Crossover Crossroads (The Kell and Maille Story)

Weeping and Wailing

036: Weeping and Wailing

It took hours. Maille's stomach was growling and it was pitch black outside and the doors were being locked before Kell was ready to leave and even then he wasn't ready to leave, but the lights were being shut off. 

He'd watched several films, he'd looked at all the displays, and sat in the room with the Christos statue for an hour. More Sister missionaries had come and he'd asked them more than twenty questions, and he'd flipped through many pamphlets.

They stood together outside the Tabernacle and Kell turned to Maille again and wrapped her in his arms for the third time that day. This time he held her and rocked back and forth, just holding her very close. She caressed his back gently, feeling the spirit glow strongly around them, in them. 

He stroked her hair, and buried his face in her neck and wept once again. This time sobs racked his body, silent, heart throbbing sobs, and Maille was undone. She sobbed too.

Kell didn't speak, though. He didn't have the words to express what he was feeling. He never wanted to leave. They went and sat on a planter and stared up at the golden Moroni statue on top of the temple. He didn't have to ask who Moroni was, he'd read enough now and seen enough to know. 

They just sat in the evening chill and stared, feeling the foundation of quarried granite that had been hand carved out of the mountains behind them, by pioneers whose faith had been strong enough to endure.

Eventually, they went back to his car and eventually they drove home to her house. Lights were on inside. Kell took a deep breath.

"I'd like to stay and meet your mother, Maille, but I just can't tonight."

"I know." she said, "It's okay."

"You can come back to my house if you'd rather." he said, but there wasn't any encouragement in his words.

Maille shook her head. "Do you need me to?"

He jerked his chin in the direction of the lights above the kitchen sink. "You need to go talk to your mother."

Maille bit her lip and nodded. He seemed so forlorn. "Kell I--"

"It's okay, Maille Mann. I have enough to think about tonight."

She got out and closed the door fully expecting him to drive away, but the engine cut and he got out and came around to her. He lifted her finger and popped it into his mouth. His eyes locked with hers. He let her go and blew on it, then stroked her hair. "Thank you, Maille Mann." he whispered and then enfolded her once again in those strong arms. "Nothing will ever be the same because you had the courage to share. You have given me a priceless treasure."

Maille's eyes filled with tears. She bent her head to wipe them on his shirts since he had laced his fingers through both her hands. But Kell nudged her chin up and looked into her eyes.

"Give me your stars." he whispered into her tear filled eyes.  He kissed her forehead, her twin streaks of brimming stars, and then dropped her hands and got in his truck and drove quickly away. 

Maille simply stood there, at peace, and also thrilled beyond words. She finally turned and went toward the house.

Her mother was perched on the back porch dressed in a thin white bathrobe over her flowered pajamas. Maille got to the bottom of the stairs and looked up at her mom and the tears came again. She forced her lips to crack another confident smile. 

Tracy came to the bottom of the stairs and enfolded her daughter in her arms gently and took her inside the house.

*****