Kentucky's Best

Chapter 7

Harry realized seconds into her telling him about what happened the night her family died how badly he fucked up, now all he had to do is tell her the one thing he's never told anyone, ever, except his family.
"Well I guess it's my turn." Harry says not looking up. "First off I want to say I'm sorry for everything I said last night." He says finally looking at Rose. "What I'm about to tell you no one knows about but my family. See, Rhonda, my wife was also killed by a drunk driver, I told everyone she was on her way home from shopping. But she was really coming home from seeing another guy." Harry says. "I was the one who wanted a child, not her. She and I had been married for about 4 years, I busted my ass to graduate college early so I could set up my practice and start making money for my family." Harry pauses and takes a drink. "Rhonda never told me the whole time we dated she didn't want kids, so when I started talking about having some she just brushed it off."
"She finally agreed about 2 years after we were married, after a year of trying I thought something was wrong until I found her phone one day. She had just got a text from a friend of hers, I got to reading through them and found out she had been taking birth control pills the whole time. Rhonda lied to me. So being a vet I was able to get my hands on some sugar pills. I replaced her birth control pills with those." Harry shakes his head. "Yes I know it was wrong, but what she did was too, a few months later we found out she was pregnant."
"She was pissed, wanted an abortion. There was no way I would allow that, after Stephanie was born Rhonda made my life a living hell, she never took care of her, I had to close the clinic I had opened down for days at a time, I was losing clients. Rhonda was getting pissed because we were losing money. Rhonda didn't like it that I couldn't buy her all the nice things I used to, but if I was home taking care of the baby days on end because she wouldn't I couldn't earn that money for her to spend." Harry shrugs. "I could have just asked my mom or sister to watch Steph while I kept the clinic open, kept making money, but I love that kid more than anything in this world. I wanted to take care of her, I wanted to be there for like a parent was supposed to be."
"The day she was killed she was coming home from spending the day with her lover." Harry shrugs. "I found out about him when I had to do a late night run for diapers and saw her with him. I had already decided to divorce her when she was killed. I guess I've spent so much effort building Rhonda's image up for Steph I've started believing it myself. That's why I blew up last night." Harry says as he finishes the last of his beer.

Rose stands up, takes their empty bottles and throws them away. When she returns to the livingroom she hands Harry another bottle. "Harry I'm so sorry that happened to you." Rose whispers. "And I understand you wanting your daughter to think good things about her mother. Nobody wants their child to know that about a parent." She says. "Where is Stephanie now?"

"She's with Beth and Marty." Harry tells her. "I had to beg them to watch her, promising them I wouldn't lose my temper and start yelling again. In fact." Harry looks at his watch. "One of them will be calling any time now to make sure you're okay." He smiles. Just as he's done saying that Rose's phone rings.

Rose picks it up and smiles. "Hello? No Beth, everything is fine here. We've been talking about some things and not one word has been much louder than a whisper." Rose says. "I'm not sure he's had 2 beers, I won't let him leave unless I know he's fine I promise. I'll see you soon." Rose says then hangs up. "Steph is asleep, they put her in the spare room, Beth told me to tell you you can just leave her there sence you have to go to work tomorrow." She says.

Harry nods. "What I'd like to know." Harry says as he stands and walks over to were Rose is sitting. "Is am I forgiven for what what I said last night?" He asks as he takes her hand and pulls her out of her chair.

Feeling her heart rate pick up, Rose looks up at Harry and nods. "Yes, I've always been a firm believer in second chances, everyone deserve them." She whispers.

Harry picks Rose up and is shocked at how light she is. "Thank you." He whispers as he leans closer to her and kisses her on the cheek. Hell he just met the girl, he knew by the way Marty and Beth talked about her she was innocent. He didn't want to move to fast.

"Harry? What are you doing?" Rose asks with a slight giggle as she looks down and swings her feet.

"Saying thank you." Harry says.

"By picking me 3 feet up off the floor?" Rose laughs.

Harry chuckles. "Better than me having to bend over 3 feet, I'm older then you, more prone to back problems." He grins.

"But what if I'm afraid of heights, this could traumatize me." Rose chuckles, as she swings her feet even more.

Harry snorts. "Honey you don't look scared, amused maybe, but not scared." Harry says. "Now, I have a question for you." Harry says as he sets Rose back on her feet and moves to sit back on the sofa.

Rose smiles and sits down, grabs her beer and takes a sip. "Okay, ask."

"The other day, you said something about helping out with a horse named Highroller, well I got a call to check on him again tomorrow. What is it with that horse that he would need a vets care twice in a week?" Harry asks Rose.

Putting her bottle on the table beside her, Rose leans forward, puts her elbows on her knees. "Well, 3 years ago, Bart's daughter was riding that horse around the arena getting him ready for the next show he was to be in. Tabitha was engaged to their neighbors son. Well her cousin was visiting to help out with wedding arrangements, while Tabitha was in the arena working Highroller, her fiance was in the pool house working her cousin, she saw them coming out at the same time then they kissed. When Tabby saw that she jumped the fence and rode the horse into the road, they were hit by a passing semi." Rose shakes her head. "Tabby is now in a wheel chair and hardly ever comes out of the house, and that horse, well he's been traumatized sence then. I truly believe he's going to kill someone one of these days if I'm not there to keep him calm."

Harry nods. "You want to go with me tomorrow? I'm not ready to die yet."

"Absolutely." Rose says as she stands and puts a movie in, she then sit next to Harry on the sofa and the spend the rest of the evening quietly watching TV.