My Heart Was Wounded Deep
Chapter 82's

Kikan was quiet throughout the game. Rey was sure the woman had uttered no more than two words for forty minutes more. He sat surrounded by Rey's friends, nailed his eyes to the field and shook his head whenever anyone offered him anything, gum or a quaci.

Many people look at them. Rey can also hear whispers. Isn't that the woman who killed Lori? You don't think Rey will take it back? She's beautiful, you have to admit that but my goodness. How can you take back a killer in your life. If Rey wasn't careful, she'd stab him in her sleep.

Rey knows Kikan can hear them, even though the woman pretends not to hear. If only he could come to them and force them to shut up, but a tongue that kept moving was indeed a risk they had to face. Public attention will subside with time, when everyone will get used to Kikan's return and see them together.

Rey's parents were not present. Rey suspects her mother will pass on a not so strong reason later. Helen would say they were either too busy or too tired, but she suspected they had deliberately avoided the event once Kikan knew it was coming. They don't want to be seen with him, don't want to be considered to have given their blessing to the attitude of Rey who has received Kikan back. They are waiting for a major confrontation this weekend, hoping it will realign Rey's mind and put them back on equal footing.

But, if God wills, at that time Rey will perform her own show to open all the veils.

♪

Jason came in after practice a few days later, and Rey stopped by after work. Kikan trailers are small and hot, and much simpler than their homes, but they spend a lot of time there. Kikan feels they are happy when he cooks dinner, he has to cook for his mother anyway, and maybe they are happy to be out of their usual environment. Because Rey and Jason never even mentioned the hot air and some means that Kikan did not have. They also never tried to convince Kikan to come to their house. They seem content with Kikan as he is.

On Friday Rey brought in a small TV and a stack of DVDs, then they watched a movie marathon all night. When Jason falls asleep on the couch around midnight, Kikan believes Rey is tempted to take him to the bedroom. They haven't slept together since at the cottage. They both work too hard. Or, if not at work, Jason is among them. But despite craving Rey's touch, Kikan is afraid their son will wake up.

" Oh my God, I'd love to feel you" Rey whispered as she stood behind her in the kitchen, where Kikan carried the bowls they used for popcorn.

" Maybe we'll have time together this weekend" Kikan whispered. But they both know what will happen tomorrow. Rey will pick her up at 10:00 and take her to her parents' house, where Lori and Via Astaria's family will meet them. Kikan could not sleep for a single moment, not with that meeting in plain sight.

" You're not afraid to see Via, are you?" Rey asked, flipping Kikan's body to face him as he continued to wash the dishes.

" I'm scared" answered Kikan. "I'm afraid you'll believe it. I hope you don't even want to hear what he's going to say."

" I'm not as excited as I was before either" Rey said.

Kikan dry hands. "What does that mean?"

" There's something I hope can go well like I mentioned when we were on our way to watch the game. But...." Rey grimacing. "...it could be that it failed and didn't go according to plan."

" What is that?" ask Kikan.

" I hired a private detective that Lori's parents hired to work a little for me, asking her to find Via's background. He even managed to track down Via's ex-husband."

" What do you want with the ex?"

" People always tell their partner secrets. I was hoping he'd tell me that Via had admitted he was the cause of the accident."

" It didn't?"

" I myself feel that he may have confessed, but that person is still too loyal to divulge something that could make things difficult for Via."

Rey put their eyebrows together. "I'm sorry. I really hope things get better."

" Does that mean we can cancel tomorrow's? Just go through what's already there?" kikan.

" Pending will make me look scared, as if I'm afraid of the truth, or I don't want to face it. I must be present. But I can represent you. You don't have to be there."

" Gosh, no!" kikan. "If you come, so do I. At least if Via sees me, it won't be too easy for him to lie. Even though he had managed to do that in court first."

" Nothing she said would persuade me to believe that you were not the amazing woman I knew" Rey said. Then he kissed Kikan, several times until the kiss heated up and Kikan pulled away.

" Not with Jason here."

Rey is not complaining. He wakes Jason up and takes him home.

Kikan thought he would be alone all night, waiting eight hours before the meeting. But Rey returned less than an hour later, alone and remained there until dawn and returned home and snuck into the bedroom before Jason woke up.

♪

" It feels like I'm going to court again." Kikan said, as Rey parked her pickup on the sidewalk outside her parents' house.

Rey seemed confused by the comparison Kikan meant. "Today is not the same as your day in court. You haven't seen Via in seventeen years, that's all."

" But I'm heading into dangerous territory, like Jason played yesterday, it's just..." Kikan bit his lips, "This is the scariest."

" I won't let him treat you badly" Rey said.

" It's your mother I'm worried about. This is the time I've been closest to her since we broke up."

Rey laughs. "She's not as scary as you think she is, and we're not breaking up anymore. It changes a lot of things."

" We're not breaking up right now. But what will happen after we walk into that house and Via starts to spread poison?" ask Kikan.

" I told you it wouldn't change anything between us. I thought last night could convince you of that."

" Last night is indeed worth remembering." kikan smiled seductively. "Let's just go back, take your clothes off and forget all this."

Rey walked around to close the pickup door on the passenger side. "While it sounds very interesting, we have to go through this first. We can't run away from him or they'll think they've won."

Kikan leaned closer to Rey to look at the front door. "They always win." His word.