The Good Day

After he hung up with Kelsey, Kyle set his phone on the metal table he sat at. "Max is a good kid." He said it, but he knew he didn't sound very confident. "I don't think he's the one that hurt Kelsey."

Detective Frier sat down in the metal chair across the table and leaned on both of his elbows. He wore a white button up shit with it's sleeves rolled up revealing a tattoo. It read a name. Trish, maybe. Frier noticed him staring and smiled. "She was my daughter. Trish died when she was seventeen years old, not too long ago actually." He looked off, seemingly lost in a memory. "Her boy friend killed her when he found out that she was going to break up with him."

Kyle nodded stiffly and pressed his lips into a fine line. "Look," Frier said, running his thick fingers through his hair, "In my opinion, rejection it the greatest motive for this type of thing. Kelsey stood him up the same night that she was raped. To me, that's much more than a coincidence." Getting up from his chair, he opened the door of the interrogation room. "Just keep an eye on him. You are free to go, though. I wont be pulling you in anymore."

"Thank you for getting this cleared up so fast." Kyle grasped Detective Frier's hand and shook it. "I hope you can catch this son-of-a-bitch soon."

"I'm off to pick up someone right now. If you think of anyone you'd like me to take a look at, don't hesitate to call me." He slid a card in Kyle's hand and led him out of the precinct.

Kyle sat in his car with his cell phone in his hand, debating whether or not to make a call. Taking a deep breath, he reluctantly dialed the number.

"Hello?"

Kyle was very aware that this may have been a horrible idea. He thought about hanging up, but didn't want to be rude. She hated him enough as it was. "Hey Carri. It's-uh- It's Kyle. Please don't hang up! He was grimly reminded of the many fights they'd had when they were dating. Calmly, but quickly, Kyle explained why it was a good idea for them to meet- just the two of them- to discuss the situation. He paused to take a breath and to hear her retort. "Carri?"

"You're right." She sounded spiteful, but at least she hadn't hung up.

"I'm right?"

"I"m not going to say it again, Kyle." She was smirking now at his shock. He could tell.

"Well, that's just not something you've said to me too often in all the years I've known you."

"Hey, honey." Max opened the door and welcomed Kelsey inside. He closed the door behind her and followed her into the kitchen where the sat at the table.

"So, I just met with Dixy." Kelsey fiddled with her hair, feeling a bit nervous.

Max grabbed her hand and kissed it. "I'm sorry, Honey. Is everything alright?"

"No!" Kelsey exclaimed, squeezing his hand. "Oh my Lord you were right. She's absolutely horrible! She threatened me! Blatantly threatened me! How could she do that?" She couldn't help herself; Her anger just boiled over. "That stupid, ignorant, jealous bitch! And she had the nerve to tell me to break up with you! Can you imagine?" Kelsey scoffed and rolled her eyes.

"Did you tell the police that she threatened you?" Kelsey nodded, taking a deep breath to try to clam herself. "What exactly did she say, anyway?"

"She said, 'It would be a shame for you to have another accident', or something like that." Max was staring at her intently. She knew he knew what she'd been thinking earlier. "I am kinda thinking she attacked me. Er- had someone attack me. Because she was jealous.

Max sat back in his seat and closed his eyes to think. "Kels..."

"I know it sounds ridiculous, but honestly, would you put it past her? She's crazy, and she scares me." Her voice gave out in admitting that she was scared. In all the time that it had been since she was... raped, she'd never once admitted to someone that she was scared.

Ma got up from his chair and wrapped his arms around her; She was shaking. It's going to be okay, Kelsey. Shh..." He held her, and she cried in his arms. "It never hurts to have the police check it out, whether or not she did do it. "

They sat like that for a while until Kelsey lifted her head and kissed Max on the lips. He jumped and backed away. "What are you doing?" He held his hands up, but she looked so sad. Like she was going to cry again.

"Do you not want to?" All Kelsey could think of was what Dixy said- about Max not really liking her. For a minute she wasn't a victim, or a potential mother, or a part of an investigation. She was just an eighteen year old girl who wanted more than anything for this boy to like her. No matter how trivial it seemed.

"What are you talking about?" Boys. Always so oblivious.

"Do you not want to kiss me?

"Oh, Kelsey!" He put both of his hands on her shoulders. "I do. Trust me. I do. I just..." He lowered his eyes to his feet. "Last time you had a flash back- or whatever. I don't want that to happen again. You've been through it once, you shouldn't have to relive it."

"Thank you, Max." She pushed herself closer to him and wrapped her arms around his neck, planting a long kiss on his lips.

Kelsey hopped in the passenger's seat of her father's car, smile painted on her cheeks. "I take it you had fun?" Kyle looked serious, but waved at Max, who was standing in the window.

"Oh, yes." She said, a bit dreamily. "We're going back to your place, right?"

"The hotel, yes. I have yet to move into an apartment. He turned right, onto the highway and they talked the entire way to the hotel. "Alright. Welcome to Casa de Papa!" She wasn't sure if that was actual Spanish, but she walked through the front door with a skip in her step.