Kyndall paced the front room waiting for Howie to call her. He had called her every day since he'd left without fail. She had grown kind of use to talking to him every day. She missed him when he wasn't there. It bothered her that she would never be able to feel for him what he was obviously feeling for her. She didn't want to lead him on making him think that there was hope when there wasn't. At least not for a very long time. She was too much in love with AJ. As much as it killed her, that was where her heart was. And no matter what she did, she couldn't change it. She wanted so much to be able to tell him that she loved him and that she'd give him one last chance. But she couldn't, not yet. She was afraid of going through it all over again. She ran over to the phone as it rang. "Hello?" she asked.
"Kyndall? Is Cat there?"
"Nick? What are you calling for?" she asked surprised to hear him on the phone.
"Nice to talk to you too Kyn," he said sarcastically.
She laughed. "Sorry. I was just -"
"Expecting Howie to call?" Nick asked.
"Yeah," Kyndall replied.
"Well, he's…talking to Kevin and Brian right now I believe. He and AJ just…got into a disagreement," he said choosing his words carefully.
"A disagreement?" she asked. "Are they okay? Neither one of them got hurt did they?" she inquired translating his statement.
"No. I don't think so. I just heard them. I didn't see anything."
"Hmm…let me go get Catlyn," she murmured.
"Thanks," he said.
Kyndall set the phone down and knocked on Catlyn's bedroom door. It opened slightly and she peeked in. Catlyn kneeling on the floor, bent over across her drawing board. Kyndall smiled, watching her work for a moment. "Hey Cat, Nick's on the phone."
"Nick?" Catlyn asked looking up at Kyndall, confused.
Kyndall shrugged. "No idea. I'm just the messenger," she smiled and walked out.
Catlyn sighed and capped her pen. Walking out into the front room, she picked up the phone. "Hello?"
"Hey darlin," Nick smiled.
"Umm…hi. How are ya?" she asked setting down on the couch.
"Oh, tired. It's crazy over here," he said. She could hear him getting comfortable. "Miss me yet?" he asked.
"No. Why would I? That would mean I like you, and well, frankly, you get on my nerves," she said grinning.
"Yeah. I know what you mean." He laughed. "Do you know that there is NO where that I can play basketball in this godforsaken place?"
"Aww…poor Nicky. Can't play basketball," Catlyn teased.
Nick sighed. "Man, AJ and Howie were going at it earlier," he said. He told her about the skirmish that had taken place. "I didn't know if I should go out and help or not. AJ seems truly ate up about this. I really think he's changed. Miranda hasn't been around, she hasn't called, and he hasn't talked to her or looked for her."
"Wow," Catlyn said softly. "Perhaps things will be better when ya'll get back to the states."
AJ picked up the phone that was wouldn't stop ringing. "Whoever it is, I don't want to talk to you," he growled almost hanging up. He had just spent the last twenty minutes nursing his jaw, and crying uncontrollably about his loss of Kyndall. He really didn't want to talk to anyone.
"Well, then, I guess I'll just catch the next flight home," a sexy feminine voice murmured into his ear.
"Mir-Miranda?" he asked, his voice cracking.
"I see you haven't forgotten me," she said softly.
"No. I haven't," AJ said shakily.
"Well, do you think you could come pick me up from the airport then?" Miranda asked. "It's kind of lonely here, and I've missed you so much."
"Umm…sure," he said. "Give me twenty minutes."
"See you soon baby," she said hanging up the phone. As AJ pulled on a shirt and his shoes, he stopped. "What am I doing?" He sat down on the edge of the bed. "I can't do this. If I'm ever going to get Kyndall back, I can't do this," he said shaking his head. The throbbing in his jaw started up again. "Fuck that," he said grabbing his jacket. "She doesn't want me," he said locking the door on his way out.
