by Rachel Hanna
But he wasn't her hero. He was her ex too. And now he was her temporary landlord. He couldn't let this go any further which was why he sat straight up when she landed on him on that wet kitchen floor. All he'd wanted to do at the time was scoop her into his arms and kiss her passionately to make up for all those years apart. He wondered how so many years could have passed yet it seemed like just an instant when he looked at her.
"All dry," she said softly as she reappeared in the kitchen where Kyle was working to fix the leak.
"Good," he said as he sat up and pulled his shirt over his head. "Mind running this through the dryer for me?"
He swore that he heard her breath hitch before she smiled and took the shirt from his hand. "S...Sure," she stammered. He didn't know why it made him happy to think that he was making her uncomfortable. Was it some kind of revenge? Was he hoping that she'd be sorry for leaving him all those years ago, looking like a fool at the end of his own driveway?
"So, how's the apartment hunting going?" he asked when she returned to the kitchen and sat down across the room at the breakfast table.
"Not very good. Every place I call on is either full for the season or too expensive. A couple were in horrible parts of town, and with Kaitlyn I just can't chance that."
"You've tried looking in Carter's Creek and Millhaven?" he asked, referring to two of the largest apartment complexes in the whole area. He knew they'd be the most likely places to find an apartment even in the busy season.
"Yes. Neither has an opening until at least late August."
"Yikes. That's almost four months from now..." Kyle said.
"Don't worry. I'll keep trying. I know you can't let us stay here forever," she said softly.
Kyle sat up and looked at her. "No, I can't. I have to pay some pretty hefty payments on this place because I used a short term private loan. I need to flip it sooner rather than later. If I'd have known it was you and your daughter..."
"I understand, Kyle. It's not your fault. In fact, all of this is my fault."
He looked at her for a moment before the tension in the air was too much for him at which point he laid back down and continued fixing the plumbing leak.
"I'll go check on your shirt," she said quietly as she left the room. Kyle's phone rang on the table, so he stood to answer it.
"Hello?"
"Kyle. Thank God I found you!" Aaron said, his tone frightened and breathless.
"Aaron, what's wrong?" Kyle asked as Jenna returned to the kitchen holding his shirt.
"It's Mom. She collapsed at the office. They've transported her by ambulance to Cove Medical Center."
"I'm on my way. Call Jackson so he can start heading in from Atlanta too."
"Already done. Hurry," Aaron said before hanging up.
"It's my mother. I have to go," he said taking the shirt from her and shoving his phone back in his pocket.
"Can I go? Please?" Kyle looked at her for a moment, but there was no time to argue. "You know how I love your mother, Kyle."
He knew that was true. Adele and Jenna had been very close, and it had broken Adele's heart when Jenna left almost as much as it had broken Kyle's.
"Come on. I don't have time to argue," he said, secretly thankful that he wouldn't have to go through this alone.
***
Kyle and Jenna ran to his Jeep and drove in silence for the first few miles. Cove Medical Center was only about fifteen miles away, but it seemed like hours. The thought of Adele collapsing was overwhelming for Jenna. It'd been so many years since they'd seen each other, and Adele had been like a mother to her. A non-critical mother. She prayed over and over in her head that Adele would be okay. Please, God, please.
"She's going to be okay, Kyle," Jenna said reaching over and putting her hand on top of his. He didn't move immediately, but eventually reached up for the steering wheel.
"I know she is. She has to be. She's a fighter."
"That she is."
As they pulled into the parking lot, Jenna's stomach churned. She had to be okay.
They ran into the emergency room and were met by Kyle's younger brothers Aaron and Brad.
"Kyle. Thank God you made it here," Aaron said.
"Where is she?"
"They're still examining her. No word yet," Brad said. "Jenna?" he said with a confused look on his face. "When did you two get back together?"
"We're not together," Kyle said without a millisecond passing by. It was obvious to Jenna that he didn't want anyone to think they were back together. "It's a long story. I just ran into her recently."
"Oh," Brad said, his face looking unsure of the story. "Hi, Jenna."
"Hi, guys. It's so nice to see you both. I sure wish the circumstances were better, though." She stared at the ground not knowing what to say. The last she wanted was to be the center of attention at a time like this.
"Are you Adele Parker's kids?" a nurse asked.
"Yes, we all are," Kyle said quickly. Jenna wasn't sure if he was trying to include her or was just so caught up in the moment that he forgot to exclude her. Either way, she was happy that she would be able to go back to the room with the men.
"You can come see her now, but please be sure to be quiet."
The nurse led them back to a room on the left. Adele was asleep, and she was hooked up to an EKG machine and what appeared to be fluids. The doctor walked in behind them and immediately ushered them into the hallway.
"I'm Dr. Clayton," he said shaking each of their hands. "Your mother is resting now."
"What happened?" Aaron asked.
"Well, a couple of things. It appears that she's had a stomach flu for a couple of days..."
"She has? She didn't tell me," Brad piped up.
"Me either," Aaron said as Kyle also shook his head.
"Well, her secretary said she worked right through it, according to the paramedics. Anyway, she was very dehydrated when she came in so we're giving her IV fluids."
"Thank God," Kyle said.
"But there's more," the doctor said in a whisper.
"More?" Aaron asked.
"Yes. Your mother's blood pressure was quite high when she got here, especially for someone who is dehydrated. We did a few tests, and it appears that she might have suffered a mild stroke very recently."
"A stroke?" Brad said putting his hand over his mouth.
"Yes, sir. Thankfully, it was mild this time, but these kinds of things often lead to bigger and more serious issues if not treated properly. I'm going to recommend that she see a neurologist once she is feeling better, and maybe a cardiologist. It's likely that she'll need blood pressure medication as well as making some lifestyle changes to avoid a more serious stroke in the future."
Jenna eyed Kyle carefully, and she could tell he was feeling guilty about something. Amazing how someone's facial expressions can be so apparent to the person who loved them once.
"How long will she be here?" Kyle asked.
"Hopefully just a few hours until we get her hydrated again. Someone needs to tell your mother that she's not a spring chicken anymore. When she's sick, she needs to rest. This could have been much worse," the doctor said before walking off to answer a nurse's question.
The four of them quietly walked into Adele's room, and Kyle took his mother's hand. Her eyelids fluttered before she finally opened them and looked around the room.
"Is this a party?" she asked with a weak smile.
"If it is, it's a terrible one," Kyle said with a chuckle.
"I have a headache," she said softly.
"I imagine so. You fell and bumped your head on the floor, Mama," Brad said coming around and taking her other hand. "And you scared us all to death."
"Sorry, my loves," she said before realizing Jenna was standing behind Kyle. "Oh, my goodness, is that you, Jenna?" she asked with a big smile.
"Yes, ma'm. It's me," she said taking a step forward.
"You're a sight for sore eyes! What are you doing here, sweetie?"
"Lo
ng story. I ran into Kyle recently. He just happened to be fixing a leak at my house when Aaron called him..." she tried to explain.
"You're a plumber now?" Brad asked with a quirk of a smile. Kyle rolled his eyes at his younger brother.
"Well, whatever the reason, I'm so glad you're here now," she said with a tired smile.
"Mama, why don't you get some sleep?" Aaron suggested as he made eye contact with his siblings.
"Yes, I am quite tired," she said barely holding her eyes open.
The four of them left the room. Brad called Jackson to update him as he made his way from Atlanta while Aaron walked off to call their only sister, Addison, who was on vacation with her husband in France.
"Want some coffee?" Kyle asked Jenna who nodded. They made their way to a small snack room off the emergency room hallway. Kyle took his coffee black, as usual, while Jenna loaded hers with cream and sugar. He'd always said her coffee tasted like syrup.
"I'm glad Adele is going to be okay."
"I'm not sure she is," Kyle said sitting down with a sigh.
"What do you mean? The doctor said..."
"I know what the doctor said, but I know my mother better than most anyone. I've never seen her look so fragile, so..."
"Human?" Jenna asked with a knowing smile on her face. Kyle looked down at his shoes. "Kyle, she's getting older. We all are. It happens."
"You know, I never got the chance to ask you where your parents are these days," he said.
"My mother passed away three years ago. Cancer," she said.
"I'm sorry."
"It was tough. She was only sick for a few months, but they just caught it too late. The chemo did nothing but make her sick."
"Cancer sucks," Kyle said shaking his head.
"Yeah, it sucks," Jenna said. "My father is still alive, but he developed early onset Alzheimer's around the time that Mom got ill. He couldn't care for her really, so we had to put him into a nursing home. He doesn't know me at all now, and he wasn't able to attend my mother's funeral."
"My God, Jenna. I'm so sorry. You've had the weight of the world on your shoulders these last few years," Kyle said with his eyes wide. For the first time, she felt like the old Kyle was in her presence.
"Yes, it's been tough. And then to lose my marriage and devastate my daughter and lose my home... Enough's enough. I'm looking forward to something good for a change."
Kyle nodded but she knew in the end that she was alone. All she had was her daughter, and that would have to be enough no matter how she longed for what she'd had with Kyle Parker all those years ago.
***
"How is your mother?" Jenna asked when Kyle arrived at her door the next morning. They'd stayed at the hospital for a few hours, but the doctor assured them there was nothing else they could do so Kyle had taken Jenna home.
"She's much better, thanks. We were able to take her home late last night, and she was feisty as ever, so I think she's on the mend. Listen, thanks for being there with me yesterday," he said.
"You're welcome," Jenna said. "Come in."
"Where's Kaitlyn?"
"School."
"Right. I forgot it was Friday," he said.
"Being at the hospital always messes up your week," she said. "Can I get you a cup of coffee?"
"No thanks. I just came by to check in on your progress with the moving," he said. He hated to push her, but the interest payments would kill him if he didn't get the house sold sooner rather than later.
"No luck yet. I don't know what we're going to do really. I did find out there is a shelter over in Crossville..."
"A homeless shelter?" he asked with his mouth gaping open.
"Yes..."
"Absolutely not!" Kyle snapped.
"Kyle, I have limited options here..."
"Not that limited."
"Yes. They are that limited. I'm not like you. I don't have a big extended family that will take us in. We don't have anyone."
Kyle stared at her for a moment, his steely eyes cutting right through her.
"You have me," he whispered.
"Do I?" she whispered back. "Because the last time I checked, I was your least favorite person on Earth."
"Jenna..." he started but was interrupted by her phone ringing.
"Hello?" she said as she took if off the coffee table. "But, I don't understand. Why? You can't do this to me... I have a daughter to support..."
Kyle wondered who she was talking to, but he could definitely see that the conversation was not going well. Jenna's eyes were quickly filling with tears. She hung up and dropped her phone on the floor with her mouth hanging open. Sobs started to overtake her body, and Kyle helped her to the sofa.
"What's wrong?"
"I just got fired."
"What? Why?"
"She didn't really say, but I've been hearing rumors that they didn't like it when my home foreclosed. I guess the think I can't be trusted with money or something," she said trying to take breaths in between her sobs.
"I'm sorry, Jenna," he said sitting down beside her.
"God, why is this happening to me?" she screamed as she stood up and turned her back to him. "Why? I don't understand! First, I lose my mother, my father forgets me, my husband leaves me, I lose my house... Why? What is this for? Am I being punished?" she sobbed.
"Of course not, Jenna. You've just had some bad luck..."
"It is not bad luck!" she yelled turning around. "It's you!"
"Me? What did I do?" he asked standing up.
"No, it's what I did to you. I'm being punished for leaving a good man behind without thinking. God is punishing me for hurting you..." she said crying as she hung her head. "God, Kyle, you have to know I've regretted it every single day since I drove out of sight. I deserve all of this..."
"No, Jenna. You don't deserve any of this," he said softly as he walked forward and pulled her into his arms. Her face was pressed into his chest, which was wet from her tears within seconds. He could smell the strawberry scent emanating from her hair.
"Do you really hate me?"
"I never said I hated you."
"You said I was your least favorite person..."
"Jeez, what are you, a tape recorder? Stop repeating that. I was angry at the time," he said. He continued holding her close to his chest. "The truth is, you were and will always be my favorite person on Earth, and that scares the crap out of me." The words had fallen out of his mouth before he could stop them.
Jenna's breath caught and she pulled back to look up at him. Kyle's eyes diverted to the side of the room. Making eye contact with Jenna was dangerous territory for him.
"I am?" she whispered, and he couldn't avoid looking into her deep green eyes.
"You are," he said softly. Jenna started to lean in to kiss him, but he let go and backed away.
"No, Jenna. We can't do this."
"I don't understand..." she said.
"It took me years to get over you. Truth is, I never did fully get over you. I just learned to live without you. I can't ever do that again. It almost killed me. And as much as I would love to kiss you right now, I have to protect myself. It can't happen. I'm sorry."
"But, Kyle..."
"No. I'm sorry. I really am. But you're just an emotional wreck right now, Jenna. This isn't about loving me, as much as you might believe it is. Because if you'd really loved me, you would have stayed with me that day all those years ago. You loved Nick, and I am not in the business of being a replacement for another man," Kyle said.
"You don't understand, Kyle," she started.
"Jenna, I'm not trying to hurt you, but that part of my life is over. We can be friends, but nothing more. Ever. You understand?" She went silent, staring at him for a moment before she sat down.
"I understand," she whispered.
"Good. Now, let's figure out what to do next," he said.
