with me?"

"Kate no !!! We have talked about this before right? Not everyone likes to read out stories".

"But Akira loved to do it !!!"

"I would love to, my sweetheart. Let's go", Shawn said and held her tiny little hand and went with her to her bedroom.

Half an hour later when Katherine finished all the pending work she went upstairs to Kate's room and saw her sleeping comfortably in Shawn's arms. Shawn too was fast asleep on her bed with a storybook still lying in his hands.

She came inside and picked that story book form his hands and covered both of them with a sheet and walked out. But before leaving the room she turned back again to see them so comfortable and fond of each other. A smile etched on her face. She then turned off the lights and came out of the room.

And suddenly a fear crept in her heart.

"What if he leaves me just like Trent???"