Pieces of the Heart

Hailey closed her eyes letting the water rinse over her body. She tried her best to concentrate on the sound of the water; instead she found her mind wandering to just minutes earlier when she had woken up to cold, empty sheets.

He had left; instead of facing what had happened once again, he just left and that had hurt her more than she was willing to admit. Running her finger through her hair she thought back to how out of control things had gotten the night before. It had all happened so fast; one minute Kevin was crying about Mackenzie and the next they were in her bedroom taking each others clothes off. No rhyme or reason, just the pure physical need radiating between them.

As she finished up her shower she found herself trying to keep the tears at bay. Turning the water off she grabbed a towel and brought it to her face frowning into it when she heard the sound of knocking. Quickly she wrapped her hair in the towel and grabbed her robe throwing it on and quickly knotted it before making her way to the door.

Glancing through the peep hole she took a step back in shock as her heart dropped to her stomach. Slowly she reached up to unlock the door and pull it open.

“Danielle?”

Danielle took in her appearance and raised a brow, “Bad time?”

Hailey blushed as she reached up and took her hair out of the towel, “No I just got out of the shower.”

Danielle looked at her in confusion, “Oh well then can I come in?”

“Oh, yeah sure,” Hailey replied stepping to the side to allow her to enter.

As Danielle headed for the kitchen Hailey shut the door and followed her, trying her best to calm her racing heart. Leaning against the bar she crossed her arms and watched as Danielle made herself comfortable on one of the stools.

“Was their something you needed?” she asked as Danielle continued to remain quiet.

Danielle looked up and sighed, “Do you know where Kevin is?”

Hailey felt as if her heart had stopped, “What, why?”

“He was supposed to stay at Joe’s last night, he never showed and he won’t answer his phone,” She paused and looked down at her folded hands. “Hailey, we told Mackenzie last night and it didn’t go well. Kevin was really upset and I’m worried; it’s not like him to not answer his phone.”

Hailey sighed as she ran her hands over her face, “ I know, he told me.”

Danielle looked up, “So you’ve seen him? Where is he?”

“I can honestly say that I have no idea where Kevin is.”

Danielle nodded and looked down at her hands once again.

Hailey sighed, “Look he’s upset, just give him some time okay.”

“You’re right; it’ll be fine, I’m just being silly.”

She stood up from the stool and grabbed her purse heading for the door, “Well I need to get going; I’m trying to sort through our stuff while Mackenzie is in school. I figure it’s best this way, keeps her from getting upset.”

Hailey nodded and followed her.

As Danielle paused at the door Hailey spoke up, “Look if I see Kevin I’ll tell him to call.”

Danielle turned around giving her a small smile, “Thanks Hailey, oh and before I forget,” She reached into her purse and pulled an envelope out.”

“Kevin told me to keep all of the pictures and I wasn’t quite sure what to do with these; I figured you might like them.”

Hailey took the envelope from her pulling out three pictures from inside, “Thanks Danielle.”

“No problem; Bye Hailey.”

Hailey continued to stare at the pictures, “Bye.”

Slowly Hailey made her way back into the kitchen; sitting on one of the stools she laid the pictures side by side on the bar. They were all of him, well them. Her eyes came to rest on the third picture. It was of the four of them sitting on Kevin and Danielle‘s back steps. He had his arm around her and they were smiling at each other while Kevin and Danielle sat on her other side looking on as if they were amused. They all looked so happy back then.


As Hailey climbed out of her car she looked around in confusion. She was at least half an hour late yet besides her car there was only one other vehicle in Kevin and Danielle’s drive way. Shrugging it off she headed for the kitchen door know that’s where Danielle would be.

Knocking lightly she smiled as Danielle pulled the door open, “Sorry I’m late, I got stuck at the library.”

Danielle rolled her eyes and pulled her into the kitchen, “I swear, sometimes you’re worse than Kevin but you’re actually right on time. So why don’t you head on into the family room and send Kevin my way will ya.”

Hailey smiled, “Sure.”

As she stopped in the doorway of the family room she frowned in confusion.

“ Hey Hailey,” Kevin called as he crossed the room to greet her with a hug.

“Hey Kev,” She replied as she returned it. “Danielle wants to see you in the kitchen.”

“Oh okay ,well make yourself comfortable while I go see what Dani wants.”

Taking the chair Kevin vacated, Hailey smiled at the only other person in the room.

“So where is everyone?” She asked as she tugged on the hem of her dress self-consciously.

He shrugged, “I’m pretty sure it’s just us.”

Hailey frowned, “Is that so?”

He nodded, “From what Kevin said, it’s just going to be the four of us.”

“Is that so?” Hailey stood up and crossed her arms, “I’ll be right back; I’m just going to see if they need any help setting the table.”

Stomping back into the kitchen Hailey sent a glare towards Kevin that sent him scurrying out of the kitchen.

“Are you seriously trying to set me up with Him?” She asked crossing her arm.

Danielle turned to face her and shrugged, “So what if I am.”

Hailey huffed in frustration, “Danielle you promised, no more set-ups.”

“Hailey I just want to see you happy what’s so wrong about that?”

She rolled her eyes, “Danielle the last guy you set me up with was thirty five, had a Star Trek collection and lived with his mother; are you seeing my reservations here?”

Danielle laughed, “I said I was sorry about alright. I mean how was I supposed he was a closet nerd; he seemed perfectly okay when I met him at Toy’s R Us.”

Hailey shook her head, “You know I’m not ever going to explain what was wrong with that sentence; look maybe I should just go.”

“Nooo,” Danielle cried grabbing her arm. “Look I’m sorry to just spring this on you but I mean it’s not like you don’t know the guy and well, he’s attractive, he’s single, he’s got a decent job and he’s interested; honestly I‘m not seeing a problem.”

“Oh really well what about the fact that from what Kevin says he’s pretty much a serial dater and for that matter I seem to recall you bitching about him quite a few times?”

Danielle sighed, “Kevin needs to keep his mouth shut and okay so maybe I do bitch about him from time to time but he’s Kevin’s friend so it’s allowed. Just give him a chance, that’s all I’m asking.”

Hailey sighed, “Danielle.”

“Please? Look if it doesn’t work out I promise no more set-ups.”

Hailey grinned, “Really, you promise no more set ups?”

“I promise, no more set-ups.”

She straitened her dress, “Alright then I’m going to hold you to that.”

Danielle rolled her eyes shooed her with a dish towel, “Get back out there; dinners almost ready.”

Hailey shook her head at her actions as she walked out of the kitchen and into the hall. Instead of making a left into the family room where they were she continued strait down the hall and out the back door, on to the porch and took a seat on the steps.

Sighing to herself she ran her hands over her bare arms to keep away the chill. Not long after she sat down she heard the back door open and close quietly and felt someone sit beside her.

“That aren‘t very subtle are they?” The voice surprised her, she hadn’t been expecting him.

She laughed, “Danielle doesn’t know the meaning of the word.”
He chuckled, “That she isn’t but then again neither is Kevin, so their perfect for each other in that aspect.”

She looked over at him, “It doesn’t bother you that they tried to set us up?”

He shrugged, ‘Not really but then again I knew about it . Are you really that upset by it?”

She sighed, “No, I just don’t appreciate being ambushed.”

They sat quietly for a minute before he noticed her shiver and he slid off his jacket and handed it to her.

She smiled up at him, “Thanks.”

He shrugged before looking off , “Can I be honest with you about something?”

“Shoot.”

“I’m actually really glad Danielle did this.”

Hailey looked at him in confusion, “You are?”

“Yeah, I mean we know each other, but we don’t really know each other; so I’m glad for the chance.”

Hailey pulled his jacket around her, “Wow I can’t believe I’m going to say this but I’m actually kind of glad she did to.”

He smirked, “Oh really?”

“This is usually the point in the evening where you reveal some odd fact like you have a weird collection of something under your bed that sends me running.”

He laughed, “Do guitar pics count?”

She rubbed her chin in thought, “Hmm, nope guitar pics I can deal with.”

“Then I guess we’re good.”

She laughed, “I guess we are.”

Hailey picked up her cell phone and scrolled through the names hesitating on his. She bit her lip and hit call bringing the phone up to her ear. It rang once, twice and on the third time he picked up.

She released a shaky breath trying her best to hold in the tears, “Greg?”