Crossover Crossroads (The Kell and Maille Story)

Craig For Dinner

060: Craig for dinner

Maille stood up. She swiped her eyes discreetly, but Craig saw. He held the door for her.

"Everything okay?"

"Yeah. Something just reminded me of Myndee." she said.

He led her to his car, a small sedan type. He unlocked the door and held it for her. When he got in he started it up immediately. "Myndee that just died a couple of days ago? That Myndee? Were you two close?"

She nodded, her throat choked up unaccountably. Kell would distract her now, he would put her hand on the gear shift and cover it with his own as they drove, and then he'd...

She wasn't with Kell.

"Yes. We were fairly close."

"I knew her mom deserted her at the last minute. Couldn't handle it. It's so hard." he said and his voice was full of compassion. Maille responded to it. She felt her heart ease.

She took a deep breath and tried to swallow the uncomfortable lump. "I guess you see a lot of that?"

He went on to tell her about his experiences in the final care facility. He'd been working there since he returned from his mission almost a year ago. So there were many deaths and many experiences. Most kids who came there were placed just weeks before their deaths, but some lingered for a month or more. All were on their last breath. The staff at the facility rotated out regularly and transferred to regular hospice, and also to the rehabilitation unit. All were linked to the hospital.

Craig talked so much throughout their soup and salad dinner that Maille didn't have to talk at all. This was very relaxing. She was less than along for the ride, without knowing it she fell into the trap of not having to think at all.

Craig took her back to the facility where she got her car, thanked him and left. It was close to midnight. When she pulled into Kell's house her phone rang. She sat in the car a second and waited for it to ring twice before picking it up.

"Hi." his voice was sweet music to her ears.

"Hi."

"Where are you?"

"Just getting back to your house to let the guys out." she opened her door and walked to the kennel where they were waiting for her very impatiently. Molly threatened to bowl her over in her exuberance, and Kiyah jumped to her shoulder immediately.

"Why are you out so late?"

She told him about buying the guitar and taking it to Shawn. She rehearsed the attitude Shawn displayed and his reluctance to let go of his anger. She explained about the late session at the studio and going out to dinner.