Deleted Characters: Kathryn & Steller

These characters were not going to come along until book three, but due to changes in the story line- these two have already made the cutting room floor. This does make me a bit sad because I really liked Steller's character, but I am confident in the direction that book three will be taking without them.

Her breath came out in tiny puffs of clouds, chilled by the autumn air. This prickled at any exposed skin, cooling the perspiring body as Kathryn jogged. Foot falls pounded on the pavement path as she weaved through Hyde Park. The music of One Republic sang in the woman’s ears to keep the pace steady with the beat of their music. As usual the day was overcast, grey with the smell of rain and damp vegetation in the air. Typical London weather, but it made Kathryn homesick for Colorado. At least the sun shone there far more often even in the cold seasons. Yet, she was here and knew that soon it will be time to travel someplace far colder and possibly darker.

As the song ended, Kathryn could then hear a heavily welsh accented voice gasping out her name, desperately. So she slowed the pace and glanced back at the young man behind her. “Don’t tell me you’re giving up already. It’s barely been a mile.”

He wheezed as his jog turned to a near stagger, “A mile? You Americans and your bloody miles! Translate that into English… real English!”

Kathryn chuckled, “It’s been about a third of a kilometer.”

“That’s better,” he huffed. “Can we stop now? I call for a respite!”

“Fine, we can take a water break here,” Kathryn motioned to the bench that sat only a couple of feet away.

Gratefully, the auburn haired man stumbled to it and flopped down upon the seat with a sigh. Head lay back to the overcast sky above as though sending his own cloud of breath to join it. “Me whole life flashed before me eyes!” he stated in exhaustion.

A roll of her eyes and Kathryn remarked, “Don’t be such a baby, Steller.” We’re not even halfway through yet.”

Steller opened an eye, hazel irises gleaming gold like the leaves. “You are going to be the death of me, Love. You’re lucky I love you so much.”

Kathryn gave him a smile, knowing how Steller did enjoy exaggerating. It is probably one of the more enduring qualities of his considering how different they can be. She settled beside him, taking a long drink from her own water bottle. “Running is good for you and you need it.”

Steller sat up, raising his eyebrows, “I need it? I do plenty of running at me job.”

She cocked an eyebrow at him in return, “Going from counter to table doesn’t count.”

“Sometimes I need to be quick about it,” Steller pointed out, taking his own water bottle to his lips for a long swig.

There he goes again, she though pleasantly to herself while giving him a smile. Some people would find such expressions of over exaggeration to be exhausting, but they made her laugh. Kathryn knew he did such things to see her smile and it worked nearly without fail. Settled back on the bench, she watched a mother jog by with a child in a running stroller. Maybe in a matter of months, once she and Steller are married, they will try for one of their own. For now they needed to get through the wedding part and that seemed daunting enough as it is.

Good thing they decided to wait until spring.

Kathryn got to her feet with a sigh, stretching her arms out as far as they could go and got into toe reaches. With legs spread, she touched right to left and then left to right, keeping the body warm in the chill air. One and two and one and two, she chanted mentally to herself.