Me Plus You

The Past....

Stella gets a surprising helping hand. And then reflects on her youth.

There's an unexpected visitor at her apartment angers Kelly
...

                    *****************

A knock on the door had Stella jumping out of her skin. Checking the peephole, she was surprised to see who it was. She unlocked the door.

Severide walked in, holding up a toolbox.

"Door lock."

"Oh. You didn't have..."

"I want to." He interrupted, walking past her into the apartment.
He emptied the packaging onto the counter.

"It's one of those doorbells that alerts you on your cell if someone is outside your door and captures their image. At least if they try it again you will know about it even when you're not here."

Guilt swamped Stella about having doubts about him.

"Thank you." Her gratitude felt a bit lame even in her own head.

Her cell ringing claimed her attention. It was Hailey. They had checked the camera footage for the front of the building but there was nothing that would pinpoint anyone suspicious to her specific apartment. And there was no sign of anyone on Stella's list being in her building although Hailey did say there were a couple of delivery agents whose faces you couldn't see so they were going to use more technology to have a closer look.

"And check to see if there's anything else missing from your apartment. Things you wouldn't ordinarily miss." She advised before hanging up.

Stella filled Kelly in with Hailey's update. And then whilst Kelly was busy unscrewing bits of her door lock she went through the boxes under her bed which held all her old photos, and memorabilia. Tokens from her past that she hung onto for sentimental reasons and some so she never forgot the journey she took to get to where she was today.

She was sitting on the floor, photographs littered all around her when Kelly finally finished installing the new lock and doorbell.

"What's all this?" He came round to the side of the bed.

Stella looked contemplative, and a little sad.

"The past." She said simply.

Kelly hunkered down beside her picking up a photograph.

A young, smiling Stella dressed in a short white lace dress, bare legs that went on forever, holding a bouquet of pink and white flowers in one hand, the other one clutching the hand of the man standing next to her. He was in a shirt and tie and jeans, hair flopping over one side of his forehead and trying to look effortlessly cool.

"How old were you when you got married?" She looked beautiful he was thinking. Wide-eyed with the innocent expectancy of a happy future.

"My 18th birthday. I was so happy to be getting married." Her voice was bereft, the tone of someone who now had the benefit of hindsight.

"You looked stunning." Kelly mused.
His face was still, staring at the photo for what seemed like a really long time. He was thinking that he would have married her too.

Turning to her, he asked.

"What happened with ..?"

" Grant?" Stella shrugged.

" We were young. I was looking for a family... I had lost both my parents. Grant was a loose cannon and looking for someone to love him.......and I was really good at that." She looked up at him, the chocolate brown of her eyes soulful.