Kim yawned as she tried to summon the strength to get out of bed. The night had been a challenge, because Jeannie woke up multiple times. Who knew infants got jet-lagged? However, Kim knew she had to get up if only to see what kind of trouble Andrew was getting into.
As she started to climb out of bed, she felt an icy sensation down her spine and her heart seemed to beat a little more strongly. Please let him be all right. Please let him come home. She reminded herself that the fact she could feel that Shane was in danger meant he was still alive. That's good, isn't it?
Kim headed to the nursery first, but the crib was empty. She then went to Andrew's room, but there was no sign of him. Before she could really get worried, she reminded herself that her folks were around. Caroline probably had the kids in the kitchen. A bit more quickly than normal, she headed that way.
"Hi, Sis." Kim nearly jumped out of her skin at Roman's voice. She glanced around and saw him sitting on the living room sofa, his head turned toward her. "Sorry," he said, though the gleam in his told him he was hardly sorry.
"Have you seen Mama?" she asked, as she looked around the kitchen and living room.
"Don't worry," Roman said. "Ma and Pop have got Andrew working downstairs and they took Jeannie's playpen down there so you could get a bit of rest." He stood up and walked toward her. "How 'bout a hug first and then some coffee?"
Kim found herself melting into Roman's embrace. Her older brother always seemed to know what she needed. "Coffee would be good, too," she said.
"Coming right up." Roman walked into the kitchen and Kim followed. She took a seat at the table, as he puttered around and got the coffee pot started. Then he looked at her and asked, "How are you handling everything?"
"You know?" Kim answered his question with one of her own. "Have you seen Kayla yet?"
Roman shook his head. "No, but Ma told me when I got here. Sorry I couldn't make it last night. I . . . well, let's just say . . . I've got a little stuff going on in my own life."
Kim studied her brother, knowing he was keeping something from her, but she decided not to press. If Roman wanted to tell her, he would. "It's okay, Roman," she said. "Kay's happy, and Steve . . . he still has some stuff to work out, but I think he'll be okay. When we found him in Cincinnati-"
Roman cut her off. "You don't have to lie to me, Sis. Shane told me a little before he left - something about Egypt - and he called me after they got Steve out."
Kim tried to stop her jaw from falling open, but failed. Roman knew? Shane had kept it a secret from her and from Kayla, but had told her older brother.
"I don't think he told me because he didn't want you to know." Roman obviously could tell what she was thinking. "He was worried something might go wrong and, considering it was ISA, I think he was afraid you and the kids would never know if he was alive or. . . ." His voice trailed off.
"Or dead, Roman. I get it." Kim felt her anger rising. "How considerate of him to spare me the worry," she snapped. "It's not like I can't tell when he's in danger." Like right now. She took a deep breath and told herself that it was not Roman's fault that Shane Donovan could be such a inconsiderate jerk. "I'm sorry. It's just been pretty tough these past few weeks watching Shane pine for Kayla." And make a drunken pass at me.
"I gather." The coffee pot was full, so Roman poured two cups and carried them to the table. He set one before Kim and took a seat next to her. "He didn't come back with you, I guess. I called the house, but Simmons said he was still away."
"No, he didn't come back with us. He ran off on some new assignment. He's probably off who-knows-where saving some prince or king or something." Kim wished she believed that, as she continued to feel that icy grip on her spine.
"I'm sorry, Kimmie," Roman said, sounding sincere. "I wish I could make things right between you two."
You're not the only one, she thought.
"It probably didn't help to have to see Kayla and Steve together," Roman added.
Roman really did know her so well. Kim sighed. "I guess I can't hide anything from you. I tried to hide it from them, though. I am happy for Kay. You should have seen her when she saw him the first time. After everything she went through, she deserves to have Steve back."
"And he's coping all right?"
"Better," Kim said. "It took a few weeks for him to start opening up, but he's getting better. It's going to be hard for him to readjust to being back in Salem, but he said he'll keep working with me." She sighed. "Sometimes I wish Marlena were here. I bet she'd have some ideas. What? What did I say?"
Roman had turned white, and had nearly dropped his coffee cup. Some of the hot liquid slopped over the side and onto the table. Kim jumped up, grabbed a towel from the counter, and tossed it to him.
"Are you okay?" she asked, unsure of what she had said.
"Uh . . . yeah. . . ." Roman fell silent, and Kim could hear the clock on the mantle in the living room ticking loudly.
"Roman?"
He took a deep breath and looked at her. "You're going to find out soon enough, I guess. Um . . . . I don't really know how to say this, but . . . this seems to be the summer for miraculous returns. . . . Steve's not the only one to come back from the dead."
What was he saying? Kim looked at him closely. "Roman, I don't understand."
"It's Marlena," Roman said. "She turned up about a week ago. She's alive, and she's here in Salem."