Chapter Three-Hundred-Ninety-Three
When Kevin, Ann, and Jerald arrived back at the house in their two separate cars, Kevin got out of his and slammed his door shut before opening up Ellie’s. He got her out of her booster seat and gathered her in his arms. Ellie tightened hers around him and he proceeded to carry her into the house with his mother and brother at his heals. As soon as they were inside, they found Summer sitting on the couch watching television as if nothing happened.
“Kevy you are back!” she exclaimed happily and Kevin snorted.
“You have some nerve sitting here in my house on my couch watching television like you aren’t the biggest bitch in the universe!” he snapped. The grin on Summer’s face disappeared.
“What is your problem?”
“You want to know what my problem is?” Kevin laughed sarcastically and he made a pointed look down at Ellie who clung tightly to him for her life. “Do you NOT see my little girl here in my arms hurting because of you? I cant believe you even have the nerve to ask, woman!”
“I don’t know what you are talking about I—“
“--Like hell you don’t know what I am talking about! Don’t sit there and try to produce any kind of pitiful lie because I know you did it!”
“I didn’t do ANYTHING!” Summer shouted, tears clouding her eyes and Kevin rolled his eyes.
“Please save the water works for someone who cares.”
“I—“
“—I am through with you. It’s over. DONE. I don’t tolerate anybody beating on my daughter EVER Summer, she means the world to me. So please do yourself a favor and get your ass off of my couch, and out of my house before I help you do it!”
“I didn’t do it I swear!” Summer sobbed, and she looked at Jerald who stood triumphantly behind Kevin. Nothing brings him greater pleasure then watching Kevin kick Summer out of their house. “It was him who did it! I tried to stop him but it was impossible. I didn’t tell you about it Kevin because I knew it would hurt you. You love your brother so much, I just didn’t want you to go through that kind of pain.” Kevin rolled his eyes.
“My brother is an asshole there is no doubt in my mind about that right now, but I know he would never ever even think about hurting his niece because he loves her too much.”
“That’s just what he wants you to believe!”
“You have five minutes to collect your things and get the hell out,” Kevin informed her firmly. He was slowly beginning to lose his patients with her. When she didn’t budge, Kevin narrowed his eyes.
“Are you actually testing me?”
“Kevin please just hear me out!” she begged.
“There is nothing you can say to make me believe you, my security guards were smart enough to get it on tape. I saw the whole thing.” When Summer still didn’t budge, Kevin turned to face his brother, his patients gone completely now. He handed Ellie over to him and Jerald gently placed his hand at the back of her head and made her rest her head against his shoulder.
“Take her upstairs to her room, close the door, and cover her ears. Don’t let her hear a thing. Right now,” he ordered and Jerald did just that. As soon as Kevin heard her bedroom door shut and her stereo come on as loud as it could go, Kevin looked at Summer. He walked on over to her and grabbed her by the arm.
“Kevin, careful” Ann warned feeling very worried about his anger and just exactly what he is capable of doing right now. He ignored his mother and yanked Summer up from his couch and shoved her in the direction of the door.
“WHAT PART OF GET OUT OF MY FUCKING HOUSE, DO YOU NOT UNDERSTAND?” He roared.
“Kevin please, I—“
“NO!” Kevin shouted. “I WILL NOT SIT HERE AND LISTEN TO YOUR BULLSHIT, ANYMORE!” he insisted, jabbing his finger at her angrily and he whirled around and went into the laundry room. He stopped the washing machine, opened it up, and fished around for what he wanted. When he found it, he came storming out with Summer’s wet and wrinkled shirt in his hand. He threw it at her as she lay there sobbing on the floor.
“TAKE YOUR SHIRT,” he told her, and then went upstairs and was back in five seconds flat with some more of her clothes and some of her things that he allowed her to keep at his house and he tossed it all at her. “AND YOUR THINGS, AND GET THE FUCK OUT!”
“I can’t believe you would throw away what we had over some stupid little girl! We had a great thing going! I treated you with love and respect! We could’ve had a great life together!”
“While my baby was in boarding school, right?” Kevin asked venomously. Summer flinched away from him at the hatred look in his eyes.
“Things would be a whole lot better off if she was! You wouldn’t have to worry about such a responsibility anymore and we could have all the fun that we wanted! Its what you want right? You aren’t ready to be a father yet, you said you were terrified. So walk away from it and we could be happy together!”
“I love my little girl with every ounce of my heart. She is the most important thing in my life and the only thing being in a relationship with you did was make me lose sight of that!” Kevin shouted. He went over and grabbed her up from the floor so she was standing. “Yes I am terrified. More then anyone knows but I didn’t sign those adoption papers just to chicken out now!” He added. “And how dare you make her think I don’t love her! how dare you beat on her and put bruises on her body, and how dare you for threatening her! I can’t even stand to look at you right now I hate you so much! I’ve never hated anyone in my life except you, so congratulations for managing to be the first!”
“She’s nothing but a spoiled selfish little brat who is ruining your life!” Summer shouted tearfully. “She’ll be the end of the Backstreet Boys, I swear it! Her and all of those other little brats!” Not being able to take it anymore, Kevin grabbed her gently by the arm and dragged her toward the door and he pushed her out. He went over and grabbed her stuff off the floor, carried it to the door, and threw it all out after her.
“Ellie and all of the children who have done nothing but bring great joy to our family, and all of the children in that Orphanage are the heart and soul of Backstreet and you wouldn’t understand anything about that!” He informed her. “Now get your ass off of my property! I don’t want to ever see you anywhere near my family or me again or I’ll have every security guard I know throw you off the premises. There will be a restraining order involved, and you had better pray your that I don’t press charges!” and with that he moved out of the doorway into the house and slammed the door shut behind him. He looked at his mother still seething for a moment as she stood there quietly gazing at him and then he shook his head and went upstairs not really being able to look at her either right now. He opened up Ellie’s busted bedroom door and went inside where he found Jerald sitting on the bed with her as she snuggled against him with tears sliding down her face. Kevin went over and gently took her from his brother’s arms and cuddled her close and kissed her forehead softly. He looked at Jerald then with so much resentment and disappointment in his eyes.
“Leave me alone with my daughter,” he ordered softly, and without arguing, Jerald walked past him and out of the room. Kevin turned the stereo off and he gently lay Ellie in her bed before crawling onto it himself and moving so he was lying behind her. He gently enveloped her in his arms protectively as she lay on her side and he carefully rested his cheek against hers. Lil’ Rok jumped up onto the bed and settled himself in front of Ellie. Kevin pulled her TMNT comforter up on them and the three of them lay there in silence just like that – father, daughter, and pug. He lay there silently watching her as he tickled her arm with the pad of his finger and eventually she closed her eyes and fell into a very much-needed sleep. Kevin remained lying there giving her gentle kisses every now and then, watching her sleep and staring at her bruised body with nothing but regret and heartache. It hurts him that his little girl was being abused right under his nose, and most of all, it hurts him that everybody else in his whole damn family knew about it but didn’t even bother to tell him. Didn’t it occur to them that the father ought to know these kind of things? You would think so anyway.
“How long do you think he is going to go before he releases that pent up anger on us for not telling him?” Jerald asked his mother when he walked into the kitchen and found her sitting there at the table.
“Probably not very long, so brace yourself. What is he doing?”
“Lying in bed with Ellie, he told me to leave him alone with her.”
“Just don’t bother him then, maybe if we give him the time he needs to be angry and sulk and get himself back together again then it won’t be so bad when he finally lets us have it.” Jerald nodded and he sat down at the table with his mother, grabbed the newspaper with the crossword puzzle in it, and he opened it up to it and smiled at her some.
“Crossword puzzle?”
“Might as well keep ourselves busy,” Ann shrugged and together the two of them began to do a crossword puzzle while they waited on Kevin to cool off.
~*~*~*~*~
Meanwhile, not long after arriving in Jersey and getting the grand tour of the infamous Diner that was currently closed for the occasion of Kori coming home and wanting to get settled in and everything, Kori had Ashley and Nick seated across from her in a booth. They were enjoying a good meal that Isabel had made for them and then insisted that she’d already eaten and would like nothing more then to clean up after herself no matter how much Kori told her she should sit down and relax.
“So what’s going on with you and Nick?” Kori wanted to know as she watched her sister cradle Bella across her lap, hold a bottle in her mouth propped by her chin, and ate her food all at the same time.
“What do you mean?” Nick asked confused.
“I mean with sleeping arrangements. Are you going to go check into the motel down the street too, or stay here with us in the one extra room that I have?” Nick looked at Ashley curiously then and Ashley looked right back at him, the two of them making brief eye contact. Silently coming up with a decision with their eyes, they looked at Kori.
“We’ll stay here,” She answered and Nick nodded in agreement. Kori shook her head smiling.
“Yeah, it’s creepy when the two of you do that sometimes. Just so ya know.”
“Do what?” Nick and Ashley asked unison, acting as if neither of them know what she is talking about. Kori shuddered, shook her head, and silently continued eating as she eyed her sister and soulmate across the table from her like they’re the two craziest people on earth.
“Should we be worried about the kids? They’ve gone into Spencer’s room the moment we got here and I haven’t heard a peep out of them since” Nick asked as he reached over to take the bottle from Ashley without her having to ask as she reached into Bella’s diaper bag for her blanket. Kori watched in awe at how natural the simple action came and silently wondered to herself if she has a connection with Wiley or Scott like that. She’s never really noticed before…
“Well, I don’t have any air vents here that are big enough for even them to crawl into if that’s what you are worried about,” Kori teased somewhat as she glanced over at Wiley who was engrossed in a conversation with Chris. The two buddies were currently reconnecting after being apart for so long and Kori was giving him the space to do that. And maybe some space for herself as well if she were being honest with herself.
“Yes, but my girls are never this quiet” Nick informed as Ashley reclaimed her job as feeding her daughter and he sat there gently rubbing his hand over her back.
“You are welcome to go check on them if you want, but I’m sure they’re just exhausted after spending such a long day in the car and aren’t up for being hyperactive.”
“Scott is up there with them baby,” Ashley reminded him gently. She wasn’t quite ready for Nick to leave her side yet, so if he were to get up she wouldn’t be able to keep herself from following him. “You know if they were getting into trouble he would inform us about it right away or intervene himself.”
“Yeah I guess you are right,” Nick sighed and he leaned over and planted a kiss on her cheek. He is not a fool, he knows she is being clingy and its not something he hadn’t expected. Ashley leaned sideways and rested her head against his shoulder and he kissed her forehead softly as he wrapped his arms around her. “I love you,” he reminded her gently and Ashley quietly sat there feeding Bella her bottle.
“Are you two ever going to tell me what happened earlier?” Kori asked when she noticed the insecure look in her sister’s eyes.
“Its already been taken care of, there is no need to go there again” Nick insisted.
“Has it?” Kori asked while looking him directly in the eyes and making it be known that she has her suspicions of exactly what happened earlier. Nick held her gaze challengingly, silently asking her if she really wants to go there right now and turn her sister into an emotional wreck again. When she can just let what happened be and try and focus on the present and on getting her to see the good in Jersey while she has her here. Aware of the silent conversation that her boyfriend and sister were currently having, Ashley tried her best to ignore it and pretend it was not going on. She set Bella’s empty bottle down and gently shifted her so she was nestled against her chest and she placed her hand delicately at the back of her head for support before resting her forehead against hers. She then began to have her own conversation with her daughter as if Nick and Kori weren’t sitting there watching her and Bella smiled big upon suddenly having her attention and gave her the reaction that only Ashley knows how to summon up from her baby. Nick gave Kori a pointed look then and Kori scowled and looked away from him. Just then, AJ came in the diner and he approached the table.
“Kori, can I have a word with you alone please?” Kori narrowed her eyes at him.
“What did I do?”
“Do you need to have done something wrong everytime I decide that I want to talk to my sister?”
“That’s usually the reason, yes.”
“You didn’t do anything wrong, I just think its about time we talk about some things is all.”
“What things?”
“If you come with me, you might just find out” AJ told her calmly and he darted his eyes pointedly at Ashley. Kori sighed and got to her feet then and she looked at AJ curiously.
“Where are we going?”
“I thought we would take a walk down to the park I saw down the street.”
“Fine,” was all Kori said, and she looked back at Wiley. “Wi, I’m going with AJ for a walk…be back later,” she told him. “Spencer is up with Scott, don’t let them go anywhere together without telling you where it is they are going, and when they will be back. Anklet bracelet intact or not.”
“Kay,” Wiley replied, and then paused finally hearing what she said and he looked up. “Wait what? Who are you going for a walk with?”
“The brother.”
“Alone?” Wiley asked skeptically.
“What? You think I won’t be able to protect her?” AJ asked pretending to be wounded. Kori arched her eyebrow at him.
“It’s not her protection I am worried about, man.”
“Don’t worry I wont harm a hair on his pretty little Backstreet head,” Kori promised while reaching up and ruffling her hand in AJ’s hair messing it up more then it already is. “None of his fans would be very pleased with me and it wouldn’t be very healthy for mine and Ashley’s relationship either.” Wiley eyed them skeptically for a moment.
“All right, fine. But you have one hour before I start sending out search parties.”
“They’ll know just where to find me,” Kori replied while holding her leg up and wiggling it about as if she were doing the hokey pokey. Wiley rolled his eyes playfully and Kori blew him a kiss before grabbing onto AJ’s arm and pulling him out the door.
~*~*~*~*~*~
“Howie what are we doing here?” Ryan wanted to know as he read the sign to the cemetery as Howie pulled up just outside it. They had spent the whole day together while his mother was at work and Laila was gone with AJ for four days. They’d gone bowling together, to a movie, and now they were at their event of their day. Howie had saved it for last because he knew it would be the hardest part for Ryan.
“Remember awhile back ago when you asked me to get your mom to tell me where they buried your father and she got mad at me, we fought, and I never got an answer out of her?” Ryan nodded quietly and Howie motioned toward the cemetery. “Well, I finally got an answer out of her and she’s given me permission to bring you here today. I thought maybe you would like to know where he was at.”
“But Howie I don’t even have flowers…” Ryan informed sadly. “I wanted to bring him flowers.” Howie reached into the back then and he pulled out some white roses that were wrapped up in clear paper.
“I went and bought them for you. Your mom said these were your father’s favorites.” Ryan smiled at him weakly then.
“They’re perfect…”
“Are you sure you are up for this? We don’t have to go in there today, we can wait for however long you want to buddy. But at least now you know where he is at.” Ryan shook his head.
“I’ve waited long enough.” Howie looked at him for a long moment, and then reached back and got the second set of roses that he got for himself to give as well and he and Ryan got out of the car. As they reached the archway leading to the gravestones, Ryan paused and looked up at Howie, causing Howie to do the same.
“Can I have a few moments alone please?”
“Are you sure?” Howie double-checked and Ryan nodded.
“All right. I will be right here where you can see me the whole time if you need me. Okay?”
“Kay,” Ryan replied, and then walked off in search of the gravestone that he’d come to visit.
Author's Chapter Notes:
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