My Heart Was Wounded Deep
Chapter 57's

Thankfully, the bracelet keeps coming. It was a bright light for Kikan. He had raised the money he desperately needed, and he had managed to accumulate more than he had dared to dream of. He tried to divert his mind from the events at the pool last Saturday night by concentrating on work. He worked long hours on Sundays and even mondays until he went to Devan's place that night. Then he opens Facebook to see if there's any news from Jason and finds Jason's message asking if Kikan can come to his game.

Kikan replied that he could. That's all he wrote. She had not heard from Rey since the man drove her home from a barbecue party, and she could not imagine how she would get to her son's game. They better avoid each other and not go together. Maybe Rey made the same decision.

But they have children. It made contact between them inevitable.

Devan stopped by the office to meet him while Kikan was closing his Facebook page.

" You're getting rich?" Ask the man when he sneaks into the office.

" I'm richer than I used to be" Kikan joked. Especially since you didn't let me pay for the clothes you gave me."

Devan placed the envelope Kikan left on his computer. And it's still intact.

" You should let me do good." Devan.

" What's that name, every time you give me a ride?"

" It's not hard, and it looks like you're done here, so...." Devan pulled out the pick-up key "You'll be happy to know that I'm about to go through your place again."

Kikan smiled broadly at him. "Your timing is absolutely perfect. Too perfect that I can't fool you."

Devan grinned back. "Just get on the pickup."

" Why are you so nice?" ask Kikan.

" Because we're friends, and that's what friends do."

Kikan crossed the bag on his shoulder. "What I don't understand is why you want to be my friend. I know how close you are to Rey. Doesn't it feel like you're conspiring with the enemy?"

" What are you talking about? Rey is your friend too. He said that to me." said Devan.

If it was just a friend, Rey wouldn't have slipped her hand that night. But Kikan didn't want to think about that. It was quite difficult for him to get rid of the memory of that night while sleeping at night, and to have to wrestle with that thought until dawn. "He's my son's father." muttered Kikan.

Devan sorted through some letters on his desk. "It would be better if you could respect each other."

" Right." Kikan pointed at the bracelet he made for Devan. You don't have to wear it every day. I wouldn't be offended even if you didn't wear it."

" I wear it because I like it. Jason is too. The order you received should have made you aware that the bracelet was much liked."

The bracelet seems to be gaining in popularity. Kikan does not know when it will continue, but he plans to take advantage of that popularity as much as possible. "You haven't changed your mind to watch Jason's game?" ask Kikan.

" It doesn't seem. There are work commitments I have to fulfill. Wh why? You need a ride?"

" I wish I could get a ride if there was one. But. You don't have to worry. I'll think of another way."

" You don't want to go with Rey?" ask Devan.

Kikan. "Not want to. I just. I haven't heard from him, and I don't have the means to contact him."

Actually that's not the case. But that was the easiest reason to make it, and that's why Kikan was so shocked when Devan pulled out his phone, pressed a button, and handed it to him. "Now you have" Devan said.

Oh, mercy.... Kikan almost returned the phone. Rey answered quickly.

" What's up?"

There's a pause, and Rey says, "How are you?"

" OK. you?" reply Kikan.

" okay."

Kikan turned away from Devan so that the man could not see the anxiety on his face. "I wonder if I can still hitch a ride to Jason's game."

" Of course." Said Rey.

" Trim. What time are you planning to leave? Do you want to meet me somewhere in town to make it easier?"

" no. I'll pick you up at your house. I'll come by at 15:00."

" I'll be ready." Kikan.

" You're using Devan's phone."

Kikan looked over his shoulder at Rey's friend. "Yes, I'm in his place now" Kikan said

" I won't let that bother me" Rey said.

" What?" kikan asked, surprised and not so meaningful Rey meant.

" It's okay. See you later" said the man, then hung up.

" Trouble solved?" Devan asked when Kikan returned his phone.

That problem, maybe. But how Kikan's heart melted when he heard Rey's voice once again showed that he was facing something much bigger than a car ride. Maybe that makes her the dumbest or craziest woman in the world, but she hasn't forgotten Rey at all.

♪

♪

Kikan gets out of the trailer before Rey can park her pickup and go to the trailer door. Obviously the woman was watching him. Rey is relieved to see Kikan ready, because he does not want to be late to watch the game. They had to drive for sixty minutes. But there was a bigger problem that made him worry. He continues to think about the quarrel he had at Logan's family home and fears that Kikan's predicament is not over.

Then, the sight of Kikan wearing the clothes that Rey and Devan bought for him will make it harder for Rey to remember her determination to hold back and take a slow-moving approach, because of Kikan's low self-confidence.

" Why do you have to look so beautiful?" muttered for a moment, he was worried that beauty had blinded him, and that Lori's family and her parents were right.

But Rey rejected the thought almost instantly. It wasn't Kikan's appearance that attracted him. Not completely, Rey has dated a number of beautiful women in recent years.What Kikan has is elegance, and it's much more durable and harder to find, especially since he had managed to maintain that elegance in the worst of conditions.

As Rey leaned over to open the door, Kikan smiled hesitantly.

" Thank you." After getting into the car, Kikan placed the parcel between them. "I'm glad you came all the way here to pick me up."

Her sweet attitude was really refreshing. Rey tries to forget what she once said at the Logan family home. He did not want the incident to continue to destroy today, not when just being close to Kikan had made him feel comfortable. "No problem. Jason's really excited to know you're gonna watch him play."

" I can't wait" Kikan said.

Rey glanced towards the package. "This what? dinner?" tanyakanya.

" Home-made biscuits for the whole team" Kikan replied proudly. Now that I have a little money, chocolate chip-studded biscuits don't taste very expensive. So. I thought I'd try my luck by making it."