DOWN THE ROAD

“I’m going home for the day; I’ve cancelled my appointments for this afternoon.” Jeff told Lane.

“Everything ok Jeff?” she asked.

“Things are a little messed up right now; I’ll let you know later if I will be in tomorrow.” He said.

Becki and Kaye Leigh pulled into the driveway, got out of the truck and went up to the porch.

“Jack have you finished yet?” Kaye Leigh asked. Jon and Curtis were looking at her curiously.

“I haven’t started yet.” Jack replied.

“Kaye Leigh what happened?” Jon asked, he could tell that she had been crying.

“Why haven’t you started yet?” she asked Jack.

“Jeff said to wait until he gets here.” Jack told her.

“Who is paying you?” she yelled.

“Kaye Leigh sit down and tell me what happened.” Jon said pushing her down next to Curtis.

“Morgan is in town.” Becki said.

“You’re kidding right?” Curtis said.

“Apparently they couldn’t wait to see each other again.” Kaye Leigh said fighting tears again.

“There has to be an explanation Kaye Leigh.” Jon said hugging her.

“The only explanation Jon is Jeff’s having an affair, why can’t you guys see that?” she said exasperatedly.

“Kaye Leigh he didn’t even know that Morgan is here.” Becki said.

“Why can’t you guys believe that Jeff is capable of lying?” she asked.

“He loves you too much to cheat on you.” Jon said simply.

Jeff pulled into the driveway and seen everyone on the porch. Kaye Leigh got up and ran into the house.

“Kaye Leigh wait!” Jeff yelled when he got out of the truck. He started to go after her.

“Wait a minute Jeff.” Jon said. Jeff glared at him and said

“This is between me and my wife.”

“I know that it is, but just wait a minute. Have you seen Morgan?” Jon asked.

“No, I didn’t know she was here nor do I care that she is.” He said.

“Jeff why did you blame Kaye Leigh for this?” Becki asked.

“What?” Jon and Curtis said together.

“I didn’t mean to say it, I told her after she hit me and while she was yelling at me that none of this would have happened in the first place had she listened to me and not met with Morgan.” Jeff said running his hands through his hair. “I’ve felt this for a while, but I shouldn’t have said it.”

“Kaye Leigh really hit you?” Jon said shocked.

“Twice now and I have to say I really don’t like it much.” He said.

“I can’t imagine you do.” Jon said.

“She really can’t do much though.” Curtis said.

“You’d be surprised.” Jeff and Jon said together.

“I’m going to go talk with my wife now. Jack just leave a bill for your time, I’m really sorry about this.” Jeff said.

“Remember you can’t strangle her.” Jon said.

Jeff went into the house. “Kaye Leigh!” he yelled no answer came back. He went upstairs and tried their door, but it was locked. “Kaye Leigh open this door or I will break it down!” he yelled.

“Just leave me alone.” She yelled back.

“No, now open the door!” he yelled.

Kaye Leigh was sitting on the window seat; she did not want to talk to him now or ever.

“Kaye Leigh I am giving you until the count of three!” He said. She ignored him; she knew he would not break the door down. “One…” she just looked back out the window. “Two…” she did not move. “Three!” suddenly there was a loud crash and Kaye Leigh screamed.

Downstairs the others were waiting to see what was going to happen, when they heard the crash and scream Becki jumped up.

“What is he doing?” Becki said.

“Just relax.” Curtis said. Becki sat back down.

“What are you doing?” Kaye Leigh yelled.

“I gave you a choice!” he said.

“Get out of here now!” she told him.

“I’m not going anywhere Kaye Leigh so get use to it.” He said glaring at her. He had never been so angry with her.

“Jeff leave me alone, I don’t have anything else to say to you.” She said.

“Good then maybe you just might shut up and listen for once.” He replied. Kaye Leigh was shocked; they had never fought like this before. Tears were filling her eyes.

“Crying isn’t going to help.” He said.

“Don’t worry I’m leaving so you will never have to see me cry again.” She told him. Kaye Leigh started to leave, but Jeff grabbed her arm.

“You’re not leaving Kaye Leigh.” He said.

“Get your hands off of me.” She said.

Becki stood up again.

“Stay out of it Becki.” Jon said again.

“She needs help.” Becki said.

“Kaye Leigh can take care of herself, and as angry as Jeff is you know he would never hurt her.” Curtis said.

“We need to help her.” Becki said running upstairs before the others could stop her.

“Jeff let go of her!” Becki yelled.

“Stay out of it Becki or you can get out of my house.” Jeff said without taking his eyes off Kaye Leigh.

“This is my house too and she doesn’t have to leave.” Kaye Leigh said angrily.

“If I say she’s leaving then she will leave, now get out of this room.” He said.

“Go Becki I will be down in a minute.” She said.

“You’re not leaving Kaye Leigh.” Jeff said again.

Becki went downstairs, she was so mad she was crying.

“Go up there and get her away from him.” She demanded of Jon and Curtis.

“Becki this is between the two of them, and we need to stay out of it.” Curtis said.

“He’s got a hold of her and won’t let her go, Jon go get her.” Becki said.

“No Becki we’re not interfering.” Jon said.

“You two are just cowards, you’re afraid of Jeff! You’re pathetic!” she yelled.

“What?” they said together laughing.

“You heard me!” she said glaring at them. Curtis got up to go hug her.

“Becki…” he started.

“Stay away from me!” she said pushing him away and running out of the house toward the stable.

“You might want to go work on patching things up with her while Jeff is still working on Kaye Leigh.” Jon said.

“I think I will let her calm down a little first then maybe she will realize that we are right.” Curtis said. Jon laughed.

“Kaye Leigh I will let you go if you promise not to leave this house.” Jeff said.

“You can’t keep me here!” Kaye Leigh yelled. She was trying to pull her arm away from him and his grip tightened.

“Stop it! Fine you want to leave Kaye Leigh then get out and don’t bother coming back ever!” he yelled pushing her away from him.

“This is my house.” She said.

“This is our house until the divorce is final and you can fight me for it in court. While we’re at it.” Jeff said walking over to her, taking her hand and removing her wedding and engagement rings, then took his own off and threw them across the room. “We don’t need these for our joke of a marriage; now get out of my sight.” He finished. He did not look at her again, but went into the bathroom and shut the door. Kaye Leigh grabbed some of her clothes and flew out of the room.

“Are you ok Kaye Leigh?” Curtis and Jon asked as she came down the stairs. She did not stop to answer them, but ran straight to the stable. Becki was in there crying and saddling her horse.

“Are you ok?” Becki asked when she saw her.

“Yes, let’s get out of her.” Kaye Leigh said quickly saddling Skye.

“I’ll grab some supplies from the bunkhouse, a gun from Curtis’s and you grab some clothes off the line.” She told Becki.

When they had everything, they left the stable behind at a full run. They rode for half an hour at a full run, before slowing down to a trot. They had ridden for over an hour when they decided to set up camp. They tied the horses up, set up the camp, built a pit for the fire, sat down, and cried together. Kaye Leigh told Becki everything that happened between her and Jeff, and Becki told her what she told Jon and Curtis. Kaye Leigh laughed.

“You really said they were afraid of Jeff?” she asked. Becki nodded then they both started laughing.

Jeff had come down when he had calmed down a little. He went out onto the porch where Jon and Curtis were.

“What happened? Kaye Leigh and Becki took off out of here, I think their in the stable.” Jon said. Jeff walked around to see if Kaye Leigh’s truck was still there, then he went back and sat down with the guys.

He looked a Jon, shook his head and said “I broke the door down when she refused to open it, threatened to kick Becki out when she came up, told Kaye Leigh that I was going to fight her in court for the ranch, took our wedding rings threw them somewhere in our room, and told her we have a joke of a marriage, then I told her to leave, don’t ever come back and to get out of my sight.”

“Really?” Curtis said. He and Jon sat there and listened with their mouths dropping with every thing Jeff told them.

“I’ve told her the truth and I’m done, she can pout all she wants, I’m not explaining anything more.” He said angrily. “When the truth comes out I may or may not be here for her. You two can believe me or not, I’ve got some work to do.” He got up, went into the house, grabbed his keys, went to his truck and left. Jon and Curtis just watch him leave.

“I never expected this.” Curtis said stunned.

“Neither did I.” Jon said.

“You’re here!” Morgan said excitedly.

“I told you I would be back and I’ve got something for you, Kaye Leigh’s wedding and engagement rings there yours.” He said handing them to her.

“Great now we can prove it to her.” Morgan said kissing him. “Are you staying tonight?”

“I can’t there is too much going on at the house and it would look really suspicious if I am gone too long.” He said.

“You know I love you right?” she asked him.

“Yes I know.” He said laughing.

“I still can’t believe you told Jon and Curtis that they’re afraid of Jeff.” Kaye Leigh said laughing again. Becki laughed.

“I wasn’t really thinking straight.” Becki said.

“I got that.” She replied.

“I wanted to make sure that Jeff didn’t hurt you.” Becki said

“The only thing Jeff hurt was my feelings, pride, and my arm.” She said. Kaye Leigh looked at her arm; there were bruises where Jeff had held her arm. “I can use these to get the restraining order.” She said.

“Jeff didn’t mean to hurt you Kaye Leigh.” Becki said.

“You don’t think he means anything.” Kaye Leigh said laughing.

“I believe he loves you and he didn’t have an affair.” Becki told her. She just shook her head.

“I don’t believe either.” She said.

“What, you don’t think Jeff loves you?” Becki asked shocked.

“No I don’t.” she replied.

Jeff came back a couple of hours later and joined Curtis and Jeff who were still on the porch.

“Josh called and said that they were staying with David’s family at the lake. He said he left a message for Kaye Leigh on her phone.” Jon told him.

“The girls haven’t come back and their horses are gone, we’re not sure they will come back.” Curtis said.

“I don’t care if she ever comes back.” Jeff replied.

Jon looked at him.

“You don’t mean that.” Jon said.

“Where did you go?” Curtis asked before Jeff could respond to Jon.

“Out.” He said.

“Care to be more specific?” Jon said.

“Nope.” He replied.

“Talkative aren’t you?” Jon said. Jeff looked at him. “I’m just kidding.” Jon said laughing.

“Good night Becki.” Kaye Leigh said from her side of the fire.

“Night Kaye Leigh and don’t worry things will work out.” Becki said. Kaye Leigh rolled over on her side and cried, she cried for what seemed like hours, long after Becki fell asleep. Her head hurt so much she thought it was going to explode; finally, she fell into a restless sleep.