The Liberation of Kate Shaw Ch. 07

"What a shocker for you, baby. What did you think when you heard?"

"I was too stunned to think much of anything, really," I said. "I guess I couldn't really believe it, after all this time."

"Did you go to the gallery?" she asked softly.

"Honey, no! Of course not!" I exclaimed, pulling my hands from hers. "Jordan is part of my past, and I have no interest in seeing her again. It was just a shock, that's all. I thought I'd put all that behind me."

Kelly was silent for a long moment, then she put her hand under my chin and made me look at her.

"You know you have to go and see her, don't you?" she asked quietly.

I flinched away. "No, I don't. I never want to see her again in my life, Kelly."

"Honey, listen to me," she said, holding me firmly when I tried to get up and pace around the room. "You never had closure with Jordan, and I think your reaction to this news is telling you something. It was fine for you to think you were over this while she was gone, but now that she's back you need to put an end to things. One way or another, you've got to have peace with this."

"What do you mean, one way or another? Kelly, YOU are my life now. YOU are the one I love, and Jordan can just go to hell!"

Kelly just sat there and looked at me, then patted the bed beside her. "Honey, we're both tired, and this is accomplishing nothing. Let's go to sleep, and we can talk about this later."

I knew she was right, and as I laid down next to her and let her take me in her arms, I was afraid I could never tell her that the reason my dream was such a shock to me was that in it, I was making love to Jordan.

To be continued...