Marriage Of Convenience

Chapter 24: Two Weeks Later

Jae's POV...

Dr. Luker has finally signed off on the order for McKenna to go home but with limited mobility. If I had my way she wouldn't be doing anything strenuous for the next three months. All that she would be allowed to do is her physical therapy to help regain her full muscle strength.

McKenna was sitting up on the side of the bed waiting for a nurse to bring her a wheelchair into the room. Today she was smiling bright and overflowing with excitement. I could tell that she was ready to see Raleigh and to finally be in her own home.

"Are you sure you don't want to spend another night here with us?" A friendly male nurse jokingly asked her as he wheeled the chair into the room.

Her loud outbursts of, "I'm ready to go home so that I can spend uninterrupted time with my loving husband and daughter," were music to my ears. I guess that she had completely forgotten that she needed help to switch over from the bed to the chair when she fumbled to get in the chair by herself.

"If you keep this up missy I'm afraid that you'll be staying here with us a little longer," the nurse says while helping me to transport her into the wheelchair.

"I'm going to pull the car around to the front door," I told them both while Dr. Luker and a few other nurses stood beside the door looking into the room. Antonio and Marcus stood by the entrance of the room to keep McKenna safe just like they were instructed to do so when I wasn't in her presence.

I sat in my car with my head resting on the steering wheel contemplating on how I was going to break the news to McKenna that Hannah's mom has been killed. How could I tell her that they both were attacked the same night at our home and by two different perpetrators? I know that I should have already told her this. I've tried to force myself to tell her this several times but each time the haunting images of seeing my wife unconscious and lying in her own pool of blood have scared me to death.

I've somehow convinced myself that if I told her this traumatic information that I was putting her health and state of mind in danger. Even the guilt of me keeping something from her wouldn't allow me to tell her something that could endanger her mental state of getting better and going home to be with her daughter.

I called my father-n law with dread flowing through every inch of my body. "Is everything alright son?" He asked as soon as he answered the phone.

"Yes sir. I'm just calling to let everyone know that McKenna and I have to stop somewhere for about an hour or two before we head home." I speak into the phone.

"Take your time son-in-law." Mr. Thomas says into the phone before hanging up.

Ten minutes later I pulled into Ridgeway Park underneath a large shaded tree. At noon on a Friday's this particular park was usually packed with mom and their kids. Today however it was quiet and desolate.

I walked around to the passenger side and opened the door then squatted on my hunched in front of McKenna.

"Why are we here Jae instead of heading home to be with our family?" she asked me as soon as I gazed into her eyes.

"Because we need to tell you about something," I answered with a nervous sigh.

"Is there something wrong with Raleigh or Hannah?" McKenna asked me. I could see her hands beginning to tremble as they lay on top of her lap.

"Raleigh is fine sweetheart but Hannah..."

"Please don't tell me that something terrible has happened to my sweet Hannah." she blurts out before I could finish my statement.

"No sweetheart, she's not physically hurt, but she is mentally distraught." I hurriedly answered, trying to put her mind at ease a little.

"Jae, please stop beating around the bush and just tell me what is going with Hannah!" McKenna demanded.

"Amy... Amy... was murdered on the same night you were attacked." I finally tell her while looking past her.

"You're lying to me!" She screams then bangs her hands on the dashboard of the car.

"Babe, I wouldn't dare lie to you about something like this. I respond in fits of tears.

"How and why did someone decide to take my friend Amy's life?" she questioned in a strained voice as she attempted to keep herself from crying out loud. "Take me home so that I can see for myself that my friend is no longer in this world," she commands.

I walked around to the driver's side at a snail pace. I was trying everything that I could to prolong our departure from Ridgeway Park. I knew that she wasn't ready to be faced with the horrible truth of Amy's death or was I not ready to see the look of sheer despair in my wife's eyes.

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JJNiles...