‹ Prequel: Life After You
Status: You all wanted to know what happened...so here goes....
Fate's Cruel Hand
Fate's Cruel Hand
The news of Carl Benton's suicide had come as a shock, but not as a complete surprise. Her bottom lip quivers as she puts away the bag of groceries. She wipes away her tears and takes a few deep breaths, wondering if she could have done anything different where Carl Benton was concerned. The police had shown up at the office shortly after the call and she disclosed to them confidential information about Benton's state of mind and past history. The officers, after hearing the details weren't sympathetic and were probably glad that the nut case had killed himself before he could hurt anyone. Kelly leans over the sink, suddenly feeling nauseous. Her nerves are shot to pieces and she hopes she never has to hear awful news like that again, especially when it could have been prevented had she acted sooner.
Susan had sent her home after she had a mini-breakdown in her office and told her to take the following day off. Feeling bad about what happened, being sent home felt like a punishment rather than understanding.
Feeling completely deflated she curls up on the sofa with a box of tissues, her tears flowing fast. She feels completely crumpled, guilty.
She could have done more. She should have done more.
***
Kelly quickly wipes her tears away and tries to compose herself as Jeremy hobbles into the hallway. The clinking sound of his crutch on the laminate flooring a dead giveaway if he was to ever sneak up on her. She stands and smooths back her hair, stealing a quick glance in the mirror above the fireplace. She looks like hell, but she has no time to touch up her make-up.
"Baby, what's wrong?" Jeremy asks, worried. He tries to hobble over to her with purpose and urgency.
Kelly can't get the words out and cries. He wraps her in his arms as the crutch bounces off the floor.
"Baby, what's wrong? What's happened?"
She doesn't reply to him and just cries into his neck. Big, strangled sobs. He kisses her on the head and rubs her back, tightening his grip around her and she feels safe.
Kelly continues to cry into Jeremy's shoulder, leaving a dark wet patch on the material of his t-shirt. He tries to soothe her, but she is inconsolable.
Jeremy pushes the tumbler of water towards her and sits across from her at the table, a pile of soggy tissues a small mountain. Her eyes are puffy and red, her nose irritated from wiping.
"Are you going to tell me what's wrong?' He asks in a soft voice. He's never seen her so emotional before.
She sips on the water and wipes her nose.
"I'm sorry" she says, sniffing.
"Baby, it's okay. What's happened?"
Kelly let's out a ragged breath and licks her dry lips. She doesn't know where to start. Their roles have suddenly reversed, her being a wreck and him being the stronger person.
"I've had a difficult day" she croaks." A patient. A very unstable patient killed himself"
Jeremy reaches for her hand as she fights back the tears.
"He was a danger to himself and others. I didn't realise how much. I was discussing his case with Susan when we got the call. He hung himself. Like he said he would" she wipes her eyes again and takes a drink. "If I had just acted quicker it wouldn't have happened"
Kelly breaks down completely and suddenly Jeremy is at her side, the chair scraping across the floor.
"Baby, none of this is your fault. The guy wasn't well."
"I should have seen the signs and I didn't" she cries as he wraps his arms around her."I could have saved him"
"Some people just don't want to be saved" Jeremy whispers softly. "You did everything you could. You tried to help him and he just didn't want it. It's not your fault, okay?"
She looks at him with watering eyes.
"I want you to listen to me. This is not your fault. None of this is your fault"
Kelly silently nods and hangs onto him, tears cascading down her cheeks. He rubs her back and smooths out her hair, rocking her as her fingers grip onto his t-shirt.
It's getting late and neither the two of them feel like eating anything. Kelly has held onto Jeremy most of the evening, except for the occasional bathroom break.
He is holding her on the sofa, stroking her hair and keeping her close. He's never seen her so hurt. He's never seen guilt so raw before, but now that he has he never wants to see it again. She feels safe in his arms, protected from the world.
"Come on" he says softly "you need some rest"
She moves to get up and rubs her already bloodshot eyes.
"Can you stay with me tonight?"
"Of course I can." Jeremy kisses her forehead and gabs his crutch. Getting up the stairs is going to be a lot easier with two hands.
Susan had sent her home after she had a mini-breakdown in her office and told her to take the following day off. Feeling bad about what happened, being sent home felt like a punishment rather than understanding.
Feeling completely deflated she curls up on the sofa with a box of tissues, her tears flowing fast. She feels completely crumpled, guilty.
She could have done more. She should have done more.
***
Kelly quickly wipes her tears away and tries to compose herself as Jeremy hobbles into the hallway. The clinking sound of his crutch on the laminate flooring a dead giveaway if he was to ever sneak up on her. She stands and smooths back her hair, stealing a quick glance in the mirror above the fireplace. She looks like hell, but she has no time to touch up her make-up.
"Baby, what's wrong?" Jeremy asks, worried. He tries to hobble over to her with purpose and urgency.
Kelly can't get the words out and cries. He wraps her in his arms as the crutch bounces off the floor.
"Baby, what's wrong? What's happened?"
She doesn't reply to him and just cries into his neck. Big, strangled sobs. He kisses her on the head and rubs her back, tightening his grip around her and she feels safe.
Kelly continues to cry into Jeremy's shoulder, leaving a dark wet patch on the material of his t-shirt. He tries to soothe her, but she is inconsolable.
Jeremy pushes the tumbler of water towards her and sits across from her at the table, a pile of soggy tissues a small mountain. Her eyes are puffy and red, her nose irritated from wiping.
"Are you going to tell me what's wrong?' He asks in a soft voice. He's never seen her so emotional before.
She sips on the water and wipes her nose.
"I'm sorry" she says, sniffing.
"Baby, it's okay. What's happened?"
Kelly let's out a ragged breath and licks her dry lips. She doesn't know where to start. Their roles have suddenly reversed, her being a wreck and him being the stronger person.
"I've had a difficult day" she croaks." A patient. A very unstable patient killed himself"
Jeremy reaches for her hand as she fights back the tears.
"He was a danger to himself and others. I didn't realise how much. I was discussing his case with Susan when we got the call. He hung himself. Like he said he would" she wipes her eyes again and takes a drink. "If I had just acted quicker it wouldn't have happened"
Kelly breaks down completely and suddenly Jeremy is at her side, the chair scraping across the floor.
"Baby, none of this is your fault. The guy wasn't well."
"I should have seen the signs and I didn't" she cries as he wraps his arms around her."I could have saved him"
"Some people just don't want to be saved" Jeremy whispers softly. "You did everything you could. You tried to help him and he just didn't want it. It's not your fault, okay?"
She looks at him with watering eyes.
"I want you to listen to me. This is not your fault. None of this is your fault"
Kelly silently nods and hangs onto him, tears cascading down her cheeks. He rubs her back and smooths out her hair, rocking her as her fingers grip onto his t-shirt.
It's getting late and neither the two of them feel like eating anything. Kelly has held onto Jeremy most of the evening, except for the occasional bathroom break.
He is holding her on the sofa, stroking her hair and keeping her close. He's never seen her so hurt. He's never seen guilt so raw before, but now that he has he never wants to see it again. She feels safe in his arms, protected from the world.
"Come on" he says softly "you need some rest"
She moves to get up and rubs her already bloodshot eyes.
"Can you stay with me tonight?"
"Of course I can." Jeremy kisses her forehead and gabs his crutch. Getting up the stairs is going to be a lot easier with two hands.