A NEW DAY 
by Michelle T
© 2000

CHAPTER THREE

Kevin went back into the bathroom and found Michelle sitting on the side of 
the tub with her head on her knees.   He dropped to his knees in front of her 
and noticed how badly she was shaking.  

"Michelle…. oh baby, you are shivering like crazy!.  We've got to get you out 
of these wet clothes before you catch pneumonia."  Kevin stood up bringing 
Michelle with him.  Her head rolled to the side and he noticed the glazed 
look in them.  

"Kevin, I don't feel so good."  He pulled her tight against his left side and 
pushed the shower curtain open.  He reached in and turned the water on full 
blast.  He turned his body back towards her and she leaned in against him, 
not being able to stand on her own.  

"Sweetie, we have to take your wet clothes off, ok?"  She didn't respond, 
just let out a low moan.  Kevin held her as best as he could as he started to 
undress her.  He managed to get her shirt over her head and off her left arm. 
 He pulled her to his right and tried to pull the shirt from her right arm as 
gently as he could.  She groaned loudly as he pulled the shirt from her lower 
arm.  "I'm sorry babe." He said softly.  "Shit!" he thought, "This is a lot 
tougher than I expected".  He turned her around so that her back was leaning 
against him and proceeded to undo the button, then the zipper of her jeans.  
With one hand supporting her around her waist, he slowly pushed her jeans 
over her hips until they fell around her ankles.   He leaned her gently 
against the wall adjacent to the shower and bent down to remove her pants 
completely.  As he straightened up, he realized her underwear was soaking wet 
too.  Without a second thought he eased her panties down and off, as well.  
He placed his hand on her waist again and then reached between them and 
fumbled with the clasp on her bra with his free hand.  "Crap, I was never 
good at this with one hand." He mumbled to himself as the clasp finally gave 
way.  

Michelle moaned again and pushed herself away from the wall.  "What are you 
doing?" she cried softly.  

"Michelle, you need to get in the shower and warm up and you can't do that 
with soaking wet clothes on." he replied hoarsely.  

"Oh god, I'm so embarrassed." She squeezed her eyes shut tight and let Kevin 
guides her into the shower.  She immediately crossed her arms over her chest 
and leaned into the corner of the shower.  "I'm so dizzy." She said.  Kevin 
looked pained and felt a rush of sympathy towards her.  "Oh Christ, don't be 
a wimp, Kevin." He said to himself.  With that he pulled his T-shirt off and 
quickly unzipped his own jeans.  

Within seconds he was standing there in his black boxers and climbed into the 
shower with her.  He pulled her towards him and said  "Just keep your eyes 
closed and pretend you have a bathing suit on or something.  I swear I'm not 
checking out your gorgeous body."  

"Really? Could have fooled me," she said slowly with a slight smile.  He 
guided her directly under the stream of hot water and rubbed her left side 
with his hand.  

After a few moments, he said, "The hot water should make your bruises feel 
better too."  

Michelle opened her eyes and looked down at her left side and groaned.  "Oh 
great, I look like I was kicked by a mule." She then moved her eyes back to 
the right and noticed his muscular arm supporting her just below her breasts. 
 She brought her left hand up to his arm and caressed it lightly.  "Thank you 
Kevin for helping me, but I really and truly feel so embarrassed.  No one has 
helped me in the shower in ages or seen me naked for that matter."  

He turned her body to face his and wrapped his arms around her shoulders 
holding her close so that the water could warm up her backside.  Both of her 
arms automatically wound themselves around his waist.  "Please don't be 
embarrassed Michelle.  You have a beautiful body and should not be ashamed to 
let someone see it." He said huskily.  He felt stirrings of desire starting 
in his groin.  "Oh Christ" he thought, "What the hell am I thinking?  This 
poor girl has been through enough within the last few hours and doesn't need 
me getting turned on by holding her."  He gently eased her off from him and 
looked down at her face.   

She turned her head upwards and asked, "God, Kevin, how the hell tall are 
you??"  

He chuckled at the expression on her face and replied, "A hell of a lot 
taller than you, that's for sure.  Are your sure your daughter is only 10 
years old?  She's only a couple of inches or so shorter than you?"  

Michelle grinned slightly and said "She's very tall for her age.  Comes from 
her father's side of the family."  

At the mention of Kimberly's father, Kevin froze and his face was covered in 
confusion and then realization.  "Michelle!  Jesus, it never occurred to me, 
but where the hell is your husband?"  Michelle groaned and leaned her head 
forwards onto Kevin's stomach.  

"He's history.  I don't want to talk about him.  I'm really not feeling too 
good, Kevin."  With that she collapsed against his body completely and he 
pulled her up tighter against him.  He reached behind her and shut the water 
off, then pulled the shower curtain open and carefully stepped out with 
Michelle in his arms.  He grabbed a clean towel off the vanity and spread it 
over her shoulders.  

Just then he heard AJ and Kimberly returning.  "AJ!  Can you come in here!" 
he shouted towards the closed door.  

AJ led Kim over to the bed and told her to get comfy and watch TV while she 
ate.  She looked at him like he was crazy and asked "AJ, what's Kevin doing 
with my mom in the bathroom?"  

"Don't worry so much, Sugar!  He's just helping her with her arm.  I'll be 
right back."  AJ walked quickly to the bathroom door and eased it open.  
"What's up, Kev?"  He looked at Kevin's wet back and noticed Michelle's arms 
around his waist.  

"She's passed out again and we need to get her dressed." Kevin said.  

AJ closed the door behind him and went to stand behind Michelle.  "Kev? She's 
naked under that towel, and why are you dripping wet?"  AJ had a look of 
anger in his eyes as he stared at Michelle's long wet hair cascading down her 
back.  He unconsciously reached a hand out and stroked her hair.  

"AJ, please, you know me better than that. I'm not taking advantage of her 
here; I'm trying to keep her from getting any sicker than she already is.  
She was shivering violently and couldn't even stand on her own.   What was I 
gonna do, let her fall over in the tub and crack her head open?"  Kevin 
looked at AJ defiantly and waited for his response.  

"No, I'm sorry, I don't know what I was thinking.  Ok, how are we gonna do 
this?" AJ asked.   

"Well, grab hold of her and I'll dry her off and try to put her clothes on." 
Kevin responded.  With that AJ wrapped his arms around Michelle's upper body 
and pulled her back against him.  Kevin grabbed another towel and proceeded 
to dry her off as best as he could.  He tried averting his eyes from her 
crotch as he bent down to dry her legs, but found he couldn't keep his eyes 
away.  

"Kevin!  For Christ sakes, man, just close your eyes and dry her off." AJ 
whispered loudly.  He took a deep breath when he realized that he had his 
right arm wrapped around her ribcage and that her breasts were leaning 
against his tattooed arm.    He brought his hand from her shoulder up to the 
top of her head and placed a light kiss on her temple.  He hadn't felt 
concern for anyone in this way since Deanna had left his life.  

Kevin finished and they both dressed her in a sweatshirt and thin jogging 
pants as quickly and gently as possible.  AJ scooped her up into his arms and 
brought her back into the bedroom while Kevin dried off and wrapped a towel 
around his waist. Moments later Kevin ran back into the bedroom and pulled 
the blankets down on the nearest double bed and AJ placed her in it.  While 
AJ covered her up, Kevin noticed that Kim had fallen asleep on top of the 
other bed.  He strode over to her and removed the food wrappings lying next 
to her and then covered her with a spare blanket.   He sat down on the side 
of the bed facing AJ and Michelle and ran his fingers through his damp hair 
and said, "What did they say down at the office?"

AJ snapped his head up and looked at Kevin, "The hospital is about 10 miles 
back up the road, but they've started closing off the bridges connecting the 
islands to each other.  We won't be able to make it there."  

AJ stood and walked to the sliding glass doors at the other end of the room 
and peered out into the rain.  He leaned his hands against the glass and 
looked out onto the courtyard and pool area.  Deck chairs and table umbrellas 
were being whipped around like toys.  The small palm trees surrounding the 
area were swaying uncontrollably.  "I don't like this Kev, I don't feel safe 
here."  

Kevin joined him at the doors and watched the storm belting down around them. 
 "I agree, you think we should take them to our hotel, it is a lot bigger and 
should be safer?"  Kevin looked at AJ and saw his sad expression. "What's 
going on, AJ?  You have something on your mind I can tell."