Walking Corpse

chapter six

"Talk to them. That's all you have to do," She shrugs then sips her coffee.

"Could you get me a flight to Philly by tonight?" He asks as he stands.

"Set things right, don't think of anything else," Nelly nods.

Kai nods and thanks her quickly before rushing off to the retirement home where Scott still remained at. He found Scott in the entertainment room playing chess on his own. His dull blue eyes looked up as Kai approached him.

"Kai, what are you doing here?" Scott questions.

"I—I came here to see you."

"I believe you came here to actually talk more rather than see me."

"You know me, gramps," Kai rolls his eyes and takes a seat, "I never learned how to cope with it."

"Speak your mind, son."

"I suppose I'm here to make my amends for how I've been lately. I didn't need to push away the ones I loved when I'm fighting a battle on my own. I was just afraid of hurting the people around me," Kai explains quickly.

Scott nods and breathes out heavily, "It's alright."

He studies the chess pieces and all the possible moves that could be made. There was an uneasy silence settled between them, it made Kai have a need for Scott to say more. Wasn't there more to say than two words?

"Is that all?" Kai says quietly.

Scott shifts in his seat uncomfortably not knowing how to respond. He clears his throat before speaking, "It was like you forgot about the ones who cared for you. The people who always stood by your side—you pushed them away as if they meant nothing. I know you tend to do this often but it's not a tactic you should always resort to."

His response spoke the entire truth, it made Kai question his actions once again. The bad habit he could never get out of. He still hurt the ones closest to him even if he distanced himself. The thought of Dakota's response to all this made his heart hurt. There was the physical feeling of it. The way his chest seemed to tighten up and the sudden loss of breath.

"I was—I don't know—I didn't know what else to do. I was so consumed by running from my fears instead of turning to the people who could help me."

Scott rubs his temple and sighs, "I believe you owe Dakota more of an apology. I may have understood but Dakota—she didn't understand how to cope with someone like you pushing her away."

He was afraid of facing her, to know what she went through. What if he hurt her in ways he didn't mean to?

"What did she do?" God, he was afraid of the answer to this.

"She fell back into the depression that you helped her out of a few years ago. Kate has informed me that Dakota had once attempted after you pushed her away. Dakota is unstable," Scott explains the best he can.

"Is unstable the word?"

"What would you say?"

"She's lost like I was."

Scott moves a chess piece and nods, "So you're saying you aren't lost anymore and that's why you're here?"

"For a moment but then it passed," Kai pauses, "I came to a realization between that time and saw how wrong everything was. I understood how wrong my actions were."

"I can forgive you, Kai. I always will. I hope Dakota can do the same and if she doesn't—I hope she learns to forgive you," Scott gives Kai an approving nod.