It was mid June and the summer heat was in full force  this Saturday morning on the Kentucky countryside farm Kevin spent most of his time at.  Kevin diligently worked away in the horse stable, overhead fans blowing cool air down onto him as he cleaned out one of the many stalls in the barn.  After contemplating moving back to Orlando, he had finally decided to stay home, his mother being the main reason, although as of late he'd had the sense she was getting annoyed with him.  Rarely a day went by that he didn't come help her or her farm in some way, and every day he avoided her questions about what had occurred between him and Brooke.    It had been just over four months since he had talked to her, and apart from a few small glances here and there around town he had successfully managed to avoid her completely.

    Kevin sat down for a moment, taking a long drink of water and actually letting himself think about her, something he rarely let himself do.  He had been out on a date with Courtney the last time he saw Brooke, walking hurriedly down the street to some unknown destination and it had taken Courtney five minutes to get his attention back, and she only had it for a moment.  The rest of the night his mind was elsewhere and he could tell it was getting on his date's nerves.

    "Kevin, what are you thinking about?" The short haired blond asked.  He stared out the window, oblivious to her question, poking the piece of apple pie he had ordered for dessert with his fork incessantly

    "Kevin?" She asked again, very frustrated.

    "Hmmm what?!" He said shaking his head looking up at the girl that sat across the table from him.

    "I asked what you were thinking about.  You haven't said two words to me all night."

    "I'm sorry Court.  Um, do you mind if we cut this date a little short tonight?  I'm not really up for going out anymore."  She shrugged, he could tell she was pissed, but he paid the bill and they left the restaurant.  Kevin dropped her off at her house and drove aimlessly around town.  He thought a lot about Courtney, he did like her, she was a really nice person and very pretty, but he had dated her a few times since meeting her at work two months ago and still didn't feel a flicker of the spark he felt with Brooke.  It was driving him insane, he just wished some instant connection would happen with someone, so he could at least try to forget about Brooke.

    "It's been months,  why the hell can't I get on with my life?" he wondered aloud, finally returning to his lonely house.
 

Kevin sighed loudly to himself in the barn, his thoughts returning to the present, all of them frustrating.

    "What are you thinking about?" His mother, who had appeared out of nowhere, asked, startling him.

    "Nothing."  He said, standing up to return to his work.  His mother let out a sarcastic snicker, and he looked up at his mother in time to see her shake her head.

    "What?" He asked, leaning up against the shovel he held in his hands.

    "Since February, that's all I've gotten, Nothing." She said imitating her son's gruff voice.  Ann Richardson sat down on the chair that her son had just occupied, an annoyed grin on her face as she sipped a glass of ice tea.

    "What are you talking about Mom?" He asked, wiping the sweat from his brow.

    "What do you think I'm talking about?" She asked.  "I'm talking about you and Brooke."

    "We broke up." He stated.

    "I know, but why?" She asked, a question she had been wanting to ask him for a long time.

    "We just did, it's a long story." He picked up the shovel again and walked into Amos' stall, shoveling the hay into a wheelbarrow, quickly wishing she would change the subject.

    "I have all the time in the world Kevin, c'mon spit it out.  What is it?  She didn't love you back?   Did she break up with you?  Did she do something to you?" She asked, although he had the sense that she knew what had really happened.

    "No, she didn't really do anything." He said sadly.  "We dated, we broke up, it happens."

    "If it was that simple you wouldn't still be pining away for her, and you wouldn't have spent the last four months missing her the way you are." She stated to her stubborn son who was hiding in the stall.

    "I'm not pining for her...and I don't miss her." He yelled from behind the wooden wall as another shovelful of hay went into the wheelbarrow.

    "Okay then tell me Kevin." She said smugly.  "Do you still love her?"  She heard the clank of the metal shovel head hitting the floor, and finally a sigh as he came out of the stall pushing the wheelbarrow in silence.  As he dumped it into a pile off to the side he began shoveling fresh hay into the stall.  Finally answering his mother.

    "Love takes awhile Mom.  I only knew her for a few months. I wasn't in love with her."  He spat out, shoveling another pitchfork full of hay into Amos' stall, trying to ignore his mother, who now stood beside him.

    "That's a load of horse shit and you know it, excuse the pun."  He stuck the fork down into the hay and turned a quizzical eye towards his mother, she didn't speak like that very often.

    "What are you talking about?"  He could see how angry his mother was getting over this, and he didn't know why.  Why is this any of her business?  he thought, getting angry himself.

    "You sat in that house four months ago." She pointed towards her house.  "and poured your heart out to me about this girl.  Don't you think a mother knows when her son is in love?" She yelled.

    "You don't know what I felt for Brooke Mom, or what I feel now.   A lot can happen in four months.  A lot can just happen to people."  He turned his back angrily, starting to pick up the pitchfork again, but her loud yelling voice stopped him.

    "KEVIN SCOTT RICHARDSON!" She bellowed.  "Don't pull this with me.  I can see right through that tough exterior you keep trying to put on for me, it's the same stunt both of your brothers have pulled at one time or another. In fact it was the same thing your f...."

    "Mom, I don't really want to talk about Brooke anymore okay." he interrupted.

    "Well tough, cause you're going to." She yelled.   "Kevin, all you've done since February is mope around my house.  Now don't think I don't like to see my son, but working your ass off to forget about her isn't going to work.  You are sad Kevin, and don't tell me that girl isn't the cause.  You are in love with her, I saw it when you talked about her four months ago, and I still see it today, no matter what you tell me, I can see it in your eyes."  Her son was silent as she laid a hand maternally on his bare arm, continuing.   "If you can't see that, see that you should be with her, well then, I 'm sorry." His mother shook her head and turned to leave.

    "What do you want me to say to that mom?" He asked, she turned back around.

    "You don't have to say anything to me Kevin, that's the point."  He rolled his eyes at her comment.  She returned to his side, looking up at  her son with sadness and worry in her face, taking his large hand into her delicatly frail palms.

   "You have pushed away the person I know you love because you are stubborn and pigheaded.  Not because you don't love her, because I can see that you do. I might not know the whole story Kevin, but I know enough to be able to tell that this whole situation you've put yourself in is wrong, just plain wrong, and I can't just sit by and do nothing or say nothing.  Don't do this to yourself."  He looked up and started to deny his mothers truths, but she continued before he could.   "Kevin, don't you think if I could have one more day with your father I'd take it?" Kevin's eyes closed sadly at the mention of the father he had lost, and he dropped his head as she let go of his hand, walking out of the stable, leaving her son with that thought.
 

        Brooke clumsily grabbed ahold of the letters that spilled from her mailbox, picking up envelopes off the ground and juggling the armful of bags she held at the same time.   She swore to herself as one of the grocery bags slipped from her arm and she precariously held onto it by pinning it against the wall with her knee.   From behind her she heard a small chuckle, but was unable to turn and see who was laughing at her misfortune.  Another bag began to slip, and the seemingly familiar voice behind her only laughed more.

    "It's nice that I'm amusing you, but would you mind giving me a hand." She half-heartedly laughed, dropping most of her mail.    He finally grabbed the bag that was pressed to the wall, relieving her overwhelmed situation, sort of.  The rest of Brooke's mail fell to her feet.

    "Thank You." Brooke sighed, finally able to stand up straight and turn to face her tormentor and, at the same time, her savior.  She turned around and smiled pleasantly at who stood before her.  He was tall and attractive, dark blond hair that hung in his face, and brown eyes that seemed to smile at her, he was a total boy-next-door type, athletic but adorable.

    "Come on, I'll help you carry this stuff up to your apartment." The stranger said, smiling a charming smile.   His voice did sound familiar, but she didn't know him.  Brooke nodded in  thanks and started up the stairs.

    "Uh, you forgot something."  He said as he bent down to pick up  the mail that had fallen on the floor.

    "Thanks." She smiled , continuing upstairs.  "I'm Brooke.  I'd shake your hand, but frankly if I move one finger from the grip I have on this stuff, the rest of it will fall on the floor too."  She smiled wider as he laughed at her sad little situation.

    "Micheal." He said.

    "Huh?"

    "My name...is Micheal." Brooke nodded in acknowledgment, finally arriving at her apartment.

    "This is me." She said gesturing towards her door and unlocking it.  He stopped and set the bag down next to the ones she had put on the floor, and held out the mail for her to take.  She took it from him, and picked up a stray letter that was sitting next to the bags she had set inside her door, tossing her mail inside on the table before returning to Micheal.

    "Thanks for the help.  I appreciate it."

    "No problem, although I did enjoy watching you attempt the juggling act."

    "Yeah well, my circus career is over, what will I do now?" She chuckled.

    "Um, well I know this might sound a little strange, coming from someone you just met like two seconds ago.  But maybe you'd like to go out with me tonight?"  He cringed a little like she was gonna scream and yell, but she only laughed, he was very charming and endearing, she couldn't help but like him.  Yet she didn't know if she should, her track record with guys had become one long bumpy road of heart break, she did know if she could take it again.

    "Can I think about it?" She asked. He smiled and nodded,

    "Yeah sure,  I'm in 407. Come visit anytime!" He pointed upstairs and she agreed,  as they said goodbye.  Brooke went inside and moved her bags to the table, Why shouldn't I go out with him tonight?  It's just one tiny date with someone who could turn out to be a great friend, I haven't been out in months.  Besides he's really nice and totally adorable, she thought. Maybe I'll have fun for once,

    "Okay.  Okay, I'll do it.  I'll go out with him.  I'll go." She repeatedly convinced herself.  "I'm going." She decided.

Brooke grabbed her keys, and left the apartment, practically giggling at the thought of an actual date as she leapt up the stairs.   She found room 407 and knocked lightly, fidgeting with her hair impatiently, she wasn't sure if Micheal was the cause for her anxiousness or the fact that a normal date was going to happen in her life since she had started seeing David, she and Kevin never had a chance to date.  Micheal smiled as he opened the door to her, he really has a great smile, she thought.

    "Yes." She said confidently.

    "What?" He said, obviously confused.

    "Yes, I'll go out tonight."

    "Really?"

    "Yeah, definitely." She nodded.  Just the prospect of having fun had her excited.

    "Great, what time?" He leaned against the door frame, suddenly acting all suave towards her.

    "Whatever's good for you."

    "Okay let's say nine o'clock?"  She agreed and went back to her apartment, smiling cheesily  as she shut the door behind herself.

    Brooke hummed softly as she took of her shoes, she grabbed her mail from the table and tossed it on the couch, moving to the window and opening it wide, letting in the warm summer sun and basking in its glow.  She turned on the radio,  and returned to her mail, humming along with the music as she sorted through it's contents.  She had just returned this morning from another week long work trip, and she had forgotten to give Mrs. Perry the keys to her mailbox before she left.  The usual bills were there, although with all the overtime she put in, and the special trips she'd volunteered to take made them easy to pay, her extra effort was a welcome improvement from the scattered work record she had this past winter, her boss had told her. Little did he know she only did it to get her mind off life, not because she really wanted to excel at her job.  Brooke smiled broadly as she picked up a colorfully decorated envelope from Annie.  Ever since Annie and Nick had become a 'normal' couple for once and were happy, she was beginning to see more and more of her Annie, so she anticipated each letter like it was a progress report.  She eagerly tore it open to read.

Dear Brookey,
     Heya! How have you been? I’ve been doing really well actually.  You know, it’s really nice to be able to say that now.  Can I just say how amazingly in love with my boyfriend I am? Brooke, Nick is so amazingly wonderful.  I mean, I can’t describe how wonderful he is because there really aren’t any words that are going to fit with him.  Just know that he is amazing and I never could have asked for such a wonderful person in my life.  Yesterday, we went grocery shopping and he did the sweetest thing for me.  I was loading some of the bags into the car and he handed me a flower that he had bought when I wasn’t looking I guess. Brookey, he just makes me wanna be happy.  You know how there are just those people that make you wanna do things because they’re worth doing them? They make life kinda worth living? Well, he’s one of those people.  I can only think of one other person who makes life worth living for me, and that’s you.  I just thought I’d tell you that because maybe I never have, ya know?
 Can I also just tell you how nice it is to wake up in the morning and not have to worry about things that MIGHT happen today? You know what else is amazing?  Feeling safe with someone.  Feeling safe with a GUY! Brooke, I really can’t remember the last time I felt safe, ya know?  I mean, everytime I am with Nick, even when we were in the very beginning stage of our friendship, I felt so safe with him.  It’s almost a disarming feeling to walk down the street and NOT have to look over my shoulder.  I don’t have to change my phone number.  I don’t have to move anywhere.  I can be in public and not worry that someone is watching me and it’s the most amazing feeling.  I wish you were here to share it with me.  But, in a lot of ways, you are.  I wish you were here because you said the next time you saw me you wanted to see some of the old Annie you knew and loved and I’m waiting to show you! But, I think you can see me anyway.

Anyway, I’d better go.  I love you!  And, I’m smiling!  Nick just got home, so I’m gonna go now! Oh yeah, I’ll give him a big, wet, sloppy kiss for you…or rather, that would be for me, but I’ll say it was for you! Ha!  Take care Brookey and write back soon! Love you much!

                                                                                                      Anns
 

 Brooke breathed a happy sigh of relief, glad everything in Annie's life was so amazingly wonderful.  It would have been easy for Brooke to be a little envious of Annie's happiness, but for the time being Brooke was content, and looking very forward to the date she had with Micheal in a few hours.  She stood up to go have a shower, tossing all the junk mail to the side, and not noticing the one lone letter she had yet to open that fluttered to the floor.
 
 

        Brooke finished getting ready, choosing to wear a pair of jeans and a tank top, very casual for her Saturday night date, I don't even know what we're doing, she thought.  She brushed her hair out straight and lightly applied some make-up before returning to the living room to wait for Micheal.   Brooke shut the window in her apartment, and began pacing back and forth across the room, she was starting to get nervous, but  laughed because she didn't really understand why she should be.  She glanced at the clock on the VCR noting it was 8:28 pm, and calmed down, I have like half an hour, she thought.  She breathed a sigh and flopped down on the couch, stepping on the letter that she had previously missed.

    "What's this?" She wondered.  A familiar site was before her, a plain cream envelope adorned with the name 'Brooklyn', today's date was written on the back of it.  She held it for a long while, her heart began racing and her hands shaking over it's contents.   She was terrified to open it, knowing who it was from but hoping at the same time that maybe it wasn't.   Finally she decided to open it,  tentatively tearing the envelope.    She pulled out the page that was inside the envelope, a large lump forming in her throat.  It's been over four months, why now?  She wondered.  Carefully and very slowly she unfolded the paper, tears welling in her eyes as she saw his handwriting,

    "Kevin, why are you doing this to me?" She cried, taking a deep breath as she tearfully read the letter he had written her.

Brooklyn,
I know you probably don't want to hear from me and I know it's been awhile, but I was talking with my mother this morning and she said something  that put my whole stubbornness into perspective.  I know this is something I should have realized on my own, and I'm sorry it took someone else to make me realize and understand what I already knew in my heart and my mind.  I don't even know how I'm going to go about apologizing to you Brooke, I know whatever I say still won't be enough.  Not a day has gone by without regret for what I said and did to you, and what I did to us.   I promised you I'd never give up on you and the first chance I have to actually prove it, I was gone.  I know how much that hurt you, I saw it in your face, but it was the only thing I could do, even though I knew it was wrong and that it would hurt you,

I feel so lost without you in my life, even though the time we had together was short.  I miss you Brooke.  I miss your smile, your laugh and I miss your love  Please, I beg of you, even though I know I don't deserve it and I know it might be too late, please talk to me.  That's all I ask, just talk to me.  I said a lot of things I didn't mean the last time I saw you Brooke, give me a chance to tell you the truth, to tell you how I really feel, if you still can't forgive me then I guess I'll have to live with that.   Please just come to my house tonight, the door will be open.  I'll wait for you, all night if I have to.

Brooklyn, all that's left to say is I'm truly sorry and I hope you can forgive me. Please Come

All my Love,
                    Kevin
 

Brooke's body shook with tears,  she dropped the letter and covered her face with her hands.  Her mind was reeling and she didn't know how she was supposed to feel about this, the pain and heartache he had caused in her was still raw and fresh and very hard to forget.

    "What am I going to do?" She cried aloud, her hands soaked with tears. Do I want to go?  Can I trust him anymore?  Can I even talk to him?  Do I even love him anymore?  She asked herself.

    "Oh God Kevin, you hurt me so much, how can I go to you when I know you would do that to me? I can't." She told no one.  "I can't see you.  I'm sorry Kevin, it's too late for us."  She cried more as she made her decision.

Brooke was breathing hard and fast, and she jumped as a knock sounded at her door.  Oh God Micheal's here, she panicked.  She stood up and wiped the tears from her face and tried to compose herself.  I hope he doesn't notice I've been crying, she thought as she glanced in the mirror taking a deep breath and putting on a fake smile to open the door with.

Brooke left on her date with Micheal, pushing the thoughts of Kevin out of her mind and repeating over and over in her mind.  "It's too late for us Kevin, too late."