Chapter Eleven

The ride back to Kevin’s old house was long and silent. The police had arrived a few minutes after he called them. They arrested Kyle and took Kevin’s and Christy’s statements. Kevin told them all about Chad. They made arrangements to come to the police station the next day and formally file charges against Kyle Bloomfield.

Christy packed two bags. Kevin took them and threw them in the backseat. He then helped her into the car. She just sat there, staring off into space, not noticing when Kyle was taken away. Her eyes were glazed over.

“Is she okay?” an female officer asked.

“She’ll be fine,” Kevin assured her. “Thanks for your help.”

She said not a word during the whole drive. He parked the car and turned off the engine.

“Christy, we’re here.”

She unbuckled her seat belt and got out. Chad was waiting for her just inside the door. With a loud cry, she scooped him into her arms and hugged him tightly.

“I’m sorry, baby, so sorry,” she told him.

“Me too. He said he’d hurt you if I told.”

“He’ll never hurt us again. I’ll make sure of that.”

She let Chad go and Ann gave her a hug. “You’re welcome to stay with me for as long as you like.”

“Thanks, Ann.”

They all went into the kitchen where Ann served them freshly baked cookies and hot cocoa. She also gave Kevin an ice pack for his hand. By the time the cookies and cocoa were all gone, Chad was yawning.

“I fixed up Jerald’s room for him,” Ann said.

“Thank you so much. I’ll take him up.”

Kevin watched as they left. “Mom, I feel so bad.”

“Why? You should feel good! Chad chose you as someone to trust, someone to confide in. Because of you, Kyle can’t hurt him anymore.”

“I feel bad for Christy too.”

“I know you do, sweetheart. It’s gonna take time for them to heal.”

“I wish I could help.”

Ann rose from her chair and came over to where he sat. She kissed his forehead. “You have helped them. A lot. I’m off to bed now, good night.”

“Good night.”

Kevin placed all the dirty dishes in the sink and then shut off the kitchen lights. He walked upstairs to Jerald’s room. Christy was tucking Chad into the bed. She kissed him and stroked his hair tenderly. Kevin realized at that moment how much he truly cared for her, and her son. He knew in his heart that he would give anything to stay with her and Chad forever. He wanted to show them that they were loved, and that he could keep them safe.

“I love you, Chad,” Christy whispered. “Don’t you ever forget that.”

“I love you too, Mom.”

“Good night.”

Christy turned off the light and walked to the door. Kevin backed away, embarrassed to be caught eavesdropping.

“Kevin?” Chad called.

“Yeah?”

“Thank you.”

Kevin fought back tears. “Sure thing.”

Chad rolled onto his side and closed his eyes. Christy pulled the door shut.

“That goes for me too,” she said softly.

He nodded. Christy sighed heavily and leaned against the wall for support. “I should have known,” she said. “I knew he had a mean streak. What kind of mother am I? I let him hurt my baby.”

“You’re a great mother!” Kevin said. “You love him.”

“But I should have known,” she repeated. “I should have known!”

Kevin pulled her into his arms as she began crying again.

“He’s all I have in the world,” she moaned, tears slipping down her cheek.

Kevin tilted her head so she had to look at him. “You have me,” he told her.

She sighed and collapsed against him. He quickly picked her up and carried her down the hall to Tim’s room where he carefully set her down in the bed. He brought the blanket up to her chin. Just as he was about to move away, she grabbed onto his arm.

“Stay with me, please.”

“Christy, I-”

“Please, I don’t want to be alone tonight.”

She moved over to let him lay beside her. He kicked off his shoes and crawled into the small bed. She wrapped her arms around him and buried her face against his chest. He could hear her still sniffling. She wiped her nose against his shirt. He laughed a little.

“Oops, I’m sorry,” she said.

Kevin could hear the smile in her voice. “It’s okay. You go ahead and use me as a snot rag all you want.”

Christy giggled. She rested her hand on his chest and they lay side by side in the dark.

“Haven’t we done this before?” she asked. Her voice sounded calmer and she had stopped crying.

“I think so. At camp. I sneaked into your room one night because you were sick, wasn’t it?”

“Yeah. And I missed the big hay ride.”

“And I felt bad about it.”

“Oh, Kevin, even then you were looking after me.”

“I’m sorry I went away.”

She sat up and looked at him. His face was partly hidden in the dark, but she knew his eyes were focused on hers.

“You’re sorry? Why? You followed your dream. I married a jerk, and then replaced him with another jerk. You have nothing to be sorry about.”

Kevin sat up then and the small bed creaked. “If I’d known you had feelings for me all those years ago, things could have been so different.”

“But you didn’t share those feelings then.”

“I do now.”

Christy laughed bitterly. “Our timing sucks.”

“I guess so.”

“Maybe after all this is over with...”

“I’d be willing to try...”

“Me too.”

They stared at each other until they both burst out laughing.

“I think we just made a commitment of some kind, but I’m not sure exactly,” Christy said.

“Now what?” Kevin asked.

“I don’t know.”

“We could try to get some sleep. It’s gonna be a long day tomorrow.”

Christy groaned. “I don’t want to face Kyle ever again.”

“You’ll be fine,” Kevin said, nodding his head and taking her hand. “Now, let me tuck you in.”

Christy gave him a funny look. “Did I hear you right?”

“Uh huh. I tucked you in that night you were sick, I’ll do it tonight too.”

“Oh, if you insist.”

She gazed up at Kevin as he smoothed the covers over her body. He saw the intense look she was giving him and paused.

“Make love to me, Kevin,” she breathed.

“Christy-”

“Shh,” she silenced him, placing a finger on his lips. “I want you to.”

Kevin closed his eyes, momentarily lost in his own fantasy of actually showing her how much he cared.

“We can’t,” he finally said. “You’re too emotional, it wouldn’t be right.”

She leaned forward and kissed him. Kevin felt his body taking over and he kissed her back. The moment was filled with fire and an unstoppable urge to make all the bad things going on outside that room go away, even if just for the night. But logic pushed through the fog in his brain and he forced himself to stop.

“Christy, we can’t.”

“Why not? I know what I want, and that’s you. I want to be with you.”

“I know, and the same goes for me. I’ve wanted you since I saw you at the reunion.” He shakily ran a hand through his hair. “But if we’re going to do this, it has to be under better circumstances. I don’t want you to regret a second of it.”

“I wouldn’t!” she exclaimed and then she quieted. “But, I guess you’re right. Tonight is not the night. You’ll still stay with me though, won’t you?”

“As long as my mother doesn’t come in and kick my butt, sure.”

Christy smiled. “Ann wouldn’t do that, would she?”

“’Mom never let me have girls up in my room,’” he quoted himself from an interview question.

“Ahh, but this isn’t your room, it’s Tim’s.”

“True. All right. To sleep then?”

“Good night.”

They kissed lightly and then snuggled together under the blankets. Within a few minutes, they were fast asleep.