Kevin watched from the bottom of the hill as Lila stood atop it with Justin in her arms. He smiled softly as she came back down with Justin squirming and talking his baby talk and reaching out for Kevin. He took him and held him on his hip, "You ready?"
She nodded, "Yea..let's do this."
"Ok..let's go catch our flight."
She nodded and took Justin from him and then put the baby into the carseat.
As they drove out of the main gates of the cemetery, Lila looked into the rearview mirror one last time. She had taken Justin to Scott's grave, said a small goodbye, and now she was on her way to the airport with Kevin. After much prodding on Kevin's part, she finally agreed to move to Orlando and into his house. They were still just friends but both were beginning to think of the other a little more fondly than months prior.
Two hours later, Kevin was pulling up to the front doors of his house in Orlando. He looked over, Lila had tried to sleep on most of the flight but having a three month old kind of made that hard. Justin was awake the whole time; he wasn't crying or anything like that, he was just awake and squirming and everything he could be. Lila was now about ready to fall asleep. Justin was now asleep in his car seat. He smiled, "Hey...we're here."
She looked out of the windsheild, "You live here all by yourself?"
"Well..not now."
She smiled, "Do I get a tour of this place or do I have to get lost first?"
"I'll show you around."
"cool..come on."
"Want me to get Justin?"
She shook her head,"I'll get him..hopefully, he'll stay asleep for awhile."
Lila cradled Justin against her shoulder until he got comfortable again. Kevin grabbed a couple of their bags (most of Lila's things had been sent ahead)and led her up the front stoop, unlocked the door and ushered her in.
Lila looked up and up and well...up. "Wow...Kevin.."
He smiled, "What do you think?"
The front foyer was huge, the ceiling seemed to go on forever. "It's beautiful..did you design it by yourself?"
He nodded, "Yea..I had an interior decorator too but most of it was me...come on, I'll show you upstairs and maybe we can put him in his room."
"Is it ready?"
Kevin shrugged as he started up the stairs, "No tellin'. I know Brian and Nick came over one day to put your stuff inside...they may have decided to be nice and unpack some things.."
"You let them in your house without you here?"
Kevin grinned, "I know, stupid, huh?"
She just smiled as he led her up the winding staircase. He showed her his room, another empty guestroom and at the other end of the hallway were two rooms across from one another. He pushed open one door that looked out onto the front yard and things like that. "This is yours...you can do whatever you want with it...or you can change the room or whatever.."
She smiled, "It's fine the way it is Kevin.."
"Are you sure?"
"Positive."
"Come on, let's go see how bad Nick and Brian screwed up."
Kevin pushed open the door that led to Justin's room. His jaw dropped; as did Lila's when she got a view. "Whoa..."
"Whoa is right..."
"You were wrong Kevin..real wrong.."
"Yea...I was.."
The room was painted in a light blue with a cloud border around the ceiling. And pretty much anything and everything that a baby could have was there. His crib from home was by the window with a few new stuffed animals thrown in for good measure. Lila smiled, "They knew exactly what you'd think so they went one step ahead.."
Kevin laughed, "I guess I do have to give them credit..they did a good job.."
"They did...but why? On me and him??"
"They like you apparently., "He said with a smile.
"I'm definitely going to have to pay them back for this...I mean, they barely know me!"
"Lila.."
"I'm not mad..I mean..this is wonderful Kevin..but still..they don't even know me.."
"Sure they do..they got to know you really well, and remember all those phone calls? They care about you..and even though they haven't met Justin yet, they care about him too...they're all your friends, pretty much whether you want them or not.."
"Darn..I guess I'm going to have to keep them, huh? Especially if they keep giving me things.," She said with a smile.
Kevin grinned, "Of course..use my friends."
"Of course!"
"Ok..how about you put him down and I'll show you the rest of the house?"
Lila nodded and put Justin down in the crib carefully. Kevin shut the door a little ways behind them but left it open just a bit so they could hear if he woke up.
"Sooo..what do you think?," Kevin asked about twenty minutes later as the two of them sat in the living room.
"I can see why you like this place...it's beautiful.."
"Thank you."
"I think I may just like it here.."
"I hope you do.."
The phone rang and Kevin ran to the kitchen to get it before it could wake Justin. He came back a minute later, "Think you're up for company?"
She smiled, "Was that who I think it was??"
"Yep..but hey, if you don't want them to come over, I can tell them no.."
"No..no, that's fine, really. I'd love to see the guys again."
"They may also be bringing significant others..."
She shrugged, "Doesn't matter to me.."
"You sure?"
"I'm positive..I need to get Justin up anyways so he won't be up all night..and I think I'm going to change into something else.."
He smiled, "I'll tell them to come over in like an hour?"
"Fine with me."
"ok.."
Lila walked upstairs and into 'her' room and pulled one of the boxes out and began to go through it; pulling clothes out and looking for something decent looking.
Kevin knocked on the door about fifteen minutes later; Justin in his arms. "Lila?"
"Hold on!"
"Ok.."
The door flung open a minute later, "Does this look okay?"
"Looks fine to me."
"Are you sure? I think it makes me look fat..oh wait, I AM fat."
"Lila you are not fat."
"Yes I am...geez..I look like I'm still pregnant!"
Kevin rolled his eyes and sat on the edge of the bed with Justin, "You are not and do not. You look fine to me."
"You're just sayin' that.."
"No I'm not..Lila, you had a baby three months ago, I think most women would kill to look like you after having a baby three months ago. Justin, doesn't mommy look pretty??"
Lila looked behind her reflection in the mirror. Kevin was holding Justin to it looked like he was standing up. He then began to make it look like Justin was walking and talking; which made the baby laugh. Finally, Kevin got the reaction he was hoping for, she smiled and came over to pick up Justin. She kissed his forehead, "Thank you...least one guy in my life thinks I look pretty.."
Kevin laughed, "What am I? I convinced him to say yes!"
Lila laughed, "Anyways...so this outfit?"
Kevin finally shrugged, "I don't know Lila...you look fine to me...what are you worrying about?"
"I don't know...I guess I just want everyone I DON'T know to..you know..like me.."
Kevin smiled,"You sound like you're in high school..."
"Kinda feels that way..I'm in a new school now."
"Don't. Worry. Everyone will like you and Justin."
"Everyone always likes a baby."
Kevin smiled, "But hey, he is pretty damn cute."
Lila looked at Justin who was busying trying to grab at her hair, "He is..huh?"
"Yep...everything'll be fine. I can see you and Brian's wife, LeighAnne, being really good friends."
"Tell me about the others girls?"
Kevin nodded,"Ok..LeighAnne; her and Brian have been married about 6 months now I guess. She's real nice; working on becoming an actress..I think you two will end being good friends. Umm..let's see...Sarah and AJ have been dating off and on for about three months now; she used to sing out in L.A...real nice girl..her and AJ are just about one and the same. Howie and Lynda have just started to date umm..I guess within the last month and a half or so. She works downtown for a local legal firm; real friendly, nice girl."
Lila nodded, "Ok...cool..what about Nick?"
Kevin smiled, "Nick...well, he's kinda complicated. Broke up with his last real girlfriend about eight months ago; none of us ever really liked her. Since then, he's been kind of bouncing off one to the next. He's not into like one night stands or anything but just likes to go out...I don't think he wants to be real serious right now anyways..too much stuff going on."
"Well thats understandable.."
Kevin nodded, "Yea..it is."
"So..they're all real nice?"
"Yeah..they all seem to get along with one another..and US."
She smiled, "Ok.."
"Feel a little better?"
"Yea..I guess so."
The doorbell rang from downstairs. Kevin smiled and stood up, "You better feel better, cause I bet thats Howie and Lynda first."
Lila walked slowly behind Kevin. The nervous butterflies were back...and at full force.
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