"Nicky?" Kindlin called, coming into the house, an hour later.
"He's in the studio with Alex," Ashley said, bounding down the stairs, loudly.
"Hi, baby girl," Kin set her purse down on the couch that was nearby, and kissed Ashley's head. "Is Aaron down there with them too?"
"No, Aaron's asleep and dad's recording songs with Alex, and Aisya's down there, watching."
"Aaron's sleeping? Then what are you doing tromping down the stairs? You're gonna wake him up, silly," Kin smiled, taking Ash's hand and leading her towards the descending staircase that led to the studio downstairs. "Let's go say 'hi' to daddy."
~ * ~
"Nicky, I need to go to the grocery store. Will you come with me, or do you want to keep recording?" Kindlin asked, once Nick'd finished the song that he'd been recording when her and Ashley had come in. She gave him a quick kiss, before kissing the tops of Alex and Aisya's heads.
Nick set his head phones down and stretched, "Nah, I'll come. You want to leave the kids with Becka?" he asked, speaking of their on-call nanny.
Kin nodded, "Yeah."
~ * ~
As they pulled out of the garage, Kin decided then would be a good time to mention Jenny, and Jake, her husband. "I suppose I should tell you that I invited a lady that goes to my gym, and her husband, over for dinner."
Nick rolled his eyes with a snicker, "Ever the entertainer."
"I am not!" Kin laughed, smacking his arm with the back of her hand. "You're gonna be glad I invited them, once I tell you who they are and why they're coming to our house..."
"Aight, who are they... and why are they coming to our house?" he asked with sarcastic interest.
Kindlin glared at him, playfully, knowing he was just teasing her. She suddenly grew serious, her eyes fixing on the road that she was driving on, "Well... I found out today that Jenny (that's her name) and her husband, Jake, are in the same boat when it comes to Mrs. Kross," Kindlin spoke slowly, then faded off, waiting for a response.
Nick looked at her intently. She now had his interest.
"Except..." Kindlin continued. "It was with their daughter."
Nick's eyes grew wide. Out of all the couples that were claiming Mrs. Kross had molested their children, this was the first he'd heard of her touching a girl. "Kin..." he said, airily, not really knowing what to say. "H-How did they find out?"
She took a deep breath, the thought disgusting her, "Jake walked in on it."
Nick's eyes grew even wider, if at all possible, "I think I'm going to throw up... Kin, if I'd walked in on her touching Alex, I-I couldn't deal with tha-"
She cut him off, "I know, Nick. I know," she grabbed his hand and squeezed it gently. She couldn't bear the thought.
They held hands the rest of the way to the grocery store, in silence. It was as they stepped out of the car and began to walk into the building that Nick noticed the tears in Kindlin's eyes. He pulled her into a tight hug, in the middle of the parking lot.
"Everything's gonna be okay, baby," he whispered in her ear.
~ * ~
On the way home, Kindlin continued her story about Jen and Jake.
"One more thing... the reason they're coming over is that Jake refuses to go public about their daughter and Jen's just totally heart-broken over it. She was crying and throwing up in the bathroom at the gym... and I just felt so horrible, knowing how she feels. Yet in a way I guess I don't know how she feels... since you were willing to tell people about Mrs. Kross. So... I thought... maybe... possibly... you could talk to him. I mean, this could be a big break in the case! Maybe... I mean, y'know..."
Nick laughed at her nervousness, "Kin, darlin'... why wouldn't I? I want Wendy to pay just as much as you do..."
