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Authors: Nicola Claire
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sort of trouble?"
"It's a long story," I started.
"I've got time," Dom urged. I wasn't sure he did, something was going on in the background.
"When I met Kelly she was going through some stuff. It was character making stuff. It shattered her confidence and made her sink in on herself."
"Go on," he pushed, when I paused.
"She dealt with it the only way she knew how."
"And how was that, sweetheart?" Dom asked, but I got the impression he already knew.
"By acting a certain way," I admitted, the words almost inaudible.
"An attention grabbing way," he provided.
"Yes."
"And now? What we saw this morning, has you worried?"
"It's gotten worse. She's not even there anymore."
A sob did slip out then.
"Gen, sweetheart. Kelly's probably just having a bad day. We're all entitled to one now and then, even the irrepressible Kelly Quayle. I'm sure it's nowhere near as bad as you think. Hold on," he added, "Drew wants to say something to me."
I heard the phone shift in his hands and then nothing more, just static. When he finally came back on the line, I needed to pee again, the tension had gotten way too heavy.
"Look, we'll talk about this when I get home," he said, an instant brush-off if ever I heard one.
Something made me say it, I'm not sure why. Because I hadn't connected Drew with our conversation at all. He was Dom's friend, not Kelly's.
"What did Drew say?" I demanded.
"Nothing you need to worry about."
"Dominic." I used every ounce of my school teacher father's tone in that one word.
Dom sighed. I could imagine him rubbing his chin right now.
"Drew said Kelly broke up with one of her five last night. That's probably why she's acting a little strange."
How the hell did Drew know?
"How...?" I managed before he interrupted.
"I don't know. He won't tell me. Look, Gen. Give Kelly some space, when she's ready she'll tell you about it. Maybe she's just re-evaluating her life. Changing things around. Hell, if we're lucky, she's decided to grow up."
I didn't like it. Not one little bit. Kelly was hurting and I wanted to help. But she'd made every effort to exclude me, and Dominic was right. If she wanted me to know, she'd tell me when she was ready. And not a moment before.
"OK," I said, defeat a weary passenger in my tone.
"Sweetheart," Dom cajoled. "We're almost done here. I'll be home within the hour and then I'll turf the interlopers out and run you a bath. Bubbles?" he asked, I could hear the grin in his voice.
"Bubbles," I replied, miraculously smiling.
"Good girl," he whispered, then, "I love you."
"I love you too," I whispered back and the line went dead.
When I returned to the party things were in full swing.
Including the old and familiar Kelly Quayle.
I sat down on the armchair and watched the antics fly, realising it was me sitting in the shadow now, all on my own. I smiled when I needed to. I spoke when spoken to. I laughed when something funny happened.
But it wasn't until Dominic arrived and tossed all the guests out, that the sun shone and the darkness truly receded.
But who would shine on Kelly?
Who would bring her out of the dark?
Right now, it looked like it wasn't going to be me.
And that crushed me. Broke my heart and made me want to cry.
Chapter 6
I'd Gladly Go Back To Numb Right Now
Kelly
Monday was the absolute worst day of my life. Which is saying something, 'cause my life's not been a bed of roses lately.
The party had been a success yesterday. Well, most of it had. There'd been moments when I almost blew it. Thankfully, Kelly Quayle is nothing if not an actress. And I acted my little butt off.
Dom returning early seemed a bit strange. But, Gen was tired and I could hardly blame the daddy-to-be for his protectiveness. I packed up after the guests left and took myself home. To my empty house. With my empty chest and empty body.
Which only served to reinforce the changes I needed to make.
I phoned Dan, to organise a get-together, only to find out he had an unscheduled night
"It's a long story," I started.
"I've got time," Dom urged. I wasn't sure he did, something was going on in the background.
"When I met Kelly she was going through some stuff. It was character making stuff. It shattered her confidence and made her sink in on herself."
"Go on," he pushed, when I paused.
"She dealt with it the only way she knew how."
"And how was that, sweetheart?" Dom asked, but I got the impression he already knew.
"By acting a certain way," I admitted, the words almost inaudible.
"An attention grabbing way," he provided.
"Yes."
"And now? What we saw this morning, has you worried?"
"It's gotten worse. She's not even there anymore."
A sob did slip out then.
"Gen, sweetheart. Kelly's probably just having a bad day. We're all entitled to one now and then, even the irrepressible Kelly Quayle. I'm sure it's nowhere near as bad as you think. Hold on," he added, "Drew wants to say something to me."
I heard the phone shift in his hands and then nothing more, just static. When he finally came back on the line, I needed to pee again, the tension had gotten way too heavy.
"Look, we'll talk about this when I get home," he said, an instant brush-off if ever I heard one.
Something made me say it, I'm not sure why. Because I hadn't connected Drew with our conversation at all. He was Dom's friend, not Kelly's.
"What did Drew say?" I demanded.
"Nothing you need to worry about."
"Dominic." I used every ounce of my school teacher father's tone in that one word.
Dom sighed. I could imagine him rubbing his chin right now.
"Drew said Kelly broke up with one of her five last night. That's probably why she's acting a little strange."
How the hell did Drew know?
"How...?" I managed before he interrupted.
"I don't know. He won't tell me. Look, Gen. Give Kelly some space, when she's ready she'll tell you about it. Maybe she's just re-evaluating her life. Changing things around. Hell, if we're lucky, she's decided to grow up."
I didn't like it. Not one little bit. Kelly was hurting and I wanted to help. But she'd made every effort to exclude me, and Dominic was right. If she wanted me to know, she'd tell me when she was ready. And not a moment before.
"OK," I said, defeat a weary passenger in my tone.
"Sweetheart," Dom cajoled. "We're almost done here. I'll be home within the hour and then I'll turf the interlopers out and run you a bath. Bubbles?" he asked, I could hear the grin in his voice.
"Bubbles," I replied, miraculously smiling.
"Good girl," he whispered, then, "I love you."
"I love you too," I whispered back and the line went dead.
When I returned to the party things were in full swing.
Including the old and familiar Kelly Quayle.
I sat down on the armchair and watched the antics fly, realising it was me sitting in the shadow now, all on my own. I smiled when I needed to. I spoke when spoken to. I laughed when something funny happened.
But it wasn't until Dominic arrived and tossed all the guests out, that the sun shone and the darkness truly receded.
But who would shine on Kelly?
Who would bring her out of the dark?
Right now, it looked like it wasn't going to be me.
And that crushed me. Broke my heart and made me want to cry.
Chapter 6
I'd Gladly Go Back To Numb Right Now
Kelly
Monday was the absolute worst day of my life. Which is saying something, 'cause my life's not been a bed of roses lately.
The party had been a success yesterday. Well, most of it had. There'd been moments when I almost blew it. Thankfully, Kelly Quayle is nothing if not an actress. And I acted my little butt off.
Dom returning early seemed a bit strange. But, Gen was tired and I could hardly blame the daddy-to-be for his protectiveness. I packed up after the guests left and took myself home. To my empty house. With my empty chest and empty body.
Which only served to reinforce the changes I needed to make.
I phoned Dan, to organise a get-together, only to find out he had an unscheduled night
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