My Brother's Keeper

"Ask her!" An insistent voice pulled Kimbra out of a slight doze. Not inclined to open her eyes all of the way since the light was not her friend at the moment, she creaked her eyes apart slightly. Aside from two chairs, a rolling stool and numerous items common to an ER examination area, she was alone.

"Oh yeah, that's going to happen." A different voice whispered, the edge of sarcasm unmistakable. "What do you expect me to say? 'Hey, sorry your head hurts, but my co-worker would like to know about the cute guy who was with you in the waiting room.' Are you nuts?"

The conversation continued, Kimbra realized, on the opposite side of the privacy curtain. She recognized the second voice as that of the assistant who'd come in while her vitals were being taken, and again when the doctor had returned to tell her that her unfortunate head on collision with a soccer ball hadn't caused a fracture.

A slight smile lifted the corner of one side of her mouth. She wondered how Steven would take the news that the candy stripers were lusting after him. She pondered the idea of torturing him with it at the next family gathering. Margaret Storm was always after Steven to settle down and give her grandchildren despite the fact that she already had three. Being her second oldest child, Margaret had more than once told Steven that he was shirking his familial duties. Kimbra, fostered by the Storms at age 8, knew that it was only a matter of time before Margaret requested the same of her. For Margaret and Joe Storm, family was everything.

"I saw him up in OB earlier with a little boy. Do you think. . . " The whispered voices cut in to Kimbra's wandering thoughts. OB? Steven hadn't been in. . . Then her memory kicked in. The guy with her phone. What was his name? That tiny detail seemed to be eluding her. But did remember that he was pretty easy on the eyes. Well, easy on eyes that didn't belong to the owner of the world's worst headache. He'd said something about his brother having a new baby, hadn't he?

The whispers died away, and the curtain was suddenly dragged along the track that ran along the ceiling. Kimbra quickly allowed her eyes to drop closed. She opened them again at the sound of the doctor's brisk voice calling her name.

Several minutes later, armed with an ice pack and more information than she wanted about head injuries, she stepped through the curtains and tried to remember which direction would lead her back toward the small room where Steven was waiting.

"Looking for a way out of here?" A familiar voice asked as a young woman from an adjoining area.

"Yes. Getting here is kind of a blur." Kim managed a smile as she recognized the person who'd expressed an interest in the guy from the waiting room.

The woman's brow furrowed in concern. "Are you sure you --"

Kim raised a hand and offered her best reassuring smile. "Don't worry. Doctor gave me a clean bill of health. What I meant is that I didn't pay attention, so I can't remember how to get out. Let's call it a poor sense of direction. It's probably genetic."

The girl returned the smile. "Happens all the time. This place can be like a maze." She gestured in the opposite direction. "I'll show you the way."

"Thanks. I really appreciate it," she said as she was led toward a set of large double doors.

"It's no problem. Have a good evening." The girl's smile was warm and genuine, and sparked dimples in her cheeks. The dimples jolted Kim's memory. Coming to a stop half through the doors, she turned back toward the young nursing assistant.

"His name is Jeremy Dumas. His brother's wife is having a baby, and I think he's single." Waving good-night, she turned away from the pleasantly stunned nurse who called a belated 'thank you', and headed off to find her brother. Having performed her random act of kindness for the day, she promptly forgot Jeremy Dumas.

Jerry couldn't get the woman from the hospital out of his mind. During the twenty minute drive from the hospital to his Condo he had remembered little things about her. The way her lips were slightly parted when she slept. The lovely curve of her legs. The totally disinterested way she'd looked at him. With a resolute sigh, his pulled his Jeep to a stop in one of his assigned parking slots.

He told himself that he should just get over her. It wasn't as if he knew anything about her anyway. He'd just met her for heaven's sake. Worse, he was never going to see her again. Hell, if he were her brother, he wouldn't let some overzealous guy he met in a hospital waiting room see his sister either.

Gazing up at the brick front of his townhouse, he thought of what waited for him inside. A dark entryway would lead into a residence that was nicely furnished, with just the right touch from all of the important women in his life: His mother, his sister, Jasmine and Joan. They would not allow him the clichéd luxury of a 'bachelor pad'.

The place was clean; it was neat. It was also lonely. Except for the fish. Wasn't he a good catch? Why couldn't he find Ms. Right?

"Could it be because you sound desperate?" He asked himself aloud. "Could it be because you're sitting in the car talking to yourself? And answering your own questions with questions. Way to send the women screaming for the hills there Jerry."

Better to chalk to whole mess up to hunger. A quick unsubstantial breakfast had been many hours earlier. It was time to get the desperate man some nourishment before he went completely around the bend.

"Steven, I swear if you try to put my seatbelt on, I'm going to be forced to break your arm." Kim glared up at her brother from the passenger seat of his deep green Toyota.

Steve raised his hand's in surrender. "Forgive me. Just trying to help. Don't bite my head off." A grin split his face as her annoyance grew. "You always were grumpy when you didn't get your beauty sleep. Sleepy?"

Her irritation didn't hold in the face of his deliberate prodding. She allowed a small smile. "Actually, believe it not, I'm hungry. Starved actually. If you feed me maybe I'll forgive you for dragging me to the Emergency Room."

"I know just the place." Pushing the door closed, he hurried around to the driver's side and climbed in. "Remember that old place down on Circuit Street?"

Kim's brow furrowed as she tried to stifle a laugh. "Yeah, I remember it. That's the place you tried to punch out Larry Moore for trying to kiss me when I was like. . . I don't know, fourteen or something."

"You were thirteen," Steve shot back, "And Larry wanted more than a kiss."

"Well, you haven't changed a bit in over ten years, I see." Kim said, a warm glow beginning within. Steve had always been her protector. Even when he'd gone away to college, the very summer that he'd punched Larry Moore, they'd kept in close contact. He'd always found time for his little sister.

She'd begun college the fall after he'd graduated. They'd grown apart then as he'd begun to seriously pursue a career in law enforcement, and she tried to decide what she wanted to do with her life. They still spoke occasionally and at family gatherings, but the long, deep, heart to heart talks were few until eventually they stopped altogether. It wasn't until that moment that she realized how much she missed them.

"You have." Steven said.

"I've what?" She blinked away the memories.

"Changed," he replied. "When you left for school, you were just a kid. Then you had to stay gone for almost five years after you graduated." His smile showed that the words held no malice. "But now, Kimmie, you're a woman. A beautiful woman. I'm surprised that there isn't some young buck pining away for you back in Seattle."

"Oh, I was far too busy over-achieving to break any hearts." She remembered the many hours of hard work she'd put in over the past year trying to qualify for the position here in New Haven. Back home.

Steven chuckled. "Well that hasn't changed. Still Ms. Studious. Maybe you should study how to duck if you're serious about trying to coach that soccer team. I can't believe your company forced that on you. You just got here. The least they can do is give you some help."

"It's good PR for the company," Kim tried to explain. "Besides, it was a project of the person that I replaced. I couldn’t just let it drop. All those kids are looking forward to the games and activities."

"Half of those kids are just as big as you are, and I'll bet some even know worse words that you do."

"Oh, I doubt that. You were my brother, remember." It was Kim's turn to charm him. She couldn't almost see his over protective hackles rising again.

He relented only slightly. "I'm helping you. I want to know when all your games are, and the practices. I want to--"

"Fine." Kim smiled sweetly at him, knowing that she'd shocked him by giving no resistance. "The next practice is Saturday at Baker's Field. The next game is Wednesday."

She giggled at his suspicious glance, then turned her attention toward the parking lot of the Circuit St. Restaurant. The place glowed almost obscenely bright considering it was near midnight. Her smile died away. Walking in, looking as if she'd gone a couple rounds with a Ali wasn't real high on her list of things to do in the next 60 to 80 years.

"I can just run in and grab something if you want to wait in the car," Steven said as he cut the engine. "All the noise and bright lights can't be any good for you after getting whacked in the head with a soccer ball.

"Yeah," she smiled. "I'll wait out here. The usual."

Steven returned the smile. "Got it."

After he disappeared inside, Kim took the liberty of turning the key in the ignition so that she could roll down the windows. The cool evening air felt good on her face. She relaxed back against the seat and closed her eyes.

Jerry walked out of the Circuit Street Restaurant with a smile on his face and a carry out sack under an arm. Pleasant aroma's wafted from the warm brown bag that carried his dinner, and what would become breakfast. Mom Simpson, as the restaurant's proprietor was known, had never learned the meaning of the term 'normal portions'. Good food was just the thing to pull him out of his mild bout of self pity.

He heard laughter and footsteps behind himself as he crossed in front of a parked green Toyota Camry to reach his Jeep. Turning slightly, he caught the gaze of an attractive brunette who'd smiled at him several times while he was waiting for his order. Even six months earlier, he would have approached her, tried to make conversation. But tonight, he'd merely returned her smile and remained in his place until his number was called. The brunette was definitely headed his way while her friend, a pretty, petite, blonde young woman lagged behind.

The woman caught up to him just before he reached his Jeep.

She gave him a seductive smile and pressed a slip of paper into his hand. "The name's Shauna. That's my number. Call me." With a wink, she turned and walked off. He had to give it to her, her walk spoke volumes. He smiled as she turned and waved over her shoulder before disappearing back into the restaurant.

He looked down at the phone number. It had been a while since he'd had a decent date. Shauna looked like a lot of fun. Fun was just what he needed.

"If you're looking for someone, I know just the girl for you. And she isn't it." The voice, eerily familiar, seemed to come out of nowhere. Jerry spun toward the vehicle that was parked alongside his Jeep. The woman who'd haunted him all the way home from the hospital sat there, studying him.

A jolt ran through him at the sight of her. He really didn't think he could be blamed that he forgot to hold onto the carry out sack. It hit the dark pavement of the parking lot of with a dull, squishy splat.