Kim had just placed Stephanie in the playpen with Jeannie when she heard the front door open. Looking up, she saw her baby sister walk in the door. "Hi Kay," she called out with a smile.
"Hi." Kayla did not return the smile. "Is Stephanie ready to go?"
"Umm . . . yeah," Kim replied, confused by Kayla's tone. "Let me get her bag."
"No, don't bother. I'll get it," Kayla said. She walked past Kim to the kids' room in the back of the house.
What in the world is going on with her? Kim thought silently.
A few moments later, Kayla returned to the living room, carrying Stephanie's diaper bag. "Thanks for watching Stephanie for me. I'm sorry I was late."
"It's no problem." Kim still wondered why Kayla was so cold. "Umm . . . is something wrong, Kayla?"
"What could possibly be wrong, Kim?" Kayla asked sarcastically. "In five days I get to wait while the hospital board decides if I get to ever work at University Hospital again; my husband comes home looking like he's been through the wringer, but won't tell me about it; and my sister knows why, but she won't tell me about it either."
"Whoa, little sister," Kim said. She was completely shocked by Kayla's outburst. "Where did that come from?"
"I'm sorry." Kayla sighed. "It's just been kind of a bad day. Let me get Stephanie and we'll get out of your hair."
"You're not in my hair, Kay," Kim said calmly. "I do hope you know that I'm not keeping anything from you about Steve because I want to. I just can't reveal what happens in my sessions with Steve unless he gives me permission."
"I know." Kayla nodded her head slightly. "But he won't tell me, and that leaves me on the outside looking in, and it's a little frustrating right now."
"I can see that," Kim said. She knew she could not reveal anything that had happened with Steve, but maybe she could give Kayla some help anyway. "Have you told Steve how you feel?"
Kayla gave a sarcastic chuckle. "Yes, I've told him. Not that it does any good. He just says he wants to protect me from the bad things that happened to him. That he's afraid of hurting me again."
"You don't think that's true?" Kim asked, encouraged that Kayla was talking.
"I don't know." Kayla's frustration came through. "I was always the person that Steve opened up to, even when he wouldn't open up to anybody else. I can't understand why he won't open up to me now, but he'll-" Kayla stopped. "It doesn't matter. I need to get Stephanie and go."
"You don't understand why he'll open up to me," Kim said. She finally understood Kayla's anger. "That's what you wanted to say, isn't it?"
"I said it doesn't matter, Kim," Kayla said, clearly irritated.
"No, no, no, little sister." Kim refused to back down. "You're mad at me because Steve is talking to me instead of you. Just admit it."
"Fine, I admit it," Kayla snapped. "I know I should be grateful to you for helping him. I am grateful. But it doesn't make it hurt any less to feel shut out."
Now you know how I felt, Kim thought silently, but then felt instantly ashamed. Helping Steve was not some kind of punishment for Kayla. Taking a deep breath, Kim spoke quietly. "I'm sorry you feel that way, Kay."
"I'm sorry too," Kayla said, turning away. "It's not your fault. I know that. It's just been a bad day, like I said."
Kim decided not to push things any further. She remembered what Kayla had said about her hearing. "If there's anything I can do to help with the hospital board, I hope you'll let me know."
Kayla turned back to face Kim. "I don't think there's anything you can do, but I appreciate the offer. Really."
As Kayla finished speaking, the door flew open and Andrew came running in. "Mommy," he exclaimed. "Daddy let me play a game at the restaurant and look what I won." He held up a small stuffed toy, clearly proud of his achievement.
"That's wonderful," Kim said, examining his prize with care as Shane also entered the house. "Why don't you go put it in your room?"
"Okay," Andrew said, running off at top speed.
Kayla smiled as she picked up Stephanie. "Thanks again for watching Stephanie, Kim. We'd better be going." She headed for the door and stopped in front of Shane. "I'm glad you made it home safe-" Kayla paused suddenly, and her expression changed from a smile to concern. "What happened to your face?"
"It's nothing," Shane said. "Just a little accident." He smiled at Stephanie and then looked back at Kayla with a sympathetic look. "Julie told me about your suspension. Is there anything I can do to help?"
"I don't think so," Kayla said. "I got myself into this mess and I'll just have to get myself out . . . somehow." Turning back to Kim, Kayla gave a small smile. "Thanks again."
Kim saw Kayla take another look at Shane's face and shake her head. "Just an accident, huh?" Kayla clearly did not believe Shane's explanation any more than Kim did. "Well . . . whatever happened, I'm glad you're home." With that, Kayla and Stephanie left the house and left Shane and Kim alone.
"So how much did that little toy cost you anyway?" Kim asked with a chuckle.
"No more than ten or twenty times what it's actually worth," Shane said.
They stood there in an awkward silence until Andrew ran back out. Bending down, Shane said, "Come give me a hug, Sport. I've got to be going now."
Andrew threw his arms around Shane. "Bye, Daddy. Will I see you again soon?"
"Of course, you will," Shane replied. "We'll get together again very soon, I promise." Standing up, Shane looked at Kim. "I'll be in touch about re-establishing the visitation schedule."
"Sure," Kim said, trying to match Shane's remoteness.
Shane seemed a little taken aback and he took a moment before responding. "Well then . . . goodnight, Kim."
"Goodnight, Shane," Kim said.
Shane turned and left the Brady house. Kim stared at the door for several minutes until roused by Jeannie's cries from the playpen. As she picked Jeannie up and cooed to her daughter, she thought back to all that had happened over the last month. Steve had returned, they had spent weeks at Donovan Manor, Marlena was alive, and, yet, somehow, it felt like nothing had changed. No, she reminded herself, she had changed. She was going to stop pining for Shane. If he wanted to limit their talks to visitation schedules, then so be it. Kim would move on with her life, one way or another.