No prompt – just story.

Kell and Cassie quickly scanned the article under the picture of the man.  Kell flipped back to where it was continued and they read on.  “This says he is a businessman from New Orleans and he’s planning on investing in this community where he now has some of his interests.” Kell said.  “It makes him sound like he’s a saint!” Said Cassie shivering.

“I know” Kell was yawning now.  “I am too tired to think .  The last few days are catching up with me, I guess.”

“Me too.  I feel like it’s been weeks since I’ve slept.”  Cassie said.  “I’m tired, but I’m not sure I’m going to be able to sleep.  It worries me that he is out there and  knows where we are.”

“I bolted the door from the inside.  If he was going to hurt us,  he has had opportunities.  I think he is waiting for something, though  I can’t think what.  Maybe if we get some rest we can make some sense of this in the morning.  Do you want to shower first?” Kell was folding up the paper and picking up the sack of toiletries.

“Sounds good.” Cassie got up tiredly and took the sack with shampoo and toothpaste.  A hot shower is sounding pretty good.”

“Cassie headed for the shower and Kell turned down the bed and looked in the closet.  There was her robe.  Now what should he do?  This was weird, to find they were married.  They hadn’t talked about it at all and now….well, with everything they had been through, they would face this too, he hoped.  Listen to me, thinking this is something we have to face.  This had always been easy before, as though they had always known each other. He took the robe off the hanger and knocked on the bathroom door.

Cassie opened the door a little and he could see she was in her underwear. He held out the robe to her and she smiled and said thanks and then froze.  I’m standing here in the door in my underwear like it’s nothing, she thought.  Why was this is so awkward? Now she was nervous.  How did he feel?  The whole marriage thing, they really hadn’t had time to talk about it, to get used to the idea.  She looked at his face and his eyes caught hers and she knew it would be okay.  She trusted him, and he believed in her.  He had the funniest look on his face.  She smiled and he grinned as though he had been waiting for her reaction.  Yes, it would be more than okay.  “Thanks!”  She said and closed the door.  She clapped her hand over her mouth as she felt the uncontrollable giggling start.  It’s the stress, she thought.  She stepped into the shower and let the hot water rush over her, calming her.  She was tired, full, and now clean.  Heaven, she thought.

She turned off the water when she was through and dried off.  Using the same towel to wipe off the mirror, she combed her hair out and brushed her teeth.  She hung the towel up to dry and then stopped and got a clean towel out for Kell and put it over the towel rack.  She pulled on her robe and stepped out into the bedroom.  Kell was sitting on the edge of the bed reading the rest of the newspaper.

“Learn anything helpful?”  She asked him.  “Ask me in the morning when my brain is working again.”  He said. “I’m way to tired to think.”

“Your turn. I even left a little hot water for you.”  She said.  She saw he had turned the bed down, and that he had a clean tee shirt and boxers with him.  She grinned at him as he gave a little shake and closed the bathroom door.  She turned on a lamp by the bed and turned off the big ceiling light.  She checked the lock on the window and shuddered a bit before pulling down the shade and making sure the curtains were pulled shut.  She wandered around the room, looking at their things and wondering what it had been like, picking them out together.  She yawned again and went to the bed and curled up on the pillows.  She could hear the water running and Kell humming in the shower.

Kell came out of the bathroom drying his hair.  He looked up and saw Cassie, sound asleep on the bed.  He sighed,  hung up his towel, combed his hair,and lay down on the bed beside her.  He reached out and touched her face and then picked up the little medallion she wore on the chain around her neck.  She never took it off and now he had the weirdest feeling.  It looked familiar, like he had seen it somewhere else.  He would ask her about it in the morning. He pulled the covers up over both of them and reached over to turn out the light.  Cassie turned onto her side and he curled up next to her, pulling her up against him.  Cassie snuggled a little closer.  Kell put his arm around her and she pulled the arm closer and in minutes, Kell was fast asleep as well.

Outside in the dark, the man in the leather coat frowned.  He stared up at the window where the light had been a few moments ago with hate and determination, turned on his heel and headed back down the street, whistling.

this truly is a bit rough.  I need an English teacher smacking my hand with a ruler on a regular basis.  I’ll go back over it later to fix it,  just had to get it down before it went out of my head.