Free Indomitable Spirit by Bernadette Marie

laughed easily at the elderly man. “Mr. Wills, this is Kym O’Bryne, she runs the karate school. She’ll help you this morning.”
    “That’s fine,” he said with a smile and looked at Kym. “Your grandfather is Kym too?”
    “Yes sir, Sung-ki Kym, but he finds that going by Kym is much easier for others.”
    “He’s a fine man.” He continued to give his order to Kym and she did her best to fill it with a little help from Malory.
    But it didn’t stop at Mr. Wills. The door continued to open and close for the next hour and Kym insisted that Malory, who was still wincing from time to time, sit still and let her help.
    “You’re a life saver,” Malory said as the door closed and for the first time since Kym had stood it hadn’t opened again.
    “Do you mind if I fill my mug again?”
    “Please!” Malory shifted with another pain as Kym retrieved her mug and filled it. “So tell me about you and John Larson.”
    Kym kept her back to Malory and finished filling her mug. Why was she surprised she’d asked her about him? After all that was why she’d come so early in hopes of learning more about the man. She needed to let go the stupid notion of caring for him. Kym wasn’t a home wrecker and she wasn’t going to start either.
    “Tell you what?” She finished pouring her coffee and walked back to the table without making eye contact with Malory.
    “Has eyes for you, in case you didn’t know that.”
    Kym picked up her mug and put it to her lips. How was it that this married “friend” of John’s didn’t seem to see a problem with the eyes he had for her?
    “I think you’re mistaken. We have a working relationship and that is all.”
    “Nah, I’ve known John my whole life and the only other woman he looked at like that was Abigail.”
    The coffee burned as it slid down her throat. Abigail. She assumed that Abby would have been named after her mother.
    “Abigail is his wife?”
    Malory nodded as she sipped from her water, but Kym found that unnerving. How could she sit and casually ask her about John and then discuss his wife with her?
    “I’ve never met his wife,” Kym said as she set her mug on the table and looked back up at Malory.
    Malory’s eyes had changed and she leaned in over the table as much as she could. “Met her? Why would you have met her?”
    “John’s wife? I haven’t met many people. I haven’t run into her yet.” And now she feared doing so. If she knew what John had almost done last night—Kym was already mortified.
    “Kym, Abigail died almost three years ago.”
    Suddenly the room grew frigid cold. How had he not mentioned that? “I didn’t know.”
    “There were complications with her pregnancy. She went into labor with Cody and something went wrong.”
    Kym lifted her fingers to her mouth. “Oh.”
    “She’d only wanted three kids. John had wanted four. He holds himself responsible for her dying.”
    “Things like that just happen.”
    Malory rubbed her stomach. “I know.”
    “I’m sorry. It is very insensitive of me to talk about this with you. I’m sure you have your own worries about your baby.”
    Malory smiled. “I do, but I’m not worried that anything will happen to me. Abigail’s situation was unique to her.”
    “No wonder he’s so crabby.”
    Kym’s comment had set Malory into a fit of laughter until a pain in her stomach drew her back. “He’s a pain in the butt isn’t he?” She let out a breath. “Can’t help but adore him though. His children are wonderful. He’s doing a good job with them.”
    “That’s why Jacob is so protective over Abby.”
    Malory nodded. “He takes his role as big brother very seriously.” Malory winced again. “Oh, speak of the devil himself.”
    Kym quickly turned in her chair and looked out the front window. John had driven up and parked his truck right next to Kym’s car. He was loading up a bucket with tools and heading into the bakery.
    This was the sign that Kym should leave.
    She turned