“Hey Sweetie.” Sitting on the end of the lounge chair Kris noticed a nick in her pink toenail polish. When there was no reply on the other end of the line she continued. “So how are things going so far?”
“How’s my son?” Kevin’s voice finally came over the phone line.
“He’s fine?” Kristin answered a look of confusion on her face. “Kevin is everything okay?”
“Where have you been?” Kevin’s voice was flat, and it was obvious that he was irritated.
“Well, I was here at the house for most of the morning with Leslie and Nate and then Les convinced me to go out so I went to the gym and did some shopping.”
“I tried to call you all day.” Walking into a shop Kevin made his way to the far corner of the store, standing beside a display of denim jackets for some privacy.
“Oh, “ laughing Kris saw Leslie watching her through the sliding glass doors of the living room. “It’s the funniest thing; the phone cords were all unplugged. I think the maid did it or something while she was cleaning. Anyway I just discovered it about forty five minutes ago so I plugged them all back in.”
“And your cell phone?” Leaning back against a wall stocked with wild colored t-shirts Kevin watched the people milling about on the sidewalk outside.
“It was in the couch cushions and it was turned off so I didn’t know you were trying to call.” Waving Leslie outside Kris continued the conversation. “Listen Hon you’re sounding a little paranoid there? Did something happen today?” Walking out onto the patio Lily sat in a chair beside Kristin with a smile.
“I was just worried, that’s all.” He answered his voice sad.
“Why would you be worried? I’m fine and now we have a wonderful nanny looking after Nate.” Reaching over she patted Lily on the knee with a wink.
“I guess-” Pausing Kevin sighed. “I guess I’m just worried that if I’m gone for too long you and Nate……..maybe you won’t need me anymore.” As the words left his mouth Kevin knew that he sounded stupid, and insecure.
“Kevin.” Kristin’s voice was soft, “We will always need you baby. And you going away on tour isn’t going to change that.”
“I’m sorry Kris.” Bowing his head Kevin rubbed at an imaginary spot on his jeans. “Sorry that I’m such an ass.”
“Kevin you are not an ass. You’re a husband and father who loves his family and I love you for that.”
“I love you too.” Tears welling in his eyes Kevin sighed.
“Now go and get some sleep and I’ll call you in the morning okay?”
“Okay.”
Kristin waited until Kevin hung up before she set the phone down on the table.
“Is he okay?” Pulling her knees up to her chest Lily nodded towards the phone.
“He’ll be fine, he’s just having a hard time leaving Nate.”
“I can imagine.” Dropping her feet to the tiled patio Lily stood up stretching. “But that doesn’t mean he has to get after you.”
“He wasn’t getting after me.”
“Oh, I’m sorry I must have misinterpreted things. It just sounded like he was upset, and from what you’ve told me about him he didn’t sound like the jealous possessive type.” Walking a few steps away from Kristin Lily paused just long enough to let Kris mull over her words before speaking again. “Well I guess I’m going to bed.”
“Huh?” Glancing up from the ground Kristin blinked.
“I’m going to bed.”
“Yeah, okay. I guess I'll see you in the morning.”
Looking over at the phone-sitting mute on the table Kristin could still hear Kevin’s words ringing loudly in her ears as Lily walked away.
“Where have you been?”
“I tried to call you all day.”
“And your cell phone?”
His voice had been so cold and abrupt……and accusing.
“……that doesn’t mean he has to get after you.”
“Oh, I’m sorry I must have misinterpreted things. It just sounded like he was upset, and from what you’ve told me he just didn’t sound like the jealous possessive type.
Kevin wasn’t the jealous possessive type, it wasn’t his style. Or at least it hadn’t been before Nate was born?
Standing in the window staring at the woman she was determined to destroy Lily was sure that the seeds of doubt had been planted.
Now all she had to do was help them grow.
* * *
“Hey man you okay?” Walking across the t.v. room Kevin tossed his hat and cell phone to the glass topped table before sinking down into the couch cushions beside his cousin.
“Yeah I’m okay.”
“Did you talk to Kris?”
“Yup.” Propping his feet up on the table Brian couldn’t help but notice the way Kevin’s legs nervously jiggled as he reached for the remote control in Brian’s hand.
“Is everything okay at home?”
“You tell me.” Kevn answered pulling the remote from Brian’s loose grip as he hunted around the stations for something to take his mind off of the fact that with each passing day he would be traveling further and further away from the one’s he loved.
“Kev you’re talking in riddles or something? I don’t know what you’re saying?”
“Kris just seemed weird that’s all.”
“Weird like how?”
“You know she cheated on me right?” Settling on a college basketball game where the score was too far apart to even care Kevin tossed the remote back to Brian.
“Yes.” Brian answered gingerly his eyes shifting from the game to Kevin and back to the game again.
“Did you know it was more then once?”
“Kev-“
“You can say you knew Brian. Everybody knew it…..everybody but me.” Reaching for the remote Brian snapped off the t.v. before sitting up.
“Kevin that was a long time ago. Kris loves you and you love her. You’re committed to each other and to being parents to Nate.”
“You’re right, you’re right.” Sitting up Kevin dragged his hands through his hair with a small laugh.
“Being a new father, the CD, this tour, sharing a bus with Nick. Everything has me so fucked up right now I don’t know which way is up.”
“C’mon Kev, let’s hit the sack, it’s been a long day and tomorrow is going to be even longer with all the interviews and appearances we’ve got scheduled.” Standing up Brian walked around the back of the couch as Kevin stretched out his legs in front of him yawning.
“Hey, by the way I talked to the new nanny tonight when I called.”
“So what did you think?” Waiting as Kevin walked around the back of the couch the two men walked side by side down the hallway towards the master bedroom suites.
“She was nice and really easy to talk to. It makes me feel good to know that my wife and son are being looked after by somebody who really cares.”
“That’s great Kev. See everything will work out, you’ll see.” Slapping his cousin on the back as they neared the end of the hallway both men said goodnight as Brian turned right and Kevin turned left shutting their bedroom doors behind them.