Marriage by Mistake

argument was interrupted by the sound, once again, of the doorbell.
    "Who is that?" Kirk wanted to know.
    Kelly shrugged. "Given my day so far, it could be anybody." Angry now, she strode to the front door and swung it wide. Her mouth was open to tell off whoever stood there.
    Dean stood there. Beautiful, sober-faced, suit, tie, and everything. Kelly couldn't close her opened mouth. Her heart thudded painfully against her ribcage. No, her mind told herself. He couldn't be here. He hadn't sent Kirk and Robby, so he had no reason to be here. And was that a bruise on his jaw?
    Dean's gaze was completely unfathomable. Then he looked past Kelly and his expression changed dramatically. "What are you doing here?"
    Kelly heard Kirk's drawl. "Same thing you are, no doubt. Begging."
    Dean's gaze switched back to Kelly. For an instant she thought she saw...acknowledgment? Then the mask came down again.
    "Excuse me." Dean shifted past Kelly and let himself into her apartment. "You are leaving," he told his father. "Now."
    "Hey, wait a minute." Kelly turned on her doorstep. Dean had just walked in, and intended to clear everyone else out. Panic banged in her chest. She didn't want to think about why her husband might be here, or what he'd have to talk to her about—alone. "This is my home. I'll decide who leaves or stays."
    Dean whirled on her. "But we have to talk."
    Was that so? With the panic banging harder, Kelly set her hands on her hips. "So happens Kirk and I have to talk, too."
    Dean's gaze went incredulous. "What could you and Kirk possibly have to talk about?"
    "Me." Robby stepped forward from his corner. "They're arguing over who has to take care of me."
    Kelly saw Dean's jaw drop. "You?"
    "That's not what we're talking about," Kelly said quickly.
    "Is so," Robby argued.
    "Actually," Kirk weighed in. "We were talking about who had to tell Dean you were here. That's a much different subject."
    "Sounds the same to me," Robby sniffed.
    "Wait," Dean said.
    "We were not arguing over who had to tell Dean," Kelly spoke to Kirk. "That was decided."
    "Oh? Then what did the two of us have to talk about?" Kirk sounded interested.
    "Wait," Dean said again, louder.
    "I don't know what," Kelly told Kirk. "But I'm sure it was something. And you got here first."
    Kirk looked pleased. Dean shouted louder, "Wait!"
    His voice reverberated against Kelly's peach-colored walls. For a moment there was silence. Then Dean slit his eyes toward his father. He spoke low, but clearly. "I don't know what kind of trouble you're here to stir up, but I give you fair warning, I won't allow it."
    Kirk puffed himself up. "I'm sure I don't have any idea what you mean."
    "It's not as if Dad knew you were coming," Robby told Dean, adopting his own lecturing tone. "Come to think of it, what are you doing here?"
    "Yes," Kirk wanted to know, too. "Why are you here?"
    Dean looked at Kelly. Her heart was too high in her throat for her to say anything, but she was asking the question hardest of all. What was he doing here? The marriage was over. He'd told her so. And she'd agreed. Kelly swallowed. This had to be about their divorce.
    "There's something— I'd really like to talk to you," Dean said softly. "Couldn't we speak alone?"
    Kelly tried to breathe. No. She didn't want to discuss a divorce. She didn't want that to be what he'd come all the way across the country to discuss. "No, I— No," she said.
    Kirk snorted. "There. What does that tell you, son? She doesn't want to be alone with you."
    Kelly lifted her chin. Kirk was right, but for the wrong reasons. "Whatever you have to say," she told Dean, "can be said right here and now."
    Dean's accusing look nearly killed Kelly, but she wasn't going to budge. If he really wanted to end everything, permanently, she didn't want to take it alone.
    His jaw tightened. "You're making this extremely difficult."
    "I—I'm sorry, but this is the way it has to be."
    Dean's lashes lowered. "I see." Then he raised his eyes again. His lips firmed. "Fine. If this is the way you want it."
    Kelly straightened. "It is."
    "Go ahead," Kirk sighed. "Get it over with, already."
    Dean shot his father a fulminating look, then turned back to Kelly. "All right. I'll say it. I want you to come home."
    A moment of intense silence followed this pronouncement. Kelly felt her heart stop right in her chest. He wanted her to come home. It was the last thing she'd expected him to say.
    Dean turned red but he barreled on. "I want you to come