Her Only Son (3 page)

When she got to her car, she had to take a moment to calm down before calling Sheila. She knew she had another emotional conversation to make it through and she had to remain strong. When she had her emotions under control, and thought she’d be able to find her voice again, she called Sheila. She answered on the first ring.

“I was just getting ready to call you! How’s Brianna doing?

“She’s holding strong and seems to be doing well. I’m leaving the hospital now, want to meet for lunch?”

“Absolutely! Where do you want to go?”

“I honestly don’t care. You choose.”

“Okay, how about that Italian restaurant down the street from work?”

“Sounds great. I can be there in fifteen minutes. That work for you?”

“It does. I’ll see you in a few.” Sheila paused. “Are you all right? You seem off.”

“Not really. I’ll talk to you about it at lunch, okay.”

Sheila was quiet for a moment. “Okay. I’m on my way.”

Kinsey sat for a moment and took a deep breath. She contemplated how much she should tell Sheila. Should she let her in on everything that’s happened? Maybe someone should know in case something bad happened to her, but if she told her, would she be putting Sheila at risk?

She decided the less Sheila knew the better. She really needed someone to talk to about this, but didn’t see any options at this point. She would be leaving Monday morning, for who knows what kind of experience, in a remote area of Nevada. The thought of being forced to have a child, and then simply walk away, was almost too much for her to comprehend. She shook her head as the tears threatened once again.
Pull it together, Kinsey. You have to stay strong.

By the time she arrived at the restaurant, she had herself under control. She wasn’t looking forward to going through this all over again with Sheila, but she couldn’t leave without talking to her.

Sheila was already waiting for her inside the restaurant. She walked up and gave her a hug. Sheila pushed her back and held her out at arms length.

“So, Brianna is still holding strong?”

“She is doing well under the circumstances. She’s holding her own and the doctors say her outlook is favorable.”

“That’s good.” She let go of Kinsey’s arms. “They have a table ready for us, I was just waiting for you.”

After they were seated at their table, Sheila started looking over the menu. “So, what did you want to talk about?”

Here we go
. “Well, I’ve recently made a decision that will probably come as a shock to you. I know it did to my parents, but I feel you need to know what’s going on before I leave.”

Sheila put down her menu. “Before you leave? Where are you going?”

Kinsey ran through the details in the same manner she did with her parents. Sheila simply sat across from her with a dazed expression.

“You’re serious about this?”

“Yes, I am. I’ve been giving it a lot of consideration over the past month and I think I should take advantage of this opportunity.”

“Why didn’t you say anything about it before?”

“I’m sorry. I wasn’t sure I was going to seriously consider it, but my deadline to leave is Monday and the closer it got, the more I felt I should at least go check it out.”

“Wow, Kinsey. I don’t know what to say. This is so unlike you. If you were thinking about something this important, you would definitely say something to someone.”

Kinsey felt the tears welling up again and tried to hold them back. She shook her head as they rolled down her cheeks. “Everyone is so upset with me.”

Sheila rushed out of her side of the booth, pushed in beside Kinsey, and wrapped her arms around her. “Oh, my god, Kinsey. What in the world is going on?”

“If I share something with you, you have to promise not to say a word to anyone, especially my parents.”

“Of course, you have my word.”

“I shouldn’t be telling you this. I just don’t know what to do.” Kinsey paused and took a deep breath. Sheila wiped the tears off her cheeks.

“Just tell me. Tell me everything.”

The waitress walked up and asked if they were ready to order, but Sheila asked if they could have a few more minutes. The waitress looked at Kinsey, nodded, and walked away. Sheila turned so she was fully facing Kinsey.

“Okay, out with it!”

Kinsey told her everything. From the day stalker guy followed her home to the present moment. Sheila sat with her mouth open, unsure how to respond.

“Go to the police! Tell them everything you just told me. Tell them about Brianna’s accident.”

“There’s nothing they can do. I don’t know exactly who these people are, but I’m telling you, Sheila, you don’t want to cross them. I have to do what they want or my parents could be next. Hell, you could be next!”

“Wow, Kinsey. This is some jacked up shit!”

“Tell me about it.” She paused and tried to get herself together again. “You have to keep your promise, Sheila. You cannot tell my parents what I’ve told you. They don’t know any of the details I’ve shared with you.”

“No, I can understand why you didn’t tell them. I’m sure it’s better this way.”

“Trust me, it is. I’ll just go do what they want, come back, and try to live my life from where I left off.”

Sheila moved back to her side of the booth. “Well, I guess you can try to focus on the money you’ll be getting. Do you know how much it is?”

“I have no idea and I really don’t care at this point. I just want this nightmare to end.”

The waitress returned and took their order. After she left, Sheila leaned against the back of the booth.

“So your job will still be here when you return?”

“That’s what I was told.”

Sheila took a deep breath and blew it out. “Okay. I guess we just have to move forward and let this play out.”

“I don’t have much of a choice, not unless I want to take the chance of someone else getting hurt.”

Sheila shook her head and took a sip of her drink. “Yep, jacked up shit!”

They finished lunch and walked to the parking lot. Sheila gave her a hug and asked if she’d get to see her again before she had to leave Monday.

“I only have one more day and I’ll be spending most of it at the hospital if you want to come by there.”

“You got it. You’re getting picked up by stalker guy at 10am on Monday?”

“Apparently.”

“Okay, then I’ll also be at your house that morning to stay with you before you leave.” She paused. “Actually, I have a better idea. Why don’t I stay at your house Sunday night so you don’t have to be alone?”

“That sounds like a wonderful idea, but you have to be to work Monday morning. I have no idea what they’re doing with my job. You need to be there to see what’s going on.”

“So I’ll go to work from your house, no big!”

“That sounds good. It’ll be nice to have some company Sunday night.”

“What about tonight? Are you going to be okay? Want me to come over tonight, too?”

“No, it’s all right. I think I’m just going to go home, soak in my tub, and try to process everything.”

“Okay, I’ll see you tomorrow at the hospital and then we’ll have one hell of a girls night.”

Kinsey smiled weakly. “Sounds good.” She started to walk to her car and paused, then turned back and said, “Thank you, Sheila, for everything.”

“Are you kidding me right now?” Sheila pointed a finger at her. “No thanks are necessary, girl. You’re going to get through this, we all are!”

Kinsey smiled at her friend, hoping she was right.

The next morning Kinsey was at the hospital bright and early. This was the last time she’d see her family for at least ten months. Her parents were still upset with her over her decision and it created a lot of tension. Her dad was especially agitated.

“We’re still trying to make sense of your sudden decision, Kinsey. We wish you would have talked to us about this a long time ago.”

“Dad, we’ve been through this. I know you’re upset, but this isn’t how I want to spend my last day before I leave. I need you to trust me on this.”

“Curtis, we talked about this last night. Kinsey has made up her mind and there’s nothing we can do.”

Curtis stood and walked to the window again. He spoke with his back to them. “You were just as upset last night.”

“Yes, I was and I still am, but we have to let this go. There’s nothing we can do.”

“Do you think you guys could talk
to
me instead of
about
me. I’m standing right here.”

Her dad turned around. “All right. We’re upset about your decision, but we also know there’s nothing we can do. You don’t have our blessing on this, Kinsey.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.” Kinsey walked over and put her hand on her sister’s arm. It only took a moment for her resolve to return. She turned back to her parents. “I’m not going to fight with either of you. I’ve made my decision and I’m leaving in the morning. You can accept my decision or we can spend today skirting around the tension in the room, which I truly don’t think Brianna needs.”

Her mom sighed again. “You’re right.”

Kinsey threw her mom a firm look. “Yes, I am.”
You have no idea
. “I don’t know about you two, but I’m starving. Can we go get some breakfast in the cafeteria?”

Her dad walked back to his chair beside Brianna and sat down. “You two go. I’ll stay here.”

Kinsey took a deep breath and turned to leave. “I’m going to get something to eat, Mom. Come with me if you’d like, but I’m not going to beg.”

Donna shot her husband a steely look. “I’ll come with you, Kinsey.”

On their way to the elevator, they ran into Sheila. “Hey, where are you off to?”

Kinsey felt a wave of relief wash over her. Seeing Sheila was like a breath of fresh air. “We’re going down to the cafeteria for something to eat. Want to join us?”

“Sounds great, I’d love to.” She hooked her arm through Kinsey’s as they walked. While they were waiting for the elevator, she looked over at Donna. “So, how are you holding up?”

Donna attempted a smile. “There’s a lot going on right now, but I think I’m hanging in there.”

Sheila reached over and touched her arm. She couldn’t think of anything to say and was relieved when the elevator door opened.

The cafeteria food was not settling on Kinsey’s stomach, so she slowly pushed the food around on her plate. Donna was doing the same. You could cut the tension with a knife. Sheila looked back and forth at them, wondering what she could do to ease the pain she knew both were feeling. She could see both sides. Curtis and Donna didn’t have the whole story, and she understood why Kinsey wasn’t filling them in. She couldn’t stand the silence anymore, and when Kinsey excused herself to go to the restroom, she decided to say something to Donna.

“Look, I know this situation is touchy, but this has to stop. You have to trust Kinsey with her decision. You know she wouldn’t do something like this if she didn’t think it was important.”

Donna set her fork aside. “I know, Sheila, and we’re trying to understand. It’s just so sudden, and with Brianna’s accident, it’s a lot to digest.”

She placed her hand on Donna’s shoulder. “Trust your daughter, okay? She knows what she’s doing. This is important to her.”

Donna simply nodded and looked up as Kinsey returned to the table. She addressed her daughter.

“Kinsey, I don’t fully understand what’s happening and why the sudden decision on your part to do this, but I want you to know I’ll try to ease the stress you’re under.”

“We’re all under a lot of stress right now, Mom. There’s too much happening at once.”

Donna looked down at her plate. “I think I’m done eating and am going to head back to Brianna’s room.” She stood and picked up her plate. “You guys stay and finish eating. I’ll see you in a bit.”

After she left, Sheila let out the breath she didn’t realize she was holding. “My god, Kinsey, this is seriously jacked up!”

“Tell me about it. I don’t think they’ll ever forgive me for this. It’s not the fact that I’m leaving, it’s that they don’t understand, and I can’t give them all the details.”

“You’re in a tough spot, for sure. All you can do is allow the situation to play out. Eventually, it will be nothing but a memory.”

“More like a nightmare that will stay with me forever.”

“Nightmares always end, Kinsey. This one will, too.”

“Yes, but I have to wake up first and I have a feeling I’m going to be sleeping for a long time.”

When they returned to Brianna’s room, Kinsey could still feel the tension from her dad. When she tried to make conversation with him, he responded with clipped, strained answers. It reached a point where the anxiety in the room was too much and she turned to her mom.

“I think I’m going to head home and finish packing. If you guys can get away, and would like to stop by in the morning, feel free to do so. I leave at 10am for the airport.”

“We’ll try to do that, sweetie. I know you want us to see your side, but try to understand our side, too.”

“I do, Mom. More than you know.” She leaned down and kissed her mom on the cheek, then turned to her dad. “I love you, Dad. I hope someday you’ll forgive me.”

He simply nodded and waved his hand at her, then leaned forward and took Brianna’s hand. The tears welled in his eyes as she walked out.

Kinsey didn’t even make it to her car before the flood came. Sheila embraced her in a bear hug and let her cry it out, for she knew there was nothing she could say to make the situation better.

After her sobs subsided, Kinsey wiped her hands across her cheeks. “My emotions are so out of control. I don’t get out of control, Sheila, and this is seriously pissing me off!”

“I have to admit, it’s difficult seeing you like this. You’re the master of emotional control.”

“It’s my parents. My sister. She’s in a hospital bed, breathing through a tube, and I’m walking away like it means nothing. My parents can’t grasp that. They have no idea how I can do this.”

“They don’t understand because they don’t know the details. I know you can’t share everything with them, so you’re going to have to let this go, Kinsey. You don’t have a choice, at least that’s what you told me.”

“No, I don’t have a choice and that pisses me off even more. Even after I return, I can’t tell them because they’d never understand how I’d be able to walk away from my child, their grandchild. God, Sheila, that would kill them.”

“Look, I already have my stuff for tonight in my car. Let’s go back to your house and find a way to defuse a bit, okay?”

Kinsey sniffed and nodded. “Yeah, let’s do that.”

When they arrived at Kinsey’s house, they both collapsed on the couch. Kinsey looked around the living room.

“What’s going to happen to my house? I never thought about that. How are my bills going to get paid?”

“Didn’t stalker guy tell you everything would be taken care of for you?”

“Yes, as far as my job, but he didn’t say anything about my bills.”

“I’m going to assume they will be taken care of as well. You can always ask him tomorrow when he comes to pick you up.”

“I’d prefer not to talk to him at all.”

“I have a feeling everything here, this life you’re being forced to leave behind, will still be here, in tact, when you return.”

Kinsey took a deep breath. “You want to read the brochure he left me?”

“Yes! Actually, I want you to leave it with me. I want all the details I can get on this place since they can’t be found on the Internet.”

“That’s a good idea!” She went and retrieved the brochure from her table and handed it to Sheila. “Make sure my parents don’t ever see this.”

“Well, it’s not like they visit my apartment, so I don’t think you’ll have to worry about that. I’ll make sure it’s tucked away where no one can find it, just in case.”

Kinsey leaned her head against the back of the couch while Sheila read through the brochure.

“Geez, Kinsey, this is crazy, but it does say it’s a voluntary program.”

“Yeah, well trust me, it’s not as voluntary as they make it sound.”

“No kidding.” Sheila tucked the brochure into her purse. “So, what do you want to do for the rest of today?”

“I honestly don’t know whether I’m coming or going right now. I feel like I’m in a ‘hurry up and wait’ type scenario.”

“Do you want help packing? Although, it doesn’t sound like they require you to bring much.”

“I know. Mainly personal items that will make my stay more…homey. I even get my very own room.”

“How kind of them.”

Kinsey simply grunted and pushed off the couch. “I guess I could start looking for those homey items I want to take. Maybe it’ll pass some time.”

Later that night, they were propped up in Kinsey’s bed, watching a movie and filling up on junk food. Sheila elbowed her.

“Hey, maybe if you eat enough junk food tonight, they won’t think you’re healthy enough for their program and they’ll send you back home.”

“Wishful thinking. They’d probably make me run laps and put me on some crazy detox diet.”

“Well, the running you could handle, the diet, yuk! I don’t even want to think about it.”

Kinsey groaned as her cell phone rang. She recognized stalker guy’s number and turned to Sheila, “Guess who?”

Sheila’s eyes widened.

“Hello.”

Sheila pulled herself closer and stuck her ear to the phone so she could listen.

“You sound so happy to hear from me, Kinsey. You’re starting to give me a complex.”

Sheila pretended to stick her finger down her throat and made a gagging face.

Kinsey tried not to snicker. “I don’t understand why. You know you’re my favorite person.”

He laughed. “I’m not a bad guy, Kinsey, honest.”

“I’m not convinced.”

“It looks like you have some company tonight.”

They both looked at each other and Kinsey rolled her eyes. “Checking up on me, I see.”

“Just making sure you’re where your suppose to be. I’ll be back in the morning. I assume you’re ready to go?”

“Do I have a choice?”

“Technically, yes, you do, but with choices come consequences.”

“Yeah, you’ve made your point loud and clear.”

He smiled to himself. “I’ll see you at 10am, Kinsey. Oh, and tell Sheila I said hi.” He disconnected the call.

Sheila pushed away from the side of Kinsey’s head. “Holy shit! Who does this guy think he is?”

“Welcome to my world for the last few days.”

“Wow!” She leaned against the pillow and stuffed a bite-sized cookie in her mouth. “Just….wow!” She turned to Kinsey. “You’re going to be all right, aren’t you? I mean, this place sounds total nut job.”

“Apparently, as long as I do as I’m told, I’ll be fine.”

Sheila shook her head. “I really wish I could be here in the morning when he comes. I want to see what he looks like.”

“He’s nothing special, believe me.”

“Oh, I’m sure he’s hot as hell.” She paused when Kinsey shot her a death glare. “I’m kidding! What I mean is, I want to know what he looks like so I can keep an eye out for him while you’re gone. You know, make sure he isn’t creeping around your parents and sister. Hell, I want to make sure he isn’t creeping around me!”

“That’s a thought. I’ll try to get a picture of him tomorrow if I can catch him unaware and text it to you.”

“Perfect.”

By the time they were half way through their third movie, Kinsey’s eyes were getting heavy. She looked at her clock. 12:45am. She glanced over at Sheila and noticed she was sound asleep with a bag of her beloved bite-sized cookies on her chest. She smiled, quietly lifted the bag, and set it on the table. She turned off the television, then the lamp on the table, and settled in. She took a deep breath and waited for sleep to come.