Traffic

Ch 43: Family

       The morning following Kelly's first wanted kiss, she was glowing. Her smile was shining, her eyes, glistening, but not with fresh tears as they had often been. Peter slept in, but she couldn't stand to be still another minute. She woke at five, dressed and went on a run, and by the time she got back, her mother and Francine were in the kitchen, beginning breakfast.

        "Hello," Kelly greated them with a smile and a kiss to their cheeks.

        "Someone's chipper this morning," Fred smirked.

        "How are you?" her mother said with a chuckle.

        "I'm good, I'm great, I'm wonderful, I'm--"

        "Finally with Peter?" Fred interrupted.

        "Whaaaaaaaat?" Kelly said, not able to wipe the smile from her face, "What are you talking about?"

        "Oh come on, Kelly. Yesterday you were all sad, and today you're happier than a lark. The only reason that could happen would be a boy, and the only one who has feelings for you is Peter. It's obvious."

        "Really?" Kelly asked, scrunching her nose up slightly.

        "Yes."

        Kelly sighed, dramatically laying her body against the tabletop, "I can't help it. He told me he loved me and all of a sudden, all my pain went away. I feel like I could FLY," she said, spreading her arms out, dropping them above her head on the table.

        Francine tickled her sister's sides, making her squeal and laugh, "You'd better get off the table and go shower or you'll miss breakfast, stinky," she joked.

        "Okay, okay! Save some pancakes for me!" she called behind her as she rushed to shower. When she'd finished, she met the family in the dining hall where a large, U-shaped table lay, covered with plates, cups, napkins, silverware, and platters of pancakes and bacon. Kelly stood in the front of the room, "Good MORNING, everyone!" she said happily.

        "Good morning, Kelly!" the family replied, smiling at her.

        Kelly smiled as she spoke, "Let's pray before we eat this wonderful meal...Dear God, Thank you for family, for friends, for love, and for safety. Please bless everyone in this room and their families. Please bless the food to our bodies that it may nourish us and keep us healthy and strong for your service. Amen..." Kelly ended the prayer and looked up, "While you start eating, I have a special announcement for you all," Kelly said, beaming from ear to ear.

        Peter walked up and stood beside her, a velvet box in hand. He held it out and took Kelly's left hand with his other hand. Kelly smiled, "Peter has asked me to marry him...And I said yes!"

        The room was silent, then a small voice said, "Finally!" rather loudly. Everyone errupted in laughter. One of the mothers came up and hugged Kelly and Peter.

        "Congratulations you two," she said, "I wish you all the happiness."

        "Wait," a small voice said, causing everyone to stop talking, "Does this mean you're leaving us?"

        Kelly looked at the young boy, only three years old, syrup already all over his cheeks and his eyes, wide and curious. She knelt beside him and held his head in her hands gently, "I promise I will never leave you. I plan on running this home for the rest of my life." She kissed the top of his head and he smiled, wrapping his short, chubby arms around her neck.

        Kelly was then devoured in hugs from all the children, old and young, with some hugs from the mothers mixed in. The festivities lasted several minutes, containing laughter and much hugging, before they were interrupted by a voice.

        "I hope I'm not intruding," it said. Kelly whirled around and took a sharp breath. "Tabitha convinced me to come..." he continued. Tabitha stood in the corner, looking smug and proud.

        "Trace?" Francine said, her voice wavering. She froze where she stood while Polly ran forward to embrace her son. He accepted her hugs and kisses and returned them, kissing her all over her face and not wanting to let go of her. He did, however, when he noticed Francine crying.

        "Fred," he said with a smirk, "It's okay, I forgive you. Come here," he held his arms out. The room watched as if it was in slow motion. Francine ran forward and jumped into her brother's arms, wrapping her arms and legs around his body. He held her there, holding her tightly for a long while. Both were crying, but smiles were on their faces.

        Soon, Jennifer joined the crowd in the dining hall, carrying Kelly.

        "Who's this?" Francine asked as she slid off of Trace's body.

        "Everyone, this is my wife, Jennifer, and my baby girl, Kelly Junior. She's three and a half."

        Greetings were exchanged and hugs were passed around. The room became loud and didn't subside for hours. The whole family gathered there, some old members, some new members, some being added soon, and some, planning on starting a home of their own soon, but all family.

        "Francine?" Fred heard a quiet voice behind her, "Can I talk to you?"

        "Sure," she said, rising and meeting Wes in the corner of the room. Kelly pointed to them and Peter and Trace looked over, smiling as they stared.

        "I wanted to tell you something important. Ever since I found out about what happened to Kelly, I've been afraid of hurting girls, so, I don't touch them. I don't touch them or go near to them, because I'm afraid of becoming the kind of man who hurt Kelly--"

        "You could never be that kind of person, Wes. Know how I know?"

        "How?" he asked.

        "Because you know it's wrong. You have a good heart, and because of that, you could never hurt anyone. You could never hurt me."

        Wesley smiled, pausing a few seconds before hesitantly reaching his hand out in front of him, towards Francine's hand. She rolled her eyes with a smile on her face and quickly took his hand, pulling his face downward and landing a kiss on his cheek. Wesley smiled brightly and gave her a kiss on the cheek. Kelly smiled at the two and knew her sister would be okay. She looked to her mother, who was helping a little boy cut his pancake into bite sized pieces. She was home here. She could have anything and everything she needed or wanted here.

        Kelly looked to Trace and his wife, whom he kissed gently, then picked up his daughter. She heard Kelly Junior squea in laughter and thought, 'This is what I chose to live for. If I had killed myself when I wanted to, so many years ago, In Dee's bathtub, I wouldn't be here: with my family.'

        "Penny for your thoughts?" Peter said above the noise, a smile tugging at his lips.

        Kelly looked around the table, then looked to Peter, her eyes shining and her cheeks dented with a large smile, "I love you," she said quietly, leaning forward to kiss his lips.

        He smiled and put his arm around her, whispering in her ear now, "You done good," Kelly. You done good. You may have been through alot, but you came out on top. You won. And best of all: You found love."