Chapter 36
March 8, 2007
"Excited to be back home?" the flight attendant asked with a smile.
Kevin grinned at her. She'd have to be blind and dumb not to have seen his impatience waiting for the plane to roll up to the walkway into the terminal. He had his jacket on and his carry-on pulled from beneath the seat and if he hadn't been in first class, she'd probably have told him that he had to sit down until the plane came to a complete stop.
"Yeah. It's always good to be home," he chuckled. Especially this time he thought. "You've been a sweetheart. Thanks." He gave her a kiss on the cheek and stepped into the aisle. As the door was opened and the walkway secured to the plane, he was first in line to exit. He couldn't wait to get home.
As he strode through the airport, he blessed the quirks of fate that allowed him this freedom in his hometown. Somehow, if there were fans around in Lexington, they always seemed to understand that he needed someplace to be private. He couldn't remember the last time he had been hassled in this airport. They might wave to him from across the concourse or call out a hello, but they always gave him his space. Today was no different. He zipped through the car rental and was out on the highway, heading for the house. He smiled in the sunshine and hummed the beginnings of a new song he was working on. Only half an hour more. Half an hour and he'd be with his kids-and Rachel. Home.
* * *
Habit had made him omit calling to let them know when he'd be arriving. As he pulled into the driveway he had a momentary twinge of unease that no one would be home. He didn't usually come home this many days before the service. Then he saw Rachel's Cherokee, and smiled in relief. He pulled into the garage, grabbed his bags from the seat and hurried to the back door. He smiled as he opened the door and found all three of them in the kitchen. "Hi, guys," he said softly. "Surprise-I'm here early."
Jemma squealed happily and ran to him. He crouched down and caught her in his arms. "Hi, pumpkin," he grinned. "I missed you." She hugged him tight and kissed his cheek. He looked over her shoulder and grinned at Aaron. "Hey, buddy. I missed you too. Wuz up?"
Aaron glanced up from his coloring book. "Hi Daddy. I'm coloring," he said coolly. There was a pause. "Did you bring that lady with you?" He looked away before Kevin could respond and resumed his coloring. Kevin's eyes flew to Rachel. The question was unspoken, but Rachel understood. She nodded her head.
Kevin stood up and, taking Jemma's hand, walked toward the kitchen table. She sat down again and picked up her art project to show him. He looked at it and nodded approvingly. Then he turned to Aaron again. "I didn't bring anyone with me Aaron. What lady did you think was coming?"
Aaron looked up at him and his eyes were clouded and angry. "The one who went to the TV show with you." He turned away from Kevin. "Rachel, I wanna to take my nap now-will you tuck me in?"
Kevin tried again. "I'll take you up, son."
"No, thank you. I want Rachel." Aaron held out his hand to Rachel and without another look at Kevin started toward the stairs. Rachel's glance was apologetic as she went with him.
* * *
As he got ready for bed that night, Kevin tried to shake the feeling of anxiety that had been riding him since he got home. He had tried twice more during the day to talk to Aaron, but the boy wasn't having any. Finally, Kevin had given up. He knew that Aaron was being very protective of Rachel, and that he was extremely angry with his father, and although he thought he understood why, he hadn't been able to reassure him. It was hard to find a moment to talk to him alone-Jemma wanted his attention too. He couldn't put her off to deal with Aaron. Then both of them would be angry with him.
And Rachel. She was scaring him the most. She seemed pleasant and glad to see him, but there was always someone with them. Tracy and Tim and their boys had been invited over for dinner, and the house was full and noisy. Everyone was glad to have him home and said so-everyone but Rachel. He hadn't had one word of private conversation with her since his arrival. Well-that wasn't strictly true. Once everyone had gone home and Jemma and Aaron were in bed, it had been just him and Rachel. They had taken coffee into the den, but she had curled up on the far end of the sofa as they talked. She had explained that Aaron was still reacting to the appearance of Kelly with his father at the Grammy's. When Kevin had assured Rachel that she was just his date for the evening, and that he wasn't seeing her anymore, Rachel had nodded and seemed to accept it at face value. It was only later that it had occurred to him that one of the many media people on hand that night might have said something on camera about his relationship with Kelly. What he was sure of was that Rachel was putting distance between them for some reason. The whole evening had been awkward. He got into bed with the beginnings of a headache.
~ ~ ~
He was dozing when the first seizure hit. Frantic beeping from four monitors jolted him awake. Kristin's body had gone rigid. He leaped for the call button and screamed out her name at the same time. The room filled with medical personnel in seconds and he was pushed back as they moved to help her.
"Mr. Richardson-Mr. Richardson! Please come with me. The doctors need room to work. It's better if you wait outside." The nurse was being gentle but insistent. She pulled him from the room. Ann was right outside the door. With a nod to the nurse, she took over.
"Kevin. Kevin!" she said sternly. "You've got to pull yourself together. This isn't helping Kristin."
He looked at her through his tears. She was staring into his eyes, willing him to stop sobbing-stop shaking. He focused on her. She was so calm. He needed to be calm. He gripped her hands in his and he knew that he was hurting her, but she didn't even flinch. Slowly he regained his composure. The shaking stopped. He cleared his throat.
"Mom-," he whispered. "This didn't happen last time. This didn't happen."
"We'll talk to the doctor when he comes out, Kevin. We'll find out. But you have to stay calm."
"I'm trying, Mamma, I'm trying." There were tears standing in her eyes as she looked up at him, but she smiled and nodded.
Then there was blackness and voices swirling around him. He reached out, but there was nothing to touch.
He was back in Kristin's hospital room. Holding her hand and gently brushing her hair away from her face. The doctor had tried to get him to go home and rest, but had finally given up. When Kevin had learned that the seizure meant that Kristin had passed from severe pre-eclampsia into full-blown eclampsia, he had refused to even go down to the coffee shop. Ann had intervened with the doctor at that point, knowing that Kevin would be better off with Kristin than away from her.
Kristin stirred and Kevin's head came up from resting on the bed. She was looking at him, but there was no recognition in her eyes. He remembered that look from the last time.
"Where's my baby?" she whispered.
"He's in the nursery, Kristy. He's safe."
"Where's my baby?" she repeated, her hands coming to rest on her stomach. She started to look a little frantic. Kevin closed his eyes and struggled to hold back the tears. She was delirious. She didn't remember giving birth.
"Kristin, look at me, honey." He swallowed down the lump in his throat. "Kristin-you had the baby. He's fine. As soon as you're better they'll bring him to you."
She looked at him and then away. "I have to talk to Kevin," she whispered. "Where's Kevin?"
He sobbed and then took a deep breath. "I'm right here Kristy. It's me-Kevin." There was a long pause and then she looked at him again and her eyes were clear.
"Kevin?" She tried to smile at him, but the effort was more than she could handle. "Honey-I'm so sorry. I never meant to-."
"Shhh, baby. It's all right." He smiled down at her. "You're gonna get better and then we can all go home." He leaned in and kissed her forehead.
"Kev-I need to tell you..." She struggled for breath.
"Honey, just rest. That's the best thing you can do."
"No-Kev-I have to tell you-." She was getting agitated.
"Okay, Kristy, okay. What do you need to tell me?" he asked gently.
There were tears in her eyes when she looked up at him. "I'm sorry. Please forgive me. I didn't mean to leave you like this. Remember that I love you."
"Kristy-don't. You're going to be fine," he choked out.
"Don't cry, Kev. It'll be okay-I-." Her body started to shake and her eyes rolled back. The monitors started a staccato beeping, and as the med techs burst into the room with the crash cart, he pulled her into his arms. It was already too late. The beeping hesitated and subsided to a quiet flat-line hum. They pulled him away from the bed and hit her with the paddles, but it was over and he knew it.
~ ~ ~
He woke slowly. His face was wet with tears. The nightmare had never taken him all the way to the end before. He lay there trying to decide whether that was a good thing or not.
Chapter 37
Coming Home
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