Loving A STRANGER

Beth frowned at Nina and asked her, "What are you looking at? Come over now and thank this nice girl for saving my life."

"Mom," Nina gasped, "What did you say? Did you say that it was Kylie who saved your life? Did I hear it right?" She asked, confused with what"s really going on. 

"Of course," Beth replied. "Look at her clothes. If she hadn"t been there to save my life, they would still be clean and pressed, and we wouldn"t be having this conversation right now!"

Kylie was stunned to discover that Beth, the old lady that she"d rescued, was Nina"s mother. Lucas and Faith, behind her, were equally shocked. Nina was shocked. The only person who was not shocked, was a doctor who had just walked through the door. Nina looked at her mother and said, "I need to talk to Kylie privately."

Lucas and Faith stepped forward to talk with Beth so that Kylie and Nina could go into the corridor and discuss this new development. Once they"d found some privacy, Kylie noticed that Nina looked embarra.s.sed. "What do you have to say?" Kylie asked her, not unkindly.

 "I"m sorry for my previous att.i.tude," Nina said. "Thank you so much for saving my mom"s life today. I don"t know how to pay you back,"

"I didn"t know that Beth was your mom," Kylie replied. "Even if I had thought, I still would have helped her. As a Marxist, I hold life in high esteem."

"You were late today," Nina began, intending to say more. She found that her words caught in her throat, though, so she could not.

"It wasn"t only that," Kylie said. "Someone wanted me to be late, so they sabotaged my itinerary."

Nina signed. "Kylie Finch," she said, "I know that you"re not a bad person, but my show needs seasoned, professional actresses, and I still don"t think you fit the bill…"

Before Nina could finish talking, a middle-aged doctor called out to her: "July, is that you? It has been a long time since we"ve seen you on the island! For heaven"s sake, what are you doing here? After you dropped out of school, I had no idea what happened to you. I was very worried!"

Kylie turned and saw that the person who had called her name was none other than her old mentor, Katelyn Fanning. Back in the old days, Katelyn had treated Kylie like one of her own children. She had intended to recommend Kylie for work with Hamorna TV when Kylie graduated, but unexpectedly, Kylie had dropped out of school a month before her graduation.

"Oh, Katelyn," Kylie cried. I am so sorry to have disappointed you."

"You did disappoint me," Katelyn acknowledged, "but I love you, and all is forgiven. I am sure that you will make everything up to me eventually!"

"I sure will," Kylie replied.

Suddenly Katelyn noticed Nina, who happened to be her sister. "Nina," she laughed, "it is also very good to see you. I am glad that you were finally able to meet in July. I remember how, in the past. You kept going on and on about how much you wanted to meet her."

Katelyn turned to Kylie and said, "Nina is my younger sister. Do you work for her now?"

Nina and Kylie stared at each other, speechless, until, finally, Katelyn discerned that something was not quite right between the two of them. She asked them what was wrong and, without any delay, Kylie told her everything. Once the story was told, Katelyn looked at Nina with anger in her eyes, and she scolded her sister. "Nina," she snapped, "it is decisions like this that cause so many of your projects to fail.

"Jesus," Katelyn continued, "I can"t believe that you would deny my best student. What is wrong with you? The original idea for the program came from July, and now you"ve excluded her from her own project! What the f.u.c.k is that all about?" 

Nina: "…"

"If she hadn"t disappeared suddenly," Katelyn roared, "July would be the TV queen now. She was just 18 the year that she disappeared, and there were already several TV stations negotiating to get her on their rosters. She had even received offers to be the television hostess for many game shows, but she refused. And now you dare to deny her?!"

Nina: "…"

Katelyn turned back to Kylie and said, "July, never mind, Nina. What"s your plan next? I"ll help you!"

Seeing how much Katelyn cared about Kylie, Nina suddenly felt very annoyed with David. Everything that she"d done so far had been a result of his council. Therefore, she thought, the tongue lashing should have gone to him and not her. 

"Dear Katelyn," Kylie replied, "I"m an actress now, and I"m living my life on my own terms, and for no one but myself. That being said, I have a lot of respect for you, and I really appreciate your kindness, support, and approval. It has been too long since we last saw each other, and I"ve really missed you."

Katelyn stepped forward then and embraced Kylie. "Whatever you do, and wherever you go," she whispered into Kylie"s ear, "you will always have my love and support, and you will always be in my heart."

Kylie embraced Katelyn back firmly and said, "I will miss you a lot, once I"ve gone again."

"Me too," Katelyn replied.

When Katelyn found out that Kylie was the one who had saved her mother"s life, she treated Kylie even better than ever, and they chatted away happily, as though Nina wasn"t even there.

Two hours later, Kylie asked to leave, and Katelyn walked her, Lucas, and Faith, to the elevator, and she stood with them until the elevator arrived. 

After that, she intended to return to her mother but, as the elevator was about to open, someone stopped them. It was from Nina. "Kylie Finch," she cried, "for my mother"s sake, let"s talk."