Chapter 6 Chapter 7 She turned her lips in a smile as people expressed their sympathies. People, who never spoke to her and Jeremiah, people who Kay didn't know. There were tons of people who pretended to be sad for her and the children. Kay realized she was a widow. She was barely 23 years old, and she was a widow with one child and one on the way already. Some of her friends were there too. Her best friend Taylor was there, along with the small circle of top traders. They offered condolences, and offered to help her out. There had been a collection of almost half a million dollars, and offers to help Kay pack away Jerry's things, or a place to stay until she was ready to go back to the apartment. The people she really wanted to be there were not though. Her family. Reese was there. He was the only one there. Reese gave her a friendly hug, and told her that he was there for her. Kay was glad that someone cared. "Jessica wanted to come, but she has been really sick." "What's wrong with her? She has been sick a lot-" "She is so glad you came back Kay, after you left, everyone thought you were dead, Jessica got really depressed, don't think she doesn't care about you." "I didn't ask that, I asked why she was so sick." "She's pregnant, and it's not going to well for her. Miguel is um, he is staying home with her, they want you to stop by later." "I might stop and see Jessica. She did save my little girl's life." "Kay, here is my email address, and a little something for you. I have to go now, it was nice seeing you again." Reese and Kay parted, both of them realizing they had missed each other. Reese was always a friend to Kay, no matter what she did, even when everyone else turned on her, Reese was there. Everyone was gone now; Kay put a flower on Jerry's freshly closed grave before sinking to her knees and crying. The gravestone read "Jeremiah Christopher Smith, Beloved Husband and Father /October 23, 1976-March 1, 2002". "Jerry, you can't be dead, I need you." Said Kay, tracing the freshly cut letters on the gravestone. He didn't answer; he was dead. Kay lay on the dirt, trying to quiet her sobs with her arm. Simone sits quietly next to her mother, staring in space. Maybe an hour went by before Reese discovered Kay on the grave. The cemetery was the same one where his wife was buried. He saw Kay lying on the grave. Simone was sitting next to her mother, her jacket laying on her mother.. "Kay! Katherine!" Called Reese. Kay slowly turned to him, her face covered in dirt and her hair hanging in her face. Reese ran over to her "Kay, you are going to freeze out here, you should go." "He loved me, and now he's dead." "Come to my house Kay, you and your daughter are going to freeze out here." Kay didn't want to go, but she knew Simone must be shivering. She wore a thin spring dress, and her coat was on Kay's back. "Ok, come on Simone." Both Reese and Simone stared as Kay struggled to get back in her wheelchair "Do you need help Kay?" "I got it Reese - can you just help me a little?"Reese help Kay into the wheelchair, and steps away from her again "Thank you Reese. Simone, come get into mommy's lap, come on Simone." Simone stands there, watching. "Don't do this to me honey, mommy isn't supposed to lift you anymore." Kay began to wheel herself away, but Simone still stood staring at the gravestone. "I can lift her Kay." "She doesn't let strangers pick her up." Kay continues to call for her daughter before Reese decides not to listen to Kay. "Come here Simone, it's time to go." Amazingly, Simone obeys Reese. Kay bites her tongue as her daughter jumps into Reese's arms. The house is dark and quiet when the three walk in. Reese holds Simone in one arm as he feels around on the wall for a lightswitch. Just as the light turns on, so meone in the room speaks. "Why are you so late Reese?" asked Miguel. "Kay needed my help-" "Is that Simone?" asked Miguel "Don't touch her Miguel, she doesn't like strangers." "Reese is holding her, why can't I hold her?" asks Miguel before attempting to grab the little girl from Reese's arms. "NONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONO" screams the little girl "Shut your brat up Kay!" said Miguel, trying harder to pull the little girl from Reese's arms. "Shut up!" "Miguel get your hands off my daughter." Says Kay, wheeling herself to Miguel, and reaching for her daughter. Jessica comes down the stairs because of all the noise. She is followed by the twins. "What's the noise? Miguel?" asked Jessica, shocked at the scene in front of her. Miguel lets go of the little girl to run over to Jessica. "What are you doing down here Jessica? I told you to stay upstairs!" "I heard noise-" "I don't care, I told you to do something and you didn't." The twins run over to Reese, where each of them wrap themselves around one of his legs. Evereyone in the room watches Miguel and Jessica argue. Kay sees something she shouldn't and Wheels over to them. "Did you do this to my sister?" asks Kay, noting Jessicas black eye and bruise on her neck. Nobody answers, they all give each other secretive looks. "He has an anger management problem, It was completely my fault-" "He did this to you?" Kay could see the answer in her sisters face "He's done this before, hasn't he?" Kay realizes that her friends had changed for the worse. "Kay, you should go, you shouldn't worry about me." "Jessica, you are my sister. We are leaving now." "Kay, let her stay here, you really shouldn't be meddling." "You let this happen to her! You stood by as he used my sister for a punching bag!" "You don't know everything Kay, you were gone for 6 years. A lot can happen in 6 years." "Jessica, you are coming with me." Jessica stands still, staring at Miguel. Kay grabs her arm and pulls her to where Reese and his daughters are standing. "Give me my daughter." Reese gently lifts Simone from his arms. Jessica takes the girl and holds her. "Miguel. You and Reese need help. Miguel, you use my sister for a punching bag, and you force her to dye her hair to my color. Reese, you named your daughter after me. As soon as I can, I'm coming for your daughters Reese. They can't live here with that brute." "No Kay, don't do it." Kay, Jessica and Simone all go out the front door, none of them looking back.