Chapter 50 - Finding Out - Part 1 of 3

Roll 7 - Stolen Wallet

Spring was finally here. The snow had melted and the rivers were no longer frozen and grass was already green from the rain and snow.  Leroy took Kaitlin to check on the progress of their home. They got out of Leroy's jeep and just stared not saying anything. The pillars required to support the structure and the deck had been erected, the foundation laid and framing walls and floors were in place.

Kaitlin got chills as she looked at the bones of the house - her house - the one she had gone through hell and high water to build so she could provide a proper home for her children. It was going to be beautiful. She couldn't stop smiling. This place made her happy for all that it represented. In just a few short months, it would be finished and they could move into a real home. It wasn't the luxury that they had come from but it was a mansion as far as she was concerned and most of all, it was hers.

She looked up at Leroy standing beside her. He looked happy too, yet distracted. It had been three weeks since Reid had gone to prison and she knew it still weighed heavily on him. He didn't understand why it was taking so long to find evidence against Miranda. She grabbed his hand and tugged on it, hoping to get him to forget Reid for now. “Come on, let’s go inside. You can show me around.”

Leroy grinned at her as they picked their way, hand in hand, across the cluttered yard. They walked up the step onto the foundation and tried to imagine what the rooms would look like once the home was complete.

“This will be my own bathroom. I am so excited we will have 2 bathrooms!” said Kaitlin as she carefully walked from room to room. Then Leroy guided her up the spiral staircase to what would one day be the “Master suite” that she said he could build once they were married. “Leroy, I said we had to wait! I can't afford this!”

“It's just the shell. It's less expensive to prep it now than after the structure is built. It will be closed off, except for the upper deck outside. Come on, I'll show you.”

They made their way back down and stepped on the outdoor deck. There were stairs going down to the waterfront and another set of stairs leading up to an outdoor seating area on the second floor. Kaitlin gasped. “It's beautiful!” she said looking out over the water. “Look, a fish just jumped!” she said excitedly.

Leroy wrapped her up in his arms. “I can teach the kids to fish right off the deck. Or we can walk down to the river from here. Look,” he said pointing across the river, “you can see my house from here too.”

“Mmm uh,” said Kaitlin and leaned into his embrace. “I'm so glad Reese and Brooke will be close. I will miss them when they move out with the boys.” She began to think about how much Reese had matured since they left Roaring Heights. She had let him take on too much too soon and he made a lot of mistakes but seemed to grow from them.

Leroy interrupted her wandering mind. “Penny for your thoughts,” he said and kissed her neck sending shivers down her spine.

“Reese. I was thinking that he is so much like me. He even made the same bad choices I did,” she said with a huff, “But he handled them better than me. Instead of being honest with you, I tried to run. He faced his challenges head on.”

“So,” he said with a laugh, “you are saying I was a bad choice?”

“Leroy! No...I mean I have made so many. Staying in a bad relationship, sleeping with Reid, being pregnant and not knowing for sure who my baby’s father was. I think I always knew she was yours though. I just didn't want to admit it. I didn't want to trap either of you....”

Leroy groaned, “Can we change the subject?”

“Sorry,” said Kaitlin wondering what Leroy even saw in her.

“It's okay. I get it,” he said and turned her around to face him, “Kate, file for divorce now. Newt has moved on. He has found someone else. I watched him at the trial. He’s in love with her. He won't contest it. He needs it as much as we do.”

“No...Just a few more months. Please understand, I'm not ready. He can still take the kids,” she said her previous thoughts still bothering her, “I need to ask you something. Why me? Why me and all my baggage. It's clear why I fell in love with you...but was it just because of Hailey?”

“God Kate. No,” he said as he tilted her face to his and looked at her lovingly, “Hailey was a wonderful and welcome extension of my love for you. You are the sweetest, sexiest, most independent, headstrong and caring woman I ever met.” He smirked and said, “A little crazy maybe, but it keeps things interesting. That day I met you at the duplex, I think, no I know, that was the day fell in love with you. When you walked into my bar looking for a job, it was like fate sent you to me. So please, Kate, file the papers now. Don't make us wait any longer.”

“Leroy, I can't. Please understand I have to do this final thing. It won't be that much longer and then we will have the rest of our lives together.”

“Kate,” pleaded Leroy, “Newt has another woman in his life, he won't contest it.”

That sent different kind of chills down her spine as the gravity of what Leroy said sunk in. “She should be warned. He can't abuse another person," she said as she grabbed his arm, "What if they have kids. Oh God! Leroy, I have to talk to her. I can't be responsible for him ruining another person’s life.”

“It's not your responsibility Kate,” he said, “You can't monitor Newt’s love life forever.”

“But, I know about her, I have to tell her. I won't be able to sleep at night if I don’t.”

“Kate…”

“Find out. Find out who she is and what you can about their relationship. Please,” she begged knowing she sounded desperate.

Leroy gave in. “I will see what we can find out,” he said sounding deflated, “Come on, let’s go so I can make some phone calls.”

Kaitlin threw her arms around him, "Thank you Leroy. I love you."

Go to Chapter 50 Part 2
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