Kiera's Soulmates

Day 3

Stretching I wake up and glance at the clock. 7am. Damn I am late. No breakfast for me. I rush out to stumble over a tray with a note on top. Reading the note, it tells me:

Heard from doc this am. Sent breakfast and this note with Teresa. You are excused from classes, until you are recovered from surgery. Doubt you need them anyhow. Kiera is worried about you so please text her on sss. You can exchange numbers there. Eat your breakfast and then come find me in my office. We need to talk.

Daniel

Grabbing the tray and closing the door, I wonder what he is wanting to talk about. While I am eating I open up sss on my phone to see she sent me a friend request. I accepted it and am looking at her profile when a new message alert come on my phone. I look at it and see it is from her. My heart speeds up in anticipation. "Hi. Daniel told me. Are you ok?" It feels weird having people worried about me like this. "Yeah. just an old injury. HRU?" I text back to her. "Sore, but ok. Getting cabin fever. Hate being stuck in bed." "I know how that feels." "How long were you in for?" "Too long. 6 months. Couldn't get bail up." "I can't imagine." "Well you been staring at the same 4 walls right? it's kind of like that, only a mean dude telling you when to get up, when to eat, when to play, when to use the phone, shower" "No meanies here, but similar" "It's all good. Hey I just finished breakfast and Daniel is wanting to see me. TTYL?" "More like see you later. but yeah." I close my phone and puzzle over her last line while I walk out my door. Last I heard, doc was wanting her to stay in bed for a week to give her ribs time to heal. Opening the door to the dorms and stopping in my tracks as Kiera's van comes into view. Man, I want to tag that van. Do something special just for her as a surprise. Why am I even thinking like this? She won't like me once she gets to know me; no one lasts long in my life. That dream though. I don't get it. I know it's only been three days but the pull has been stronger since I haven't seen her. Shaking my head, I head to the office.

***Daniel***

I woke up early this morning. Too early. But it gave me the chance to eat breakfast with everyone. Well almost everyone. Anyone who has been injured and recovering generally sleeps in. We have 10 on the injured list. Well, had 10, as now, it is 11. I had noticed Ashley wasn't at breakfast, and it made me wonder if he was changing his mind. Until I ran into Teresa. She told me there had been an incident and I needed to go talk to Doc. I thought he had gotten into a fight, but what I learned was way lower on the list. He had pushed himself and his partner so much yesterday they had not only gotten done early, but Ashley had severely aggravated an old injury. An injury none of us knew about. I saw the x-ray and it looked bad. I don't know how he has done anything except by using the pills he was caught with. Those are so expensive on the black market it is no wonder he has taken to theft. I asked doc to do a full workup on him to see if there are any more injuries. Doc said he will see him Monday and get him to do it. I chuckle cuz I know doc is going to tell him it is mandatory considering where the injury came from. It took a minute to realize his injury came from a motor vehicle accident at around the same time period as Kiera's accident. It made me wonder if he was in that same accident. I texted Kiera. she had given me the suggestion of the tray and note and time off. I agreed, because I can train him myself when he is healed. Just at that moment, my phone dings. Kiera has sent me a message. "He accepted my friends list. We talked alittle. He is on his way to you now. Gonna nap a bit. ILYM." "Ok, Love. I'll send him over when I am done." Hitting send just as I hear footsteps coming down the hall. a few seconds later, there is a knock on my door. "Come in." I look up to see an exhausted Ashley walk in my door. "Hey Ashley. Come on in." "You wanted to see me?" "Close the door" I can tell he is getting nervous, but I can't have this conversation overheard. "Don't worry, your probation is not going to broken, unless you break it." "ok?" I can see some of the tension leave his shoulders. "So, I talked to doc this morning." "I figured you had when you left the note and tray." "Were you in the accident Kiera was in?" "And if I was?" He got so tense from that question. Almost like he caused it. "Your not in trouble here, I'm just wondering" "She got the worst of it, being near the front. I was about 85 vehicles behind her." "Why wasn't it in your medical history? Everyone injured was transported to the hospital. State paid everyone's bills." "I didn't go to the hospital." "Oh." "Is that all?" "No. but Doc will be doing a full workup to see what else is needed." "That's not necessary." "It wasn't a question. It is necessary because your shoulder is extensively injured. And we don't know what other damage the accident caused to your body. Think of it as I am looking out for the teammates that will be relying on you." "Ok." "Now, let's put that aside. you won't be going out to the job sites for atleast two months. I don't have anything around here that you can do, so I am transferring you. To my house. We have a few projects that are needing to be done around our house. Stuff Kiera has been wanting to do. You will stay in the guest house." "Why? You wouldn't do this with anyone else." "Fair enough. I wouldn't, but for some reason, our girl feels pulled to you. The same pull I imagine you are feeling. Her van is out front. when she is cleared to move again, you will be able to use her van to go places with her. For now, it's free for you to use. If something tears up on it, let me know and I will have it looked at." "Ok." "Your good to go. just go pack what you need from your room. Teresa will lock it up behind you." "Ok. Oh, before I forget. I want to do something for Kiera, something I think might brighten her spirits up." "Ok. Share." He looks even more nervous now. "I'd like to do something with the sides of her van. Make it unique to her." I look at him and wonder to myself if they have a mind link. Kiera was just talking about repainting it this morning. "Anything in particular your thinking about doing?" "Well, I was browsing her pics this morning and I notice she has a lot of pics of her dog and sunsets. I'd like to combine the two." "Ok. When?" "I'd need a few days to get it done and the paint to set and clear coated." "Ok. You can use our shop on campus. I'll let the mechanics know not to say anything to anyone because it is a surprise for our girl. You can start today, I'll come get you and take you to the house. We can let Kiera know it went into the shop for maintenance and won't be out till Saturday." I see the shock and joy all over his face. "Why do you keep calling her, 'our girl'?" "Because she is." "What do you mean?" "Me and Kiera recently opened up our marriage to polyamory. We don't have it all worked out yet, but I know you two are pulled together, much like me and Kiera were. You have my blessing to pursue something with her, if you want." "Polyamory?" "It literally means more than one love. it's not easy, and requires a lot of talking and being able to be open with each other. I don't know what the future is going to bring for any of us, but anyone who brings light to Kiera's eyes is someone she should get to know at the very least." "So, all of this," he waves his arms around, "is because of some pull she feels to me?" "And I suspect you to her, but yes. There is more, but that is for her to share, in her time. Just know, I will hurt you if you hurt her." I can see the excitement in his face and wonder and joy. I know I made the right decision now. He jumps out of his seat and runs out the door. I reach the front door right as he reaches the van. "Hey Ashley? Did you forget something?" I dangle the keys from a finger. "s**t. I guess those would help." I laugh and remind him I will come get him at the end of the day. Now to go text Kiera and let her know her van is in the shop.

***Kiera***

I woke up to a text from my husband. It said, "Hey baby. I hope your nap was good. your van had to go into the shop, so Ashley will be coming home with me." I text him back. "What's wrong with it?" "Just regular maintenance. No big deal. We will get it back on Saturday. I need Ashley's help with some stuff around here during the day, so he will be coming back with me until then." I ponder over what he said and wrote, "Why couldn't Ashley use his own car?"

***Daniel***

I read the last text and think she may be onto us. I message Ashley, "She wants to know why you didn't use your own car. I think she is onto us." He texts back with, "Tell her I have bad tires and they have to be special ordered." "Lol. OK."

***Kiera***

While waiting on his response, I take to my chair. Brutus jumps up from the spot he has been lurking in the past two days. He barks and heads to the door, before coming back to me and proceeding to the door again. "Poor pup. You have just as much cabin fever as I do huh? he barks at me and I could have sworn I heard a "Yes" in it. He opens the door to the backyard and we head out to see Stella deep in thought at the picnic table. "Mind if I join you?" I implore of her, right as my phone alerts me to a new notification. I look at it, just as she says "Absolutely." It was Daniel texting me back and letting me know Ashley's tires were bad and needed to be special ordered. I think those two are up to something. I don't remember his tires looking that bad, but I'm gonna let them do whatever it is they are doing. I look at Stella and ask her what was on her mind. "Polyamory," she tells me. "Oh?" "I've been catching up to it and I am wondering if it is right for me." "Ooohhh" "Yeah." "So, what has you wondering that?" I see tears brim in her eyes and I know they are going to fall. "I love Daniel, but I don't know if I can share anyone. It might be better if I found someone who could just be mine." "Stella, that is something everyone wonders who is just starting out with this. I wonder if I can share Daniel. And now, with Ashley; and me and Ashley aren't even together. Your fears are real and valid. I am always here to talk to you. we can figure this whole polyamory thing out together." She wipes her tears away, just as Brutus comes up and licks her face. "Really?" she asks. "Yes, really. Besides, we are already in a polyamorous relationship with Brutus there." Brutus barks and we both laugh. "Look, if there is one thing I know for sure it is that you and Daniel deserve to be together just like me and him do. And you are the best sister a girl could ever hope for." "Thanks, Kiera." "Always." I whistle to Brutus and he opens the door for me. "I'm going to go make lunch. want anything?" "That's literally my job." "Not today. So?" "Ok. I'll take a ham and cheese." "Be right back."