Chapter 14

 

Kaitlin leaned back into the sofa with a contented sigh.

“Tired?”  Jonathan asked flopping down next to her.

“Mm, hm,” her affirmative was little more than another sigh.

Jonathan picked up the remote to the stereo and tuned it to her favorite station.  She gave him a thankful smile, and he turned back to his books and began some reading that he had been putting off for his psyche class.  With a little smile he considered the routine that they had fallen into.  With the play, Kaitlin was busy often so the only time they had together was when they would study.  The routine had become so set in the past few weeks that he cold almost set his watch by it.

“It’s the ten o’clock request hour, and to start it off we have this request,” the DJ said loudly, Jonathan reached to turn it down.  “This is sent out to Kitty Kat,” Kaitlin shot up from her reclining position and jumped for the remote “I’d like “I’ll be Watching You” to be played for my Little Kitty Kat, from her winter walkway admirer.  Remember I’ll always be watching you.”  Kait’s body went completely ridged.  That was the voice, the voice of the man who had raped her!

Kaitlin found her blood freeze in her veins.  Oh, how she had prayed that this nightmare would just end!

“Kait?  Kait, what is it?”  Jonathan’s concerned voice caught her attention out of the nightmare that never seemed to end.

“That voice,” was all Kait could manage through her constricted throat.  “That’s him.”

Fearing that he already knew the answer he had to ask, “Kait, who is it?”  Jonathan touched her arm, frantic for the glazed frightened look to leave her eyes.  He had seen that look so many times over the last year.

“It’s him!”  Kait’s whole body began to shake like a leaf in a storm, threatening to fall apart at any moment.  Jonathan refused to allow that to happen again, he would do anything to prevent the destruction of all she and accomplished.  She was just getting comfortable walking at night again.

“I’m going to contact Detective Garrett; she needs to know about this.”  Jonathan grabbed the phone.  One arm he circled around Kait pulled her close to his side and rubbed small circles in her back to soothe her shacking nerves.  Kait eagerly hugged Jonathan; eager for the comfort she knew he would provide.

Jonathan finished filling in the detective and put down the phone.  “Gretta's going to look into it.”  When he didn’t get a response he looked down.  Kaitlin was asleep; her face was calm but not quite peaceful.  In most books people’s faces were described as peaceful.  But never Kait’s ever sense the attack, every time he had seen her sleep, her brow had been furrowed in a frown.  Jonathan caught himself wondering if Kait had ever slept peacefully, or if she ever would again.  She still woke up in the middle of the night with terrifying nightmares, even though Kait wouldn’t admit to it.

Not wanting to wake her, Jonathan carefully lifted Kait into his arms and carried her into her room.  After settling her into bed he just stood there watching her sleep.  He felt like such a cad watching her while she slept, but it was the only time he could look at her, really look at her without her knowing.  She was so self-concious that she shyer away from anyone paying her a complement or even looking at her.  She was by no way a runway beauty, but there was something about her that made him stop and take notice.  He had known her all his life, almost twenty years but his own stubbornness had blinded him.  He had only just realized how hard he had fallen for her when she had been attacked.

Shacking his head to clear away his disappointing thoughts, he leaned over and kissed the crown of her head.