"Can I see your scar?" Andrew asked, from his perch on the edge of Shane's bed. They were playing a game of chess and the question made Shane almost drop the rook that he was moving across the board.
"Oh, you don't really want to see it," Shane said, lightly. "It looks just an ugly cut, kind of like when you hurt your knee."
Andrew grew silent for a moment and then looked up with his big eyes. Shane knew what was coming. Andrew wanted to know what happened with Cal; Shane doubted anyone had really told him the story.
"Did Uncle Cal shoot you?" Andrew asked. "That's what Eve said."
Shane sighed, wondering why Eve had said anything around Andrew, but he figured it had probably been in the heat of the moment. Eve tended not to realize how much Andrew absorbed. "Yes, he shot me. But you don't have to worry about Cal anymore. He won't ever come back."
Andrew looked down at the chess pieces before he looked up again. "Did it hurt, Daddy?"
Shane had to think about that. "I guess it did. I mean it still hurts a bit, Sport, but at the time, I don't think I could really feel it that much." That, at least, was the truth. Shane had some fragments of memory - mostly of shadowy figures surrounding him and bright lights flashing overhead. He even remembered that Kayla had said things to him and he to her, though he could not recall exactly what they had said.
"Did you see any angels?"
Shane chuckled at the boy's question. "No, I didn't see any angels - at least not with wings and harps and all that. But you know what I did see?" At Andrew's wide-eyed look, Shane said, "In my mind, I saw your mother and I saw you. See . . . I think being hurt like that made me think of what was most important to me. And that's you and Mommy and Jeannie and Eve."
Andrew nodded, satisfied with the answer, and returned his attention to the game. Shane gave his son pointers as he considered different moves and then proceeded to lose a close-fought match. Shane was just giving Andrew a congratulatory hug when Kim stepped into the bedroom. It was the first time Shane had seen her since he returned home the day before.
"Andrew, it's time to go see Grandma and Grandpa," Kim said. "And you don't want to tire your father out too much."
Shane started to protest, but he was feeling pretty tired after his morning physical therapy and the chess game. Besides, this might give him a chance to talk to Kim.
"Go ahead, Champ." Shane ruffled Andrew's hair. "Why don't you go get cleaned up and then get your jacket?"
Andrew got up and headed out the door. Kim turned to follow, but Shane spoke before she could leave.
"Kim. . . . Could we talk for a minute?"
She turned around and walked back toward the bed. He could see the concern in her eyes. "How do you feel today?"
"I'm okay," Shane said. "I'm sorry we didn't get a chance to talk last night." After Mickey Horton had left the day before, Simmons had helped Shane upstairs, where he had dozed on and off for most of the late-afternoon. When Shane had woken, Andrew had been home, but Kim was gone, having been called to deal with an emergency at the hospital. "Did everything work out at the clinic?"
Kim shook her head. "It was a young girl, maybe 17 or 18, who'd been beaten severely by her pimp. Normally, they'd have had Marlena cover it, but she's not back from Mexico yet."
"I'm sorry," Shane said. "That sounds like a tough case." Shane knew any case involving prostitutes was particularly hard for Kim.
"It was." Kim's tone was curt. "I really don't want to discuss it." She glanced around the room. "Is there anything you need?"
He shook his head. "No. I'd just like to talk."
"I'm not sure what there is to talk about," Kim said quietly. "You told me how you felt at the hospital and I told you I would stay here because of the children, because I want you to be with them." She looked at him sadly, but with a determined glint in her eye. "But I also told you I need some time to figure things out. I can't be here if you are going to be pressuring me, Shane."
Shane held up his hands. Pressuring her would never work; he knew that. "I'm not going to pressure you." He smiled softly. "You said you need time, and I . . . while I won't give up on us, I'll give you all the time you want." He gave her a curious look. "But how can you figure out what you want if you aren't even willing to talk to me?"
Turning away, Kim looked away toward the window.
"Aren't we still friends at least?" Shane asked.
"Friends?" Kim sounded doubtful. "It seems like whenever we say that we're still friends, it's just a matter of days before we wind up back in bed together."
Shane stopped himself before he said that was exactly what he wanted. Kim would just see that as more pressure, and it was not exactly what he meant. This was not about sex. But rather than try to explain that, he just nodded slowly.
"Very well. I just want you to know that I'm here for you," Shane said. "Kim . . . I know this hasn't been easy on you. Not just with me getting hurt, but we've never talked about what happened with Cal and what you had to go through when I got shot. That's not the kind of thing you get over so quickly." He saw the way Kim blanched at his words, and knew his suspicions were correct. Those events had left their marks. "But I won't push you. Just know I'm here if you want to talk."
Kim fell silent and seemed to study him. Then she started to say something and, for a moment, he thought she was going to open up to him. "Shane-"
"Mommy, I'm ready."
Kim broke off whatever she was about to say and turned to the door where Andrew was standing. She gave him a smile. "Okay, sweetie. Just give me a chance to get my coat and purse." She turned back to Shane and almost appeared to shrug. "I guess I'd better go. My folks are waiting."
Don't push, Shane told himself. He could barely contain his frustration, but he forced a smile to his face. "Of course. You'd better not keep them waiting."
Kim started to leave, but she paused a few feet from the door. "I . . . I'll see you later." She hesitated. "Shane. . . ."
"What?" he asked expectantly.
She started to say something, then stopped. With a small sigh, she smiled and then said, "I'm glad you're home."