"Too Tall, Too Dark, Too Handsome" chap 3

Chapter 3

Safely inside of her house, Shea breathed deep cleansing breaths. How would she live next door to that man? Her heart rate increased just thinking about him! Sliding down the closed door, Shea sat with her face in her hands. She'd promised herself she'd never fall for another man. Never!

Jingle Bell rubbed up against her leg, purring sweetly as if to say she was there for Shea, it was then that she realized just how pathetic her life was. The only living being left to comfort her was the cat she'd found in a snow bank on Christmas eve!

Sighing, she scooped the up the cat and rubbed her cheek against Jingle's soft fur. "Thanks Jingle." she whispered. It was days like today, when she felt the most lonely, that she'd gather herself and take off to her quiet spot. Where she could think, and say her good-byes once more to her last chance at love.

Standing, she set Jingle down and scooted out the garage door. With a quick good-bye to her cat, she hopped into the car and took off toward the cemetary.
The breeze flirted with the trees encompassing the headstones. Somehow the peace of this place drew her. With knowledge of the lay of the land, Shea began her walk. As she came upon the headstones she looked for, she sat nearest the tiniest one. With shaking hands, she ran her fingers over the delicate inscription on the marble.

"Keely McMalley
October 6, 2004 - December 24, 2004
Mommy's Angel."

Tears flowed down her cheeks in tiny streams. No matter how many years it had been, the memories still brought her to tears. She'd tried to tell herself it wasn't her fault, and yet it still galred in her mind.

It had been a normal day just like any other, only it was Christmas Eve. To be exact, her first Christmas Eve as a mother. Keely sat in her bouncy seat watching with wide green eyes as Shea decorated the tree. With each ornament she hung, Shea made a noise making two month old Keely giggle with joy. Her heart was truly full.

"We're going to make it, Keely Grace, I can promise you that!" she babbled to her baby animatedly.

Just as the words left her mouth, the front door flew open. Her worst nightmare stood in the doorway, Rick Harley.
"I hear you've got my daughter, O'Shea!" he slurred, staggering across the wooden floor bringing with him the stench of alchohol.

"Get out Rick!" she screamed, doing her best to hide Keely with her body.

"I want my baby!" he shouted back, throwing Shea across the room.

She hit the wall and the room began to spin, head pounding Shea did her best to make the room stop spinning. Yet the need to get to her baby before Rick did, made the room spin worse as her blood pressure rose at the sight of him grabbing Keely and maliciously tossing her across the room. "STOP!" she screamed, her heart plummeting for her toes at Keely's cries.

"You kept my baby from me, Shea, I'm going to take her from you." he said, his voice calm now as he stalked across the room and lifted the baby shaking her violently.

"Rick!" she did her best to crawl across the floor and grab the phone.

Just as she dialed 9-1-1, her world went black, and everything was gone.

"I'm so sorry Keely." she cried, wishing she could comfort the baby she'd lost. Nothing in the world could keep the tears from flowing now. Not even if they had found Rick. With a long sigh, she stood to her feet and adjusted the small potted plant before Keely's headstone. Life was never the same after that, and her pit was deeper than ever now.

--

Kent shoved the last box into the dumpster and looked around with satisfaction, maybe his mom was a bit of a taskmaster, but she got the job done. She'd ordered he and his moving crew around all afternoon, but every last bit of his stuff was in its place. No need for a second day of moving, nor weeks and weeks of shoving boxes into the dumpster.

"So the rumor is true." came a sultry voice from behind him.

Turning quickly, he identified the voice. Isabella Ramirez, his childhood sweetheart. "I don't know..I'd suppose it depends on the rumor." he quipped, not so much in the mood for her games.

She fiddled with the silk of her red dress with long nimble fingers, "That you're moving back home. You must've finally given up on the city. We all knew you'd come running back home to me." Tip-tapping across the sidewalk, she wrapped her long arms around his waist and stood on tip toe to kiss his neck.

"Get away," he growled low, stepping out of her arms.

"Come back here baby." she whined, wrapping herself around him again.

Sighing he tugged away, "Touch me again and you're next in the dumpster. I don't understand what you find so hard to understand about this, Isabella. You hurt me once, I won't stay around for it a second time. I came to be here for my mother. Not you. Good bye." Turning, he stalked back to his house.

"You're making a huge mistake!" she screamed after him, folding her arms and pouting like a child.

"Only mistake here, honey, is that lipstick with that dress!" shouted his mother after her.
He chuckled, "Thanks Mama."

"Anytime honey." she laughed, hugging him close.

Maybe moving back wasn't a total mistake, it felt good to say good bye to Isabella finally. To move on with his life, that was something completely different for him. Shea climbed out of her car, eyes puffy and red as if she'd been crying, and he sighed. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad though, if he could successfully reach out to her. There was something so magnetic about O'Shea McMalley.

"Stop drooling and get back in here, Kentavious!" shouted his mom, as she walked inside.
He chuckled, "Yes, mother."