Taylor stared at her, open-mouthed. "Are you sure she's not insane?" he screamed. Jennifer just shrugged. "I don't know what's behind it, but she needs somewhere to stay, Taylor. Please..." Jennifer trailed off, not knowing what to say.
Kelsey had showed up at Taylor's doorstep at 5 that morning. By all appearances, she seemed collectively calm, clean, and collected. Her hair fell down her back, shining. Her eyes had all the determination of a mother protecting her child...
Taylor had answered the door in nothing but his boxers and had nearly swallowed his tongue at the sight of her. She wasn't amused, nor embarrassed, but she merely asked if she could stay with him. Taylor just stood, staring at her for a moment. He wordlessly nodded and she walked in with a suitcase.
It took Taylor a moment to collect himself. He quickly got a robe and put it on roughly. He was dying to ask her what the hell she was doing, but he figured it probably wouldn't be the wisest thing to do. He was not aware of anything that had happened the night before and Kelsey planned on keeping it that way until she wanted him to know.
Kelsey didn't know why the fact she knew she was carrying a child made her feel so protective. All she knew was that she would rather die than have this baby know the hell she had been living in. Her baby. Kelsey's face softened a bit as she let the thought sink in. Soon, she fell asleep on Taylor's couch, her arms wrapped protectively around her stomach.
Now, Taylor and Jennifer were discussing Kelsey's odd behavior. Both were frightened Jyson was going to go ballistic. "Jennifer, what is going to do to her?" Taylor asked, pleading with her. Suddenly, a newly steel-voiced Kelsey appeared, "He is going to do nothing." She said it with all the finality of a king warned against provoking an enemy.
Taylor observed her carefully. She was wearing tight black jeans, a simple white shirt and a pair of eyes hardening by the moment. Her posture had straightened; her very presence had suddenly become more self-confident, reassured. She looked like someone who could do whatever she wanted. Suddenly, Taylor remembered that was how he thought of that little girl had once known...
Jennifer, however, was less assured. She ran to her and embraced her. Jennifer felt Kelsey soften in her hug. Jennifer turned toward her and told her, "Kelsey, Jyson won't give up." Kelsey smiled smugly, "Nobody said I would." She hadn't told Jennifer about what she had done the night before...
Kelsey stood in the mirror, staring at her reflection. She smiled. Suddenly, she felt an overwhelming emotion overtake her. She could feel herself breaking inside with relief. She blinked back tears as she realized this was who she was now. The change had been so large, so quick, she hadn't noticed. But there was confidence in her step, and a feeling of security in herself now.
She went through her suitcase, checking it once more. Inwardly, she felt so proud she couldn't have possibly been as scared as she thought she would be. Every time she began to think of Jyson, the fear wasn't there anymore. It had changed to hate. Utter loathing of everything about him. Her fingers tightened around the suitcase handle as she thought about it, turning her knuckles white.
She turned toward the vanity set he had bought her for her birthday. He would be coming over in four hours, at eight. She quickly took the cap off of the lipstick he loved on her, Tainted Love. 'How appropriate' she thought dryly. The red lipstick met the mirror as she swiftly wrote with bold strokes:
Then she turned for the desk and taped a piece of paper to the mirror, underneath the lipstick.
