The Price (37 page)

“Kate,” Jack yelled, looking around the room but seeing no sign of her. Panic rose and he ran for the bathroom, throwing open the door and yelling again, “Kate-”

There, leaning her head against the commode with her body resting on the floor, he found her. Jack paused as if in shock, seeing someone who vaguely resembled his wife. The shadow of a woman lifted her head from the white porcelain. Her face was pale, so pale like a ghost, and her cheeks were sunken in and shallow. The beautiful blond locks were gone and its only remains were scattered clumps sporadically around her bald scalp and in her hand.

“Jack,” she whispered weakly while her dull blue eyes cried out for mercy.

“I’m here, Kate,” he said, rushing to her side. “I’m here.”

He dropped to his knees and lifted her from the cold floor and placed her lovingly into his warm arms. He sat back against the wall, cradling her frail body.

“I’m here, baby,” he whispered, wells of tears cascading down his cheeks. “Shh, I’m here.”

“Jack,” was all she could speak as her emotions robbed her of her strength.

Jack held on to her tight, rocking her back and forth as he soothed her with his touch.

She was thinner now—thinner than he’d ever seen. Her arms and legs looked like twigs. He was shocked how one person could deteriorate so quickly in such a short period of time. But none of that mattered now. All that mattered was he was here now holding the woman he loved and vowing he would never be separated from her again.

“Oh baby, I love you so much,” he cried.

“You left me,” she said with such sorrow that it broke his heart in two. He felt her tears against his chest.

“Oh no, Kate, I could never leave you,” he cried harder. “I love you…always and forever!”

“I missed you,” she whimpered.

“I missed you too,” he lamented. “Oh God, I missed you so much!”

He lifted her chin and spoke to her pale blue eyes, telling her everything he felt inside. He leaned down and placed a gentle kiss to her dry, cracked lips.

“My sweet, beautiful Kate,” he whispered by her mouth then kissed her on either side of her cheek and on her nose.

“No, I’m not.” She shook her head and lowered her gaze.

He lifted her chin again and made her look at him.

“You are still my sweet, beautiful Kate,” he assured her, and rendered her with his infamous grin.

He saw a dim sparkle return to her blue eyes. It was a good sign.

“You’re crazy,” she whispered.

“I’m crazy about you.”

Kate fell back into his arms and rested her head on his chest. She felt so tired that all she wanted to do was sleep. Jack continued to hold her, for how long he didn’t know, nor did he care. He could stay this way forever as long as Kate was with him.

She slept for a long while. She was so still, he had to check to make sure she was breathing. He stroked her head and as he did, more hair fell into his palms—beautiful, soft strands the color of sunshine. He folded his fingers over them and held them as if they were a keepsake.

Kate shifted and for the first time, Jack got a glimpse of what she was afraid to reveal. Her tank shirt had lowered on her breast and Jack saw the scar and her misshapen form.

“Oh my poor baby.” Jack choked back a sob as he lowered it further and finally understood what she was feeling.

He had been so wrapped up in helping her that he forgot to let her grieve. He knocked his head against the wall as punishment for being insensitive to his wife’s pain.

Kate stirred again and this time she opened her eyes.

“Jack-” she whispered, and lifted her head.

“I’m here, Kate.” Their eyes met.

“How long have I been asleep?”

“For an hour or so.” He smiled at her. “How you feeling?”

“Better, now that your here.”

She did seem a little better. There was some color to her cheeks, and her eyes didn’t look so dull. As if by instinct, she went to run her fingers through her hair, suddenly realizing most of it was gone. Shame washed over her and her emotions overtook her. Jack saw her chest flutter as she took ragged breathes. Her eyes filled up with tears and she turned her head to look away.

“No, Kate, don’t,” said Jack, placing both hands on her cheeks so she would look at him. “Now listen to me and listen to me good. There’s nothing to cry about, baby. It’s just a little hair, and I’m going to fix it so you look smoking hot!”

“How are you going to fix it?” She started to cry.

“You let me worry about that.” He gave her a sweet smile and placed a kiss on her lips. “You’re beautiful, Kate.”

“I’m hideous,” she cried harder.

“No you’re not,” he said as he made her look in to his green eyes. “You are the most beautiful woman I have ever set eyes on. You got that baby?”

Kate shook her head and in spite of her tears she produced a little smile.

“That’s better,” said Jack as he gave her a nod. “You may be the most beautiful woman but right now you are a mess Kathryn McBride, and I’m going to clean you up! When was the last time you took a shower?”

“A proper shower, I couldn’t tell you,” said Kate, thinking about her experience with Paul earlier this morning.

“I thought as much,” he winked at her. “Come on, we have things to do.”

Jack sat Kate beside him then jumped to his feet.

“Put your hands around my neck,” he exclaimed, kneeling in front of her.

Kate did as instructed and Jack lifted her off the floor and placed her feet on top of his. With his arm around her waist, he took two steps to the commode, flipped the lid down and set her on top of it.

“Now stay put ´til I get back,” he said, pointing his finger at her. “Or I swear I’ll spank that sweet ass of yours.”

“You wouldn’t?” Kate feigned a gasp.

“Oh, I would,” he smiled and headed for the door. “And I’d enjoy every minute of it.”

“Where you going, Jack?” Kate got a worried look on her face.

“I’m not going anywhere except down stairs,” said Jack, understanding her fear. “I won’t be gone more than two minutes, I promise.”

He saw her nod before he left the rooms and made his way down the hall. He needed to find Clara. Jack descended the stairs and heard voices in the family room. He poked his head through the door and saw Clara and Adam waiting on the sofa along with Marnie.

“Clara.” Jack motioned her to meet him in the hall.

Clara stood and joined Jack. He leaned against the wall as he glanced toward the stairs.

“How’s Kate?” she asked.

“In bad shape when I found her but we’re working on it,” he said. “I need a pair of clippers. You think you could wrangle me up a set?”

“I’ll see what I can do,” said Clara.

“Once I get Kate cleaned up, we’re out of here. Can you inform Maria to have Jesse ready?”

“It’s awfully late to head back now,” said Clara. “We’ll be driving most of the night.”

“We aren’t staying here.” Jack’s eyes narrowed into a violent green. “The sooner I get Kate and Jesse away the better.”

With that said, Jack turned and headed back upstairs. He walked through the bedroom and came to rest by Kate still sitting on the commode.

“See, I told you I wouldn’t be gone long.” He squatted in front of her. “How you feeling, baby?”

“Not so good.” She was looking rather pasty again.

“You want to lie down?” he offered.

“No. If I lie down, I’ll fall asleep and I don’t want to sleep anymore.”

“All right,” said Jack as he took her hands and held them in his. “Clara and Adam are downstairs. Once I get you cleaned up, we’re taking you home.”

“They’re here?” said Kate, and she touched the side of what used to be her hair. “Oh Jack, I don’t want them seeing me like this.”

“Trust me, I’ll take care of everything.”

Jack heard a knock on the door and the sound of Clara’s voice entering the bedroom. He rose and went to the bathroom door, standing in the doorway blocking Kate’s view.

“One pair of clippers,” said Clara as she strained to look over his shoulder to see Kate.

Jack shifted and totally blocked her view.

“Thanks, Clara.”

Jack closed the bathroom door but not before Clara got a quick glimpse of the woman who barely resembled her friend. Clara turned and left the bedroom, returning to Adam downstairs while Jack returned to Kate.

“What’s that?” asked Kate, seeing a plastic black box in his hand.

“Step one of the cleanup process,” he smiled at her.

Jack removed the clippers from the case and plugged it in.

“You ready?” he said, holding the clipping sheers in his hand.

Kate nodded and Jack went to work.

He shaved her side first and Kate watched what was left of her hair fall on the floor. Jack shaved the other side then the back and worked around to the front. When he was done, he stood back and looked at his work.

“Not bad,” he said, rubbing his chin with his finger. “You have a nice round head, baby.”

“Are you saying I look like a cue ball?” she frowned.

“Now that you mentioned it, you sort of do,” he laughed.

“I want to see.” Kate went to stand.

“Not so fast,” he stated, and made her sit back down. “I’m not done yet.”

“What else do you have to shave?”

Jack walked over to the mirror and looked at his reflection then turned and looked at Kate.

“Me,” he said as he lifted his hand and shaved at his hairline, working it all the way to the back.

Layers of sand-colored hair fell to the floor.

“What are you doing?” she gasped.

“You think you’re the only one who wants to make a fashion statement?” He continued to shave until there was nothing left but bare skin like Kate’s. “I’m not about to let you show me up. If you can do bald, so can I. What do you think?”

He turned and looked at her. Kate stared at his beautiful bald head.

“I think you are the most wonderful, crazy man in the whole world,” said Kate, giving him a glorious smile mixed with tears.

“We’re in this together, remember that, baby.” He leaned down and brushed a kiss to her lips. “Now you can take a look at yourself.”

Jack helped Kate to a standing position. She leaned on the sink and looked at her reflection in the mirror.

“I look like a cancer patient,” she exclaimed, seeing her sunken eyes and bald head. “And you look like something out of
Conair
!”

Kate didn’t realize how close she was to the truth and Jack couldn’t help but laugh. She looked at him and started to laugh too.

“All right—Step Two,” said Jack. “Time for you to get in the shower.”

Kate stopped laughing.

“I can’t Jack,” she said, shaking her head
no
.

“It’s time, baby,” he said as he lowered her sweatpants and helped her step out of them.

He went to lift her shirt but Kate held on to its edge.

“Oh please,” she begged. “No.”

“It’s okay,” he whispered. “I love you.”

“Oh Jack, I can’t bear the thought of you looking at me like a freak,” she cried as her mind flashed to the expression on Paul’s face when he accidentally saw her.

“Turn around Kate and just watch the mirror.” He pulled her back against his chest and wrapped his arms around her belly. “Keep watching me while we do this together.”

Jack gathered her shirt in his hand and slowly lifted it above her belly. He watched Kate take a breath and he slowly lifted it higher over her breasts, all the while her eyes stayed focused on his. She waited for him to cringe and watched for a flicker of disgust. There was nothing other than the love he was pouring out all over her as it oozed into her being.

“You’re beautiful, Kate,” he whispered in her ear as he removed the shirt and threw it on the floor.

His hands circled her belly, moving upward to the two mounds on her chest. He cupped them in his hands lightly massaging as he felt the scar in his palm—their eyes never leaving each other. “God, I love you!”

Kate fell back, resting her head against his strong chest and closed her eyes. She lifted her arm and wrapped it behind his head. Jack kneaded her wound, touching every part of it then bent down and kissed her with the same passion she remembered.

“Oh, Jack.” She began to cry again, releasing all the pent up fears of the last few weeks.

Jack spun her around and took her in his arms. He kissed her again tasting her lips and her mouth, savoring all of her.

“Time for that shower, baby,” he said as he lifted her feet from the ground and set her by the shower door.

He turned on the shower and quickly discarded his clothes. He took Kate’s hand and they stepped in together, feeling the rush of heated water pouring over their bodies. Jack didn’t know who needed it more. He was just as grimy from being locked up so long. Jack soaped up his hands and washed Kate, running them all over her body. He washed every inch of her, including her bald head. Then he did the same to him. God, it felt so good getting clean. He washed his face, scrubbing at the growth of stubble. He needed a shave badly but he would wait until they got home for that.

Once more he took Kate in his arms and soaked up her touch.

“Jack,” Kate whispered as she felt his hands roam over her breasts.

“Yes, baby?” He was getting lost in her and it felt so damn good.

“Where were you?” She turned and looked into his eyes for the truth.

Jack sighed and debated if he should tell her. In the end she had a right to know but he wondered if now was the best time to tell her.

“I was in jail, Kate,” he answered, not wanting anymore secrets between them.

“You were in jail?” She tilted her head. “But Mother said, you went back to Nevada?”

“She lied, baby,” said Jack, seeing the pain return in Kate’s eyes. “They set me up.”

Suddenly Kate understood and her mother’s betrayal cut deep within her. All this time, she drilled it into her head that Jack left because he couldn’t handle it, and now to discover it was a lie. Everything was a lie. How could she do that to her, knowing that as each day passed by without Jack, Kate was dying inside?

“I want to go home, Jack,” said Kate as tears streamed down her cheeks.

“After I’m done cleaning you up, we’re leaving. I’m taking you as far from this place as I can, but first, I need to know you’ll be okay to travel.”