Kate set her bags down on the front step and rang the doorbell at Natalie and Taylor's house.
She hadn't managed to catch up with Natalie for a few months, though they'd kept in limited contact via the phone, the internet and Nat's brother.
Still, she thought she'd drop in and give Nat her present.
Natalie
Natalie shot a quick glance at Ezra when the door bell rang. To her relief he didn't wake up and she made her way to the front door. At five months pregnant she was starting to redevelop her waddle.
"Kate!" Natalie exclaimed, opening the door.
Kate
"Hey," Kate greeted, moving in to hug Natalie.
"Merry Christmas for yesterday."
Natalie
Natalie hugged her tightly and giggled.
"Merry Christmas," she grinned. "Come on in."
Kate
Kate stepped inside, hoisting her bag a little higher on her shoulder.
"So, how was your Christmas?" she asked.
Natalie
"Pretty good," Natalie replied.
She shut the door behind her.
"Christmas lunch with Tay's family, then teleported to Georgia for dinner with mine. What about you?"
Kate
"Christmas Eve was with the uni friends, then Christmas with the family, and then I went over to say hi to your family early this morning."
Kate grinned.
"Matt didn't look all that impressed about being out of bed before 10, but whatever."
Natalie
Natalie chuckled.
"I'm sure it did him good," she replied, taking a seat on the lounge. "Oh, did you want a drink or anything?"
Kate
"I'm good, thanks."
Kate sat on the lounge next to her, leaning back and stretching her legs out in front of her lazily.
"So, what else is news?"
Natalie
"Ezra is causing mayhem with his power borrowing," Natalie replied. "I mean, sometimes it's cute, like when he borrow's Ike's telekinesis to pick stuff up. Like a couple of times his dummy's fallen out or he's drop his toy and he just telekinetically picks it up again. Of course, then there was the time where he decided to borrow Zacs' temperature manipulation and ended up melting half the furniture."
Kate
"That sounds... messy."
Kate nodded.
Natalie
"Yeah it was. Atom manipulation fixed everything, but y'know, it would have been nice not to have to do that," Natalie grinned. "I can laugh about it now. How's school?"
Kate
"Tiring," Kate said, nodding. "But I finish up forever in May, so I guess I can't complain too much."
She paused.
"Well, I will complain. But I shouldn't."
Natalie
Natalie giggled.
"That's the allure, isn't it? Complaining when you know you have to real reason to?"
Kate
"Sweet, sweet complaining," Kate agreed.
"What are your plans for New Years?"
Natalie
"Tay's parents are having a New Years Party," Natalie replied. "I think they hold one just about every year and stacks of people come."
She gave her friend a smile.
"Tay and I actually met at one, two years ago. Say, you want to come?"
Kate
"Um, yeah, maybe," Kate said thoughtfully.
"Matt was talking to me about one of the parties on campus, but I don't think he wants to go either."
Natalie
Natalie chuckled.
"Well, he can come too, I'm sure. The more the merrier, and all that."
Kate
"Cool," Kate said.
"I've actually been hanging with Matt a lot lately. It's weird. I think he misses you."
Natalie
"Aww," Natalie giggled. "Now that's something I never thought I'd hear."
She grinned at her.
"So... you and Matt huh?"
Kate
Kate grinned.
"No, not like that. We're basically neighbours on campus anyway."
Natalie
"Oh. Fair enough," Natalie nodded. "Probably a good thing, actually. I can't really picture you with Matt. Although if you two did, we could become sisters-in-law."
Kate
"Very true, another point as to why I shouldn't marry him," Kate joked.
"But he's been good, apart from coming over and interrupting my study. He needs a new hobby, other than annoying me."
Natalie
Natalie chuckled.
"Stamp collecting?" she suggested.
Kate
"Personally, I think he should be at the gym, while there's no football, but I think if I suggest that, he might think I'm calling him fat," Kate grinned.
Natalie
"Let him think that," Natalie grinned back. "It'll be fun. Plus he could do with then ego-deflating."
She nodded.
Kate
Kate laughed.
"Oh yeah, for sure."
Natalie
Natalie started to say something else when she cut herself.
"Oh!" she gasped, putting a hand to her swelling stomach. "Hey, baby kicked."
She beamed.
Kate
"Oh wow, can I... can I feel?"
Kate looked curious and amazed at the same time.
Natalie
"Oh sure," Natalie replied. "Go right ahead."