Chapter Eight

Delly answered breathless. "Kel, what's up? I'm getting ready to go out."

"Aren't you always?" She didn't give Delly a chance to respond. "Listen, I think it's over between Steve and I. He just stormed out because I knew an answer he didn't on his test. I just realized that it's not him I love but the cars."

Kelleigh heard Delly laugh. "Well, Duh."

Kelleigh was surprised silent then laughed. "Jeez, tell me how you really feel Del, don't hold back on my account."

"Well, Kel, it's not like this is big news. We all knew from the time you said 'I do' that it was going to be a disaster. What are you going to do now? Do you need help?"

"I don't want to interrupt your hot date, Delly."

"Ah no. It's just Johnny. He's just my back up. Whatcha need?"

"Well, as it's my house, I guess I'm going to need help packing his stuff." The house was left to Kelleigh by her grandma. It was the same house where she helped her grandpa fix cars. She loved the continuity for it - and his love of mechanics - being passed on to her.

"I'll be right there. It'll be a pleasure to help. I want to pack his underwear drawer."

"Delly! Jesus, Mary and Joseph. You're terrible. Hey, wait…someone just pulled in." Kelleigh put the telephone down and looked out the window into the driveway.

The light bar across the police car roof shined in the glare of the security lights on the garage.

"Oh, no. This can't be good." Kelleigh assumed that Steve must have gotten himself into trouble. He had left here pretty angry.

She opened the door and watched two officers get out of the car. She waited for one of them to turn and open the rear passenger door and let Steve out. But they just walked toward her. "Ma'am? Are you Kelleigh Lucky?" Kelleigh nodded and her stomach clutched.

"Ma'am, are you married to a Steve Lucky? He drives a blue Ford pickup?"

The room began to get a little fuzzy as Kelleigh realized why they were here.

"He's…gone, isn't he?"

The officer simply nodded. "I’m sorry ma'am. He was in a car accident about thirty minutes ago. Motorists reported him driving erratically on the highway right before the crash. His truck went into the ditch, striking a telephone pole. I'm sorry ma'am, he didn't survive the crash."

"OH MY GOD KELLEIGH!" She heard Delly scream through the telephone. Kelleigh picked up the telephone and spoke "Delly, you need to come help me" then hung up the telephone.