In the meantime, Kevin was calling Howie as John looked on. The phone began to ring and Kevin had no clue as to what he was going to say. How do you explain to your best friend that the girl who broke his heart was singing in his club and didn’t know that he owned it? Although Kevin knew this was going to turn Howie’s world upside down, he deserved answers from her.

Suddenly the voice mail picked up and Kevin’s voice quivered as he began to leave the message. 

As Kevin hung up the phone, John stared at him, a confused but determined look on his face.

"He wasn’t in?"

"Apparently not, so I left him a message. Hopefully he’ll get it and come on home tomorrow" Kevin said as he sat down and ran his hands through his hair. He looked worried which puzzled John even more.

"Okay - I did what you asked. Now it’s your turn to tell me what is going on."

Kevin began to explain in full detail all he knew about Kris and Howie as John listened, stunned.

"About a year and a half ago, ‘D’ met this girl and she stole his heart. I had never seen him like that before. Always smiling, laughing and constantly spending time with her. She was really sweet and quite beautiful. But she was a little mysterious and I think that is part of what attracted him to her in the first place.

I don’t know all the details of how they met but in the beginning she called him. For some reason she wouldn’t give him her phone number. We found that a little strange but he didn’t seem to mind too much. He would pace the floor impatiently waiting for her to call and then she would come out to meet him and stay several days at a time.

After about a month of this she just kind of became a permanent fixture much to his delight. They didn’t explain and the rest of us didn’t ask. We really liked her and it just felt right having her around. They were clearly crazy about each other. One weekend about three months into the relationship, they went skiing in Colorado. Apparently they stayed in bed all afternoon the first day, and on the second day, when he woke up, she was gone. She left him a note that said something to the affect about not wanting to leave but she had to go to protect him. It also said something about not searching for her because he wouldn’t be able to find her."

"He didn’t look for her?" John asked. He couldn’t imagine his brother not searching to find her, especially considering the apparent emotional depth of their relationship.

"Oh, he looked all right. But, he didn’t know her last name or anything else that would help find her."

John listened intently; remembering how sullen ‘D’ had become over the last year. They had all questioned him about his demeanor but he wouldn’t explain other than to say that someone he cared for had betrayed him.

"What convinces you that it is Kris?" he asked.

"Well, her hair is slightly shorter now and blonde. It used to be almost waist length and dark brown. Something is different about her face too but I can’t seem to put my finger on it."

"That’s even more reason not to believe it is the same girl," John said.

"Oh, it’s her. I know it is because of those unforgettable blue eyes. That was one of the things about her that had your brother under her spell. He said all she had to do was look at him with those baby blue eyes and he couldn’t resist her."

John laughed out loud, not meaning to as Kevin looked at him oddly.

"Why the laughter?"

"Nothing" he said. "It’s just that I know what he means about her eyes. They pull you in. That’s part of the reason I pay her cash. Her eyes let me know that she’s sincere and I just trust her. I have since the moment I met her."

"You aren’t in love with her, are you?" Kevin asked hesitantly.

"No. I really like her a lot but she doesn’t let anyone get close enough to have feelings like that for her. It’s as if she’s scared of something. Terrified, actually."

"Has she ever told you anything about her past, John?"

John tried to remember their conversations and if she had mentioned anything relevant. "Only that she is ‘dead’ to her family, so she left her past behind and started fresh here. She said that she had some medical problems and the doctor suggested the sun would be beneficial to her. She also said that she had always dreamed of singing and someone once told her that Orlando was a great place for aspiring musicians."

"But why here at Tabu? I don’t understand how she ended up here of all places," Kevin said shaking his head.

"I think that had something to do with Fiona, her roommate. She had just started working here and told Kris about it."

John’s mind was reeling from everything Kevin had told him and he was still confused. Then a thought occurred to him and he conveyed that thought on to Kevin.

"Evidently it was in God’s plan, Kevin. How else do you explain it all?"

"Guess you are right. Of all cities, of all the clubs and she ends up in the one owned by the man she loved and walked away from. This must be God’s way of giving them both closure, as painful as it may be for the both of them."

Chapter 5        Index