Scenes From a Soap Opera

Regrets... I've Had A Few

CoCo and Kyle sat on opposite sides of the couch, trying to figure out what had just happened while catching their breaths. CoCo hated herself, she really did. After promising that she'd never put her hands or other body parts on Kyle Abbott again, she fell apart and jumped the man.

"Did you want to talk about this?" She heard Kyle ask her. CoCo met his guilt-ridden eyes and selfishly it made her feel better that he was as torn up about this as she was.

"I hate myself for loving a married man. I hate myself for giving in to temptation once again. I hate you for staying with Summer and I hate myself for feeling that way." CoCo bitterly laughed. "I'm such a selfish bitch. My sister and Adam could be dead for all I know and I'm sitting here naked, crying because I can't have a married guy."

"Hey, hey, hey." Kyle said as he pulled her into a comforting embrace. "You can't think negatively like that. Sally isn't dead. I know Adam isn't; that man is like a cockroach; he can't be killed." He jokingly said to get her to laugh. "Seriously, between the number of times he's cheated death and the fact that he gets younger each time, I think he's a vampire or something. I should check you for bite marks, he's probably drinking your blood at night."

"Stop it." CoCo exclaimed, hitting his chest as she laughed. Kyle's lame attempts at distracting her were clearly working.

"Think about it, it makes sense. He's always wearing black, he's moody and pale. Can't forget that." Kyle laughed before switching back to the serious talk. "I mean it, Sally's not dead. And you're not selfish. I know how much you love your family; how passionate you are. A person like that could never be selfish."

CoCo gave him a sad, tired smile. "I appreciate you for saying that, but we know it's not true." He was about to interject when she put her finger on his lips to shush him. "If I wasn't selfish, I wouldn't be sitting on this couch right now."

That one sentence weighed heavily in the air. Kyle dropped his arm from around CoCo's shoulders. She was right and they both knew it. "Well, then I'm just as selfish because I'm here too." He whispered, the realization of having cheated on Summer again fully sinking in.

"We have to stick to our promise this time. We can't do this again. We can't." CoCo said, determined to see it through.

"Agreed. Friends only." Kyle stated. CoCo nodded in agreement. Friends it was.

The two got dressed in silence, swallowing the guilt from their actions. Kyle went down the stairs first, followed shortly by CoCo. Unfortunately for them, they ran smack into Abby.

"Hey, there you are." Abby greeted CoCo, having not noticed Kyle yet. "I've been looking for you everywhere. Sally's in the hospital, Adam wants you there."

"Oh my God, is she okay?" CoCo worriedly asked, more feelings of guilt crashing down on her. She was busy having sex while her sister was fighting for her life. She felt herself start to faint; Kyle caught her.

"As far as I know." Abby explained, eyeing Kyle suspiciously. "I do know that we have a niece. Sally gave birth at the cabin, Adam delivered her."

"What about Chelsea?" Kyle asked as it seemed like CoCo was suddenly incapable of speech. The young woman remained frozen in his arms.

Abby narrowed her eyes at her cousin before answering. "Dead. Apparently, she came at Chance with a knife, he didn't have a choice."

"Good." CoCo answered. Abby and Kyle were shocked at how cold she sounded. "It's exactly what she deserved. Now if you'll excuse me, my sister needs me. Thank you for telling me, Abby, I owe you one." She left before either one of her conversation partners could process what she said.

"Call me later." Kyle shouted after her. He exhaled and turned to face Abby, who was wearing a judgmental look. It looked like a lecture was coming on. "Don't." He warned her.

"Relax, I'm not going to keep wasting my breath. You two obviously made your bed, now you have to lie in it." Abby retorted, not wanting to hear whatever bullshit excuse Kyle was going to give her this time. "I'm just warning you, when the shit hits the fan, and it will, you better be ready for the fallout. Summer's got some protective relatives."

Kyle couldn't help the snort that came out of his nose. "Please, Nick would be the biggest hypocrite in the world if he opened his mouth."

Abby barked a laugh, "Oh, I wasn't talking about Nick. Nick will bitch you out then leave. No, I was talking about Phyllis. We both know Phyllis doesn't take her children being in pain very well." Kyle paled at the thought.

"I'll call you later with that update on Sally you so desperately wanted." Abby patted his arm as she left the coffeehouse. Kyle clearly needed some time to think things over.