Eric broke in. “I think I could help solve the Jimmy problem.”
“How?” Kayla turned her attention to Eric.
“Well, we have our little army of bodyguards so we could assign some to Jim.” Eric glanced at Rob and Rebecca. “I can juggle the manpower here or you can add some more. We can put a couple of guards on Jim and keep Jimmy clean out of Jim’s comfort zone. That includes the church. How can he blackmail Jim if he can’t reach anyone Jim cares about from the church? Those are the only people who would disapprove. If he wants to act like a maniac by screaming threats at our local pastor, I honestly don’t think anyone would actually listen or care. Prepare the PR stuff ahead of time and release it. You start by clearly stating that Jim doesn’t know this mentally deranged man. Strike early and report the man to the church elders, saying he is attempting to extort money from Jim and you, Rob, after the shooting. It’s not true, of course, but pretty believable. Especially after one of your so-called fans tried to shoot you and Jim in that very church. Why couldn’t there be others? No one will believe him if you say he’s a compulsive liar first and take all the wind out of his sails.”
“That’s pretty good,” Rebecca said as she nodded her head.
“It’s freaking brilliant,” Karlee added.
“Jim lie to the church?” Kathy questioned.
“Yes. That’s exactly what he has to do. This is one of those occasions where the end justifies the means. Surely you see that, Kathy. You’re not so devoted to God that you can’t understand the need to tell a white lie. It’s for Jim.” Kayla took a long glance at Kathy, who knew better than anyone the good that existed inside the man.
“Yes. You’re right. I’ll do it for Jim.”
“How did you leave him?”
“Hung over. He told me everything finally. It was a long morning. I left him sleeping, I hope. I emptied his apartment of all the booze. But obviously, he can get more if he chooses to.”
“He hid the bottles?”
“In his bottom drawer.”
“He has a lot more hidden in other places. I guarantee it,” Rob added.
Kathy nodded. Since she never entered his bedroom before, she never had any reason to find it. She was the perfect girlfriend for a closet alcoholic. The more new information Kayla received, the more sense it made. She was pretty sure Jim was an alcoholic, or very close to it. The fear of that designation made her shiver. She spent a good portion of her life hearing the warnings of Rob’s story in her ears. She read her mom’s book. Alcoholism wasn’t a new concept for her. And Rob was right, she never envisioned herself falling into a relationship like this.
If what they had could even be called a relationship. She wondered. Defining it was always awkward and inadequate. Jim’s inexperience with relationships, so no shock there. Kayla was unsure too, and unwilling to demand anything from him, as she might have tried to with anyone else.
Rob rose to his feet. “I’ll stop by there tomorrow.”
Kayla sniffed and wiped her runny nose with her sleeve. “Thank you, Rob.”
He came over to her and pulled her into a tight hug. “I’m sorry that you had to learn about this with the first person you fell for. I’ll do whatever I can to help. But you’ll have to be ready to accept the limits of whatever that might be.”
His dour warnings puzzled her. She understood what Rob was saying. Change only occurs when you admit you have a problem and want to stop. She had to believe Jim could and would stop. She wasn’t ready, not yet, to give up on him; but the idea of starting a relationship with an alcoholic was definitely not something she wanted to sign on for.
What if it was already too late? She buried her head against Rob’s shoulder at that thought. As if his warm hug could stave it off. When she was a little girl, and a teenager, very often Rob’s hugs did solve her problems. Her own father was nice. He was never as intense or serious with his care, concern and affection as Rob was and her mom. Her dad patted her shoulder awkwardly and that was it. She couldn’t have told him any of this. There wasn’t much she could say to him honestly. “I’m fine,” was the only answer he sought from her and he stopped asking about her opinions. But Rob rarely believed any teenager when they said they were fine.
The room grew quiet and finally, Kathy spoke. “Why don’t Eric and I go out and get some food? No one wants to cook tonight.”
“I’ll come too!” Karlee exclaimed as she jumped up.
Kayla sensed they were intentionally leaving her alone with her parents. Rob released her.
“I’m going to lie down,” she muttered as she dragged herself up the stairs. Curling up on her bed, she stared out the window. It was still early. It seemed like a month had passed since just last night when she’d popped into Jim’s apartment. Hugging a pillow to her chest, she curled up into a fetal position.
Her door clicked and she didn’t have to turn over and look to know it was her mom. Rebecca set a cool, loving hand on her shoulder and slid into bed behind her. “I’m so proud of you. That was pretty hard to do, pulling us all together and talking about that stuff.”
“It was.” Kayla squeezed her eyes shut to stop the fresh tears. “I’m scared, Mom.”
“I know. I can’t help that. But we, I will be right here for you, to assist you in every way I can.”
“I just didn’t know.”
“Do you really think you’re in love with him?”
“Yes,” she replied softly. That was what defined the difference: all these feelings she had for him. The source of her
