My Heart Was Wounded Deep
Chapter 56's

"You trust him too much" said Logan's mother.

"And you don't believe it" Rey replied. "He was not eighteen yet, pregnant, and had just been cut off by the father of the child he contained. Most teenage girls would not be rational in such a situation. But that doesn't mean he's guilty. So, even though Lori's death was tragic, I suggest we live and support each other rather than risk torturing an innocent person, especially one who has suffered so much."

"You don't believe the testimony you heard in court? Lea's husband, asked. "You think someone else's car hit Lori?"

"No, but there's someone else who's in the car with him" Rey said. "It deserves to cause doubt."

"That guy was Via Astaria, and he confirmed that Kikan hit Lori."

"How did you suddenly become convinced of his character?" Leah demanded an explanation. "He hasn't been here for seventeen years!"

Helen put her hand on Rey's back. "During this time your heart has always been soft, I fear that empathy has taken hold of your mind."

" It's not like that. The girl I was dating back in High School, and the woman I'm in contact with now, will never hurt anyone." Rey insists.

" It's easy for you to talk" muttered Logan's mother.

" He's not welcome in this town" Logan said. "Why should I cross paths with my sister's killer wherever I go?"

" Because the law doesn't give you a choice" Rey said. "If this can help, Kikan tells me he'll go somewhere else if he can. But she is unable to persuade her mother to leave, Lis's phobia makes her unable to get out of the dirty trailer. So inhospitable was the world to him that he was afraid."

" Who's fault is it?" bentak Logan's.

Rey wanted to hit him again. Logan's mother must have felt Rey's desire, because she immediately stood up.

" Logan, don't be emotional. Although it seems unfair that Kikan can walk here and there as freely as a bird, whereas Lori will never be able to see the sun again, Rey is right about the limitations of our laws." He looked at Rey. "But this is what I want to know. Why didn't you come forward as Kikan's defender before?"

" You mean when I was eighteen and was told by everyone that she didn't deserve to be my girlfriend? That he's a scary guy, a killer? I was scared because of Lori's death. Not to mention the fact that I'm going to be the father of a child whose mother became a human who is hated by everyone in the city."

" But now you're sure he's a good guy?" ask Lea. "What's changed?"

" I'm sorry I never defended him. Maybe I could have prevented an innocent man from being sent to prison if only I were older, stronger, more assertive, and don't trust the opinions of others" Rey said.

Lea's upper lip is wrinkled. "Yes God! You've been overdue. You're acting like you're in love with her again."

Helen jerks. "No, he's not! absolutely not!"

Rey does not deny it. He hoped it wasn't like this, but Rey knew he felt something, and the feeling was stronger than it should have been.

" That's my business. Anyway, I want to make it clear that I won't let Kikan get bullied or hurt again in any way." Rey turned to her mother. "Mom, I'm sorry this didn't go the way you wanted." He said he walked out with his head held high before they could even sit down to enjoy dinner.

.

.

Rey parked her car in front of Devan's house. He hopes that he might be able to meet Kikan, even though the possibility is very small. It was late at night, and Rey needed a storymate to lighten the weight of her mind, which she thought was Devan.

" It just so happens. I want to see you tomorrow." Devan. "Is there anything you've come to this late at night?" ask Devan.

" I wish I could meet Kikan here." Answer Rey's origin.

" True, Kikan must have gone home, and he's actually the reason I'm seeing you tomorrow."

" What do you want from him?" sahut Rey's.

" Nah right?"

" Now, what?" ask Rey.

" That jealous tone again."

" Wow! and now you admit it." Devan said

Rey rubbed her forehead." Yep. I admit it."

" Did he know?"

Rey breathed. "It makes no difference even if you know. He doesn't believe me."

" It wasn't something unexpected" Devan said.

" Do you want to make me feel happier or more upset?"

" What happened tonight?" ask Devan.

Rey can't tell us anything about the events that took place at the Logan family home, so she focuses on other events. "I asked him to go to the cottage on the coming weekend."

" And?"

" He said no."

" I get it. but it's not unexpected either." Devan said.

Rey brushed her hair with a finger. "Indeed."

" So." asked Devan

" I'm not sure I still want to go there."

" What? Devan exclaimed." C'mon Bro! we've been preparing for this for months. Simon doesn't visit us often. He was always on set for one photo shoot to another. More often abroad. It will be exciting if we get together with our group. You'll see."

It didn't calm him down, but Rey didn't want to ruin that weekend's event for the others.

" You said you wanted to see me because of Kikan?"

" Right," replied Devan

" You haven't told me why."

" Because I don't think this is going to improve your mood tonight." Devan said.

Rey held both hands. "Tell me"

" He came when I was gone. And Kikan left an envelope on my desk."

Kikan did go to Devan's office quite often, using Devan's computer. Is he interested in Devan now? "What's it say?" ask Rey.

" Money a few hundred thousand. He tried to pay back the clothes we bought for him, he wrote a letter saying he would pay me every month until paid off."

Rey breathed a long breath. It wasn't as bad as he was worried. "Sounds like something he's going to do."

" That's how. But I feel guilty letting him believe that I bought him, and you paid half of it" Devan explained. "I wish he didn't do that. We want to give them that stuff. But his pride is so high."

" You can always refuse." Rey.

" Don't you prefer if I tell him that you're taking part here, too? So you can try to solve it, along with all the problems between the two of you?"

Somehow seventeen years turned out not to be able to erase Rey's feelings for Kikan, as if all this time they just pressed the pause button, even Rey felt increasingly interested in him because now he believes in his own judgment. "No, no, he doesn't need to know." Said Rey.

" Okay, if you really want to."