Chapter 16
The next couple days followed the same pattern. Keisha went to the clinic, worked herself to the bone, came home, and made dinner for her and Kelly. She spoke to Jaxon every evening, checking in to see how his day had gone.
Kelly ignored Keisha almost completely, but the leftovers disappeared during the day, so at least she was eating at some point in time.
Unsure how to make her any happier, Keisha realized she could do only so much.
Kelly did have to want to help herself for any other assistance to take hold.
Being left in a wheelchair was an awful lot to be dealt with in Kelly’s life, and Keisha didn’t know how to help her, other than giving her a place to live and food and as much emotional support as Kelly would accept—which was none at all.
At some point in time, her sister would need more help than Keisha could give her, but that was a conversation she really didn’t want to have.
Not to mention the fact that Kelly wasn’t currently open to any conversation at all.
As Keisha went through the next couple days, she got one more disturbing phone call and then none. She was grateful for that, yet it worried her, and she mentioned it to Jaxon that night.
He shared, “I went to see a local detective whom Timber knows, asking about any relevant information in the case file on the accident that killed your parents.”
She froze and then asked, “Why would you do that?” She was more puzzled than anything.
“Because the other driver also died,” he stated, “and that would be a good reason for somebody in his family to be very angry that you are living your life, while their loved one isn’t.”
“Yeah, but I’m not exactly thriving,” she clarified, then hesitated. “Yet you’re right. If I was killed in the accident, it would be a completely different story.”
“And we also know that unhappy people don’t think things through rationally,” he pointed out.
“Plus, we are getting all these strange phone calls. I did tell Richard about them, and he should get around to calling you at some point to get your statement as well. Meanwhile, Gregory, the digital PI guy, said that he couldn’t trace the calls to my phone, probably made with disposable phones being used once and thrown away.
Regardless, it’s definitely something that needs to be checked out.
You are getting threats. I am getting threats.
So we’ll see what Richard can find. We both need someone to figure out what is what. ”
“I know. I understand,” she replied. “I’m hardly even answering my phone because of it. I do have a work phone, but it’s separate.”
“Good, so just maintain that setup. … Did you talk to Kelly about it?”
“No, she hasn’t been talking to me at all,” she noted. “Honest to God, I don’t know what to do with her.”
“That’s another completely different issue,” he stated. “You may need to talk to her about that accident too.”
Keisha gave a broken laugh. “I don’t know what the hell is going on, but, whatever it is, my sister is heading into a tailspin again.”
He asked, “Does she know that you and I are talking?”
“Yes, she does.” She waited through the pause on his end, knowing what was coming. So, before he could say anything, she added, “And, no, I don’t know if it’s because of that.”
“Right, well, … at least we’re both aware of the possibility.”
“Yeah,” she said, bitterness in her tone. “I just don’t want to even contemplate that she thinks it’ll have an impact on us getting to know each other.”
“But it did have an impact last time,” he pointed out.
“You’re right.” Keisha sighed. “I don’t know what to say.”
“For the moment, there’s nothing to say. We’ll just continue as we are.”
“Do you think it’s the right thing to do?”
“Yes, I do. I’m not willing to give you up without a fight.” And, with that, he disconnected.
She stared down at the phone and realized that really was what it all came down to. She had been avoiding the question, about whether or not she loved him, whether or not she wanted him over everything else, but the answer was very clear in her heart. She absolutely loved him.
Otherwise she wouldn’t be doing what she was doing.
The trouble was, her sister wasn’t making it easy, and she could see that, for Kelly, this would likely be some major trauma about losing Keisha, on top of the losses Kelly had already endured—her parents and her own mobility.
But, dammit, Keisha was entitled to a life as well.
That was easy enough to say in her mind, …
until she was forced to deal with Kelly’s trauma over and over again, plus Kelly’s ways of gaining attention so Keisha would never leave her.
It was a really messed-up scenario—one she didn’t want to deal with at all.
When she came back from walking the dogs the following evening, Kelly was in the kitchen, looking for food.
“The leftovers are on the stove,” Keisha said.
Her sister didn’t say anything and just continued to rummage.
“I guess I might as well stop cooking then, if you’re not eating.”
Kelly shrugged. “Can’t say that you’re cooking anything I like.”
She stared at her. “Everything I’m cooking is food you have always eaten.”
“I’m not eating them now,” she snapped, as she shut the refrigerator door, turned, and glared at her, fire in her eyes. “So, how long before you kick me out?”
Keisha stared at her in shock for a moment. “Why would …” she stammered, then took a deep breath. “Why would I do that?” she asked, looking at Kelly closely, seeing the tears, the fear, and so much else.
“It’s obvious that you’re spending all your spare time with him now.”
“Jaxon is my husband, Kel,” she reminded her sister.
“Whatever that means,” Kelly muttered, trying to hold back the tears, but one slipped down, which she rubbed away. “You’re trying to divorce him, remember? You were pretty-damn quick to get rid of him before.”
She stared at Kelly and felt the shame wash over her. “Yes, I was,” she agreed, “and that is something I’ll have to live with for the rest of my life.”
Kelly looked at her in surprise. “What do you mean?”
“It was the wrong thing to do,” she declared. “I just couldn’t handle the stress between the two of you, and I took the easy way out.”
“Right, so what now? You got rid of him, but now that … kicking him out didn’t seem to work out, so you’ll get rid of me?” She spat out her words, then sat here chewing her lips bloody. “Is that it?” she snapped.
“No, it isn’t, but honestly, I’m not at all sure what to do with you.”
“You don’t need to do anything with me,” she snapped again. “I’m not a child.”
“You sure are acting like one. I cook a meal, and you won’t show up. I talk to you, and you roll away. There’s absolutely no point in having any discussion with you because you won’t do anything beyond hurling the insults at me and at Jaxon.”
Her sister stared at her. “I don’t understand why he has to be in our lives.”
“I know you don’t,” Keisha replied, calm and collected. “However, I love him and always have. I want him in my life.”
“You don’t even know him,” Kelly shrieked. “He came back a complete stranger. Those are not my words. You’re the one who said that.”
“You know what? Right about now, you are the complete stranger,” Keisha pointed out, trying so hard not to snap, but Kelly was impossible.
“I allowed you to affect my decision before, and it was wrong. I wasn’t fair to him at all.
He had come back with just as much trauma as you’re living with, and, instead of being there for him, as a loving wife should”—she gave a dry laugh—“I was all about you. You are the one who put me in a position of having to choose between the two of you, and that was wrong. I shouldn’t have to make a choice.
There shouldn’t have been a choice to make.
There’s absolutely no reason the two of you can’t get along. ”
“I’m not getting along with him,” Kelly declared, staring at her sister. “So that’s off the table.”
“Okay. That’s off the table, and you are allowed to have your opinions.
Just tell me this. … What will you do with your life?
” she asked, hardly pulling back her tone.
When Kelly just shrugged, Keisha’s own anger surged.
“What will you do, Kel? Run away and hide every time he shows up? Just disappear and not have any communication with anybody in this world?”
Kelly now stared at her, open-mouthed, not used to the pushback.
“I know that being in a wheelchair is so unfair, and I get that. I know it’s hard and full of challenges, but I can’t change that. So, if the doctors can’t help you, I don’t know who can, except for maybe a therapist.”
“I won’t go to therapy,” she muttered, her voice unnaturally calm. “And you can’t make me.”
“No, I can’t make you, but I’m also not sure what to do with you. You aren’t making the slightest effort to get along with anybody,” Keisha explained. “It used to be just other people you shouted at and insulted, and now … it’s me. You’re not making it easier on any of us.”
“Of course it’s you,” she replied in the same neutral tone. “You’ve made a decision, and, if you’re not for me, you’re against me, and you’ve made that quite clear.”
She stared at her in shock. “I have not. At no point in time have I ever done that—”
“Yes, you have,” Kelly interrupted, “and, for the record, I don’t want anything to do with you either.”
“So, what then? You’ll just live here in silence?” she asked. “You’ve accused me of doing something horrible and won’t give me any explanation as to how you came to that repugnant answer. You won’t even talk to me.”
“No, I won’t talk to you,” she stated, with a dismissive wave of her hand. “You made your decision, so that’s all there is to it.” With that, she turned and wheeled her way out.