Chapter 9
7 days huh? Mel asked
"Yep, she seems to think it will only take 7 days for her to... to what? Completely disrupt my life? A life she thinks wants to be disrupted!"
Kim's voice was slightly raised and was getting the attention of the few early morning diners.
"I mean, the God damn nerve of this woman!" Kim said as she moved her sunglasses out of the way to make room for the coffee the server was dropping off to the table.
Mel had always considered herself a good friend to Kim, no doubt about that, she had always been there whenever things got really bad for the blonde, lately that's been more times then she cared to mention.
Mel could tell from her tone on the phone that this was another one of those times and didn't hesitate to meet her friend at the early hour.
Usually it was her practice to just listen and let Kim vent, but this time she couldn't hold her tongue and gently pointed out that maybe Kerry wasn't so wrong in her assumption that Kim's life wasn't entirely perfect at this point in time.
In fact, the whole reason for this little getaway was to get some needed distance from one of those messes involving a non-discrete former student who didn't understand the true nature of their coupling, Kim, believing it was a casual thing, the student convinced it was a not. The misunderstanding led the student to threaten to expose the relationship to her supervisors. Although Kim believed she was in the right because the relationship began after the other woman had graduated, it still would have come down to appearances of impropriety and her word verses Kim's.
Mel had been increasingly worried about some of the decisions her friend had been making the last several months, concerned her friend was becoming reckless and had hoped she would self-correct and get back on track to becoming the well-respected collogue and valued professional she had always known her to be.
"I'm just saying Kim, that maybe your life could use a little stability right now. Wasn't it you who told me that Kerry was the love of your life?"
"And how, pre tell, would a relationship with a woman who lives across the country be stable?" asked Kim incensed.
"Well, I don't exactly know the answer to that. But either do you."
Mel leaned over to pick up her coffee, as she brought it to her lips she blew on it to cool it down before taking a sip.
"The only one who knows the answer to that, is the person who asked for 7 days to figure it out."
Kim gave Mel the best eyebrow quirk she could muster, "Are you really suggesting that I go along with this little exercise?"
Mel nodded her head yes, "I am, I mean what do you have to lose? You two get along well, she stimulates you intellectually. You both clearly still have a physical attraction for each other from what you told me about last night's little detour" she said with a smirk.
Mel caught the little smile forming on Kim's lips clearly remembering the incident.
"Look Kim, you're 38 years old. You need to start acting like it."
Mel decided to stop there, not wanting to get her friend too angry at her for not taking her side this time.
"There you are!" Kim looked up to see Rob making his way to the table.
"Hey there Kimmers, trying to steal my wife away again?"
"Yes, well I guess I do have a reputation of doing just that don't I Rob."
Making the man laugh out loud. "Water under the bridge Kimmers" He returned.
The man pulled a chair to the table and made himself comfortable as he tried to get the waiters attention, "Have you guys ordered yet?"
"No" answered Mel, making eye contact with Kim silently asking if they were ok, "We were just about to though" Kim said, effectively ending the discussion.
After breakfast the couple excused themselves and left Kim to think about what her friend had just dropped on her. Knowing full well that it was time to have a serious one on one with herself.
Kerry looked over to Henry and told him to head up stairs and get cleaned up for dinner, telling him he had a little while if he wanted to play his video game first.
Once he left Kerry shifted her attention back to the blonde.
"I must admit, I didn't expect to see you again so soon, or...ever, for that matter." She said.
"I guess I can see how you would think that. I'm sorry I snuck out like I did. I guess I wasn't ready to talk about what happened last night."
"And now you are?" Asked Kerry
"Yes. Which brings me back to my original question."
"Which was?" Asked Kerry
"How will this work?" Said Kim
Kerry patted the cushion next to her, inviting Kim to come join her on the couch. Kim hesitated for a moment before dragging her defective piece of luggage with her, dropping it next to the seat.
Kerry waited for her to get settled before starting to talk again.
"To be honest, I hadn't really worked that part out. You may have forgotten that I kind of fucked the entire thing up with my little display of jealousy."
"Ah, so that's what that was all about huh?" Kim asked
"Yes, I guess I didn't really handle the thought of you rolling around in bed with one of your 'hot, young, coeds' as you so aptly put it, very well. I really am sorry. That's not how I had hoped to win you back"
"Well, it may not have been your intention, but, I must admit, it did play a big part in my decision to return" Kim said with a smirk as she deliberately bumped Kerry should for emphasis.
"Oh yeah?" Asked Kerry
"Oh yeah" Answered Kim.
Kerry knew her skin was beginning to show color, revealing she was a bit taken aback by the admission. Instead of retreating into shyness she decided to plow forward.
"Well, to begin with, I want you to know that this week will not be a repeat of last night. I want to take our time, get to know each other again, you already know what I want from this Kim that I want to be part of your life again"
Kerry reach over to grab Kim's hand and entwined their fingers together. "But I have no idea what you want from it."
Kim placed her other hand over Kerry's and returned the squeeze Kerry was giving her hand.
"I have no idea either Ker, I just know I owe it to the both of us to find out."
Kerry released her hand and got up from where they sat. She faced Kim and out stretched her hand encouraging Kim to grab it, which she did.
"Good. Then let's go into this with no expectations. I'm ok with just letting it reveal itself and seeing where we end up by the end of the week. But first, dinner. I have a starving 8 year old to feed."
"You have a starving 38 year old to feed too" Kim added
"38? Really" You mean you're finally catching up to me?" Kerry teased.
"Well it helps that you basically stopped aging, I swear you look younger than when I left you." That last words were out before Kim could stop them.
Kerry's expression showed that she felt the comment cut deep
"I'm sorry Kerry that came out wrong" she tried to fix the stinging words.
Kerry tried to brush it off, as she made her way to the kitchen.
"It's ok Kim, I knew what you meant. It's amazing what a new career and a warmer climate can do for the skin, right?"
Kim was relieved that she let the last part go. "Yeah, about that, how in the world did you end up on TV in Miami anyway?"
The two found their way around the kitchen island, Kerry began cutting up some vegetables for a salad and stopped briefly to look up at Kim who was sitting on one of the stools there.
"Well. I was pretty much done with all the hospital bull shit, and they, were pretty much done with my bull shit as well."
What does that mean Kim asked, Kerry thought for a second before continuing "I was over trying to do what was best for the hospital at the expense of my friends and basically, just stopped trying?"
Kerry looked to Kim to see if she was following.
"I ended up working back on the ER floor and that was great, I have always loved being a doctor. I just needed to be reminded of that. Then one day in the E.R. I was 'discovered'"
"Discovered?" Asked Kim
"Yep, they had a news crew filming a segment at the hospital and, let's just say, the producer took a shine to me. She told me about this job and how I would be perfect for it and, I guess the rest is history."
"And the producer?" Kim quirked an eyebrow.
"Courtney? Um, I guess you can say she's history too now"
Kerry smacked Kim's hand away as she reached over to snatch a cut carrot.
"I don't know how you keep up with those young ones Kimmy. She just about killed me with all that sex!"
Kim's mouth dropped open "Kerry!"
"What? We are both big girls here Kim. Don't act all innocent with me."
Kerry grabbed the chicken from the oven and put it on the table and shouted for Henry.
"Dinner bud! Come and get it"
The rest of the evening went fast for Kim, she was exhausted just watching Kerry tackle all her Mom duties, she helped with clean up while Kerry helped Henry finish up some homework and get him ready for bed.
Once he was down Kerry found her back in the living room having a glass of wine.
"I hope you don't mind, I found the open bottle in the fridge. I poured you a glass too." Kim pointed to the full glass waiting for her on the coffee table.
"No, I don't mind." Kerry reach for the glass, "Thanks" she said before taking a sip.
"You're an incredible Mom Ker" Kim finally said
"You think? I won't lie, I am constantly wondering if I'm screwing up the poor kid"
Kim shook her head, "No way Ker, he's a great Kid. If you were fucking him up I would have been able to tell by now, I am quite an accomplished psychiatrist in case you forgot." Kim joked.
"Well, it is good to have a professional opinion on the subject. At least I will sleep well tonight with that knowledge."
Kerry looked over at the clock seeing it was inching closer to 11:00
"And, speaking of sleep it's time for me to turn in. I have to work tomorrow but I have the rest of the week off so we can spend it together."
Kim just smiled, "That sounds nice Kerry"
"Henry and I are typically out the door by 7:30, there's some fresh fruit in the fridge if you get hungry, laundry room is at the end of the hallway if you need to do a wash and If you need anything else, Flora, she's my Nanny, will be here around 3:00 after she picks up Henry from School."
Kim looked a little overwhelmed hearing about what a typical day in Kerry's life consisted of. Secretly wondering if she would ever be able to adjust to such a commitment.
"Ok, thanks. I'm just going to finish this in my room" speaking about the half full glass of wine "And do a little work. I have tons of articles to catch up on."
"Ok, good" Kerry made her way off the comfy couch and gave an exaggerated stretched "I will leave you to it then."
Kerry left the room and proceed to lock up the house and turn all the lights off. It was a strange feeling to just leave another human being to their own devices in her home, but not a bad feeling she realized.
