Kristin stepped off of the airplane, looking stunning as even in a pale blue silk pantsuit, a pair of four-inch strappy cream colored pumps and her Louis Vuitton bag slung over her shoulder. She walked with the confidence and grace of the beautiful woman she was, pushing her long blonde curls over her shoulder as she gazed around the tarmac for Kevin’s familiar face.
Standing at the back of the small crowd that had gathered to greet their loved ones Kevin’s eyes locked with his wife’s eyes for a split second, a forced smile on his face as she picked up her pace jumping into his arms and wrapping her long lean legs around his waist.
“I missed you Baby!” She squealed burying her head in his shoulder, inhaling the scent of his cologne. “I missed this.”
Folding his arms around her back his body was rigid with tension as he slowly eased her down to the ground.
“It about killed me to leave Nate this morning.” She continued talking, sliding an arm around his waist as they walked towards the terminal. “He batted those big green eyes at me and I just wanted to scoop him up and hide him in my carryon bag.” Laughing she glanced up at Kevin expecting to see a smile on his face but instead he just stared straight ahead a glassy look in his eyes.
“Kevin?” Stopping she released her hold on his waist and stepped back. “Honey what’s the matter?”
“Nothing.” His voice was unconvincing as he avoided direct eye contact with her.
“Nothing? Well it sure seems like something to me?” Folding her arms across her chest Kris tapped her foot on the ground.
“Look, can we talk about this when we get back to the hotel?” Kevin suddenly became very conscious of the fact that people were staring at them as the two stood toe to toe in the middle of the airport terminal.
“No Kevin. I want to talk about it now. I want to know why you’ve been so distant and pissy with me the last few days.”
“Kris.“
“Kevin.”
“Look can we please talk about it back at the hotel?” Backing down Kristin’s arms dropped to her sides.
“Fine Kevin. We’ll talk about it back at the hotel.”
* * *
Pushing the stroller down the tree lined path Lily spotted an empty bench near a playground bustling with laughing screaming children.
“Do you want to go and watch the children play Kayden?” She cooed walking towards the bench a winsome smile on her face.
Sitting down she positioned the stroller beside her so that Nate could watch the kids. After a moment a nice woman sat beside her.
“Okay kids you go and play and remember to be nice.” She shouted after the two children who looked to be about three and five.
“We will, we will.” They laughed skipping down the slight incline to the playground.
“Hello.” Looking over at Lily the woman smiled. “Nice day to come to the park.”
“Yes it is.” Lily replied running a hand over Nate’s silky black hair. “Kayden loves the park.”
“He’s a beautiful boy, you and your husband must be proud.” The woman said smiling as she leaned down to coo in Nate’s face.
“We’re very proud of him.” Lily replied, as the cell phone in Nate’s diaper bag began to ring.
“Excuse me for a moment.” She mouthed the words to the woman as she flipped open the cell phone placing it to her ear.
“Hello.”
“Leslie it’s me.” She beamed at the sound of Kevin’s voice. “I needed to hear your voice.” Turning her back slightly to the woman on the bench beside her Lily replied.
“Is everything okay?”
“I don’t know?” Kevin leaned his elbows on the hotel balcony watching a group of teenagers splashing in the pool below. “We just got back to the hotel so she wants to take a shower and freshen up.”
“How did she seem?”
“She seems fine? Her eyes are clear, she is coherent. I just find it hard to believe she could be abusing drugs. I guess I just don’t want to believe it.”
“I don’t either Kevin. Maybe we’re both wrong? I pray to God that we are.”
“Me too.” Looking over his shoulder Kevin saw Kristin’s reflection walk past the sliding glass door as she walked into the livingroom.
“I’m going to talk to her now, it’s time to get to the bottom of what is going on.”
“You promise you’ll leave me out of it right?”
“You know your info is safe with me Les.”
“Call me later?”
“For sure.”
Clicking the end button Lily slipped the phone back into the diaper bag with a sigh.
“Was that your husband?” The woman asked thumbing through a well-worn copy of Vogue as the children’s laughter continued on in the background.
“Yes. He was just calling to check up on us.”
“That’s so sweet.”
“He’s a wonderful man, every girls fantasy.” Lily pushed her long blond braid off of her shoulder. “When he’s out of town he sends me long stemmed peach colored roses, he never forgets a birthday or an anniversary and he never forgets to go to bed without telling me he loves me.”
“Wow, he’s quite a catch.” The woman set down her magazine. “You and your son are both very lucky.”
“Don’t we know it.”
* * *
“Do you care if I hang back here instead of going to the concert?” Sitting on the bed Kris watched Kevin as he loaded up his duffel bag.
“I don’t care.” He shrugged. “If you don’t want to see us perform it’s no skin off my nose.”
“That’s not what I meant Kev. It’s just that I don’t have a lot of spare time to myself anymore and I was thinking it would be nice to be able to take a long bath and relax.”
Stuffing his favorite pair of sweat shorts into the bag Kevin shrugged again.
“Seems like you have a lot of free time to me.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“What that means is that everytime I call Leslie is the one at home taking care of our son and making him the incredible little person he is while you’re out living your life.”
“Kevin! I can’t believe you just said that?” Standing up Kristin seethed. “Is this why you’ve been treating me so shitty lately. Because you think I’m not being a proper mother to Nate?”
Dropping the duffel bag Kevin turned his eyes blazing.
“No Kristin. The reason I’ve been treating you so shitty lately is because you’re fucked up on drugs and not being a proper mother to Nate!”
* * *
The fight had been wicked, both of them screaming things at each other that they would regret.
At one point Kristin picked up an ornate hand carved lamp from one of the night stands hurling it across the room, the base of the lamp catching Kevin on the forehead as it shattered to the ground.
“Son of a bitch!” He screamed grabbing at his forehead as the cut began to ooze blood.
“Kev….Kris?” Both of them turned to see Nick standing in the doorway to the room a puzzled look on his face.
“Get out.” Kristin shouted pointing at Nick.
“I came to get Kev. We have to leave for the concert.” Ignoring Kristin’s command Nick walked over to Kevin inspecting his wound. “C’mon man, this isn’t right. You need to just walk away and cool off.”
“You’re right Nick.” Glaring at his wife Kevin walked across the room retrieving his duffel bag. “This isn’t finished Kristin.” He spat pulling away as Nick reached out for him.
“Kev, c’mon man.”
“You’re right Kevin, it’s far from finished. I’ll be waiting here when you get back.” She shot back, wiping at the perspiration that dotted her upper lip.
Turning Kevin walked from the room the sound of the front door slamming echoing throughout the hotel room as Kristin dropped to the bed and began to sob.
* * *
“What the hell happened to you?” Brian questioned Kevin as he walked into the locker room of the venue a pissed off look on his face as he slung his duffel bag across the room knocking over a folding chair.
“Don’t ask.” Nick mumbled bringing up the rear.
“I need to make a call.” Stooping down to retrieve his cell phone from the duffel bag Kevin turned to face his friends. “Can I have some privacy please.”
“Fuck Kev what are you gonna do call your nanny? You guys are getting awfully close lately aren’t you?” A.J. shed his black t-shirt in favor of his maroon satin stage shirt.
“Shut up!” Kevin stood up advancing on A.J. the cell phone in his hand. “All of you just shut the hell up.” Backing up A.J. dropped his head against one of the lockers a slight sneer on his face.
“Kev, you’re losing it man. Keep it together, if it’s drugs you can get her help. It’s not like she killed someone.”
“She’s killing me.” Kevin whispered turning and walking towards the bathroom.
“Kevin, we have to be on stage in five minutes.” Howie called out as Kevin flipped on the light to the bathroom, walking inside and slamming the door shut behind him.