Christmas was spent with Kevin’s family in Kentucky. He and Morgan had gone shopping a couple days after Thanksgiving so they could buy a few things together for his family. He had called his mother at Thanksgiving and told her about Morgan; he was pleased to know that his mother was looking forward to meeting his new girlfriend.
On Christmas Eve afternoon, as they drove to his mother’s from the airport, Kevin noticed that Morgan was nervous. He reached over and took her hand, lifting it to his lips & kissing the tips of her fingers. “What’s wrong, Baby?”
“I’m just a little nervous about meeting your family, that’s all. I mean, are you sure they’ll like me?”
“When I talked to mom last night, she was looking forward to meeting you & made me promise that I wouldn’t let you back out of coming today,” he smiled. He kissed her hand again but never let go of it.
“I’ve just never had to meet a guy’s family before. I never really had the time to date while I was a teenager, what with moving all the time, then I just never had a lot of time to date anyone after I started working. The only time I really dated anyone, Kris set me up on dates! And it usually lasted only a couple months. So, forgive me if I seem more than a little nervous!” she laughed.
“I forgive you; but, if it makes you feel better, I’m a little nervous about this, too. But I have all the confidence that this will turn out ok,” he smiled.
He parked the car, getting out then walked around and helped Morgan out of the car, holding her hand so she wouldn’t slip on the wet ground. They took the two large bags of gifts out of the backseat and walked hand in had to the front door.
As they reached the front door, it was opened and his mother embraced both Kevin & Morgan in warm hugs.
“Mom, I want you to meet Morgan; Morgan, my mom, Ann,” Kevin said, smiling as he closed the door.
“Morgan, it’s wonderful to finally meet you! Kev’s told me a lot about you!” his mother said, leading them into the living room.
“It’s good to meet you, also, Mrs. Richardson,” Morgan said, smiling.
“If you’re good enough for my son to bring home to meet me, call me ‘Mom’; or you can call me Ann,” she said as she hugged Morgan.
“Where is everyone, Mom?” Kevin asked, setting the presents down next to the tree.
“They will be here in the morning. So it’s just the three of us tonight, so Morgan & I can get to know each other better,” she smiled.
“That’s fine. I’ll be right back; I have to get the suitcase out of the car.”
“Kevin has told me a lot about you, Morgan. He says it was instant attraction when he and the Boys went into your store in New Orleans,” Ann said, smiling.
“Yes, ma’am, it was. Alex told me later that Kevin had been in a bad mood and that he & Howie had decided to see if he would go out shopping with them. He agreed, and we met when they came into my shop to buy some gifts,” Morgan said, smiling.
“Of course I was in a bad mood that day. I had been in a foul mood for months,” Kevin said, sitting down next to Morgan, putting his arm around her shoulders. “I was still real bitter about my divorce and all the publicity it had gotten,” he scowled.
“I’m sorry, Kev; I didn’t mean to bring that all up,” Morgan said putting her hand on his leg.
“It’s ok, baby. I’m not as angry about it anymore. I have you now!” he smiled. “It’s Christmas and I’m at home with my two favorite women,” he smiled at her & his mother.
That evening after dinner, Morgan excused herself, saying she was tired. “I think it’s just the flight catching up to me; I don’t like flying much,” she apologized.
“I completely understand, Dear! Just go on to bed and we’ll see you in the morning,” Ann said, hugging Morgan good night.
“Good night, Baby. I’ll come to bed in a little while, ok?” Kevin said, hugging her and giving her a small kiss on the lips.
“Ok, good night,” she said, returning his kiss and making her way to the guestroom down the hall.
“She’s a sweet girl, Kevin; I like her,” she told her son as she handed him the last dish. “I think you made a good choice with her.”
“Thanks, Mom,” Kevin said as he put the plate in the cabinet. “It means a lot to me to hear you say that, especially after what happened with…” he started.
“Don’t, Kevin. I don’t want to hear any mention of her, not here, not now at Christmas. It was her fault, not yours. I don’t blame you for doing what had to be done. It’s over now and you have a very beautiful and loving girlfriend here to spend the holidays with; I hope you keep her happy, Dear.”
“I plan to, Mom, don’t worry. She makes me very happy; I don’t plan to let go of her very soon or very easily,” he told her.
He and his mother stayed up for a few hours, talking. He told her about the tour and about some of the new material for the new album. Around 11 p.m., his mother kissed his cheek good night, saying she would see him in the morning.
“I think I’m gonna stay up for a little longer, Mom. Sleep well,” he said, kissing her cheek.
About fifteen minutes later, as the fire in the fireplace started to die, he felt a hand on his shoulder. He leaned his head back and looked up into Morgan’s blue eyes. “I thought you were asleep, Baby,” he said, as she walked around and sat down next to him. He smiled seeing her dressed in a pair of black leggings & one of his T-shirts.
“I was. Then I had a really weird dream; it didn’t make any sense, just a lot of jumbled images and a sense of anger & hatred,” she explained as Kevin wrapped his arms around her.
“Well, don’t worry about it right now. Just try to relax,” he said softly, stroking her hair as she leaned against him.
They sat quietly for a few more minutes then he realized that she had fallen back to sleep. He picked her up carefully and carried her back to the bedroom, laying her down gently. He then undressed and climbed into bed, pulling her close to him and pulled the sheet & heavy down comforter around them.
After all the presents were opened on Christmas morning, Kevin asked Morgan to go for a walk with him. As they walked out the back door, pulling their jackets on, he told his mother, “We’ll be back in a little while, mom. We’re just going to go for a walk.” “Ok, be careful, you two,” Ann said, smiling.
Kevin put his arm around Morgan’s shoulders as they walked down the tree-lined path, his left hand in the pocket of his jeans.
“Kevin, what’s wrong? You’re quiet,” she said, looking up at him.
“It’s good to come home, but I just have this weird feeling that something’s gonna happen,” he said looking down at the ground to watch where he was going.
“You sound like me last night. Again, I ask, what’s wrong?” she asked, stopping him and putting her arms around his waist.
“While you were in the shower this morning, I went to the kitchen to get coffee & your hot chocolate. Mom was on the phone and she seemed pretty pissed. She saw me and hung up, telling the other person ‘not to call again’. I guess my imagination tends to go a little wild and I’m assuming the worst,” he said as he wrapped his arms around her.
“You’re thinking it was your ex-wife?” she asked.
“It’s very possible. But I didn’t ask you to come walk with me and talk about her.” He reached into his pocket, pulling out a silver claddagh ring, an emerald held between the two hands holding the crown. “I wanted to give you this. Just something to prove to you how much I love you. Would it scare you if I asked you to consider it a promise ring?”
“I don’t think you could do anything to scare me off, Kev! I love you, too. Yes, I’ll wear it,” she said, tears filling her eyes, as he slipped the ring on her finger.
After he placed the ring on her finger, he raised her hand to his lips. “I love you, Morgan. Never forget that!” he said, softly as his lips met hers in a gentle kiss.
They walked back in the house and heard raised voices.
“I know he’s here; he always comes home for Christmas! All I want is to talk to him.”
“I told you on the phone this morning that you weren’t welcome here today, or ever again! Now get out of my house!”
“You heard my mother, Kelly; get out of this house, now!” Kevin said, walking toward the tall blonde. He grabbed her arm and never stopped until he was out the front door.
The woman had turned at the sound of his voice, then started to back away as he approached her, his dark green eyes stormy. She winced slightly as he grabbed her arm and led her out the front door. “But, Kev…” she started, only to be cut off.
“Nobody but my family & friends call me that! And the last time I checked, you were no longer a part of this family! Get back in your car and go home, or wherever it is that you came from. It’s Christmas, god-dammit, and the last person I want to see is YOU!” he shouted, pulling open her car door. “Now leave! Leave us alone!”
“Who is she, Kevin? Who’s your new little bitch this month? I saw her come into the living room with you!”
“My girlfriend. And she’s not ‘my little bitch of the month’! I happen to love her very much and she loves me in return. She loves me for who I am – Kevin Richardson; not because of what I am – Kevin of Backstreet Boys! Now, get in your car & leave! The next time you step onto my property, here or Florida, you’ll find yourself with a restraining order!”
“If you think she doesn’t love you for your fame, you’re blind, Kevin!” she said acidly, getting in her car. She started the car and drove out of the driveway.
He turned around and saw Morgan & his mother in the doorway; his mother still angry, tears falling from Morgan’s eyes. He walked up to them, not knowing what to expect. He gave a sigh of relief as Morgan threw her arms around his neck, “She’s wrong, Kev! You know I love you.”
“I know, Sweetheart,” he said as he hugged her close to him. “Mom, I’m so sorry this happened.”
“I was half expecting it, really. I was just hoping that she wouldn’t be that stupid! Now, come on back inside where it’s warm,” she said, following the two back inside.
After that incident, the house emptied quickly, everyone realizing that Kevin needed time alone to get himself back under control. The only ones that he even wanted near him were his mother & Morgan.
“Here you go, Kev,” Morgan said, handing Kevin a glass of wine, sitting down next to him.
“Thanks, baby. I’m so sorry that this had to happen, especially on Christmas. I’m sorry you had to see me lose my temper,” he said, draining the wine in one gulp.
“It’s ok. We all tend to lose our tempers now and then. Even I have a tendency to lose my temper every once in a while. But it could easily have happened at any time,” she said, putting her arm around him, pulling his head down to her shoulder. “Come here, I think it’s my turn to comfort you,” she said, gently running her fingers through his hair.
The next day, Kevin & Morgan left his mom’s house, promising to return in January or February for a quieter visit.
