Kim had come downstairs just as Steve turned the corner of the main hallway. She saw a red welt on his jaw and he had a small bandage on the edge of his lip.

"Steve, what happened?"

"Ask your sister and her sugar daddy." He scowled as he marched past her.

I guess the truth is out, Kim thought. Steve was never the calmest man under the best of circumstances. Given the current situation, Kim should have expected a volcanic explosion. She shook her head. Time for Kimmie to come help her Sis pick up the pieces.

She found Kayla sitting at the table in the kitchen. She seemed to be counting the grains in the wood. Without saying a word, Kim walked over to the teapot and fixed two cups. Earl Gray for her; orange blossom for Kayla. Shane must have ordered that special, because Kim knew his disdain for the stuff. She looked out the window and saw the nanny was watching the children outside. Once the tea was ready, Kim carried the two cups over to the table and set the orange blossom in front of Kayla.

"Thanks," Kayla said.

"Guess I don't have to ask what happened." Kim took a seat next to her sister. "Steve's jaw told me everything I need to know."

"Shane shouldn't have hit him," Kayla said angrily. "And Steve wouldn't even listen. He's trying to make this into something sordid."

"You've got to give Steve time," Kim said. "He knows you love him. He's probably just as angry at himself as he is at you and Shane"

"That doesn't make it any easier."

"No, I guess not." This was hard for Kim. She had been the outsider to Kayla and Shane's relationship for so many months that sympathy was difficult to muster. But then she looked at how forlorn Kayla looked, and some of her bitterness slipped away. "I'm sorry. I doubt there's any easy way to handle this."

Kayla shook her head. "I guess not. I haven't done the husband returns from the dead thing before."

"Trust me," Kim said. "It's not easy." She thought back to that moment when Shane had walked into their bedroom while she was in bed with Cal. "At least Steve remembers who you are."

"Thank goodness for small favors," Kayla muttered. "Mine's just been traumatized."

"I'll try to talk with him again." Kim sighed as she thought about her lack of progress with Steve so far. "Maybe this incident will convince Steve he needs to open up."

"I doubt it. He's just angry, and now he can be even more angry at Shane for hitting him." She scowled. "Shane shouldn't have done that. It just made everything worse." Kayla looked at the doorway. "I should go and find Steve."

"No," Kim said. "Give him some time to think so he can calm down. Then let me have a crack at him. The last thing you want to do is give him more time for the anger to simmer."

Kayla nodded and then set something on the table. Kim looked closer and realized it was Shane's ring. Kayla picked it up and stood up from the table. "Guess I'd better finish what I started."

Now Kim really understood. Steve had seen the ring when Kayla was trying to return it, and that had prompted the argument. Kim felt a little heartsick for Shane. It had been a major step for him to open himself enough to give the ring, much the same way it had been a major step in her relationship with Shane for him to give Kim his mother's cameo. Kim had returned the cameo when Jeannie was born, but she had not returned it personally. That had spared her seeing the hurt on Shane's face. Kayla would not be so lucky.

Kim looked down at the untouched cup of orange blossom tea while Kayla started for the door. Before she could leave, Kim turned toward her sister. "Kay . . . I know things haven't been the best between us for the past few months, but . . . if you want to talk at all, I'm here for you."

Kayla stopped and gave a sad smile. "Thanks, Sis, I may really need it."