THE HONOURABLE MAN

Episode 30

Kiana has a lot of questions racing through her head, what could have caused Bryce to end up in rehab? Did his wife and child die? This is the same Bryce who used her, made her believe he loved her just to get her in his bed and soon after that he dumped her. She has tried so hard to forget about him but now he has found a way back into her life somehow.

She can never forget the good times they had together and the love they shared even though it turned out to had been an act, at the time it felt so real and so consuming like nothing she has ever felt before. She still remembers the night he took away her virginity like it was yesterday.

Bryce is convinced he is seeing ghosts or hallucinating and he believes he is being punished for what he did to Kiana.

Dr Harkins is unable to attend to him because he was called for an emergency at the hospital he works at when he is not at the Rehab centre. Another doctor attends to him and questions him on what happened but he fails to explain.

He examines him and runs a few tests, he comes back later and informs him that everything looks normal, there is nothing wrong with him therefore he is free to go home.

Kiana is anxiously waiting outside for the doctor to leave, she is still undecided if she should see him and talk to him or if she should just turn away and forget she ever heard his name being mentioned but she reckons if she doesn’t see him she will always have questions in her head so she slowly strolls into his room and closes the door behind her.

Bryce doesn’t hear her walk in, he has his eyes closed and earphones plugged into his ears, he is listening to music to try and clear his mind. She stands next to him on the bed and she is stunned it’s really him. He is still as handsome and gorgeous as the last time she saw him, it’s like he hasn’t aged at all.

“Bryce,” she calls out softly but he cannot hear her so she removes the earphones from his ears and he immediately turns around ready to snap at whoever dared to disturb him. “Kiana! Oh my God is it really you or am I seeing things again?” He stammers.

She almost tears up as she observes the genuine sympathetic and stunned expression on his face.

“Yes it’s me Bryce, I’m really here. I just wanted to see for myself if it’s really you the patient they were talking about. What brought you here Bryce?” She cuts to the chase.

“Kiana I really need to talk to you but not here, please come to my house tomorrow afternoon,” he grabs her hands and begs. “I don’t think that’s a good idea,” “Why not?”

“Why not? Are you seriously asking me that? How about you used me and broke my heart into a million pieces and what about your wife and child, am I supposed to invade their home?” she snaps.

When she notices his eyes well up with tears at the mention of his wife and child it touches her to see him like that and her heart bleeds for him. “Bryce, please tell me what happened,” she implores softly. “I really want to but not here so please come to my house tomorrow.” “Okay fine I will come but you can’t tell Remy about us, he doesn’t know anything and I don’t want him to.” “Of course I totally understand.”

The Rehab centre organises transport for their discharged patients in case some of them don’t have anyone to pick them up. Bryce is dropped off at home by the rehab transport, he is pleasantly surprised to find his house clean and neat. He remembers what a pig style it turned to when he started drinking.

He is certain it was Pete and Selena who cleaned his house, he feels indebted to them and has no idea how he is ever going to repay them for everything that they have done for him. He rings Pete to let him know he is clean and home now and he is ecstatic to hear the wonderful news. He invites him over for dinner but he declines stating he is not yet ready to get out of the house and he still needs a little time to himself.

Tomorrow is going to be a beautiful Sunday and he plans to bake fruit scones for Kiana hoping they are still her favourite. He is gratified his friends helped clean his house and do his laundry had they not done that he would have had to do all of that to make sure Kiana finds his place neat and smelling fresh.

Kiana hardly sees Remy on Sunday’s reason being he spends them with his two daughters from his wife of ten years who passed away shortly after the birth of their second child. Kiana has a wonderful relationship with his girls Emily who is eight and Kelly who is five.

Although the girls adore her and enjoy having her around Kiana still feels the need to give them space and allow them to have some time alone with their father. She didn’t have to lie to Remy about her plans for the day as he just assumed she would be at her mother’s house where she usually spends her time every Sunday after church.

She gets back to her apartment at eleven o’clock after her church service ends and she takes a shower to freshen up. She dresses up in her yellow floral short sleeved summer dress, she ties her hair into a bun and slips into her sandals. She is nervous about being at Bryce’s place, she has only been there once the day they made love and it had been so beautiful and magical that she couldn’t wait to have more intimacy with him.

Bryce hurriedly and excitedly makes his way to the front door as soon as he hears a car pull over, he is aware that its Kiana and he is relieved she came, he had been worried she would decide not to come. “Hie,” he whispers not knowing what else to say. “Hie,” she whispers back.

“Please come in,” he says as he widens the door open for her to get in. She paces in and takes a seat in the living room. She anxiously glances around the house expecting to find photographs of his wife and son but there is nothing like that.

“I hope you haven’t had anything for lunch because I baked fruit scones and made beef and veggie wrap’ for you.” “Bryce thank you but you really didn’t have to, I’m not here for long,” she blushes at the thought that he still remembers her favourite foods.

He pays no attention to her response, he goes ahead and places the snacks on the tray and hands it to her. “Hmmm they still taste as delicious as before,” she comments. He blushingly smiles at her very pleased to hear her say that.