Kellie and Brad Ch. 08

She laughed.

It was a long and full-bodied laugh, one that released a lot of tension within her. It may have sounded joyful, but it brought no joy to Paul. Only a slow-burning yet dangerously growing anger.

"Sorry, Paul, I don't mean to be insulting!" Anita said when she had calmed down, finished wiping the tears from her eyes and saw the sour look on his face. "It's just that I think I've figured out what you were thinking, and... I don't know, it just struck me as funny, that's all."

Paul arched an eyebrow, curious as he was to hear her reasoning. Maybe she had figured things out after all. "Please, do tell," he said.

"You're worried I'm going to leave you alone to look after little Johnny!" Anita exclaimed. "I mean, you don't exactly strike me as having a lot of experience looking after young kids all by yourself, am I right?"

Paul plastered a fake smile on his face. He stood up to briefly check on the kid, ensuring he was still asleep in the living room, while she continued to talk. "It's OK, Paul, you don't have to worry about that. There's a daycare centre across the street... kitty-corner, really... to the curling club. I called them and they said they have space available. So I can leave Johnathan there, he'll be well taken care of while I practice, and you can do whatever you wanted to..."

Anita was suddenly cut off when Paul quickly and violently grabbed her by the arm. She gasped in shock, but before she could protest further Paul clamped his other hand over her mouth and menacingly whispered in her ear, "Not one fucking word!" He dragged her upstairs into his bedroom, dumping her carelessly on the bed. Anita was too stunned and afraid to say anything in response.

Paul regarded Anita with an intense, cutting gaze that made her even more fearful. "I'm tired, Anita," he said threateningly. "Tired of your obliviousness. Tired of you being so ignorant of my needs!"

"Wh-what?" she asked in a meek, shaky voice that was completely unlike her usual self. But what was her normal self, anymore? For the first time she could remember, she had real doubts.

"Fine," Paul said simply and unbuckled his belt. "I'll spell it out for you in plain terms. I was kind enough to invite you and your son into my home, but I will not allow you to freeload off me for as long as you please!"

"Dammit, Paul, why didn't you say so?! I'll get a job! I'm not too proud to find work and pay for my share!"

Again Anita's pleas were cut off, this time with a hard backhanded slap to her face. She whimpered and moaned in pain and fear.

"NO!" Paul yelled. "I don't want your money!"

"What?! What do you want?" Anita asked in a high-pitched voice, as she was now in full panic mode.

Paul rolled his eyes, dropped his pants and presented his naked lower half to Anita. Later that night she realized that his penis was unimpressive in its size, but at the time she cowered as he pointed it at her. "Service me," he ordered. "Suck my cock!" She hesitated, only to have him grab her by the hair, drag her towards him, and growl, "Now!!"

Scared of the possible consequences of disobeying his command, and unsure of what other options she had that didn't involve her and her son being thrown out onto the street, or worse, Anita did as she was told.

********

Kaitlyn was a different baby than E.J.

Not that Kellie and Brad were surprised by this. The surprise was just how marked the differences were.

E.J. was an active baby and grew to be even livelier and more rambunctious as a toddler. This was not to say that E.J. was nothing but a problem child. There were moments of misbehaviour, but no more so than the average child. What he did have was a non-stop motor. At this stage in his young life the boy wanted to do anything and everything, and required nearly constant interaction and attention. Of course, Kellie and Brad were happy to give it to him, but it sometimes proved to be exhausting for both parents.

Kaitlyn, meanwhile, was a much calmer baby. She did bask in the love and attention Brad and Kellie showered on her, but she was often content to play or explore quietly on her own. The family doctor and young child development specialist the Galenchuks consulted with reassured the young couple that nothing was wrong with Kaitlyn. All the tests and check-ups confirmed that she was developing normally and was a happy, healthy baby in every way. She was just of a different temperament than E.J. It wasn't any more complicated than that.

Other than when he would (finally!) settle down for sleep, there were few times that E.J. would be as calm and quiet as his baby sister. To the wondrous delight of Kellie and Brad, those few times centred on being in the direct presence of Kaitlyn. He would sometimes point at her when one parent held her in their arms and softly say, "Baby!" or "Kaity!", and Kellie and Brad would praise him for pointing that out. Other times he would sit and watch for minutes at a time while she wriggled on the floor, learning to move her tiny body around, or while she quietly slept.

"Look at that," Brad said to Kellie one day as they observed their children. "Big brother E.J. is already looking out for little sister Kaitlyn!"

"I know!" Kellie softly exclaimed. "It's so adorable!"

One incident really stuck out in the minds of Kellie and Brad. It was a particularly hectic day for both of them, and in the confusion they both forgot to close the lock on the gate they installed on the stairway. Kaitlyn, in her typical, quietly inquisitive way, crawled toward the staircase, smiling as she sought to reach the previously uncharted territory. Both parents were standing in the kitchen at the time; they both saw what was about to happen but were too late to stop it. Visions of Kaitlyn, still uncoordinated and getting used to moving her small body, falling down the stairs and seriously hurting herself filled their panicked minds.

At that moment, E.J. swiftly ran across the room, past Kaitlyn, and planted himself at the edge of the stairs. The young boy kept his sister happily occupied until Brad reached the gate and locked it. He and Kellie worked to keep calm so they wouldn't unnecessarily alarm their children, but later that night, when everyone was in bed, they held each other tightly. Both were shaking in relief over the close call.

"Oh, Brad, that was so scary!" Kellie exclaimed.

"I know, I'm just glad little Kaity didn't get hurt!" Brad replied.

"Thank goodness for E.J. I think he really is going to be a good big brother for Kaitlyn."

"I think so, too. Come on, Kellie, we should try and get some sleep."

"OK."

They kissed and Brad shut off the bedside lamp. They knew it would not always be so perfect. As the two kids grew up, they would certainly get into their share of disagreements and arguments. But for now, they would continue to enjoy the sight of young E.J.'s obvious love of his baby sister Kaitlyn while being thankful for his protective instincts.

********

"Oh, Johnny," she quietly asked her sleeping son, "what are we going to do?"

Anita sighed, leaned down to kiss Johnathan's cheek, and then slumped into her own bed in Paul's guest bedroom.

Having Paul force oral sex on her that evening had certainly scared Anita deeply. Late into the night, she continued to toss and turn in bed. She wrestled with the decision of what she should do. She couldn't stay with a man who acted this way, could she? She couldn't have become so weak-willed that she could stay with someone capable of such depraved actions, who treated her with such disrespect, and, quite possibly worst of all, someone who could expose her son to that kind of environment and thus poison his young mind. Could she?

But where else could they go? She knew where they SHOULD go... but she didn't think she'd be welcome there anymore.

Fatigue overtook Anita before she could come to a decision. Her sleep was thin and uneasy. She awoke to find Paul towering over her, staring down at her from above. She screamed and jerked up to a seated position, using the blankets to cover her half-naked form.

"Holy shit, Paul, what the fuck?!" she yelled in sheer terror.

But Paul said nothing, at first. Anita peeked over at Johnathan's bed, and was surprised to see her son was still asleep. She cast another nervous glance at Paul... who did something she did not expect, at all.

He dropped to his knees, laid his head on the bed, and sobbed uncontrollably.

"Paul?" Anita asked quietly. She was now more confused than ever.

Paul raised his head, wiped tears from his eyes and said, "I'm sorry, Anita. So, so sorry. I behaved horribly last night. I realize now how important a part of my life you and little Johnny have come to be. He's so young and precious, and you're so kind-hearted and beautiful. But I fear I've ruined it all in a moment of ugly selfishness. I wouldn't say a word in protest if you decide you and your son need to move out, but if you could find it in your heart to forgive me and stay here so maybe we could work things out, I would be eternally grateful."

Anita couldn't tear her eyes away from Paul. He stared right at her after saying his piece, giving his best hang-dog look, begging for her forgiveness without saying another word. And with that look, she could feel the strength of her resolve ebbing away.

She swallowed and said, "Do you swear... I mean, absolutely SWEAR... that something like this will never happen again?!"

"Yes, Anita! I'll swear on a stack of bibles, if I have to."

"And you'll let me live my own life, and make my own choices of what my son and I will do if I decide to stay here?"

"We can work something out, just... please, please say you'll forgive me!"

Anita sighed. Ignoring the inner voice in her mind, she said, "OK. You gave me a chance by taking Johnathan and I into your house, so I'll give you another chance as well."

Anita watched as Paul was overcome with emotion, and it even made her tear up a little. He mouthed the words 'Thank you', and reached out to hug Anita. She met him in the middle and took him into her arms.

Held tightly in Anita's embrace, Paul smiled.

********

They were both doing what they loved.

Brad had settled very well into his new role at the Blue Granite Curling Club. He quickly developed a good working relationship with his staff, as well as the former director of maintenance, who was assisting Brad as a part-time consultant. In the mid-to-late spring, summer and early fall Brad was seconded to support the grounds keeping personnel at the golf course affiliated with the club. He enjoyed the chance to learn about maintaining the playing surface of a different sport, and the outdoors work gave him a deep "farmer's tan", which Kellie found irresistibly appealing.

But it was during the curling season that Brad knew that he had to earn his pay. He listened closely to his predecessor when he spoke about the intricacies of ice-making. Brad was well aware the man was widely regarded as an elder statesman in the game, so he soaked up all the knowledge he could from him. He felt very pleased when his new mentor praised his work ethic and application of his new skills. He also got to know his new staff well and was happy to note that they were just as good as the crew he left behind, a young, eager and professional bunch who were also good people to boot. Brad took a lot of pride in his work, knowing that he was a very key part in the operation of one of the most historic and prestigious curling clubs in the province, if not in all of Canada.

For her part Kellie was able to supplement the family income a couple of different ways. During the curling season she and her team competed on the newly formed World Curling Tour, which was developed to help all parties involved (the athletes, televised sports networks and the fans) benefit from the continuing surge in the sport's popularity. Kellie and her team played very well in the Tour events they entered, but they did not dominate. They certainly didn't expect to, of course... the level of competition was too great for that to happen. But in each of the first two seasons of the Tour, they won one event and placed in the money in a couple of others. Once the proceeds were added up, even though they were split five ways, Kellie, Jennifer, Sandra, Amber and Heather were able to enjoy some well-earned financial rewards for their athleticism and many hard hours of practice and training.

Meanwhile in the off-season Kellie had signed up with a prominent local gym, and with her popularity and obvious athletic credentials the owner did not hesitate to offer her work as a personal trainer. It didn't take her long to discover that helping people reach their own fitness goals was something she loved doing. Moreover she was thankful for the flexible schedule her new employer gave her, since it allowed enough time for her to care for her kids.

Despite their busy professional schedules Brad and Kellie made it clear to everyone that their children, E.J. and Kaitlyn, came first. Kellie was especially well aware that if she wasn't careful about how she divided her time between her family and her sporting career that one or both would suffer, and she was determined to do everything in her power to ensure that didn't happen. It was a delicate balance to maintain, especially in the winter, the height of the curling season and the time that Kellie was away from the family the most.

These absences were difficult for Kellie. Seeing her two young children become emotional over her leaving affected her, sometimes leaving her in tears as well. And maintaining the sharp focus important to someone at the top of her sport was a challenge as well; she occasionally found herself wondering how Brad was faring with the kids before realizing she needed to snap out of it and get back to making an important decision as the skip of a match in progress.

Kellie was thus thankful for the great support she received from her teammates at all times. During their road trips, at times one or all of Sandra, Jennifer, Heather and Amber would be there for Kellie when she had worries or concerns, offering their advice or sometimes just being a sounding board. It brought them even closer together as a team.

That togetherness, coupled with their combination of skills and leadership, helped them continue to be a popular and successful team. Their only disappointment in this time, despite the success they enjoyed overall, was their inability to win their provincial championship and thus move on to the Canadian championship tournament.

For Kellie and her teammates, nationals was the pinnacle of achievement in their sport and the one thing they wanted to win more than anything. Their past tastes of victory at this level made it even more difficult for them to take that they could only come so close in their last couple attempts, but yet so far. However Kellie did not lose heart. She felt their close relationship, combined talent, synergy and desire ensured they would continue their pursuit for years to come, and her confidence was high that victory would one day again be theirs to enjoy.

As blessed as she was with athletic talent and leadership ability needed to succeed in the sport of curling, Kellie knew she was equally blessed to have a loving and supportive family to help her along the way.

Well... for the most part.

Since getting married to Brad she rarely thought of her parents, who apparently were so wrapped up in their own lives and those of her siblings that they seemed not to give much thought to her. Instead of getting upset over it she just refused to dwell on it. It helped that she was so busy with everything else in her life, as it gave her little time to think about just how messed up that situation was. When she did think about it she used it as life lessons on what not to do, as a way to help her be the loving mother that E.J. and Kaitlyn deserved.

After years of soul-searching, she decided her brother and sister should not be blamed in any way for the difficulties of her childhood. Maybe they could and should have done more to help Kellie when they were younger, but Kellie reasoned that they were just kids themselves, barely able to figure out their own lives without having to worry about someone else's too. Kellie continued to correspond with them whenever she could. She marveled at their cosmopolitan European lives, just as they were happy to hear about her unique Canadian experiences.

Kellie and Brad's extended family, her Aunt Linda and Uncle Vic and his parents, Marilyn and Al, helped them whenever they could, even with the physical distance between them. Thankfully they weren't all that far apart, just a two-hour long drive, so it was relatively easy for one group to visit the other and vice-versa. Both the grandparents and the great aunt and uncle lovingly "spoiled" E.J. and Kaitlyn, and Brad and Kellie delighted in seeing them do so. The kids certainly loved them dearly, and they always looked forward to their visits with "Nana and Papa" and with "Auntie Lin and Uncle V".

And, of course, there was Brad. Not a day went by without Kellie giving thanks that he was such a huge part of her life. He was her rock, a good provider, a wonderful father and a loving husband. Little things he did reminded her of this daily. The enthusiasm he showed when horsing around with E.J. The adoration and wonder in his eyes when he held and kissed little Kaitlyn. Not to mention the tender touches and comfortable silences he shared with her.

Kellie reaffirmed to herself a silent promise, one that she had made many times before, and one that she felt especially important to dedicate herself to again. She would never forget or take for granted how much she loved Brad and how important he was in her life.

********

Anita marveled at Johnathan's continuing growth and development.

Before long it was about the only thing that kept her sane.

She took her role as single mother very seriously. She played games with Johnathan every day and read him bedtime stories every night. She delighted in seeing him start to crawl, and then walk, and then talk. Of course, there were the usual frustrations when he reached the "terrible twos" stage, especially once he learned the word no. He tried her patience more than once with that tactic. But, all things considered, Anita was proud of the job she was doing raising her son. For being in a single parent family, in unusual living arrangements, Johnathan was so far a healthy and well-adjusted young boy.

She couldn't help but question how long that would last, however. Especially the way Paul had been acting lately, and how that would affect her ability to properly raise her son.

For a while, after she forgave him for his transgression, Anita's relationship with Paul had improved. He eased off from his controlling behaviour, and he agreed to let her keep her promise to find a job and pay for her and her son's living expenses. Soon enough she was hired as a permanent part-time office receptionist for a business consulting firm. The work was just OK but the pay was decent, and in addition the company had an excellent children's daycare facility on site. The situation was ideal for Anita as she knew Johnathan would be well taken care of while she worked and did her part to contribute to the cause.

She even found a bit of time to go to the curling club to practice her game. She was very rusty and out of practice but she expected that. She had been looking forward to putting in more time to get her skills back, and maybe even one day catching on with a team again. She knew she missed the feeling of adrenaline and the mental workout of leading a team and being the one to make the final say in all the major decisions that arose during the course of a closely contested curling match. She had wanted to get back seriously into competing at an elite level in her chosen sport and had looked forward to feeling her competitive instincts fire up again.