Chapter 2
Kimberly awoke the next day with a slight hangover. Last night when she arrived home to an empty house, she couldn't seem to get the thoughts running in her head to be still. Jumbled thoughts of her father, her brother's illness, her ex-husband, and her current marriage kept racing through her mind. So she found a bottle of wine and headed upstairs.
After her father's funeral, Kimberly knew she had to get her life in order. She had wanted to talk to Phillip last night, but he wasn't home after her flight and hadn't come home by the time she went to bed. Kimberly had realized a long time ago how lonely her marriage had become. She had loved Phillip and he was good to Andrew and Jeannie. They were a family and she was happy, but as the kids grew and became more independent as teenagers, she found her and Phillip didn't have much left in common. She had kept putting off the inevitable, but vowed that was going to change.
She thought that if today was the day she was going to talk to him; she needed to clear her head so she got out of bed and headed for the shower. Just then the phone rang.
"Hello" Kimberly answered the phone holding her head in her hand.
"Mama, is something wrong? You don't sound good." Jeannie asked.
"No, no, I'm fine. I'm afraid I slept in too late this morning and I'm just waking up." Kim replied.
"I'm so sorry we couldn't make Grandpa's funeral. We all wanted so much to be there for you Mom." Jeannie said with a slight quiver in her voice.
"Oh honey, I understand. I know you tried." Kim remarked.
"How's Grandma doing?" Jeannie asked.
"She's doing as well as can be expected." Kim answered.
"Mama, I want to fly home to be with you." Jeannie said.
"No, Jeannie, I'm fine. You need to stay there and decide which University you want to attend this fall. You worked so hard for your scholarships. Honey, I want you to enjoy yourself with Andrew and your Dad this spring. We'll spend time together in Salem this summer, just like we had planned. Come the fall you'll be hard at work at school again." Kimberly said.
"Okay Mama, if you're sure you will be alright. I miss you. I can't wait to see you and Grandma this summer. Andrew wants to talk to you now. Mama, I love you." Jeannie said and handed the phone to Andrew.
"I love you too, sweetheart. Thanks for calling and checking in on me." Kim replied.
"Mama, how are you doing? I'm terribly sorry, Dad and I tried everything to get a plane to Salem, but we just couldn't." Andrew explained.
"Andrew, honey, its okay, I understand. I know if it was at all possible, you would have been there. Really, honey, I understand." Kim replied.
"We had a wake for Grandpa here last night. I know he would have loved it." Andrew said.
"Oh Andrew, that was so sweet. You're right, I'm sure he loved it. He loved you and Jeannie so much. The best of the best and brightest he always would say." Kim said with a tear in her eye.
"Yeah, Grandpa Shawn had so much love for everyone. I know it's going to be hard on you and Grandma, with him gone." Andrew remarked feeling his mother's pain.
"Yes, it will be, but I have you and Jeannie. You're both a part of him. As long as I have the two of you" Kim's voice began to quiver. Clearing her throat, she went on to say "I love you and Jeannie so much. Thank you for calling Andrew."
"Okay, mama, I love you. Before you hang up, Dad wants to talk to you." Andrew hoped his father would be better able to find the words to help her. Andrew handed the phone to Shane and he and Jeannie left the room.
"Kimberly, how are you doing?" Shane asked.
"Oh, you know me, I'm fine. I'm just fine." Kim replied as she started to pace the floor.
"Kim, it's me, you can't fool me, now how are you really doing?" Shane said as he too started to pace.
"I, I feel so, I don't know Shane, I feel so." Kim started to say.
"Feel all alone?" Shane asked.
"Yes, you know me to well. He was always there for me. I miss him so much." Kim began to cry.
"I know Kimberly, I know. He's still looking out for you Kim. You know he loved you with all his heart; he loved all of his family. I miss him too Kim." Shane tried to comfort her.
"I know. You loved him like your own father. He had great respect for you Shane" Kim replied.
"Kim, you know I'm only a phone call away. If you need me for anything Kim, I'm right here." Shane just didn't know what to say to make his ex-wife feel better. He wished he could be there in person to hold her and wipe her tears away.
"I know that Shane." Kim replied wishing she could ask him for his comfort. "I have to go now. I'll call the children tomorrow, okay?" she said as she broke down and hung up the phone.
"Bye Kim." Shane said as he heard her hang up the phone. "I'll always be here for you Kim, waiting." he said to himself as he hung up the phone.