"No way." Karen's reply was resolute. "Jeffrey, it's over between us." Indeed, what Karen had found most distasteful was the child that Paige had brought into their lives.
Had Jeffrey not dropped the bomb about the pregnancy on the day she discovered her own, she might have considered a reconciliation.
Otherwise, she wouldn't have agreed to meet Jeffrey in the first place.
But after days of cool-headed reflection, she acknowledged the painful truth: Jeffrey was not her Mr. Right.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtThey were mismatched in every possible way, hence the Paige situation.
Maybe she held a slightly dearer place in Jeffrey's heart than Paige, but she could end up just like her. If she had a child, the decisions would only get tougher.
Would she divorce and join the ranks of single mothers, or would she hand the child over to the Turners and spend her days in heartache and worry? Neither option appealed to Karen.
"So, you're set on the abortion, huh?" Jeffrey finally understood her stance. "Karen, you're too rational. You never loved me!" His love for Karen had made him realize that love was supposed to be blind, reckless bravery.
Like Everett with Dorothy, willing to trample his pride and status underfoot.
Like him, swollen-faced from rejection, yet still lingering around her! She was too cool, too calculating, always sorting things out for her best interest.
That wasn't love.
"Think whatever you want. As long as you have nothing to do with me anymore," she retorted.
Karen turned to leave.
Jeffrey didn't speak but clenched his fists and followed her.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmShe thought he was seeing her home, so she didn't protest. But as Karen swung her apartment door open and stepped in, preparing to close it behind her, Jeffrey suddenly wedged his hand in the door frame! That was close. She almost crushed his hand! "Jeffrey, have you lost your mind?" "I lost it the day | fell for you. | haven't been myself since!" Jeffrey's gaze fixed on her delicate face. "Karen, if you can bear to break my hand, then close the door!" "You're insane!" "Then do it! Close it!" Jeffrey even tried to wrestle the doorknob from her grasp, his body radiating fury. "Close it! Come on, break it!" Thankfully, Karen's grip was strong enough to prevent him from taking over.
She felt the situation spiraling out of control.
"I don't want to. Let go! Jeffrey, don't lose it here!" "Let me feel the pain; maybe it'll wake me up! | think I'm sick, I'm crazy!" Jeffrey insisted on helping her close the door, and Karen felt her strength waning fast.
If she let go now, with the force Jeffrey was applying, his fingers in the door frame would surely snap.
"Let go. Jeffrey, I'm really out of strength!" Karen was exerting all her might, her face turning tomato red! Suddenly, Jeffrey's resistance faltered, and he flung the door open, trapping Karen securely in his arms.
"You can't stand to see me hurt, can you?" She didn't even have time to process what was happening, a bit dazed.
"Karen, answer me!" She looked up at Jeffrey's face, clenching her fists. "I can't stand to see anyone get hurt. Don't read too much into it! If it were Levi doing this, | would have—mmph!"