Chapter 3
Kit took off chasing Molly out the door. She was surprisingly fast; he was on the track team all through middle and high school, but was still having a hard time catching her. They made their way down the street until they were in front of an old warehouse. Here, Molly turned and continued behind it. By now Kit was within feet of catching up with her.
Just as he was about to reach his hand out to grab onto her, Molly collapsed onto the ground in front of him sobbing. He felt that he knew what was wrong. Nothing had ever been said between the two about this, but right now it was quite obvious to him that he had not been imagining things when he read Molly's letters.
Molly looked up at him with tears in her eyes, her accusing gaze making him sick. He could not stand the thought that he had caused her pain. At that moment everything changed for him. He suddenly felt as if he could see his future, a feeling that he had never experienced before.
"How could you! How could you!" Molly had never screamed at Kit before.
"It's not what you think."
"What do you mean it's not what I think? How could it not be what I think?!"
"Please, let me explain." Kit pleaded with her.
She eventually calmed down enough to let him talk. Although she was still crying.
"Go ahead," she said coldly.
"Yesterday afternoon I went over to Elizabeth's, Joel's sister. There are things that I had to talk with her about. About --- about what happened when I was serving. About her brother's death. When I left I didn't want to go home and wake up Baloo, so I slept on a park bench.
Molly was watching him, her eyes narrowed. He could tell that she was trying to decide whether or not to believe him.
"So nothing happened between you two?"
"Absolutely nothing." Kit reassured her. "I'd swear on a stack of flying manuals."
"Well…" she bit her lip, thinking.
"Molly, how long have we known each other?"
"You know the answer to that."
"And so do you. Would I deliberately hurt you?"
"Well…no."
"Then believe me…please. You mean everything to me."
Molly, who was apparently satisfied with his answer, reached up and gave him a big hug around his neck almost choking him. Kit didn't mind, however, because of the enormous amount of relief that he felt from this gesture.
He felt this the perfect opportunity to get things out into the open. With his arm still wrapped around her, he asked, "So Molly, is there any reason that you were so upset when you thought that something did happen between me and Elizabeth?"
Molly began to blush. She had no other choice now except to reveal her true feelings to him, which was very frightening to her. Not because she thought that he would laugh at her or get mad at her, he was too kind for that. Her biggest fear was losing him as a friend. What if things got weird between them after she told him? Things could be changed forever. She'd rather have him any day as just a friend than not having him at all. She treasured their friendship more than anything.
"I got so upset when I thought that because --- because" she felt as if the words got caught in her throat. Her gaze slowly rose to meet his and all of her fears melted away. She could feel his love for her when she looked into his dark eyes. "Because I love you. I've been in love with you for as long as I can remember. The thought of you being with someone else was the worst feeling that I had ever felt in my life."
Kit's urge to lean in to kiss Molly at this moment was stronger than he had ever felt for anyone, yet somehow he resisted. He knew that it was the wrong time. He knew that he loved her, but he needed time to think things out more. The last thing that he wanted to do was to hurt her more.
"I love you too Molly, more than anything else in this world. And I think that I'm in love with you too. But I don't want to cheat you, I need some time to find myself. After everything that has happened with the war and all, its just made me realize that there are a lot of things that I don't understand. I'm not going to ask you to wait for me, --- that would be very unfair. I want you to live your life, and if it was meant to be, it will."
Molly looked up at him. Not in anger or disappointment, but in the perfect understanding of each other that only they shared. "Ok, just do me one favor though."
"What's that?"
"Don't take too long."
They both smiled at each other as Kit helped her up. Together they walked hand in hand back to Higher for Hire.
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Back at Higher for Hire
Baloo and Rebecca just stood looking at each other in shock after Kit and Molly ran out the door. Neither could believe what they had just heard, that was just so unlike Kit.
This was the first time that Rebecca had seen Kit since he had been back, maybe things were worse than she thought. War can do funny things to people, change them in a lot of ways. Another good reason for Molly not to get involved with him. She loved him dearly, but did not want her daughter to have to go through the heartbreak that he might cause. She would do anything to save her child from the pain that she once experienced.
"Baloo, are you okay?" Rebecca gently asked.
"No, I ain't okay. My boy's hurtin' and I dunno how ta help him. There's nothing I can do. I've lost him Becky --- I've lost him."
"You haven't lost him. He'll turn around, just give him a little while. And besides, even if he doesn't, you are his father. You are supposed to be there no matter what he is going through. The hard times in his life are when he needs you the most."
"I know, I just wish I knew how to help him." Baloo slowly took off up the stairs into his bedroom. Before going over to sit down, he couldn't help but glance over at picture hanging on the wall. It was of him and Kit right after the adoption. It was the happiest time in his life. He hated to think that it was over, that everything that they had was over. The thought that Kit didn't want to be his son anymore scared him to death. But after all, he had every right to decide that. He was old enough to move out and start his own life. Without him, without anyone.
Just then there was a knocking on the door. When he did not answer, it slowly opened. To his surprise, it was Kit standing there with his hat in his hands. He looked almost like the little boy he used to be. 'He always used to do that when he felt guilty.' Baloo remembered.
Kit walked over to the bed and sat down next to Baloo.
"Papa Bear, I just wanted to say that I was sorry for the way that I have been acting since I came home. I didn't want to make you feel bad. I have just had a lot of things on my mind."
"Anything you'd like to talk about?"
"Not right now, I just kinda want to forget about everything."
"I understand --- ya must have forgotten that I served in the Great War. I think I know how you feel."
"I don't think you do really. You don't know everything that happened over there."
Baloo's voice became flat. "Well, you don't know everything that happened to me either." Kit looked up at him in surprise.
"Baloo, I didn't mean…!"
"I don't need ta know everything right now. I just need ta know that you're gonna to be all right. You'll tell me when you're ready."
Just then Rebecca's voice floated up to them. "Guys, are we going to Louis's or not?"
'Never thought I'd say that in a million years,' she thought.
"Whadda ya say? It's your homecomin' party."
Kit smiled a little. "Ready when you are."
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When the Sea Duck landed at Louie's that evening, all four stepped out in much lighter spirits than they had experienced in a long time. They had a lot of catching up to do.
Kit couldn't help but tease Molly as they walked into Louis's.
"Remember when I used to baby-sit you and you thought that you were Danger Woman? You'd run around your mom's apartment with a colander on your head trying to save the world."
"What are you talking about, she still does that." Rebecca said smiling.
"Mooom!" Molly squealed, not finding her mother's joke very funny.
It was almost like old times. They each ordered their meals and enjoyed each other's company. It was so easy to take these things for granted, but none of them would do that anymore.
The evening seemed to be going by so quickly, but Kit wanted to be sure and do one more thing before the night ended.
He got up out of his chair and stepped over to Molly's.
"Miss Molly, would you care to dance?"
Molly blushed, she was not used to such formalities. But she graciously took his hand as they walked off onto the dance floor.
Baloo and Rebecca watched them dance for awhile.
"So, ya think anything will ever become of them, Becky?"
Rebecca thought for a few seconds before she answered.
"I don't think so."
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Three Years LaterKit and Molly walked hand in hand out of the movie theater. They were heading home from their date.
"So what do you think?" Kit asked as they walked down the quiet sidewalk.
"About what?"
"About us. Did you ever think that we would be dating like this when we were kids?"
"Yes."
Molly's blunt answer shocked Kit.
"You did?"
"I've always known that we would be together. I've told you that before." Molly said, smiling up at him.
"Well, what do you say we make it official? You know, together forever, like you've always said."
Molly stopped in her tracks and looked up at him. Was he asking what she thought he was asking?
Kit got down on one knee, slowly bringing something out of his pocket. It was a diamond ring. He had obviously been saving for this for a long time.
"Molly, you're so important to me. You are my best friend and the love of my life." Kit was in tears, but trying to hold his carefully prepared speech together.
"I want to be with you always. Will you marry me?" Unable to hold it together any longer, his speech was cut terribly short, but it did not matter. Hopefully he would have many years to show her how much he loved her.
Molly, who was also in tears at this moment, had dreamed of this moment many times in her life. She did not even have to think about her answer.
"Yes! Of course I will."
Not able to get anymore than that out she hugged him around the neck. As he stood up they became locked in a passionate kiss. Nothing else needed to be said. It was very obvious to each, what the other was thinking.
They continued walking in a blissful silence for awhile.
"Remember what I said to you the day after I came home from the war? When you were crying?" Kit asked, looking at Molly as they walked.
"Yes. Why?"
"Well --- I just hope I didn't take too long."
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The End
Remember to R&R!
