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Detoured	By : Tansterz Category: Singers/Bands/Musicians > Kelly Clarkson Views: 3524 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. I do not know Kelly Clarkson. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
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Kelly had remained silent for minutes, clearly something Jeanne wasn’t used to witnessing. Instead of pushing Kelly to say anything she sat back and allowed her daughter to process the information she had revealed to her. She watched as Kelly lifted her casted arm from her side and slowly draped it across her stomach before glancing down at her fingers.

Finally she broke the silence. “Where’s my ring?” She questioned quietly, keeping her eyes locked on her swollen fingers.

Jeanne propped herself up in her chair. “Uh…” She glanced on the stand behind her, wondering if perhaps Carrie had set her belongings there yesterday. “Carrie must have taken your things with her.” She concluded when she didn’t see the zip lock baggie Dr. Coleman had given to her daughter in-law the day before.

Kelly sighed and quietly shut her eyes. “Is there anything else I need to know?” She asked, slowly opening her eyes and averting them towards the ceiling.

Jeanne clasped her hands together in her lap and remained silent for a moment, wondering how to answer that question.

“There’s probably a lot you need to know, Kelly, but I don’t think cramming information into your brain at one time is the way to go about it.”

She turned her heads towards her mother, her eyes silently pleading. “Then tell me the most important stuff.”

The most important stuff was indeed the heavier news to break. Where did she begin to explain Lyra to her daughter? Her piecing together a marriage she didn’t recall existing was one thing, revealing to her that she was a mother herself was another story.

“You’re hesitating…” Kelly pointed out, eyeing her mother carefully.

Jeanne cleared her throat, deciding to hold off on the bigger news a little longer. “Well, one thing…you don’t have to worry about missing out on anything major where your career is concerned while you’re down.”

Kelly stared at her mom blankly, waiting for her to continue.

“Let’s just say after you toured for your fourth album, you took a little break.”

“So you’re saying I gave up my career for Carrie?”

Jeanne nodded. “You could say that.”

Shifting her head away from her mom Kelly allowed herself to sink comfortably against the pillows supporting her.

“God, the idea of me even being married is completely unreal to me right now. I really put my career on hold for her?” She paused and remained silent for a moment before speaking again, “She must’ve been really special then.” She concluded.

Jeanne felt herself smile. “She’s not the only reason you decided to take a break, Kel.” She added gently.

Kelly shifted her head towards her mother again. “What do you mean?”

Taking a deep breath and releasing it slowly, Jeanne leaned forward for her purse. Kelly kept her eyes focused on her mother, unblinking as she watched her fish through her purse until she finally found whatever it was she had been looking for.

“I can show you this better than I can explain it really…” She spoke softly as she flipped her wallet open to a photo before passing it over to Kelly.

Kelly reached out and took the extended wallet into her hand. Immediately she felt a lump form in her throat as her eyes focused on the three people in the photo. She was at a loss for words as realization began to set in.

“I…” She felt her eyes stinging followed by the dampness on her cheeks. Unable to form the thoughts reeling around in her head into complete sentences she passed the wallet back over to her mom.

“What’s her name?”

“Lyra Marie, she’s two, and the absolute spitting image of you.”

She chuckled softly at the thought and just as quickly as the tiny hint of a smile spread across her face, it was gone. Resting the wallet in her lap, Jeanne reached out and gently took Kelly’s hand into her own.

“I know this is all very surreal to you, Kel, but you will remember the things that are unclear right now, okay?”

She squeezed her eyes shut tight and held off the tears that threatened to fall. “But what if I don’t?”

____________________________________________________________________

Absentmindedly her finger traced along the rim of the mug in front of her as her eyes stayed blindly glued to her Blackberry. Honestly she had half the mind set to toss the thing across the kitchen right now. With a slight smirk she pushed her cup of tea aside and finally reached out for her phone, fighting her previous urge to throw it.

“Hey, how are you holding up?”

She lifted her eyes from the screen and slowly followed the voice. Catching sight of Ashley as she entered the kitchen she offered a polite smile before lowering her eyes again.

“As best as I know how.” She replied hoarsely while fingering through her messages.

Ashley moved towards the island in the center of the kitchen and slowly hoisted herself up onto a stool, seating herself in front of Carrie who stood on the other side.

She nodded down at the blonde’s phone. “Work stuff?”

Carrie lifted her head and her tired eyes locked on Ashley’s. “Yeah, can you fucking believe it? You know they’ve heard about what’s happened by now and yet here they are pestering me.” She huffed out, groaning loudly when her phone beeped in her hand.

Holding up a finger to Ashley for a moment she silently excused herself and took the call as she exited the kitchen. There was no point in continuing to ignore the calls and messages she knew would keep coming.

She tried to mask her irritation but the truth was she was burned out. “Hello?” The perky voice on the other end of the line was the last thing she wanted to hear right now.

Rolling her eyes she quickly cut the girl off. “Look, Gabby, I know you’re just doing your job, but I’m going to need you to clear my schedule until further notice.”

She listened to the girls protests for a couple of seconds before continuing. “I understand that, but I need you to understand that my family comes first. I haven’t asked for time off in years, just make it happen.”

When she ended the call she made her way back into the kitchen feeling like she had finally accomplished something.

“Are you hungry, blondie?” Ashley questioned from the refrigerator.

Carrie collapsed onto the stool Ashley had been occupying moments before and reached out for her now lukewarm tea.

“No, I’m fine. I’m not really hungry.”

Ashley bumped the refrigerator door shut with her hip and crossed back over to the island.

“I’ve noticed you haven’t really been hungry since we’ve got here.” She pointed out, raising a brow at the country singer.

Carrie’s shoulders slumped forward as she took a sip of her tea. “Ash…” She warned, causing the other girl to hold her hands up in surrender.

“You don’t gotta shoot me twice.” She announced as she made her way around the familiar kitchen.

With her back turned to Carrie she decided to change the subject. “Are you planning on going back to the hospital today?”

“I don’t know. I know how hard this is proving to be for me, I can only imagine how much worse it has to be for her. It’d probably be best if I didn’t go.” She shrugged.

Ashley turned and faced her. “Well, I was gonna go back after I ate and changed and stuff…I’ll see how she’s holding up and see what Jeanne says.” She said, turning her back to Carrie again.

Carrie nodded before a silence fell between her and her sister in-law. As she finished off the rest of her tea she sat her empty mug down onto the counter and leaned forward, resting on her elbows.

“Hey, Ash…” She trailed off and waited for the other girl to face her.

Slowly Ashley turned away from the cabinet she was currently browsing through and gave Carrie her full attention.

“Do you believe in second chances?”

Ashley remained silent for a moment as she thought about an answer to the question.

“I don’t really know how to answer that, Care. I guess it depends on the people and the situation…” She offered sincerely.

Carrie sunk her teeth into her bottom lip and nodded her head before releasing her lip.

“Why do you ask?” Ashley wondered.

“I asked because I…I’m in desperate need of one, but I’m not even sure I deserve it.”
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