Kevin sat up slowly, the room spinning and his head throbbing excruciatingly. He looked around, realized that he had no idea how he had made it to AJ’s house and groaned out loud.

"Shit!" he muttered.

From the left, a small thin hand held a cup of piping hot coffee out to him.

"Maybe this will help," she said sweetly.

As his eyes moved slowly to where she was standing, he realized that he didn’t know her and he must have interrupted something the night before as the beautiful brunette standing in front of him was in AJ’s tank top and sweats.

"Thanks" he whispered as he reached an unsteady hand towards the mug.

Instead of handing it to him, she sat down beside him and held the cup to his lips.

"Careful. It’s really hot."

"Fuck!" Kevin screeched as the liquid burned his tongue.

"I told you it was hot" she smirked.

Kevin shot her a nasty look, his temper seething.

"Don’t look at me like that! You did this to yourself, all on your own."

"Well, it was HOT. I burned my tongue," he said licking his lips, his eyes watering.

"I KNOW it’s hot. What? You wanted me to blow it for you?" Sarah said sarcastically.

From across the room AJ spoke up. "Excuse me? He wanted you to blow him?"

"The COFFEE!" they said simultaneously.

"Oh! My bad" he laughed.

Kevin rolled his eyes, a small movement that made his head throb even more, and looked back to Sarah. "I’m sorry. It’s just that my head is killing me."

"How much did you drink last night?" she asked.

Leaning forward, resting his head in his hands in an effort to squash the pain, he said, "I don’t know. Too much, I guess."

Sarah laughed causing Kevin to wince "Sorry!" she whispered.

"SO" AJ said as he plopped down into the chair across form Sarah and Kevin. "What’s got you so tore up that you felt the need to try and drown yourself in liquor?"

Kevin looked at Sarah and then to AJ. "I don’t want to talk about it!" he grumbled.

Sarah knew by the look he gave her that he wasn’t comfortable discussing his problems in front of her. "How about I cook breakfast for all of us and leave you guys to talk?"

She stood and handed Kevin the cup of coffee. "It should have cooled a little by now. But, go easy."

"Thanks" he said as she went over to AJ and leaned over him.

"Good morning, Alex."

"Good morning to you too, beautiful" he said as he kissed her softly.

Kevin and AJ both watched as Sarah sauntered out of the room and into the kitchen to cook.

"She’s quite charmingl" Kevin whispered as he attempted to take another sip of the coffee.

Smiling, AJ said, "Yeah, she is. She’s Kristina’s best friend. I met her yesterday."

Kevin almost choked on the coffee he had just swallowed as he looked at AJ. "Are you serious? What the hell is she doing here?"

"She came to warn ‘D’ about Stephen. Apparently he’s in town."

"Does Stephen know that Kris is alive?" Kevin asked.

"Shh!" AJ said as he leaned in towards Kevin. "NO, he doesn’t and neither does Sarah."

Kevin cocked an eyebrow in AJ’s direction. "You know that all of this is going to blow up in your face. You can’t keep things like that from people. And Kris is going to let ‘D’ have it when she finds out."

AJ shook his head ruefully. "I know! I tried to tell him that but he wouldn’t listen to me. He’s hell bent on protecting her."

"Yeah, but at what cost?"

"I know, bro. I know" AJ said as he ran his hands through his short black hair. "Enough about all of this. I want to know who or what has you all messed up."

Kevin sighed heavily. "Well, first off, Fiona and I broke up. She’s got unresolved feelings for Nick and she needed to make up her mind as to who she wanted to be with."

"I’m sorry, Kev. You liked her, huh?"

"Yeah, I did. There was something pure and honest about her. She’s not like most fans."

"Okay, so you are upset about not seeing Fiona anymore, but I know you didn’t get trashed over that. There has to be more going on in that thick head of yours" AJ said with a smirk.

Kevin took another sip of coffee, staring into the mug and pondering the idea of lying to AJ rather than telling him the truth. In the end he knew that he couldn’t lie and with much hesitation he began to tell AJ what had him upset enough to drink himself into a stupor.

"I went to see an old friend of mine from Disney last night and we went out to this club called ‘Mango’s’. I had just came out of the men’s room when this sweet little voice calls out to me. I turned to see this adorable redhead and when I got closer to her, I realized it was Michelle."

"Michelle who?" AJ asked.

"Michelle, Lynne’s little sister."

"No shit?"

Kevin laughed a little. "Yeah – no shit!"

"Did you ask her about Lynne and how she was doing? I still can’t figure out why she took off like she did after all the time you guys had been together. Didn’t make sense then and doesn’t make sense now" AJ said shaking his head.

"I didn’t have to ask about Lynne. After hugging me and asking how I had been, she took my hand and led me to a small corner table and started telling me EVERYTHING that had been going on with Lynne."

AJ sat pensively, waiting to hear the rest of the story.

"Michelle said that for a few months after she broke up with me that she wouldn’t talk to any of her family, not even her parents. She didn’t even go home for Christmas. When she finally decided to tell them what was going on, she showed up at her mother’s house crying and six months pregnant. She’s due in two weeks."

"Pregnant?" AJ shouted. "By who?"

Kevin looked at AJ crossly, still defensive regarding Lynne and their relationship. "Who do you think?"

"I don’t know. Who?" AJ responded innocently.

"How long have Lynne and I been broken up, Bone?"

"Damn Kev, I don’t know! Six months or so, I guess."

"Right! Now, do the Math. She’s nine months pregnant and we’ve been broken up almost seven months."

"Oh My God!" AJ exclaimed excitedly. "Do you think that’s why she broke up with you?"

Kevin sighed, his head still pounding from the hangover. "I don’t know, Bone. But I can tell you this much - I’m gonna find out."

With a huge smile on his face, AJ said, "Bro, you are about to be a Daddy! That is too cool."

Kevin began to smile as the words hit him. "Yeah, I am. I’m gonna be a daddy and have a new baby to love."

"What about Lynne?"

Kevin’s eyes blurred with tears that would never fall. "I still love her, I always have and I always will. I guess I’m gonna have to go back to LA and make her let me back into her life. This baby needs a mom and dad and that’s what he or she is going to get."

AJ handed Kevin the cordless phone and smiled. "Here, bro. Get a flight out to LA and I’ll take you to the airport. Time’s a wasting, DAD!"

Chapter 59        Index