DOWN THE ROAD

Kaye Leigh finally calmed down, but she would not let anyone touch her.

“Kaye Leigh please let me hold you.” Jeff said quietly to her. She shook her head, she could not stand herself, and she hated seeing the love and understanding in Jeff’s eyes.

Kaye Leigh told them everything that had happened.

“I’m going to go see Tim later.” She told them.

“Why?” Jon asked.

“He saved my life, even though he didn’t have to. He called the police this morning and without that, I would still be with them. He never physically hurt me; I think he was used by Morgan.” She replied.

“I don’t think you should Kaye Leigh.” Jeff said.

“I’m going to, I need to.” She said. She started crying again.

“Excuse me but I need to examine Kaye Leigh, so I will need you to step out of the room for a little while please.” A doctor said. Jon and Jeff went into the hallway.

“She’s pushing me away.” Jeff said hanging his head.

“So push back, she‘s mad at herself right now.” Jon said.

“I would love to get a hold of whoever did that to her face.” Jeff said angrily.

“I would like to know the whole story.” Jon said.

The doctor came out of the room.

“How is she?” Jeff asked.

“She has a concussion, two broken ribs, and a whole lot of bruises. Whoever beat her up did a good job. She’s dehydrated, but other than that I think it’s more emotional that physical.” The doctor said.

A nurse brought in a wheel chair for Kaye Leigh.

“You can go see Tim now.” She said.

“Thank you.” Kaye Leigh said getting up. Jeff helped her into the wheelchair and made sure her IV was not tangled up. The nurse took them down to Tim’s room. Jeff and Jon followed them into the room. Tim was awake and looked frightened when he seen Jeff and Jon.

“It’s ok Tim; they aren’t going to do anything.” Kaye Leigh told him. He tried to relax.

“I wouldn’t blame them if they did.” He said.

“How are you feeling?” she asked.

“Ok, it’s a good thing Morgan isn’t a good shot.” He said.

“It’s a good thing you pushed me out of the way, but I’m sorry you got shot.” She said.

“It’s no more than I deserve Kaye Leigh.” He said his eyes tearing up.

“You didn’t deserve to get shot Tim.” She said. “Would you tell us everything from the beginning please?” he nodded.

“I worked in Colorado before I came here, that’s where I met Morgan. We got involved quickly and I thought I loved her. She filled a hole in my life, until I met you anyway.” He started with a little laugh. Jeff shifted in his seat. “Morgan told me this plan she had to get back at her soon to be ex-husbands ex-wife for destroying her life. She said that you had been stringing Sam along for years; you would meet with him every so often just to keep your claws in him. She asked if I would be willing to get a job at Silver Creek, she paid me ten-thousand dollars.

I believed everything she told me, I had no reason not to. When I was hired, I called and told her. She said she wanted me to get something that would connect her and Jeff, so I took Jeff’s office keys and was able to get in and take his credit card; I called the company and requested a second card then replaced the other one before it was missed. Once I got that Morgan said she was sending you a letter to try to get you to meet with her.

When she came down we put the motel on Jeff’s credit cared and she spent a little over two weeks here. The first night she was here she kept going on about how much she hated you and how much you had that you did not deserve. She said she was really looking forward to getting together with Jeff, she figured that it would be easy once you were out of the picture.” He continued. Jeff laughed. “Sorry.” Jeff said.

Tim smiled. “I would time going to see her when Jeff would be gone for long periods of time. I also had keys made to your house; I had told Kaye Leigh before that I would watch her sleep.” He said looking up at Jeff. “I heard you telling Becki about the rings so while everyone was out on the porch I went in and took them. Morgan wanted something else to prove that Jeff had been to see her. I told her about the baby and she said she wanted to kill it because you did not deserve it. When she hit you that first time I wondered what I had gotten you into, it was not my intention for you to be hurt like you were.

Sam and I said that no one was going to hurt your baby, he said that he would put it up for adoption once it was born, but he was going to have Kaye Leigh write a letter telling you she lost it or killed it. I was seriously worried about you Kaye Leigh. You kept pushing her and she hates you so much I thought for sure you were going to push her over the edge.” He finished shaking his head.

“What about the pictures? How did you get Sam to the restaurant?” Jeff asked.

“Cameras were hidden in your bedroom and bathroom, I was able to take pictures from there and give them to Morgan. She then put them together with pictures of herself. She wrote a letter to Sam pretending it was from you I believe.” He replied.

“What about the house?” Jon asked.

“I didn’t know anything about that, I heard Sam pull in, and he had Morgan and a couple other people with him. He wanted everything that would remind Kaye Leigh of you to be destroyed.” He said.

“He needs to rest now.” The nurse said when she came back.

“I’ll talk to you later Tim.” Kaye Leigh said. He smiled at her.

“Thank you Kaye Leigh.” He said. Jeff wheeled her back to her room and helped her back into bed.

“Dinner is here.” Jon said when a person came in with trays.

“Thanks.” Kaye Leigh said. She brought trays for Jon and Jeff also.

“You need to eat something.” Jeff said gently. She nodded.

“Come on sis eat something.” Jon said when she still did not touch her plate.

“Try to eat please.” Jeff tried to coax her.

“I’m not hungry.” She said pushing the tray away and lying down. Jeff sighed.

“Let’s go get some coffee.” Jon said. They left the room.

“I’m going to give you two some time alone for an hour or so.” Jon said when they got back to the room.

“Get her to stop hating herself.” Jon said. Jeff laughed.

“How, she won’t let me near her.” He said. Jon smiled and walked away; Jeff stood there for a minute and prayed he could reach her somehow.

“I brought you some tea.” He said setting it down next to her.

“Thanks.” She replied. He sat down in the chair beside the bed. Kaye Leigh rolled onto her side away from him. He got up, went to the other side, and took her hand.

“Please don’t shut me out Kaye Leigh.” He said. “I love you so much.” Tears were falling onto her pillow, he gently wiped them away, and she sat up again.

“Are you sore?” he said looking at her face.

“My side hurts, my lip hurts a little.” She replied. She smiled a little but it made her lip hurt more. He leaned over and kissed her gently, Kaye Leigh hung her head.

Jon came back about an hour later, and he noticed that his sister was still withdrawn from Jeff and would not look at him.

“So sis tell me what happened to your face.” Jon said. Kaye Leigh started laughing.

“Morgan hit me a few times.” She told them. Jeff and Jon were looking at her because she was laughing so hard.

“Why is that funny?” Jon said.

“I got her really angry; she asked me what made me better than her. I thought she was really asking so I answered her.” Kaye Leigh said. Jon groaned.

“You didn’t.” he said.

“I did, I told her it was because I wasn’t trailer trash, and then when she hit me again I laughed harder.” She finished.

“No wonder Tim was worried about you pushing her over the edge.” Jon said seriously.

“I was angry and beyond caring what happened to me.” She told them. Jeff and Jon looked at her.

“What are you talking about?” Jon asked.

“I didn’t care if they let me live or killed me.” She said simply.

“You don’t mean that Kaye Leigh.” Jeff said.

“Yes I do Jeff.” She said.

It was after ten when Jon said, “I think you need to get some sleep Kaye Leigh.” A nurse had just checked her vitals.

“We have a room you can use tonight.” She told Jon. “I’ll show it to you.”

“Thanks, I think these two can use some time alone.” Jon said. “You can stay if you want to Jon.” Kaye Leigh said quickly. She did not want to be alone with Jeff.

Jon gave her a hug and whispered “Don’t worry Kaye Leigh; Jeff loves you more than life. I love you too sis.”

“I love you too Jon.” She said wiping tears away again.

“Curtis is going to pick us up tomorrow if you get out of here.” Jon said as he left.

Jeff shut the door and turned off the overhead lights.

“Can I lay with you Kaye Leigh please?” he asked. When she did not say anything, he took his shoes off and climbed carefully into the bed next to her, lying down on his side he wrapped his arms around her and placed his hands over her slightly rounding stomach. He could feel her shaking as she cried. “I love you so much Kaye Leigh.” He said. “Never forget that.”

“I love you too Jeff I always will.” She said. He thought se sounded like she was saying goodbye.