Chapter 8
Memories
"You're killing my cell phone bill, girl." he laughingly told her once.
"Well you don't have to call, you know. I could call you."
"Nope, I'll call. I'll run this bill up into the millions as long as you're on the other end of the line. I'll do anything to hear your voice."
She loved those conversations. Loved arguing with him, talking to him. Just hearing him breathe on the phone made her happy. She'd stopped dating other guys and barely had time for her girls.
"You know Diana, you make me sick. You don't call us, you barely acknowledge we exsist. All over some dude and don't gimme any bullshit, I know it's a guy!" Ronnie was kidding but she wanted to find out who the guy was that would make Diana drop her friends.
"Have I gotten that bad, ya'll?"
"YES!" Annie and Ronnie replied. They laughed too. Someone was making Diana happy and they didn't care about not seeing her, as long as she was ok.
Her father insisted on meeting Kevin and that gave Stephanie a case of hives.
"Look at this. Is this your birh certificate?" Her father was giving her his standard speech.
"Yes, Daddy, but.."
"Does it list you as Diana Stephanie Manning?"
"Yes, Daddy, but..."
"Does it list the father as Isaac Manning?"
Stephanie sighed. "Yes it does, daddy...can I please explain?"
"No. As long as I am your father, you will bring these little piss-ant boys to the house so that I can see who they are, just in case your uncle needs to kill them!"
"Daddy! You will not have Uncle Eric after another boyfriend of mine! That is way I don't bring them home anymore. You keep threatening to kill them.
"When they have daughters they can do what they like. As long as you are my daughter I will do this."
Her father sighed. "Honey this is the best way I know to protect you. I know it's not necessary. You're an extremely smart young woman. Yes I trust you. It's the guys I don't trust."
"Daddy, If it makes you feel any better, he's dying to meet you to. He really wants to. So you know it's me and not him, ok?"
"Ah so you're embarrased by your family?"
"Of course not, Daddy. I...I just don't want to share him yet. Trust me. He...He's a good man. You will like him when you meet him. Even if he doesn't root for the right teams."
She was hearing the same thing from Kevin.
"You don't want me to meet your family, do you? Why?"
It was one of their rare weekends together. He'd been able to slip away from the guys and her away from her family. No easy feat on either's part.
"I do want you to meet them. My father ESPECIALLY wants to meet you. He wants to see what you look like in case he needs to put a hit out on you." She laughed but Kevin didn't even blink.
"I don't blame him. His baby is disappearing with some guy and he doesn't know anything about the guy. He just wants to protect you. He's a good man."
I was brought out of my thoughts with a light tap to my shoulder.
"Hey stranger. Long time no see"
Annie slid in the limo with Ronnie right behind her.
I could do nothing but cry.
"Ok, that's it. I'm kickin some Backstreet Ass!!! Nobody makes my girl cry!" Ronnie was pissed and trying desperately not to cry herself.
"Ok girl, give us the dirt. What's going on? I thought they were nice guys." Annie was the sensible one. Ronnie...well Ronnie was the leader of the Kick Ass Ask Questions Later club.
"They are just like us. They are nice to each other and their fans. If they think you are going to hurt one of them, or someone they love, they surround and go into attack mode." I spoke through tears.
"So I should Let Ronnie at'em or what?"
"No. I just need people here on my side, you know? I need to know someone is looking after me."
"Well let's get back over there and let them know, Kevin has them but you've got us and we aren't havin any crap!"
I laughed at Ronnie and got hugged by her and Annie. As we headed back to the hosptial I filled them in on Ms Ann and the fans that would likely have taken over the parking lot.
I was right. It was almost impossible to get back into the parking garage. Almost.
The driver alerted the security team and they were led right into the parking garage. The driver parked and security met us.
"Ms. Manning, Mrs. Richardson said for you to hurry. Kevin seems to be waking up."
I couldn't get to the elevator fast enough.
Chapter 7
Chapter 9
The Call Main
