I can't let him

Kyle’s shoulders drop as he hears about Jason. “Aw no…”

Phil looks up at him with concern. “What?”

Kyle takes the phone from his mouth for just a moment. “Jason – he’s in bad shape.”

“Well is he okay?”

Kyle nods, still listening to Katie to finish out the conversation. A smile crease his lips. “I think that is one of the best ideas I’ve ever heard. You’re a doll, Katie.”

He quickly runs through things in his mind. “Tell you what… You just get in your car tomorrow and pick up Jen and Camryn – Jen knows where she lives. Phil and I will get Mike and just bring a couple guitars or something.”

Phil raises his eyebrows and reaches up to tap Kyle. “What’s going on?”

Kyle waves him off, still talking. “You and the girls can get the food – I’ll make sure Jen’s got the cash and..”

“Kyle, what’s going on?!”

“Would you just shut up and wait?” Kyle’s eyes widen. “Not you, Katie, not you…Phil’s being a pain.”

“I am not!”

Kyle steps back from the couch, but is restricted by the phone chord as he keeps talking to Katie. “Don’t forget to tell Scott to stick around too. So we’ll all be there, let’s plan on six o’clock. And hey, anyone else wants to stick around, go for it. The more the merrier!”


Bret sucks in his breath as he’s pressed up against the wall, feeling Charlotte so close to him. She evoked a strange feeling within him…one that longed for his loneliness to end…one that showed him there was still a chance he could gain back what he might have lost… one that said life was still worth living.

His hands make their way to her shoulders, then to her face, brushing back her hair, his thumb running up her jawline.

Finally pulling away slightly, his eyes remained closed, his heart beating hard within him. He rests his forehead against hers as he knows it is best for her to leave now, his arms moving down to wrap around her waist. “Goodnight, Charlotte,” he whispers.


Carson stands in his cell, stunned as Misty pours out her anger and frustration. He cringes a little at her shouting, instinctively taking a step backward.

Pain courses through his eyes at he looks at her. Her words stung. They cut him like a knife, hurting worse than the physical pain he was experiencing.

He had a reason to back up what he’d done… he had a reason for his behavior… he had a reason for not telling Misty everything. But how could she possibly understand that?

Carson’s eyes drift to the floor, signaling the brokenness he felt. He was trapped with no way out. He’d gotten caught, and like a trapped animal, he would meet hi fate now whether he wanted to or not. He was helpless against the raging circumstances around him. And he was on the brink of now not losing one precious thing, but two.

Slowly, he backs against the cell wall and slides to the floor again, numb and too weak to care. Even hearing that Misty would get his phone didn’t bring the relief he wanted to. For he had used her, and at what cost? Even if he did get the phone, it was not a guarantee that the other life would be saved.

All he wanted to do right now was curl up in a corner and bury himself in the shadows. He could feel his being drawing within himself, his heart caving in to envelop it self with hurt where he could lick his wounds.

Tears spring into his eyes for this miserable position he’d gotten himself in, but he wills them not to fall. Seeing Misty start walking away, he spoke. It didn’t matter now…secrets had helped nothing…if the one he cared for was going to die, she would die no matter if he told someone or not. It was a sorry lesson to learn, and one learned too late.

“He’s going to kill her, Misty.” His voice is cracked and quiet, his eyes glued to the floor. “I can’t let him kill my little sister.”