Oh, hi...

Well, this is a Fail in a huge way. With the whole dying dad thing, and the working on multiple computers thing, this one fell by the wayside.

Not to worry however. Like Eminem, I'm back.

Stay tuned. I'm so not done with this...

Chapter Thirty

Not wanting to cook and knowing that there wasn’t anything there to cook anyway, Kelleigh swung into one of her favorite places, an old fashioned drive-thru. To her relief, it was on the opposite side of town from the cemetery. Out of sight, her role has grieving widow was now complete. She relaxed and let her mind empty, waiting for the young waitress to bring out her meal. Before her mind could skip over to the events of the past 24 hours, the waitress appeared with her burger.

Kelleigh drove home, parked the truck up close to the garage again and went inside. She ate at the table, next to the textbook that she no longer needed. She had brought in her certificate and propped it up on the table where she could see it. She felt a sense of accomplishment that she hadn’t felt in a long time, if ever.

Finishing her meal, she found herself at loose ends. The sun was beginning to go down and she had nothing to do. Looking outside, over the patio she spotted the hot tub. “Perfect” she said aloud and turned to go change into her swimsuit.


Kelleigh sat back into the warm bubbles. She never wanted this hot tub; she felt it was an unnecessary extravagance. They had rarely used it once the shiny newness had worn off. Kelleigh could think of one hundred other ways she would have rather spent the money.
But after today, this long arduous day, she was thankful to relax into the bubbly nothingness with a glass of wine and quiet music. Today she was thankful for the extravagance.

The test had gone well. The expressions on the two men distributing the tests let her know that she had done better than they expected. The certificate showed that she knew just as much as Steve, in fact probably more as he had doubts as to whether or not he could pass the test.

Kelleigh relaxed back into the water, with her wineglass balanced on the edge of the tub. She rarely drank; in fact, she had to stop to pick up a bottle of wine on the way home. Steve kept beer in the house but she didn’t like it. Actually, Delly had drunk his last one on the night he died. But today, of all days, she wanted to just relax and attempt to forget her woes.

She was just drifting off when her cell phone rang. She jolted up, nearly spilling her wine glass. Blearily, she looked at the screen. To her relief, it wasn’t Delly. It wasn’t a number she recognized at all.

Tentatively, she answered it. After all that had transpired over the last four days, she just couldn’t guess what else could happen.

“How’d it go today?” She heard in response to her quiet “hello?”

She sighed and leaned back into the water. It was Eddie.
Kelleigh was surprised at how happy she felt hearing his voice.
“It went really, really well. Considering the day.”

“You’re okay then?”

Chapter Twenty Nine

The day had developed a comical tint to it. It began while she was choosing clothes for Steve’s funeral. All she could think as she browsed through her closet with a line from the movie Moonstruck “When you die I’ll wear a red dress and dance on your grave.” After the recent developments, it was certainly what Kelleigh felt like doing.
Instead, she chose a pair of black jeans, black boots, and a red sweater. She wasn’t going to dress up for Steve; she felt that her mere appearance was sufficient at this point. The fight, the revelations - all of them- weighed on her as she dressed for her test in jeans and a sweatshirt.

At this point, she was going to the funeral out of obligation more than mourning. Perhaps someday she would feel sadness but not now. Right now, she was simply pissed. at everyone, including herself.

Then the humor of the day continued with her little concert while she finished the mechanics test.

Afterward she ducked into the bathroom in the lobby of the college to change into her “funeral clothes”. She walked in a grease monkey and came out looking fabulous, if she did say so herself. As she left the building, she spotted the test examiner and waved. Again she received raised eyebrows and she giggled.

Kelleigh was in high spirits and she knew it was wholly inappropriate, considering her next destination.

She pulled into the funeral home parking lot; feeling like it had been months since she’d last been there. In fact, it had only been a day. She noticed with chagrin a long black limousine parked behind the black hearse. It was a stark reminder of why she was here. It also reminded her that she didn’t belong. As Steve’s widow, she should have been in that limousine. Instead, she was driving herself. Thinking about it, she realized she was relieved. She was not the grieving widow.

Conversation stilled, ever so slightly as she walked in the lobby of the home. Searching the crowd, she realized that she had no one waiting for her. Her husband, she nearly choked on the word, was the reason she was here. Her family wasn’t here and Steve’s family certainly didn’t consider her their responsibility. As it were, even Delly wasn’t a welcome sight. Having spotted her in the crowd, she held her hand up to indicated “stop” when Delly made a gesture to approach her.

Kelleigh walked through the lobby, ignored the guest book and picked up a program. She slid it into her purse and then went into the room. It was only here that the reality of the situation hit her. At the front of the room was a large picture of Steve smiling at the camera. It was the first time she had “seen” him since before the accident. It was like a punch to the stomach. While she hated him fiercely right now, there was a time that she loved him enough to marry him.
She looked away from the photograph just to catch a glimpse of the casket. Of course, the family had chose to have an open casket. Kelleigh would have never chosen that. She preferred to remember her loved ones the way she last saw them, not as they were dead. She looked away and tried to find someplace inconspicuous to sit. As the widow, she should have a seat front and center, but she doubted that Steve’s family gave her that consideration. Instead, she chose to sit toward the front but on the end of the aisle, as far away from the comings and goings as she could.

Strangely, no one approached her. Even as the seats began to fill, no one sat beside her. It was just as well. She didn’t want to talk to anyone. She kept her hands folded in her lap and concentrated on the sunlight that shone through the stained glass windows.

Mercifully the service began and she could focus on that instead of feeling like an outcast. There was a priest, which Kelleigh found humorous. Steve hadn’t set foot in a church since they were married, and hadn’t been in one before that since his Christening. But the priest spoke kindly about Steve, as if he knew him.

The service ended quickly enough. There was a hymn sung that Kelleigh didn’t recognize and then she watched as Steve’s friends hefted the casket and walked it solemnly out to the hearse. The crowd slowly followed them out into the sun. Kelleigh stayed back, away from the crowd. It just didn’t feel right to her to participate. She was beginning to feel like a ghost, as if no one saw her there.

She felt a slight tap on her shoulder and felt simultaneously relieved and annoyed. As much as she wanted to be invisible, it was painful to seem as such. Turning, she was disappointed to see Sid there. To his credit, it looked as if he’d been crying for days. Kelleigh’s heart broke a little for him. Steve, for all his flaws, had always been close to his brother.

“Kelleigh, I’m glad you came but I have to tell you: Mother doesn’t want you at the graveside service.”

Nonplussed, Kelleigh just nodded. “Fine, Sid, whatever you want.”

Sid looked surprised but didn’t continue. Kelleigh turned on her heel and walked out. She marched past the mourners gathered around the hearse and got into her truck. She watched as Sid gathered his mother and steered her to the limousine. Once they were inside the car, the hearse slowly pulled away and the crowd began to disperse to their cars. Kelleigh watched as the mourners left then started the truck and drove toward home. She didn’t spot Delly in the crowd, but then she just wasn’t looking for her either.

Chapter Twenty Eight

The next morning, she woke up with determination steeling her spine. She refused to consider anything beyond the task at hand. Get up. Get showered. Brush her teeth. Eat breakfast. Step by little step she worked her way through the morning.
She drove to the school and walked in with a purpose in her step. She did anything and everything she could to keep everything that happened in the past few days tucked in the corner of her brain. She couldn’t deal with it right now.

She found the classroom and signed in. There were only instructors there; no other students had arrived yet. Kelleigh was relieved; she wanted to arrive before everyone else so that she wasn’t the focus of attention any more than she already would be.

Only a handful of others arrived. About four men total. Mostly younger men and they, thankfully, didn’t seem to take much notice of her. Kelleigh just kept her head down and tried to keep her mind blank until the test began.

The first part of the test was written and multiple choice. This she breezed through easily and was thankful for the past few nights she spent studying. She finished before most but waited in her seat, not wanting to draw attention to herself. She took this time to study the test and wonder which task would be hers to diagnose and repair.
That was the second step of the test: a diagnosis and repair of a common automotive problem. She had no idea what the problem was until she was handed a key to the car.

She felt more nervous about this task than any of the others. She was certain she could pass the written test, as she had always been good at school. She usually tested easily, regardless of the topic.

She wasn't quite as confident at showing her hands-on skills. Most of what she had learned had been handed down through her grandfathers and brother. Steve hadn't bothered to really teach her anything but she learned all the same at his side, despite his efforts, or lack thereof.

They went out into a large garage where five older cars sat in a row. Taking a key ring from a box, she went to the car the instructors indicated. With straining confidence, she opened the door of the car and sat down. To her relief, it was just like the first car she had ever driven. She was at least familiar with the physical aspects of the car, if not the mechanical.

With a deep breath, she slid the key into the ignition and turned. All she could hear was a clicking sound. She put her foot on the brake, made sure the car was in park and turned the key again. Giving it a little gas the next time and still not able to start it, she was certain it was an alternator. The lights and radio worked but the car would not start so it wasn't the battery. The clicking sound showed that the starter was working. It had to be the alternator.

She got back out of the car and walked to the examiner. "It's the alternator"
He frowned for a moment, which gave Kelleigh some pause. In her mind, she scrolled through the options again. She was certain that it was the alternator. After what seemed like hours, the examiner finally nodded. "Can you replace it?"

This was the third part of the test, an actual repair. "Sure can" she replied smiling and attempting to be charming. It did not work. "Have at 'er" was all he said, nodding toward the car.

Turning toward the car, she did a quick inventory of what she would need. Gathering her tools from the toolbox they provided, she went to work. Replacing an alternator is usually easy but rarely fun as it is in the rear and center of the engine compartment. Kelleigh used a milk crate to stand on. If it were her own car, she would sit on the radiator or the fender but she improvised now. She ignored the examiner as she went to work. To relax she began to sing silently, starting with the Beatles. As she progressed into the task, she didn't realize that she had begun to sing aloud. She finished having sung all the Beatles songs she knew and now had entered into show tune territory. She realized her impromptu choral concert as she went to start the car. She wanted to curl under the car in embarrassment. One glance at the clock made her refocus quickly. She only had an hour until Steve's memorial.

Jumping in the car, she turned the key with a little prayer. It started and ran smoothly. Feeling pleased with herself, she patted the dashboard. "Good girl. Thank you, car, for starting." She shut off the car and smiled.

She hopped out and returned to the examiner, who was regarding her with eyebrows raised. "Well, you did it, little girl, and singing the whole way. You'll make an entertaining mechanic, if nothing else." He signed the test and a certificate and handed it to her. She thought she detected a little bit of a smile.

Kelleigh grinned in response, shook his hand with her greasy one and nearly skipped out of the shop. She accomplished her goal and now was onto finish a chapter of her life.

Chapter Twenty Seven

Kelleigh leaned against the workbench. She was tired; she had never been this tired. All she wanted was to crawl into bed. She had the suspicion that if she did that; it would be days before she would get out. Hiding out simply wasn't an option.

She went into the house, determined to do something. The problem being she had no idea what to do. The discovery of Becky left her feeling empty, helpless. Steve had apparently not just cheated on her but fathered a child as well. He left money for Becky and probably the child. With Steve's death, it was as if her marriage had never existed. It certainly seemed like it hadn't to Steve. Kelleigh wondered why he even bothered staying married.

With the discovery of the child, Kelleigh decided not to go through the probate system to try to secure the money in the bank. With a child involved, it just wouldn't be right. No matter how much she hated Steve at this moment, she couldn't take money from the child. In fact, she wasn't sure that if the child didn't exist she would fight for the money. It simply didn't seem worth the effort. Kelleigh reached for the cell phone to call the bank when it rang.

This time she looked at the display before answering it. It was Delly, finally calling her back.

"Delly! Where have you been? You won't BELIEVE what I found out today!"

The story burst out of her in a deluge of words; starting with the bank and ending with seeing the little boy. She felt purged when she finished, like the air being let out of a balloon, the pressure on her chest lightened.

Delly was quiet on the other end. “Delly?”

“Wow, Kel, that’s amazing. I can’t believe it.” Delly didn’t sound right.

“Del, what’s wrong? You don’t sound okay. Has something happened?”

Again, there was quiet. “Delly? What’s going on?” The pressure in Kelleigh’s chest was returning.

“Well, I had heard rumors but they were just rumors so I didn’t pay attention to them. He was your husband and I didn’t want to interfere…” her words trailed off.

“Delly, what the hell are you talking about?”

Again, there was a pause. “I had heard that Steve had a son. It sounded so absurd that I didn’t give the rumor any thought. But the timing and the description is about right. Kel, I’m sorry but I think you’re right. I think that’s Steve’s kid”

Now it was Kelleigh’s turn to be silenced. Finally, she blew out a breath. “Delly, you knew, didn’t you?”

“But that’s just it: I didn’t KNOW, I just heard rumors and…” Kelleigh interrupted her: “DELLY! You knew! You KNEW something was going on and you didn’t tell me! Rumors or not, you should have told me! You’re my friend!”

Delly persisted “Kelleigh, I didn’t know for sure. Steve never said anything. But I heard his friends talk and when I saw him driving her car…” Kelleigh didn’t hear anything beyond that. “Delly, I’m hanging up. I can’t talk to you about this right now.” She clicked her cell phone shut and heaved it onto the couch. She was mad enough to throw it but not stupid enough to break it, as much as she wanted to. As it bounced against the cushion, it flipped open and rang. Kelleigh saw the display showing it was Delly. Picking it up, she turned it off and set it down. Turning, she went over to the regular telephone and shut it off too. She wanted to be alone, and alone she was. Steve was gone and now she felt betrayed by Delly as well. Everything was changed.

Chapter Twenty Six

"Now, what you got going on here?" He began to slowly examine the car, walking around the front to the side then continuing to the rear.

Kelleigh regained her speech. She could talk about the car in her sleep and began to tell him. "It's nearly done. I just need some advice on what to do next and who to trust to do the work."

"What are you wanting finished?"

"Well, Steve wanted it tubbed but I'm not sure. I'd rather have it more road-worthy. He wanted to get fiberglass bumpers for it and he wanted a pretty wild paintjob. I think that is all that's left of he wanted done. It was supposed to go to the chassis shop soon."

Eddie frowned for a moment before replying. "Now, whose car is this? Who is Steve? Is it not yours?"

Kelleigh inwardly groaned. She had assumed that the people at the track had filled him in but of course, they hadn't. They might have not even known, it had only been a few days since Steve's death. It felt like weeks to her, especially since today's revelation.
"Well, it's mine now. Steve was my husband and he was killed."

The mixture of emotions that played over Eddie's face was a confusing one. Surprise, pity, confusion and again - or was it always? - kindness. Pity was the least emotion that Kelleigh wanted to see.
"It's okay, Eddie. I thought they told you. I'm sorry that there was any confusion." She took a breath. Eddie continued to stand at the rear of the car, waiting for her to continue to explain. He leaned against the quarter panel and tried unsuccessfully to look casual.

"We weren't on good terms when he was killed. We're on even lesser terms now that he's dead." Without realizing it, tears welled in her eyes. It had been a long day and she found herself exhausted. "Now I'm finishing the car, not at all for him but for me. I want it done."

Eddie had somehow materialized before her during the last sentence. He made a gesture as if to comfort her then thought better of it and slid a hand into his jeans pocket. Quietly he asked, "Then what do you want? Not what he wanted. What do you want?"

Kelleigh sighed. It had been a while since someone had asked her that question. What did she want? She looked at the car and took a moment to think about it.
"I want it painted black, I don't care that it's high maintenance. I don't want it tubbed, and I don't want fiberglass bumpers. I want it to be quick but I want to drive it. I want a good stereo and seats that fit me." Her words trailed off.

Eddie grinned. "Okay then. Now we have a start. Let me make some calls tomorrow. Talk to some of my friends and I'll call you tomorrow with what I find out. Okay?"

"Okay." She nodded at him "Oh, wait. I'll be gone for most of the day. I have…well, I have the memorial for Steve and I have a test to take."

Eddie's eyebrows raised in surprise. "So, it hasn't been long then? Since he's died?"

Kelleigh sighed. She was tired, she was upset, and she was frustrated. "He was killed in a car accident on Thursday night. We'd had a fight. I was leaving him that night but he left me first, in a way." She thought she had caught a glimpse of a smile from Eddie but he continued to regard her with compassionate eyes.

"And this test? Is everything okay?"

Kelleigh laughed for what felt like the first time all day. "Oh, yes. Everything is fine. It's not that kind of test. Steve was supposed to take a test for his mechanic's certification. I asked if I could take it after he died."

Again, Eddie's brows raised in surprise. "You did? For him? Or for yourself?"

"I'm doing it for myself. I think I can pass it." She straightened her shoulders in defiance.

"I'm sure that you can. Well, I'll give you a call during the evening if you'd like then. Or would you like me to wait until the next day?"

Without thought, she replied, "Tomorrow will be fine. I should be home in the evening, all going well." She grimaced at her last statement. Apparently, it was her job to be a complete idiot in front of this man.

But Eddie only smiled. "Indeed, if all goes well, I'll phone you tomorrow evening. Good luck with, well, everything." He somewhat awkwardly patted her on the shoulder, turned, and left.

Chapter Twenty Five

She didn't get very deep into her pity pool when the door opened and Eddie reappeared with the first aid kit in hand. "All right then, here we go." He set the kit on the workbench then gently took her hand again.

His hands were rough, scarred, cut, and callused. The hands of a man who worked and used his hands as tools. These were hands of her childhood and she found comfort in their touch. He unwrapped the wet towel from her hand, taking another towel and made sure the cut had stopped bleeding. The cut oozed a little and Kelleigh again felt like she was going to swoon. Instead, she held her breath in defense and began to what she thought was silently, count.

"Is this to be a race then?" Eddie smiled at her through the curls that had fallen over his forehead as he continued to bandage her hand.
"What? What's a race?" She was confused; did he mean the car?
"You're counting out loud. Do I have a time limit?"

Feeling like she wanted to dig a hole and crawl into it for about the fifth time since his arrival, she straightened her spine in attempt to bolster her own confidence. "No, it's not a race. I was just concentrating on getting through this."

Concern flooded Eddie's face in a flash. "Are you okay? Do you want me to take you to hospital instead?" His free hand slipped behind her head, kneading her neck in a reassuring fashion. "I can take you, if you'd like."

Trying to concentrate on something other than the glorious feel of his hand on her neck, she looked up at him, catching his eyes again. No, that's not going to work either, she thought to herself. She focused her eyes instead on the nearly bandaged hand that lay on the table. "No, I'm fine. I just meant I wanted to get this done so I can show you the car and you can be on your way." Shit, shit, shit.
Kelleigh sighed. "I meant: I appreciate what you've done. Let's just finish up so I can stop talking and embarrassing myself."

"Ah, well then. 'Tis no need to be embarrassed. Let's get this done so you can be rid of me." He grinned at her, taking his hand away from her neck. She felt an immediate loss and a tug of regret. He absent-mindedly brushed the curls that fell over his forehead back across his head. Grimacing, he took his hand away and looked at it. "Damn hydraulic fluid. Can't wait to go take a hot shower."
Without thinking, which seemed to be happening a lot recently, Kelleigh raised her eyebrows and grinned. For once, it seemed that Eddie was the one that was flustered.

His attention fell back onto finishing the bandage on her hand. Kelleigh concentrated on nothing but recovering from the feelings his touch had brought on. She was sure it was some form of shock. Shock brought on by the injury to her hand, the recent changes in her life, anything. It had to be shock. Surely, she couldn't feel such attraction for this stranger this quickly.

Before she could dwell too deeply on her thoughts, Eddie straightened and pronounced his work done. Smiling, he turned toward the racecar. Kelleigh had completely forgotten the purpose of his visit and was relieved for the reminder. In her discomfort, she didn't see Eddie sigh and roll his shoulders in an attempt resist touching her again.

Chapter Twenty Four

Pulling the door open, she tried to smile in greeting as she wrapped the rag tighter around her hand and resisted the urge to rub her shin. In front of her stood a man covered in what seemed to be oil. "Eddie? Were you on an oil rig?"

"No, I was helping a friend and a damn hydraulic hose broke. I got the most of it, saved the floor though." He smiled and Kelleigh forgot her hand, her shin, and his messy appearance. Underneath the mess, he had the kindest brown eyes and a gentle smile that immediately warmed her heart.

She stepped back to let him in, stumbling of course, over something in the process. Eddie immediately shot out a hand to steady her then noticed the rag around her hand. "Now, what have you done to yourself here?" He took her hand, saw the blood seeping through the cloth then unwrapped the rag. Kelleigh was momentarily struck speechless at his immediate concern and gentle touch. Shaking her head as if to clear it, she began to explain, "I was trying to turn on the light and slid my hand against a piece of sheet metal. Then you knocked so I just wrapped a rag around it."

"Well, let's see what we've got here." He led her over to the utility sink by her injured hand. Dumbstruck, she followed him without protest. Turning on the water, he released her hand. "I've got to wash my hands again. If I get hydraulic fluid in that cut, it will hurt like a buggar." Kelleigh smiled in response. She hadn't realized that he was Canadian. The colloquialisms were something that was going to provide entertainment for her, she was sure.

"Now then, let's see." He pulled her closer and put her hand into the stream of water. It stung and she instinctively pulled her hand away. "I'm sorry. 'Tis a bad cut. We've got to rinse it out, see if you need stitches." Even more gentle than before he took her hand and brought it back under the water. Kelleigh sucked in her breath and closed her eyes in response to the sting of the water. It wasn't as bad this time. "Aye, you'll be alright. It's done bleeding now. Seems like a clean cut. We'll just wrap it, shall we?"

Kelleigh opened her eyes to find Eddie looking at her. He had deep brown eyes, shining nothing but kindness back at her. She hadn't felt that kind of feeling from a man in so long that it became mesmerizing. She found herself simply gazing back at him, wordless.

Seeming to catch himself, Eddie blinked then turned toward the workbench. Grabbing the stool, he slid it over to her and guided her onto it. "Where do you keep your first aid kit?"

"First aid kit?" she dumbly repeated. It was as if his eyes had stolen all intelligence from her.
He smiled in response "Did you hit your head too? First aid kit. We need to bandage your hand."

"Oh, um. Yeah. I don't have one out here, it's, there's one upstairs under the sink." Realizing that he'd never been to her house before, she rose to go get it. "I'll go get it." As she rose, she used her injured hand for leverage, winced, and then wavered just a bit. She didn't think that he even noticed but he did. With a hand on her shoulder, he pressed her back onto the stool. "Just stay where you are. I'm sure I can figure it out."

Feeling like a foolish and weak woman, she could only gesture toward the door into the house. "Through that door, turn right, up the stairs, turn left. Door at the end of the hall. Under the sink." She hadn't gotten all of the words out and he was already through the door.

Giving into her feeling foolish, she rested her head on her good hand and closed her eyes. Here I sit, she silently grumbled, trying to sound competent and knowledgeable and I cut myself then get lightheaded like a swooning debutante.

Chapter Twenty Three

In response to the soft spoken voice, Kelleigh laughed a short laugh. "I'm sorry, it's been a bad day or couple of days, rather."

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. How can I help you?"

A litany of items scrolled through her head: resurrect Steve and kill him again being the first item. She actually smiled at her own sarcasm then quickly focused on the caller.

"I have a racecar that's unfinished and I need recommendations as to what to do next and references for who should do the work. I was given your name as a starting point."

"Right on. Well, first I'd need to see the car eh?"

Kelleigh stifled the urge to laugh again. She hadn't realized that Eddie was Canadian. "When can you come by?"

"Well, I'm in town today. I could come by later this afternoon if that's okay with you."

"That would be great. I promise that I won't verbally abuse you when you come."

Eddie laughed with a deep rumble. "Aye, that would be good. How do I find you?"

Kelleigh gave him directions to the house and they hung up. She was intrigued at the prospect of meeting Eddie. There was something about the sound of his voice, as if there were constantly laughter underneath his words that caught her attention.

Having been cajoled out of her violent mood, Kelleigh ignored the garage and went into the house. Seeing the textbooks on the table, she took the workbook then sat on the couch to study. Her test was first thing tomorrow morning and she wanted to study some more, even though she felt pretty confident. However, she certainly didn't want to be cocky. Being a woman, she knew to expect difficulties when she took the test. She was daring to enter a man's world. As much as feminism declared their movement a success, there were still areas were women dared not tread. However, Kelleigh wasn't taking this test to prove anything other than she could do it. She was taking this test to improve her life. This was something she had always wanted; Steve's death had shown her that.

She found herself stretched out on the couch hours later as she closed the workbook. She'd reread the entire book and felt confident that she could and would indeed pass tomorrow. Feeling satisfied, she looked up at the clock. "Oh no!" It was nearly time for Eddie to arrive.

Hurrying out to the garage, she flipped the light on. It blinked once then went out. Cursing under her breath, she tried to make her way to the workbench to flip on another overhead light. She had been after Steve for months to fix the lighting in here and he never got around to it. Now she would have to add it to the list of things she would need to figure out.

Reaching the worktable, she leaned against it and reached out to the switch. As she did so, she grazed her hand against a piece of sheet metal that Steve had left there. "Son of a …" Kelleigh let out with a few curses as she felt her hand warm with blood. Turning on the light, she saw a large gash across the side of her hand. At the same time, a knock on the garage door let her know that Eddie had arrived. "Great timing,” she muttered as she grabbed a rag and wrapped it around her hand. Making her way around the racecar, she called out "Just a minute, I'm trying to get to the door."

She no sooner got the words out when her shin caught the jack handle that was sticking out from underneath the car. "Oh for the love of God." She was a wreck, bleeding and bruised as she finally reached the door.

Chapter Twenty Two

The blonde walked around to the passenger side and opened the door. Inside was a car seat that she began to unbuckle. Kelleigh could see a little sneaker kicking in excitement. In a flash, a little red-haired boy was out of the car seat and running across the yard. The sight of the red hair made Kelleigh suck in her breath. She expelled it in one quick rush when she heard the woman turn and call "STEVIE! Come back here!"



Kelleigh was struck dumb. The familiar car, the red hair like Steve's, the little boy's name. She waited while the woman scooped up her rambunctious toddler and went into the house. She sat, still and mute for a few more minutes trying to comprehend what she just witnessed.



Finally, she shook her head as if to clear it, put the truck into gear and pulled back onto the street. As she pulled slowly past the house, she noticed the numbers above the door. Indeed, this was Becky's house. For the first time since hearing of Steve's death, a sob escaped from Kelleigh.



Kelleigh had one of those out-of-body experiences. She didn't know how she got home but she did. She found herself sitting in her driveway, tears finished but still on her cheeks. The initial shock had subsided and now she was experiencing a collision of feelings: anger, hurt, frustration, and betrayal. She felt the pressing need to do something, she just didn't know what, something to help her cull through her feelings.



She jumped down from the truck and headed toward the garage. She had the need to hit something and visualized taking a hammer to the damn racecar. As she unlocked the door, her cell phone rang. Hoping it was Delly, she answered it on the first ring. "Hi. Where the hell have you been?"



There was a moment of silence on the other end before she heard a small cough and then
"Is Kelleigh available? This is Eddie, calling in response to a message left at the racetrack."



At least three bad words rang through her head and nearly out of her mouth while she tried to gain composure. "I'm so sorry, I thought you were someone else."



"I should hope so."

Chapter Twenty One

Frustrated with herself, she looked at the numbers and address she had written.

With a most unladylike oath, she picked up the telephone and dialed the number that Steve had written in the address book. After one ring, the familiar tone of a disconnected number sounded through the earpiece. Kelleigh pushed down the disconnect button then dialed the next number.

She held her breath as the telephone rang. It was an odd and intuitive habit that she did when she was feeling defensive. Catching herself, she blew it out in a long, slow breath. The telephone clicked and she heard an answering machine begin to speak. Unfortunately, it was an automated voicemail system with no identifying voices or names. With another oath, she put the receiver down again.

This only left the address. Kelleigh drummed her fingers on the table again. This was a habit that her father hated and often yelled at her about. As an adult, she found that she did it almost out of spite, not necessarily out of habit.

"Oh, what the hell." Kelleigh rose, grabbed her keys and cell phone then went out to the truck. Delly hadn't called and she didn't feel like waiting for her anymore. She laughed as she glanced the time on the clock in her truck. It had been a whole twenty minutes that she had been waiting. Patience was usually not a strong suit for Kelleigh. Sometimes it boded well. Sometimes it created problems. She hoped, as she slipped the truck into reverse that this time it would help her.

The town listed was about fifteen minutes away. She had to take the highway to get there and was well on her way before she fully realized that this was the highway that Steve had his accident.

No sooner did she realize it than she saw the skid marks and the paint markings from the State Patrol, marking the accident. The ditch was roughed up and the telephone pulled scarred from the impact. Kelleigh felt a chill slide down her spine as she passed the site. Self-consciously, she pulled her seatbelt tight as she drove by. The shudder she felt was more out of the fear of stepping on a grave than one of grief.

It still concerned her that she hadn't grieved "properly." It seemed as if she were stuck in the anger portion of grieving and unable to pull herself out. She knew it would hit her some day and she wasn't looking forward to it.

Before she knew it, she pulled into town. She was familiar with this town nearly as much as her own. Looking at the address, she knew that she was close to the house. How convenient, right inside city limits, she grumbled to herself.

She turned right, then left then right again, watching the street signs as she drove. She slowed at the next intersection, trying to remember if she should turn right or left. An oncoming car pulled up to the stop sign with its right turn signal blinking. Kelleigh let the car turn and watched it as it went. It was an older Camaro and looked slightly familiar.

She stayed put, measuring her thoughts. The car looked familiar and she was sitting near the address. What were the odds that this was the mysterious Becky?

Why was her car, if it is indeed her, familiar? Had Steve been audacious enough to actually bring it to the house?

A car approached her from behind, breaking her from her musings and forcing her to make a choice. She flipped on the turn signal and followed the Camaro. It was about a block away and Kelleigh sped up a little to try to shorten the distance separating them. Suddenly hot, she rolled down the window to let in some fresh air. She was sure that her face had reddened in frustration, anger, and hurt.

Her Irish coloring was betraying her feelings.

The car slowed and turned into a driveway. Kelleigh slowed and managed to park the truck without being noticed just one house down from where the Camaro stopped. She watched as a bleach blonde-haired woman stepped from the car. Trashy immediately came to mind but Kelleigh tried to push it away as judgmental. She knew nothing about this girl. She didn’t know if this was Becky or not. She was too far away to see for sure. The hair color was different but that can be easily changed. She couldn't quite see the address on the house but it seemed close enough to be the one she found.

Psst...

I'm still here. Left y'all hanging in the middle, my apologies.

I mangled the Auto Post feature, totally my bad. Must. Figure. This. Out.

Here's a whole whack of chapters:

Chapter Twenty

As she walked to her truck, her temper began to simmer hotter and hotter. She pulled her cell phone out of her pocket and dialed Delly's number. It rang then went directly to her voicemail. As Delly was a beautician, she was probably with a client. Kelleigh left a message: "Delly, you wont' believe this or maybe you will. I can't get the money out of the bank. He listed another woman as the next of kin. Do you recognize the name Becky Garver? Let me know. If Steve were alive right now, I'd kill him. Talk to you soon."



She flipped the phone shut in frustration. It wasn't the fact that she couldn't get the money. It was the existence of it and of Becky Garver. She didn't need Steve's money, actually now she didn't want it. Nevertheless, she did want to find out who this Becky is. Kelleigh started the truck and headed home. She would search on the Internet and if that didn't glean anything, unfortunately she would have to ask Sid.



Kelleigh returned home, parking the truck tight against the garage again. She just didn't trust Sid. Her tempered was still simmering hot and she wished for the first time in a long time that she had a cigarette. She'd quit years ago and had urged Steve to quit as well but he refused. If he were here, she would sneak a cigarette. The irony being that because he wasn't here, she wanted to smoke.
Instead, she poured herself a cup of coffee, slid it into the microwave, and slammed the door shut. Stabbing at the buttons on the panel, she fought the urge to throw things. Much like when she tipped the dresser out of the upstairs window. If she didn't want to keep the racecar so badly, she would take a baseball bat to it right now.



The microwave dinged when it finished heating and Kelleigh giggled at the image that popped into her head: the starting bell of a boxing match. She was the star, pummeling the snot out of Steve. Visualizing the absurd little scene bled off some of her anger. She took out the coffee cup and went to the table where her laptop was pushed off to the side by the textbooks she studied yesterday.
Her stomach did a little flip at the sight of them, a visual reminder of tomorrow's test. Tests made her nervous, especially tests that were taken by and given by men. As she stacked them up and set them on the coffee table, she promised herself that she would study tonight. First, she wanted to find out who in the hell Becky Garver was.



A quick Internet search gave her an address and telephone number. Becky lived in the next town, just about 10 miles away. That was all she gained from the search, no mentions in the local police blotter or community news, no wedding announcements, nothing. Kelleigh wrote down the address and number then slid the paper to the side. She didn't know what to do next. Surely, the bank would have notified her by now of Steve's money. It was nearly lunchtime. For a quick second, Kelleigh considered going back to the bank and waiting to see if she could spot Becky coming to get the money. She discarded the thought as soon as it flitted through her mind; she had no idea what she looked like. She could only assume that she was the girl in the picture they found.
She would just have to wait for Delly to call her back. Delly knew practically everyone, perhaps she would know her, or at least of her.



Frustrated and bored, Kelleigh went into the kitchen and made herself a sandwich. She wasn't really hungry; it was more of a habit. She quickly slapped together a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. As she leaned against the kitchen counter, it occurred to her that she forgot, again, to call the racetrack. Sighing with frustration, she went back to the table and flipped open the address book.
Doing so jarred something in her mind. She flipped to the G section and scanned the names and numbers for anything resembling Becky Garver. Nothing.



She flipped back to the B section and scanned it. At first, she didn't find anything then something struck her as strange. An entry that Steve made "BG" was listed at the bottom. Kelleigh at first assumed that it was a manufacturer that Steve often called with tech questions about the car but she realized that the prefix was the same as the telephone number she'd written on the pad of paper. The remaining numbers were different but the prefix the same. As the manufacturer wasn't local, she knew it wasn't them. Could it be? Would he be that bold? Then Kelleigh rolled her eyes at her own naivete. He'd been bold enough, or rather stupid enough, to keep her picture and money in their bedroom. Why wouldn't he have written the number down too?
Kelleigh added the number to the address and number written on the pad. One more clue to give Delly when she called.



She sat doodling on the notepad with her chin resting in her hand. She suddenly felt as if nothing was real or right. Nothing in her life was as it seemed. With one argument, her entire life changed. She was no longer married, now a widow actually. Her marriage was a sham; not that she carried any delusions about it before Steve's death. With Steve's life insurance, she didn't have to worry about bills for a while. She could do as she wished, with him gone.



Everything was changed. It was as if she were dropped into an alternate universe. Kelleigh felt powerless. It was a feeling that wasn't unfamiliar to her and she hated it. She had kept it at bay during her adult life. First by marrying Steve, which turned out to be a horrible mistake, then by working and earning her own money. She also made a point of learning about anything and everything that ever interested her. This thirst for knowledge kept her entertained and distracted from the problems in her life. Now, there was nothing to distract her. Everything that was wrong was highlighted in garish light.

Chapter Nineteen

Kelleigh continued to the bank, feeling more excited as she came closer. She questioned herself, much like questioning her lack of grief. One would think that she would be bitter over these hidden dollars. Instead, she saw it as an unexpected gift. Sad as it was, her life had been nothing but improved with Steve's death.

Upon entering the bank, she inquired at the reception as to whom to speak with about Steve's account. She was given the manager's name and asked to wait. As she sat, she noticed the receptionist point her out to a teller. Hmm, she thought, trying not to feel scrutinized, I wonder what that's all about. Deciding to shrug it off, she picked up a magazine and flipped through the pages.

A few minutes later, a small tight-lipped and buttoned-up woman appeared in front of her. She looked to be only in her forties when you looked closely but at first glance appeared much older.

"Hello, Mrs. Lucky. I am Mrs. Applewhite, the bank manager. I understand that there is an issue with an account here. I'll be happy to discuss it with you, just follow me." She turned on her heel without waiting for an answer.

Kelleigh frowned, tossed the magazine back onto the table, and followed her. She wasn't sure what to make of Mrs. Applewhite. She also had a feeling of trepidation that her reason for being there was described as an "issue with an account."

They entered an office, away from the tellers. Kelleigh wasn't certain but she felt as if every teller watched her as she followed the manager. Something was up, she was sure of it.

"Please have a seat and explain to me what brings you here. I have a message from customer service but would like to hear from you." She smiled with the tight-lipped mouth again. The smile did nothing to soothe Kelleigh's now rattled nerves.

"On Friday night, my husband Steve was killed in car accident. While going through his personal affects, I discovered that he has an account here. I am assuming that it was established before we were married. I would like to close that account." She smiled, trying not to show her anxiety.

"Yes, I understand. That is similar to the message I received. First, let me start with my condolences on the loss of your husband. It must have been a great shock."

Kelleigh nearly smiled at her in response but bit it back just in time. She would have to work on being the widow, grieving or not. "Thank you ma'am. I appreciate your thoughts" was the best that she could muster. She really wanted to lean in confidentially and tell her how this was hidden money and how she would found cash and a picture of a woman but somehow, she knew Mrs. Applewhite would not be a sympathetic ear.

"Now, let me double-check the account. You have the account number?"

Kelleigh nodded and gave her the deposit receipt. "Yes, here it is. It seems like a recent deposit. Here, also, are the copies of our marriage certificate and his death certificate. Also, here is my driver's license so you can verify that I am indeed his wife."

Mrs. Applewhite entered the account number into the computer then frowned into the screen. Like the customer service person, she then asked social security numbers, mother's maiden names, etc. Kelleigh rattled these off without a thought. Mrs. Applewhite continued to frown into the screen, without comment.

"Excuse me, would you? I need to pull his file." She rose and left the office without a sound.

I am starting to feel as if I'm in a science fiction movie or a soap opera, either of them. Something is telling me this isn't going to be as easy as the person made it sound. Kelleigh tried to refrain from mumbling aloud. Leave it to Steve to leave complications behind for Kelleigh to clean up. It was the story of their life together.

A few minutes passed and Kelleigh was becoming increasingly uneasy. Something was definitely wrong. Finally, as Kelleigh was considering leaving and forgetting about the money, Mrs. Applewhite returned with a file in hand.

"Okay, Mrs. Lucky. I've looked into the account thoroughly. It is indeed owned by your husband, Steve. However, you are not listed anywhere on the account. As you may or may not know, account-holders are requested to list a next of kin on their applications. You, it seems, are not listed. Normally, this wouldn't be an issue as you are indeed his spouse. However, he has listed another name."

Kelleigh wanted to groan. "Can you tell me which name? Is it Sid Lucky?" she was trying to quickly think of whom else Steve would have possible listed. "Or his mother, Helen Lucky?"

"No, Mrs. Lucky. It is neither of those names. Whereas confidentiality is of utmost importance, I would normally not ever disclose the name listed on an account but under these extraordinary circumstances, I will give you the name listed. Perhaps it's a daughter? Niece?" Mrs. Applewhite slid a small piece of notepaper over to her. Written up on it in impeccable penmanship was the name
"Becky Garver."

Kelleigh sat back against her chair, feeling completely deflated. She didn't know a Becky Garver. As she and Steve married right out of high school, she knew of any ex-girlfriends, friends, or relatives. This was not the name of any of them.

"So, let me understand. Although I am his wife and this is a community property state, I am unable to obtain these funds due to the listing of a next of kin?"

Mrs. Applewhite, to her credit, looked as if she would rather eat a spoonful of castor oil than answer her. "Unfortunately, Mrs.… ah, Kelleigh, that is correct. You will need to contact the Miss Garver with any further questions. The bank, as policy provides, will also notify her of the funds now that we are aware of your husband's passing."

"I can't believe this." Kelleigh muttered under her breath without realizing that she had done so.

In a gesture that Kelleigh would have never predicted, Mrs. Applewhite rose, walked around the desk and laid a gentle hand on her shoulder. "I'm sure that this will all work out, dear. It's surely just a misunderstanding."

Kelleigh accepted the condolence, knowing that it was not a misunderstanding. "Thank you Mrs. Applewhite. I appreciate your help. I can contact you if I have any further questions?"

"Of course. Again, my condolences." She walked Kelleigh to the lobby. Kelleigh felt again as if every eye was upon her. Of course, she would be a hot topic today at the bank: the scorned wife.