Here is the latest update... getting the wording right to capture the emotion here and have make any sense was so much more difficult than I expected. So much of the rest of the story is written and this and the next chapter were/are big hurdles in telling this story.

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Double Take

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Chapter 85

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He had walked over to the barn, going over and over again the best way to force, or rather insist that Kori hear what happened between them. Even though she was putting off discussing it, he could easily see her being upset that he didn't tell her anyway. He felt like the extra waiting could be the deal breaker.

It was nagging at him. He walked back to tell her there would be no more delays.

Richard walked into his room to find Kori sitting on his bed. "Kori, I have to tell everything you've forgotten, I can't go on like this-"

Dick saw that Kori had been crying.

"Yes, I do believe I must fully understand why you did the cheating on me with Babs and why you did the breaking up with me."

Richard shut his eyes. This was the moment he had been waiting for. The moment he also dreaded.

"You remember."

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"Not all, yet enough I believe." She gave him a sad smile and stood up, and hugged herself with her arms. "I shall admit I was doing the wavering at first, Richard: was I to do the running, the screaming, the crying, the dying of the embarrassment for the fact that we had done the reconciling..."

He couldn't help but notice the strength in her voice in spite of the frailness of her form. His eyes stayed on her and he shot him a glance with a very even expression, then looked away, continuing to pace the room.

"I do remember some of what happened from my birthday party in June until I did the leaving to go to Paradise Island and Greece, yes. But remember all, no not all, and while I was away with Donna, coming back here, the wedding, being ill... the snippets... perhaps... more... it is still returning... the memories..."

Kori looked at Dick and and met his eyes again pausing briefly. She offered him a smile and he was relieved beyond words. He relaxed a bit and leaned in a dresser, while Kori seemed only to strengthen and straighten her stance, looking regal as was her birthright, even in casual summer clothes.

"As for the running, let us revisit running last... Screaming at you about Barbara? Screaming is not my style and if you were to raise your voice to me, well, I would not handle that well emotionally."

"I don't think I could, I made a horrible mistake there, I deserve to be yelled at."

She gave him an odd look but did not comment. "As for us to argue... About what? We both seek the same goal, or we did, do we not?"

"I think so."

Kori cocked an eyebrow, her face stoic, and her body stiffened and she stopped. "We will need to think about that Richard."

Her tone surprised him, a tone that came from the fact that she hadn't considered that he wasn't certain where things stood – at least in his mind – or where he wanted things to be. He had seemed so definite since she got out of the hospital.

He couldn't think of what to say and didn't want to make the situation worse. He gave her an expression that pleaded for forgiveness.

"As far as the embarrassment, I do not care. I dated a playboy, I got a playboy-"

"That's not fair-"

"No?"

Now Richard paced the floor. "No. I didn't play you, or use you... I love you, you know that... I made a huge mistake but it is one that won't happen again... it was a perfect storm of things going wrong. Please Kori. Plus I did try to explain to you the things you had forgotten so you weren't put in that situation to be potentially embarrassed when we, well reconciled..."

Kori turned her back and pondered. Richard considered walking over to her but stayed where he was.

After about twenty seconds she turned around with a softer look and said, "You made every effort after a short time once I had lost my memory to tell me that there were things that had happened between us, unpleasant thing... Some I listened to, but not all... I did not listen... I cannot blame you on that."

She walked over and lead him to the bed, and he did feel his heart quicken, but he knew that it would be to sit down or at the most snuggle.

"And lastly running. Running generally never accomplishes anything. I had run to Greece and the island for the space... and well, that may have worked out. That is what we have to figure out."

She scooted backed to the middle of the bed and curled up away from him, but turned her head back to Dick and gave him a wane smile. He took a minute to unzip his jods and sat next to her.

Kori reached back for his hand, but rolled back away again, pulling his hand to her heart.

"But I do remember some of the night you were in the ER. Barbara with you in the treatment room, reassuring you, taking care of you, coming out and saying the mean words to me... My world crashing in on me-"

"Oh Star-"

"And I remember you were not clear, but wished for me to go away. For those few days even before, the hints, the 'not deserving' me as though I was the 'prize'. That we might need the break..."

"I know, that was stupid, but then again, I thought I'd just keep making things worse."

"I did not realize the bad was happening then to become the worse." Kori sighed and Dick wanted to do anything he could to take it all back. "But you wished for the space for a break in the relationship... you were not certain about the break up. I did not want the break up or the space. Remember my note?"

"Sure, let me get it."

Dick hopped off the bed and jogged to his room to retrieve the note so they could read it together:

My Dearest Richard,

In reflecting on our conversation last evening, I agree that we need time apart. I do not wish to be away from you but a break may give both of us perspective and you some understanding about what is happening.

I thought it would be easier for both of us to stand by this decision if I left before you returned from the hospital. It is my understanding you are doing well and I wish you the best in your recovery and rehabilitation.

I know that I love you and you love me. I am very happy that we found each other again, Richard, and I do hope that we can find a way to be together again.

Love Always, Koriand'r

Kori looked up at Richard who set the note on the side table and the scrubbed his face with his hands.

"At first things seemed clear from this... and I had asked you for a break."

"That was my only intention Richard," Kori said compassionately. "I never left to leave you. Just to give you the space."

"Yes, I know that's what the letter say but... I have to ask." He got choked up. There was one thing that had not been truly addressed; the thing that hurt him so deeply, that he never understood.

How could her words betray her actions?

Concern came over her face. "What is it Richard? Please ask."

"Why did you leave my mother's ring behind? Didn't it mean the same to you? Leaving it felt like you had pulled the lynchpin and because of that, we came apart."

Kori's eyes went wide while she processed what he'd said. "But I did not leave it on purpose, Richard."

"You didn't?"

"No. I am trying not to get the upset that you would even consider that I would especially given the note left for you."

Dick realized his error and looked down, shaking his head. "God, I was so stupid."

She held her tongue rather than agree. "Also, I contacted you Richard. Multiple times. I was despondent that I had forgotten it after I washed my hair-"

"Washed your hair?"

"That is the only time I would remove it. I called your phone of cell and then all those letters I wrote you many times-"

"Letters?"

"Yes, letters... but you did not receive my telephone messages?"

Richard rubbed his neck. "I kind of destroyed my phone right after I got home from hospital."

"So you assumed I left your mother's ring to make the point, that I could be that cruel? You gave me that as a promise ring, Richard. We would have had an engagement if it were not for Barbara, I have no doubt about that."

"Yes of course, there would have been-"

"And receiving your mother's ring meant the world to me."

"Meant?"

"Receiving it did, yes."

He thought for a moment and realized. "I haven't returned it to you." He had it out that one night and Kori had turned on the sex kitten act and he hadn't thought of it again.

"No. Perhaps that was your subconscious, perhaps it is simply an oversight. I will not press."

Richard looked at her unsure what to say. He wanted to tell her it was an oversight. In that very moment, he just couldn't be sure.

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To be continued...

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Thank you for reading and please review.

Sorry it's a bit short, next chapter is started, hope to post soon!