Dark Times in Still Waters
Chapter 25
By Dottie
Copyright 2013
After hanging up with Natalie, Teagan turns her gaze to Kevin. She had left their room early, needing space to think. She never meant to tell Natalie about last night. But she’s so confused. She never expected him to stop. Didn’t want him to stop. And when he did, she was deeply ashamed and more than a little hurt.
His appearance in the lobby brings a mixture of emotion to Teagan. Happiness, excitement, longing…but most of all, insecurity. He says all the right words, but it’s so hard to know if he really means them. Sure, she believes him most of the time…but after last night, she can’t help but wonder what kind of game this is.
He comes over to stand by her chair, leaning down, pressing his lips to her temple softly. “Good morning, Teagan.”
She sighs softly, glancing out the window. “Good morning. It’s still coming down pretty good out there.”
He looks at her confused. “Yeah. Umm, are you ok?”
She nods, staring down into her hot cocoa. “Sure. I…I called and let Natalie know everything is ok. She said she’d let Brian know you’re alright.”
He kneels in front of her, taking the mug from her hands. “What’s wrong?” When she doesn’t answer, the grips her fingers in his. She stares at his hands, wishing…
He dips his head until she has to meet his gaze. She shrugs. “Nothing. I’m fine.”
He lets go of her hands to cup her face. “Baby, don’t shut me out. Talk to me. What did I do? Why are you upset with me?”
She chews on her lip, staring into his troubled eyes. “You didn’t do anything. Honest.”
He shakes his head. “Don’t do that, Teagan. Please. Remember what I told you last night? I said I wasn’t going anywhere, even if you try to push me away. I won’t leave. Why won’t you talk to me?”
She lowers her eyes, staring at his lips. “I just…I don’t know Kevin. I’m so confused.”
He moves closer and kisses her lips softly. “Then talk to me Baby. Let me clarify things for you. What’s bothering you?”
Before she can answer him, a member of the hotel staff walks up. “Miss Michaels, all the generators are working at the cottages now. If you want to go back, you should have heat and light and be able to cook. Our crews will keep coming out to add gasoline to the generators to keep them running.”
Teagan looks up grateful for the interruption. Until she realizes that means she’s going to be alone with Kevin. “Thanks. Umm, how do I get back to the cottage?”
Kevin takes note of her question. She doesn’t include him going back and his heart sinks. He stands slowly. Teagan looks up and see hurt written on his face. She sighs quietly, thinking it’s because she won’t talk to him. She barely hears the answer to her question. “The Snowcat will be ready after lunch. We’re making sure the cottages are warm before you go back.”
She nods as he walks away. Kevin slowly takes her hand. “If I…I’ll stay here if that makes things easier for you.”
Teagan’s heart plummets as her worst fears are seemingly confirmed. “You…can do…whatever you think…is best.”
She turns and walks away, afraid she’s going to fall apart at the seams. When she’s halfway up the steps, she’s stopped by the woman that came to the lodge with her family last night. “Hey, are you ok?” Teagan just shakes her head, unable to talk. The woman grabs her hand. “Come with me Dear.”
She leads Teagan up the staircase and into the room her children occupied the night before. As the door closes, she says, “I’m Penelope Grant. What’s your name?”
Teagan takes a shaky breath before whispering hoarsely, “Teagan. Teagan Michaels.”
Penelope gasps, her hand covering her lips. “Oh my God. I thought last night…Teagan, Derrick Grant is my husband. You don’t…do you remember him? Me?”
Teagan stares at her, a light going off in her head. She nods slowly. “From Hempfield High?”
Penelope nods quickly. “Yes! Oh my God, I can’t believe…Teagan, I saw on the news…I am SO sorry about what happened to you.” Teagan lowers her eyes. Another pity party in the making. Penelope pats her arm. “What’s wrong? Is there something I can help with?” Teagan shakes her head no quickly, a sob building inside her. Penelope can see she’s about to fall apart and she wraps her arm around Teagan’s shoulder. “Let it out Teagan. It’s the only way you’ll heal.”
Once she’s all cried out, Penelope wraps her arm around Teagan’s shoulder. “Now, what happened? Fight with your boyfriend?”
Teagan shakes her head. “He’s not…I mean…he asked…I don’t know. I just feel like…I shouldn’t burden you with this.”
Penelope sighs. “Teagan, it’s not a burden. I know in school we weren’t close, but…let’s just say I’ve grown up a lot. Talk to me. Maybe an outside opinion is what you need?”
Teagan sighs. “I want to believe him when he says he wants to be with me…but…at the same time, it feels like…he just feels sorry for me.”
Penelope pats her hand. “Teagan, please don’t take this the wrong way, but we all feel sorry for you.” Teagan’s eyes snap up to hers, anger and hurt clouding them. Penelope rushes on. “Teagan, we’re sorry that it happened. Sorry that you got hurt so bad. It’s not fair, what happened to you. And…well, we can’t fix it. So we feel bad. But it doesn’t mean we feel sorry for YOU…just sorry about the circumstances. Do you see the difference?”
Teagan’s shoulders sag. “I’m so tired of being treated differently now. First thing anyone says is ‘are you ok?’ and that just reminds me of it again.” She takes a deep breath. “Why can’t I be me again?”
Penelope contemplates her question. Finally, she whispers, “You are Teagan. Only it’s not everyone else who’s keeping you from being yourself. It’s you.” Teagan stares at her, dumbfounded. Penelope gives her a little smile. “When you see someone is upset, what’s the first thing YOU do?”
Teagan looks away, ashamed. “Ask if they are ok.”
Penelope sighs quietly. “I can kind of understand how you feel, Teagan. Derrick is a policeman. He’s been shot. It’s not…it’s life changing. For you even more so because of how it happened. But…Teagan you’re alive! You survived and from what I saw, you have a man that loves you deeply.”
Teagan shakes her head. “He never said…”
Before she can finish her sentence, the door opens. Penelope’s husband Derrick comes in. “Oh, hey sorry, didn’t know you had company.”
Penelope stands. “It’s ok, Honey.” She kisses his cheek. “I was right last night. It is Teagan.”
He turns to Teagan and for the first time, she sees the scar on the side of HIS neck, disappearing under the collar of his shirt. He notices her gaze. “Yeah, I was shot in the neck too. Only mine wasn’t a ricochet.”
Teagan stammers quietly, “I’m so sorry.”
He smiles at her. “Don’t be. I lived, that’s all that matters.”
Teagan stands swiftly, his words sinking in. “I better go get ready to go back to the cottage. It was nice seeing you again.”
Penelope hugs her gently. “Wait…let me give you my number. Call me if you ever just want to talk.”
After she leaves, Penelope hugs her husband tightly. “Sweetheart, before we head back I want to go talk with her boyfriend.”
Derrick shakes his head. “Can’t you just stay out of it?”
Penelope sighs. “I’m a therapist, Derrick. She needs him. Thank God she’s not a patient or I couldn’t do what I’m about to. He needs to know what she’s feeling. She’s never going to tell him so I will.” He shakes his head as his wife leaves. One thing he knows for sure, it wouldn’t do any good if he tried.
Penelope finds Kevin in the lobby. She overhears him talking about taking a room and she steps up. “I’m sorry, I don’t mean to be rude, but may I speak to you before you make that decision.”
Kevin is taken aback by her lack of manners. “I’m sorry, who are you?”
She smiles brightly. “Penelope Grant. My family and I rode in with you last night from the cottages.”
Kevin nods slowly, taking her hand to shake it. “Is there something I can do for you?”
She nods affirmatively. “Yes. Don’t give up on Teagan. She needs you.”
His eyes widen. “How do you know Teagan?”
She glances at the clerk. “Can we please talk?” He nods, following her over to a couple of overstuffed chairs in the corner. She takes one, he takes the other. “I don’t mean to be so bold, but…well I went to school with Teagan. My husband and I both did. I recognized her last night, and this morning, when she came upstairs, she was so upset. I talked to her and…” She takes a deep breath. “She’s upset because she feels like you just feel sorry for her and that’s why you’re with her.”
His eyes show the hurt he feels. “I told her…”
Penelope smiles at him. “Kevin, I’m a therapist. I help people like Teagan cope on a daily basis. I can tell you this only because she isn’t my patient. Stop treating her like a fragile piece of glass. Treat her like a woman. Tell her how you really feel about her. Show her that what happened doesn’t matter in the slightest to you.”
His mouth falls open. “But she knows…”
Penelope shakes her head. “No, she doesn’t. She needs the words Kevin. She needs to feel like a woman again and she can’t if you keep treating her like she’s going to break. She’s stronger than you know. She’s stronger than SHE knows. You have to make her see it.”
She stands and walks away. He looks out the window, wondering if she’s right. Is Teagan ready for the kind of relationship he wants? Does she care as much for him as he does for her? He stands up swiftly, determined to find out.
Chapter End Notes:
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