Fragile Simplicity

by Tara Neideffer

  Laughing, Brooke said, “Girl, a lot has happened,” she looked over towards Kyleigh’s aunt and David, and said, “But, I’ll have to tell you another day.” She raised her eyebrows up and down at Kyleigh, making her burst out laughing.

  “I cannot wait to hear details,” Kyleigh said.

  “I’m not sure if I want to hear details,” Paige said with a laugh.

  “You guys know life would be so boring without me,” Brooke said.

  “Well, you definitely make things interesting, I have to admit,” Kyleigh teased.

  “Anyway, we’d better get going before Mrs. Dunlap comes in here and threatens to call security. She said we had to leave by seven and it’s now eight, and I’m pretty sure I’ve seen her walk past your room several times now,” Paige said with a sigh. “She’s only being nice because we work here, I’m sure if it were anyone else, they’d be thrown out by now.”

  “Well, as soon as I’m better, we are all doing lunch so Brooke can fill us in on the juicy details of the new doc,” Kyleigh said with a devious laugh.

  Leaning in to hug her, Brooke said, “I can’t wait, Kyleigh, it’ll be so much fun. Hurry and get better, okay?”

  Giving her a nod, Kyleigh gave Paige a hug.

  “I’m so glad you’re doing better. We miss you at work, Kyleigh,” Paige said, wiping away tears as they ran down her cheeks.

  “Paige, stop crying. I’m doing better and I’ll be back at work in no time. They are releasing me tomorrow, anyway,” Kyleigh said as she pulled her into another hug. “I’m lucky it wasn’t worse than it was. If it had hit a little farther down, things could have been a lot messier.”

  “I know, I just can’t help it,” Paige said, squeezing her tighter.

  “Come on, Paige, you’re going to make Kyleigh cry now,” Brooke chastised as she grabbed Paige’s shoulder and pulled her towards the door.

  “We’ll stop by tomorrow before you leave, Kyleigh,” Brooke yelled as they headed out the door.

  “Okay, hon, I’m going to head out too. Call me when you get home and I’ll stop by. I’m sure David can help you get home, but I still want to come by and visit you,” Aunt Judy said.

  “Are you sure, Aunt Judy, it’s such a long drive for you and you’ve been here non-stop all week. You should go home and rest for a couple of days before coming back. I’ll be okay,” Kyleigh said as she gave her aunt a hug.

  “Nonsense, Kyleigh,” she said as she grabbed her purse and headed for the door. “I’ll bring you over a pot of soup tomorrow so you won’t have to cook for a few days.”

  “Okay, Aunt Judy,” Kyleigh sighed.

  David smiled while Kyleigh shook her head as she watched her aunt leave. They both knew it was a waste of time to argue with her. David had just met her aunt, but he could tell she was a strong woman, and if she wanted something, she did it no matter what anyone else said.

  David stood and walked over to the side of Kyleigh’s bed and took her hand in his. He paused, hating the words he was about to say. Looking into her expectant eyes, he finally said, “I won’t be here until later tomorrow afternoon to pick you up. I haven’t had a chance to tell you this yet, but my mom passed away. Her funeral is tomorrow.”

  Eyes that were groggy from pain medicine suddenly widened in shock at the news and her hand squeezed his. “David, oh, my God, I’m so sorry. You should have told me earlier. What happened?”

  All the pain he held inside fled with the long sigh. Images from that night gathered in his mind, giving tears what they needed to spill, but he pushed them away, took in a deep breath, and said, “It happened on the night Brad took you. A nurse left some pills out on the table and Mom took that opportunity to take them.”

  “I can’t believe a nurse was so careless,” she bit out. “David, whatever you need, I’m here for you. I can’t do much in the state I’m in, but I’m going to the funeral tomorrow with you,” she told him.

  David’s eyes narrowed as he said, “Ky, you’re still weak and need to take things slow. It’s great that you want to go with me, and I appreciate it, but I think it’s best if you wait here, and once I’m done, I’ll come get you and take you home.”

  “I’m not going to let you go through this alone,” she said, her face set in determination. “I’m sure they can have my release papers ready by the time we need to leave. What time is the funeral?” she asked.

  Running a hand through his hair, he said, “It starts at eleven. I don’t want anything to happen to you, Ky. I would rather you just stay here and rest. I’ll be all right.”

  “David, I’m going with you whether you like it or not so your ass better be here to get me in the morning. I’ll be sitting in a wheelchair so it’s not like I’ll get that worn out. I’ll be fine. This isn’t something you need to be going through alone. I know you and Roger are not close. You need me whether you want to admit it or not,” she said, the sternness in her voice was overshadowed by the softness of her tone, but David knew she meant business.

  Eyes that were dull from pain and fatigue a few minutes ago were now alive with the will to be strong for him, and he knew he wasn’t going to win this argument. It was obvious where she got her stubbornness, but her need to be there for him gave him a feeling of security he just now realized he needed. “Now, I know where you get your stubbornness,” he said with a laugh. In a low frustrated growl, he said, “Fine, as long as the doctor releases you in the morning.”

  “David, I’m so sorry I wasn’t able to be there for you when you found out. I know it must have been hard for you,” she said.

  His eyes fell to the white tiled linoleum as he tried his best to contain all the hurt that resided in his heart. “Yeah, it’s been difficult. But I’ll make it through. And another thing I wanted to tell you, Ky.” He paused for a moment, took in a deep breath, and said, “Through everything that has happened this week, I managed to deal with everything sober, I just wanted to make sure you knew that.” There was a long pause and he looked up to see a huge smile plastered on her face. The sight of her so happy was worth every second he had struggled to stay sober.

  “I’m so proud of you,” she said, threading her fingers into his. “I’m sure it was hard to do with everything you were going through. I can’t imagine how you felt.”

  “I have to admit, there were times that first night that I thought I was going to cave. You had just disappeared and my mom just passed away, I felt like I had lost everyone who was important to me, but I didn’t want to let you or myself down. So instead, I went searching for you.”

  “And you found me,” Kyleigh said softly.

  “Yes, I did, I just wish I had found you minutes earlier,” he said with a smile. “I am determined to stay sober for good this time, Ky.”

  “Don’t you beat yourself up over that. There’s no way you could have known what was going to happen or where. I’m so lucky to have such a strong, wonderful man in my life,” Kyleigh said, before a yawn broke their conversation. Covering her mouth, she said, “I’m sorry, I’m so tired.”

  Laughing, David said, “It’s okay, Ky. I need to go anyway. I’ll be here first thing in the morning.”

  Her eyes widened as she remembered something. “Can you stop by my place and grab me some clothes? I can’t go wearing this ugly hospital gown,” she said.

  “Sure, I’ll stop by tonight on my way home.” He bent down and kissed her, reveling in the feel of her lips kissing him back. “I love you, Ky,” he said as he pulled away.

  “And I love you.”

  ***

  The next morning, David stood in his bedroom staring at his reflection in the mirror. He looked strange dressed in a suit. It definitely didn’t fit his normal attire of jeans, t-shirt, and work boots, but unfortunately, this day called for one. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d worn one. He thought the last time was on Easter when he was a kid. His mom always took them to church on Easter Sunday and he remembered hating the itchy suit she made him wear. He sighed, what he w
ouldn’t give to have those days back.

  Grabbing Kyleigh’s bag of clothes, he turned for the door, ready to put this day back as a memory. Pulling out of his driveway, he passed an old white house that slammed another memory to his already depressed mind. His mom loved old, white houses. She always wanted to buy one and restore it to its original state. Stepping on the gas, he picked up speed, the urge to get this day over with growing with every second.

  Twenty minutes later, he was walking into Anderson Hospital with Kyleigh’s small black bag in hand. As he headed towards her room, the image of his mom standing in the hospital hall with a syringe pointed at her neck hit him, almost knocking the air from his lungs. He wished the memories would stop, he didn’t know how much more he could take.

  He finally came to her room, and as he walked in, he saw Kyleigh signing some papers. Her eyes flew towards him, the small smile she wore slowly fading as she took him in.

  Shoving the clipboard towards the nurse, she said, “I think I’ve got everything signed.”

  She waited patiently for the nurse to double check everything. After a few seconds, she said, “Okay, Kyleigh, everything looks good. I’ll grab a wheelchair, and as soon as you’re dressed, you’re free to leave. Here are your papers on what to look out for if you should have any problems.”

  “Thank you,” Kyleigh said.

  As soon as the nurse left the room, David said, “Hey, I got your clothes.” He leaned down and cradled her face in his hands. His eyes danced around her face for several seconds before he finally leaned forward and planted a soft kiss on her lips.

  “Well, hello, good looking,” she said with a laugh that abruptly stopped. “Are you doing okay?” she asked, even though they both knew the answer.

  “No, but I’ll get through it,” David said. He looked at his watch and added, “You’d better start dressing, we’ll need to leave here in twenty minutes.”

  She nodded and David watched as she began to slowly change out of the dingy blue hospital gown and slipped into a nice pair of black slacks and pale yellow blouse that he’d picked out. Watching her wince in pain made him angry, but she pushed his hand away when he offered any help.

  Once she was completely dressed, she said, “Okay, I’m ready.”

  After one last quick check up with the doctor, she was free to leave, and David hurried outside to pull his truck around. Within minutes, they were weaving through traffic down the interstate, trading one place of misery for another.

  The funeral home came up faster than he’d like, but there was no stopping any of this. It was all taking place whether he wanted it to or not.

  He pulled into a parking spot in front of the building, and after Kyleigh was situated in her wheelchair, they headed inside. Burgundy flowered carpet greeted them, along with small flower arrangements placed throughout the entry hall. The fake flowers offered its guests a sense of warmth as they entered a place that held their loved one’s cold body.

  After paying their respects to his mom, they took a seat in the front row next to his step-dad, Roger. Kyleigh’s warm hand gave him strength at a time when he felt weaker than he’d ever felt, and he kept his eyes trained on the mahogany casket in front of him, doing his best to keep his emotions in check. He didn’t want to lose it, not here.

  The room slowly filled to capacity, giving David an odd sense of pride that so many people came to pay their final respects to his mom. Saying goodbye to his mother would be the hardest part of it all, and once this day was over, the only way to move was forward.

  If a funeral service could be described as beautiful, he thought his mother’s fit that description. The preacher gave a touching service, providing some details of his mom’s life that even David didn’t know about. A poem was read, causing both Kyleigh and David to cry, and before he knew it, it was over.

  Thirty minutes later, David, Roger, and four other relatives gripped the handles of his mother’s casket as they carried her to the open grave that awaited her. This was the hardest step of it all. The final farewell.

  After gently setting her down, they took their seat with everyone else. The large, hilly field in front of them was a beautiful contrast to the morbid sight of the graves that saturated the place, and David couldn’t have asked for a more peaceful resting spot for her. Randy’s headstone sat to his right, and he squeezed Kyleigh’s hand to keep himself grounded in the present. It was all too much. The pain felt like a vice painfully squeezing his heart.

  After a short sermon, it was all over. People he didn’t recognize hugged him and told him how sorry they were. His mind felt thick with grief, and he moved on auto pilot while his mind retreated into the cobwebs of pain. Once the last person had driven off in their car, he turned towards Roger and pulled him into an embrace. “I’m sorry. Call me if you need anything. I’ll keep in touch with you, okay.” They were the first heartfelt words he’d said to Roger in his whole adult life.

  Taking his glasses off, Roger swiped away the tears and nodded. “Thanks, David. You let me know if you need anything, too.”

  Giving his mom’s casket one last fleeting look, he clapped Roger on the back and began pushing Kyleigh’s wheelchair towards his truck. After he placed the wheelchair into the bed of the truck, his eyes caught sight of Roger kneeling beside the casket. His head rested against the dark wood as his shoulders bounced from the emotions that finally escaped. It was a sight that broke David’s heart all over.

  Chapter 32

  Moving Forward

  “Man, your aunt makes the best soup ever,” David said between mouthfuls of chicken noodle soup.

  Kyleigh laughed as she plunged another spoonful into her own mouth, happy that his appetite was back. She hadn’t seen him eat much in the past week since his mother’s funeral. When he took care of her for the first two days, he barely said two words throughout the day except to ask her if she needed anything and if she was doing okay. When he wasn’t fussing over her, sometimes she’d find him sitting at the kitchen table, staring out the back patio door in deep thought. Or he’d announce that he’d be in the garage and to text him if she needed anything. He hardly ate anything and she was beginning to really worry about him. But now, he was finishing his second bowl of soup and slowly beginning to come back to life. “Yes, she does. I wish I had inherited her cooking and baking skills, but I’m not good at either one,” she said, answering his question.

  “Do you want something else to drink?” David asked as he stood in the doorway with an empty glass in his hand.

  “No, thanks,” Kyleigh said as she placed her empty bowl on the nightstand and leaned back against the headboard, her chest protesting against the movement. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d eaten dinner in bed, but for the time being, she had an excuse. Her aunt had stopped by David’s the day after his mom’s funeral and brought two full pots of chicken noodle soup and beef stew, along with some cornbread. It was enough food to last them two weeks.

  “So, have you decided when you’re going back to work?” David asked as he stretched out on the bed next to her.

  “I am released to go back to work in three weeks, but only light work. I’ll probably be entering data into the computer and stuff like that at first,” Kyleigh said.

  “Do you think you’ll be ready by then?” David asked.

  “I think so. That should give me enough time to start feeling better,” she said.

  She looked over at him, wondering how he was doing with his mom’s death. She could never get him to talk about it. He always said he was okay, but she didn’t know how he could be. She scooted over towards him and rested her head on his shoulder as they stared at the TV. After a few minutes, she decided to ask the question again. “David, are you sure you’re doing okay? You don’t talk about it and I think you should.”

  He was silent for a moment before he answered. “Ky, there’s nothing to talk about, really. I mean, I don’t really know what to say about it. I can’t keep dwelling on it, so the only th
ing I can do is not think about it and move on as best as I can. I regret a lot, but if I let it consume me, then I’m afraid I’ll relapse. So, I keep those thoughts away and focus on the positive. The positive being you.” He kissed the top of her head and added, “Don’t worry, I’m grieving in my own way, and I’ll be fine. When I’m not taking care of you, I’m working on bikes and keeping my head clear and my drinks clean.”

  She leaned up and kissed the dark stubble on his cheek and said, “Okay, but I’m here if you need me.”

  “And thank you for that,” he said.

  For the next two weeks, Kyleigh did her best to take everything slowly. She was ready to heal completely so she could get out of the house and do things. She was even ready to get back to work. David took her role of being nurse, making sure she had what she needed and running any errands that needed to be done.

  As she lay on the couch one night, reading her mystery book, she couldn’t help but smile at seeing him run the vacuum. She knew he did those things since he lived alone, but she was usually only over a few nights a week, and never got to see him in action.

  David looked up, an embarrassed smile on his face as he asked, “What?”

  She shook her head as she set her book down. “Nothing, I’ve just never seen your domestic side before. It’s quite sexy,” she said with a laugh.

  “Oh, yeah?” he asked as he began slowly lifting his shirt up while he continued to vacuum.

  She watched his hand slowly brush across his abs as he gave her a come hither look. She couldn’t help but whistle, which caused him to begin swaying his hips and running a hand through his dark brown hair, giving it a feathered look. “Yes! I’ve always wanted my own strip tease,” she said, as she cheered loudly and clapped her hands. She held her hand against her chest, laughter making it ache.

  “Damn, sorry, Ky. Let’s not get too carried away just yet,” he teased.