Kayla had just finished packing the last bag when Steve came out of the bathroom with his shaving kit. She watched as he added it to his duffel bag and zipped it up.
"It looks like we are all ready to go, Sweetness," Steve said, as he picked up his duffel and deposited it by the door where Kayla and Stephanie's bags were already waiting. "So why don't we use some of the extra time we have to take Stephanie for a little walk outside?"
Kayla almost said yes, but she knew they needed to talk before the car arrived to take them to the airport. She walked over to him, took his hand, and said, "That's sounds great, but there's something I really need to talk to you about before we go."
She saw the concern appear on Steve's face as he asked, "Is everything okay? Are you sick or something?"
Kayla shook her head. "I'm fine . . . and so is Stephanie," she added before he could ask the obvious next question.
"Okay. Then what do we need to talk about that can't wait for a 10-hour plan ride?" Steve asked.
"It's something that I want to talk about in private, without interruptions," Kayla responded.
"You're starting to worry me here, baby, so just tell me whatever it is."
Kayla took a deep breath and began pacing. "Do you remember when Shane told us that they had found the cure for the virus? He was mad because I hadn't told him that Bo was sick."
"Yeah I remember." Steve's tone was sharp.
"I didn't tell Shane, or anyone but Kimberly, because Bo threatened to disappear if anybody found out. He didn't want the family watching him die, and he really didn't want Carly feeling sorry for him." Kayla remembered Bo's determination and desperation to keep his condition a secret.
"That sounds like Bo. He always was stubborn and hard-headed," Steve said.
"Just like somebody else I know." Kayla chuckled, then turned serious again. "A while ago, Bo was admitted to the hospital and they took his blood. Bo knew that if they tested the blood, they would find out that he had the virus." She took another deep breath, then plunged forward. "He begged me to stop the test and swore that, if Carly and the family found out, he'd disappear for good."
"So what did you do, Kayla?" Steve asked, the concern in his voice evident.
Kayla closed her eyes for a moment, then looked straight at Steve, and said, "I switched Bo's blood sample with my own blood. Obviously, the test came back negative for the virus."
Kayla watched closely for Steve's reaction. He did not say anything for a moment, then nodded, and said, "Okay. So you did what you thought you needed to do to help Bo. I can understand that. It's not like I've never covered for Bo before."
Kayla knew that Steve was thinking of the same thing she was - of how Steve had covered for Bo when he found out that Bo was the Riverfront Raider. It had been an act of friendship that had so many unintended consequences.
They both remained lost in their thoughts for a moment, before Steve spoke. "I'm guessing that isn't all to this story though, is it?"
Kayla gave a little smile and shook her head. "No. There's more. A little over a week after we got here, I called the hospital to check on the progress in the lab. I found out that Bo was in the hospital and the blood switch had been discovered."
"That's when you told Kim and me about Bo being in the hospital, but you thought there would be a cure soon?" Steve waited for her to answer.
"Right," Kayla said. "I also talked to Neil that day and he told me that there was an investigation and I would have to appear before the board. I . . . I told him that I couldn't come back to Salem for a while, and he agreed to postpone the board hearing until I returned. I've been effectively suspended for the last few weeks, pending the hearing." Kayla braced herself for Steve's response.
"You've known you were suspended from your job and facing a hearing for weeks and didn't tell me!" Steve exclaimed. "How could you keep something like this from me?" Steve stalked around the room, his anger clearly growing. "What the hell happened to you, Kayla? You're switching blood tests at the hospital and keeping secrets from me. You were the one that always insisted on us being honest with each other. What happened to that?"
Kayla felt her own anger rising, "What happened to me is that my life was destroyed. I lost my best friend, my husband, and my future in a single moment. All that honesty, always trying to do the right thing, always putting everybody else's happiness before my own . . . what did it get me? It didn't stop me from losing you, it didn't bring your killer to justice, and it didn't stop the pain I felt every single day that I woke up without you."
Taking a deep breath, Kayla tried to calm herself. "I did what I did because I couldn't lose Bo too. Not after losing you. I couldn't let him disappear when I knew that we would find a cure to that virus. And I didn't tell you because there was nothing you or I could do about it until we went home. What would have been the point? So we could sit and stew about it for weeks? Maybe I wanted to just enjoy this time for as long as we had it."
Kayla walked to where Steve was standing and put her hand on his shoulder and said, "I didn't keep it from you because I didn't want you to know or because I thought you couldn't handle it. I didn't say anything because of me, because I didn't want to deal with it until we had to. Can't you understand that?"
Steve turned and looked at her. "Yeah baby, I can understand that. But I hate not knowing if you are being honest with me. I hate wondering if there is always something you aren't telling me."
"I think that was always my line." Kayla chuckled softly, then reached up and stroked his cheek. "I know you're not happy with me, but I promise there are no more secrets." She pulled her hand away and looked up at him. "Can you say the same?"
Steve's eye widened in surprise. "I'm not the one keeping secrets here, baby."
"That's not entirely true and you know it, Steve. You're not telling me anything about your sessions with Kimberly, or what you remember about your time away. Whenever I try to ask, you change the subject or just tell me it's nothing important."
Kayla watched as Steve shifted uncomfortably and turned away from her. She said, "I know this is hard for you, Steve. But I don't like feeling shut out from a part of your life anymore than you like feeling that way about my life. I just don't understand why you can talk to Kim, but you can't talk to me."
Steve turned back, a surprised look on his face. "It's not like that, Kayla. It's just that - -"
A knock at the door interrupted him. Steve reached over and opened the door, finding Worthington on the other side.
"Excuse me, Master Johnson. The car has arrived and I am ready to take your bags to the car."
"Sure," Steve said, stepping aside to allow Worthington and the driver to retrieve the bags. "Please tell Kim that we'll be down in a minute."
"Of course, Master Johnson." Worthington and the driver walked out of the door.
When the door closed again, Steve turned back to Kayla. They shared a long look, both knowing that things were still unsettled between them, but also knowing that any further discussion would have to wait.
"I guess I better go get Stephanie from Mrs. Batson," Kayla finally said. She walked over to Steve, leaned up, and gave him a slow, lingering kiss.
"I love you with all my heart," she said, her voice cracking with emotion. "No matter what happens and what we have to deal with when we get back to Salem, never forget that."
"I won't," Steve said huskily. "I love you too . . . so much. Don't you forget that either, Sweetness."
"Deal." Giving him a smile and one last quick kiss, Kayla headed out the door to find her daughter.
Downstairs, Kim was waiting with Jeannie and Andrew and Mrs. Batson was holding Stephanie. Kayla retrieved her daughter and waited as Steve joined her. They said their goodbyes to Worthington and Mrs. Batson, and headed outside to the car.
As Kayla approached the car, she paused and took one last look around Donovan Manor. For all the upheaval that had occurred here, it had been a sanctuary of sorts for the last month. This would always be the place where she and Steve found each other again, not just physically, but emotionally and spiritually. She was returning to Salem whole and complete in a way she had not been in a long, long time. No matter what they faced in Salem, she and Steve would face it together. And, in the end, that was all that really mattered.