Chapter 141: Kay's Apartment

Monday, January 9th, Afternoon

(Song Lyrics in Italics)

The apartment door swung open, and Karen "Kay" Scott walked in looking overburdened, with a grocery bag and her keys in one arm. Her right arm was still in a sling from the pain in her surgically repaired shoulder. Walking through the door, she kicked the door closed and headed to her small kitchen.

At the counter, she dropped her keys and followed them by gently putting down her grocery bag. Next went her winter hat and coat, which ended up on her kitchen table.

Slowly, one-handed, she unpacked her purchases. The thought kept coming to her head was that maybe she should have ordered them online for delivery. Ivy had told her it was better to go to the store herself and check on the fruits and vegetables.

I need a summer but the summer's come and gone...
I need a summer but it's winter in my heart...
It's all the same

As she was finishing with her groceries, her smartphone dinged, indicating she had gotten an email. After she put the last of the groceries away, she dug into her back pocket to find her smartphone.

Settling into her one good hand, she opened her email app. The inbox loaded up, showing her what emails she hadn't deleted. Finally, the new email showed up. The pierce of digital mail caused Kay to raise an eyebrow.

"Again, Carrie, would you leave me alone," Kay said and opened the email. Looking over the email, she read it two or three times before closing the email and putting her smartphone on the kitchen table. Slowly, almost in a daze, Kay walked into the living room and dropped heavily into her chair.

A few hours later, the apartment door opened, and Ivy Kowalski entered. She closed the door and walked into the apartment proper.

"Kay, are you here? I've been calling you," Ivy said.

Kay didn't answer. Ivy walked further in and put her keys down on the kitchen table. She saw Kay's winter hat and coat, as well as her smartphone on the table. The smartphone was flashing, showing the messages that Kay had received. Ivy shook her head and moved forward into the living room.

The fucked up game
You play with me!
I need to hold you but you're never coming back...

She found Kay sitting in her favorite chair. Kay was slumped there, with her left arm just hanging down the side of the chair. Ivy looked over her girlfriend. Kay was breathing and was staring forward blankly out the window.

"Kay?" Ivy asked.

There was no response from Kay. Ivy looked her over, wondering what was wrong. Kay was breathing, but that didn't rule out other things. Ivy nodded; there was one more thing to try before calling 911.

Ivy reached out with her hand and gently touched Kay's face, which was warm to the touch. She gently reacted to Ivy's touch. Slowly, Ivy began to caress Kay's cheek, which got more reaction out of her.

Finally, Kay's eyes closed, and she seemed to let out a small soft sigh. Kay started to rub her cheek against Ivy's hand. The look on Ivy's face began to soften but still held the tension to Ivy's concern.

I can't get
Any lower...
I can't find

"Kay, are you okay?" Ivy asked.

Kay shook her head slightly. She was trying to keep in contact with Ivy's hand.

"Kay, speak to me, what's wrong?" Ivy asked.

Kay sighed, "I had a bad email," she said.

Ivy removed her hand. "It's just a bad email, Kay," Ivy said, "Unless they cut you."

Kay shook her head, "No, the Sky didn't cut me," she said, "Yet."

"It's more fallout from my accident," Kay said, and shrugged, "The worst day of my life."

"What specifically was in this email?" Ivy asked.

Kay reached out with her left hand and took hold of one of Ivy's hand. She held it tight and pulled it to her own heart. Ivy felt the beating of Kay's heart.

"I don't want to talk about it yet," Kay said.

Ivy nodded, "Okay, but whenever it is or was, it affected you deeply," she said.

Kay nodded, "Yeah, it has," she said.

Ivy nodded, "Kay, I know I have no clue what happened or even what you've gone through," she said.

"Going through," Kay added.

"Yeah, even going through," Ivy said.

"Thank you," Kay said.

"You're welcome, but no matter what, we're together, and I'm here for you, to talk, to vent, hell, even if you just need to be held," Ivy said.

"I appreciate it," Kay said.

"Good," Ivy said, with a smile, "You can't get rid of me that easily, Karen Roe."

"Fine, Ivy Faustina," Kay said.

Ivy rolled her eyes, "Christ, I wish I hadn't told you my middle name," she said.

"It's a unique name," Kay said.

"It's my grandmother's name," Ivy said.

"So," Kay said, "My parents named me for my grandmom."

"Yours is not a name of a catholic nun and saint," Ivy said, shaking her head.

All the pieces of my broken life...
I need a summer but the summer's come and gone...
I need a summer like a winter in my heart...

"True," Kay said, "I knew someone who was raised catholic, but he had a final falling out over how they treated a hero."

Ivy nodded, "Why?" she asked.

"He said because of his belief was contradictory to the church," Kay said.

"Sounds like a good reason," Ivy said.

"He said it was because he followed the spirit and not the letter," Kay said.

"Go on," Ivy said.

"He was a friar who he claimed was a godly man, who died serving his community," Kay said.

"So, why would they not honor him? What did he believe in the spirit of versus the letter of?" Ivy asked.

"Because he identified as gay, and when the church turned out gays, he took them in," Kay said.

Ivy nodded, "I'm not surprised, does this hero have a name?" she asked.

"Father Mychal Judge," Kay said, "Well, that's the drunken story I heard."

Ivy nodded, "Such a delightful topic," she said.

"I guess," Kay said.

"So, did you go grocery shopping?" Ivy asked, changing the subject.

"Yes," Kay said, nodding.

"Did you go yourself, or did you order online?" Ivy asked.

"I went as you told me told," Kay said, "If you don't believe me, the bag and receipt on the counter."

"Okay," Ivy said, nodding.

"You're not going to check?" Kay asked, surprised.

"You have to trust someone," Ivy said, "That's what you do when you're in a relationship."

Kay nodded.

I can't get
Any lower...
I can't find

"So, what can we do to cheer you up?" Ivy asked.

Kay shrugged, "I don't know, a working shoulder. Do I need to be cheered up?" she said.

"Well, with your shoulder giving you issue and this so-called bad email, I'd say you do," Ivy said, putting air quotes over the words so-called bad email.

"Okay, I guess," Kay said, "What do you suggest?"

Ivy smiled, "You need to be pampered, how about, we get our nails done, maybe a few other things," she said.

"Other things?" Kay asked, confused, and not really into the more, as Keith would call it, girly things.

"Yeah, other things like your eyebrows," Ivy said.

"My eyebrows, what's wrong with my eyebrows," Kay asked.

"Yeah, they need cleaning up a bit," Ivy said.

"Ivy, really?" Kay asked.

"Yes, really, and we'll get dinner, on me," Ivy said.

"Are you sure?" Kay asked.

"Positive," Ivy said, grabbed Kay's left hand, and tried pulling the taller Kay out of the chair.

Kay sighed, "Okay," she said, and got up. They headed out of the apartment with Kay collecting her smartphone, jacket, hat, and keys. They left the apartment, with Kay making sure it was locked.

All the pieces of my broken life...
But I try
I still try
I still try...