Chapter 11

Kelly becomes confused when Brandon first turned onto her street, then kind of upset when he pulls into her driveway, "Brandon…"

"Before you say what you're thinking, let me explain. I was hoping we could just sit on your front porch, there's something I want to show you," Brandon explains.

Kelly than calms down, "I'm sorry, of course." They get out of car; Brandon retrieves a bag out of the trunk, and then joins Kelly on the double swing.

Brandon begins, "I showed you the picture last night I've kept with me." Brandon pauses, "Kel, that pictured saved me. I wasn't supposed to bring anything personal with me, but I knew I couldn't leave behind your picture. When we first started to explore various island, I decided to do something," he pulls a notebook out of the bag, "It's my journal, it's addressed to you in case if anything happened to me, it was my wish that somehow this would end up in your hands so you would know how much I truly love you. I know we couldn't make it work before because neither of us was quite ready. We were only 23, still wanting and needing to explore on our own. I don't believe we would have made it and been happy together if we married then. Kel, I'm happy we had the courage to face each other and everyone else because that tells me that we will always be honest with each other. By not getting married then it has only made my heart grow fonder of you. Kel, I know I'm ready now to devote myself to you because I have no other desires. I want you to take your time reading this, I'll stay away from the house for a couple of days to give you time to think and process everything. Sammy will see me everyday after kindergarten at my parents. And Steve and I were hoping you would let me take Sammy to spend Friday night at Steve's for a guy's night camping in the backyard. What do you say?"

Brandon finally finishes looking deep into Kelly eyes.

Kelly responds first by taking Brandon's hand and moving closer to him, "Of course, Friday night is fine." Kelly then looks deeper into his eyes, "Brandon, I don't need a couple of days, I have something to share with you as well, let's go inside to sit on the couch? It'll be more comfortable."

"Sure, I'll make some tea and we should call Sammy to tell him goodnight, I told him we would," Brandon says while extending his arm to help her stand up.

Once Brandon sits down with the tea and Kelly comes back into the living room they call Sammy. Afterwards Kelly looks up to him.

"Brandon, you're not the only one who has kept a journal. Since I found out I was pregnant I've written in this almost every night about Sammy, addressing it to you, hoping one day I'll be able to share it with you as well. What if we read them together to each other?"

"I think I'll like that," says Brandon, trying not to show too much emotion in front of Kelly.

"K, good, mine starts mid-October, you?" Kelly asks.

"In August the first night on the trip," Brandon opened up the journal so Kelly could see it as he read,

"August 18, 2003

Dear Kelly, the purpose of this journal is to record my thoughts while exploring these islands. I meant what I said the other morning, 'I'll always love you forever until the day I die'. It's my hope if I die on this assignment, somehow this journal will reach your hands to give you comfort of how much I cared for you even though we haven't been together in several years. I have stayed away to allow you to move on, I love you so much that I didn't want to hurt you or see you frustrated anymore because of our relationship. I still don't know if I was ready, I guess that's why I decided to accept this job, but the another night brought back so many memories and feelings I've locked away deep inside of me for several years. I was not expecting to you see you there, but I'm glad I did, I just hope I haven't made a mistake by coming here. I love you so much Kel, I hope one day I will be able to share this with you and we can be together again."

Love,

Brandon

Kelly turns her head towards Brandon, reaching for his cheek with her right hand looking into his eyes, "We can be together again," moving her hand down to his arm.

Brandon puts his right arm around Kelly motioning her to move closer to rest her body on his,

"Good, I'm looking forward to it." Brandon continues to read through the next two months, giving Kelly the details of what he learned and observed so far on the islands.

Finally, it was Kelly's turn to start to read.

"October 14, 2003

Dear Brandon,

I just found out officially today, that I'm two months pregnant. Wish you were here, instead of wherever you went. I miss you.

Love, Kelly

October 16, 2003

Dear Brandon,
I'm so scared right now. I haven't been able to tell anyone yet. Steve and Janet are the only ones who know because Steve guessed it, since Janet is also pregnant just a few weeks before me. What if I miscarry again? I don't know if I can bear that hurt again. I haven't been able to find any current story with your name, but I'm going to continue this journal for hope that I will be able to carry this child to term and someday I'll be able to find you to give you this as something you can read so you know everything.

Love, Kelly"

"Thank you," Brandon tells Kelly, "I will cherish this. I wish I was here for you and Sammy."

"I know me too, but there is nothing we can do to change that now. The only thing we can do is make every moment count," Kelly says.

October 29, 2003

Dear Brandon,

I went to the doctor today for my first ultrasound. So far the baby is growing as it should be. The doctor said my chances of carrying to full term are increasing everyday, but it's still no guarantee that I won't miscarry again. I've been praying you are safe and somehow I will be able to find you.

Love, Kelly

As they continue to read and talk, eventually at about 4 am, they start to drift off to sleep.

As Brandon was reading one of his longer entries, as he finished he whispered into Kelly ear, "Hey, are you out?" He doesn't receive any verbal response, but Kelly shifts her head on his shoulder.

Brandon shifts his body just a bit and setting down the journal on the table, while moving Kelly's body closer to him and kissing her forehead, "night Kel, love ya."

"Love ya too," Kelly mumbles as they both fall into a deep comfortable sleep.


Wednesday 26, 2010

A couple hours later, Silver walks into the house to grab a banana quick before heading to school. As she walks through the living room, she notices Brandon and Kelly sleeping on the couch. She decides to take a picture with her phone first before waking Kelly up since they look so cute together.

As she nudges her sister's shoulder, "Hey Kel" Brandon moans slightly. "You need to wake up, it's 7:15, you're late for work," Silver continued.

Brandon still half asleep speaks onto Kelly's ear, "Kel, your late," mumbling his words.

Kelly moans back, "hmm…what?"

Silver tries again, "Kelly it's 7:15, your late."

This time it finally registers in Kelly's head, "Oh my goodness," she says as she jumps up from the couch accidently hitting Brandon in the face with her elbow.

"OW," Brandon says loudly, now holding the left side of his face.

"Oh my goodness, I'm so sorry, are you okay?" Kelly asks now kneeling on the floor next Brandon.

Well, you might have to kiss it," Brandon says joking.

"You guys make me sick," exclaiming Silver as she walks out of the door.

Ignoring Silver, Kelly gives Brandon a good-morning kiss, "Is that better?"

"For now, but it might start hurting again later," Brandon says smiling.

"Well, I guess I might have to make it feel better later than," Kelly says giving Brandon another kiss, "Ok, I have get ready quick now, I'm still late."