Chapter Fifteen
Haley was lying on the couch, anxiously awaiting her sister's return home. She'd stayed up late the night before, wondering how things were going, hoping that Kerry was finally getting the kind of treatment she deserved- being loved by the one she loved so much. She heard Cole start barking, signalling Kerry's imminent arrival. She sent Miah downstairs to watch tv in the basement and waited for the door to open. Kerry had barely made it in the house before Haley shrieked, "How was it?!?"
Kerry grinned broadly and looked around, "Where's Miah?"
"Downstairs."
"C'mon, I gotta change clothes..." Kerry grabbed Haley's arm and dragged her into her bedroom with her.
Haley sprawled across the bed as Kerry found something to wear. "So, tell me now!"
Kerry giggled and lay down beside Haley, "What do you want to know?"
Haley whacked Kerry on the arm, "Everything! What did he do? Was it good?" she rolled on her side to look at Kerry, "What's he look like naked?"
"He's beautiful." Kerry said, smiling at the ceiling. "It was... amazing. We didn't really.. say anything last night, it's like I could see everything I needed to know just looking in his eyes..." Kerry's voice trailed off as her mind wandered back to the night before, remembering everything she saw when she'd locked eyes with him- the same things she felt for him, mirrored in his gaze.
"That's so cute, I think I may hurl." Haley said, glad for her sister's obvious happiness and jealous of it at the same time. "How many times did you do it?"
"Twice... last night, and then again this morning after we made breakfast together. And we took a shower together- that was very nice, too." Kerry sighed, "It just... was almost too... good ... to feel that much for one person, to want them, need them so badly."
Haley wasn't sure how to take all this. She was used to being the one that held everything together for Kerry, and now, she didn't need her like she used to. "Kerry?"
"Yeah?"
"I love you." She just wanted to say it, wanted to hear Kerry say it back.
Kerry pulled Haley into a tight hug. "I love you, too. And I always will. No matter what happens, who I'm with, where I go. You're my baby sister, and nothing will ever be able to mess up what we have."
It was exactly what Haley needed to hear. She hugged Kerry back and said, "I'm happy for you, K."
Kerry knew now was as good a time to tell her about Nick's question as there would every be. Haley was the main reason she hadn't said 'yes' immediately. She didn't know what she would do without Haley there all the time. "Haley, how would you feel if I moved out?"
Haley lay back on the pillows and wanted to pretend she hadn't just heard that. She knew it was coming, that she was going to leave someday, she just didn't think it was going to be now, this soon. "Move? Where?"
"Nick asked me... me and Miah to move in with him." Kerry said quietly.
Haley knew Kerry wanted her approval, otherwise she just would have told her she was going to do it. Part of her wanted to scream and cry and tell her she couldn't leave, but the part of her that wanted Kerry to be happy won. "I think you should do it."
Kerry was shocked. She'd expected at least a little fight, maybe a sarcastic remark about her not being careful, not the calm reply she'd just received. "You think so?"
Haley looked at Kerry and said, "Yeah, I do. You love him. He's crazy about you. You two belong together. Mom and Dad are going to be home in a few weeks, I'm going to college in a few months.. it's the right time."
"You're trying to convince yourself as much as you are me." Kerry said. She knew her little sister too well to not see through her.
"I'm not gonna lie... I hate the idea of you not being around all the time. But I do want you to do this, really I do... because I know it is right- you want this, he wants this. Miah will be insane about the idea, she loves Nick. And I mean, I guess I feel better knowing that even when I'm off at school, someone's gonna be right there to watch out for you."
Kerry smiled. "Always watching out for me, aren't you?"
"Yes. You do the same for me. Now go talk to Munchkin." Haley hugged Kerry and walked into her own bedroom. She closed the door, falling over onto the bed, and hugged her pillow, crying silently. She knew she'd done the right thing, telling Kerry to go be happy, but at the same time, she felt like she'd just lost her best friend.
Kerry went into the family room in the basement, and found Miah stretched out on the floor flipping through a Dr. Suess book. She was startled to hear her sounding out the words as she looked at the pages. Obviously, she had been missing out on things by not being with Miah more. She thought about what Nick had said this morning when they were lying in bed tangled up together, after he'd asked her to move in. He'd said they would find a nanny for Miah if that's what Kerry wanted, or she could quit at the lab and stay home with Miah, if she'd rather do that. There'd always been a certain appeal to Kerry to be a stay-at-home mom, but the opportunity had never really allowed it, except for when Miah was very small and she was being home schooled. "Miah, babygirl, what are you doing?"
"Reading." Mish replied, without looking up from her book.
"I see that, sweetie. When did you start reading?" Kerry sat down next to Miah and pulled her into her lap.
Miah shrugged and then snuggled against her mom's chest. "I missed you."
"I'm sorry, baby. We'll do something together this afternoon, okay?"
"With Nick?" Miah looked up at her mom. "Can he come, too?"
"Do you want him to?"
"You got to see him last night and I didn't. Why couldn't I spend the night there too? I did before."
Kerry was surprised Miah remembered the night they'd both stayed at Nick's- but they had all had breakfast together in the morning, blueberry pancakes- Miah's favorite. "Well, Munchkin, that's because Nick and I were talking about some very important things."
"Like what?" Miah asked, twirling one of Kerry's curls around her finger.
"Well, he wants us to move in to his house with him... to live there with him."
Miah's eyes got wide. "All the time?"
Kerry nodded. "Yep, all the time. You know that room you slept in last time? That could be your room if you wanted, it's alot bigger than your room here- which means more space to play..."
"Do you think Nick would play tea party with me?" Miah asked, jumping off Kerry's lap.
Kerry giggled. "Probably. So, do you like that idea?"
"Yeah!" Miah said, then asked,"But what about Aunt Hayhay? Where's she gonna live?"
"She'll still be here, sweetie... and then she's going to college remember? She's going to move to school in a few months."
"Oh, okay. Will you ask Nick about the tea party?"
"Yeah, baby, I will. You wanna call and we'll ask now?"
"Uh-huh." Miah ran to the phone, picked it up and handed it to Kerry.
Kerry smiled as she dialed Nick's number. He was right, she could make this work. She waited for a few rings and finally heard him pick up, sounding a little dazed. "Nick? You alright?"
"Hey babe. Yeah, I just about killed myself trying to get to the phone."
"And just how did you do that?"
"I was laying in bed, thinking about how much I wished you were there with me, and I got all tangled up in those slippery sheets and tripped trying to get across the room to pick the phone up!"
Kerry laughed. "You're just a mess aren't you? I'll have to kiss you and make you all better later. How's that?"
"Yes, I am a mess- that's what happens when you're not here. And that idea sounds perfect. So what's up?"
"I have a question for you, from a certain third party."
"Okay.. lay it on me."
"Do you do tea parties?"
Nick laughed, "I've been to a few tea parties in my time, so I guess the answer would be yes,I do."
"Good, because I think you have a few more to attend." Kerry giggled.
"Any word on whether those might be in my house? I'd hate to think I had to go outside wearing a dress..."
Kerry cracked up, "Well, most likely, but I think I'm afraid now!"
Nick smiled. "Most likely?"
"Yeah... I figured we'd talk about it tonight.. or whenever you wanted."
"Come on over now, you owe me a kiss anyway."
"Should I just stop with a kiss?" Kerry asked, teasingly.
Nick moaned, "Don't even get me started."
"Okay, then I definitely won't tell you what I was wanting to do after that kiss then. We'll be over later ths afternoon, okay?"
"Can't wait. I love you."
"Love you more. Bye." Kerry hung up the phone and sat back in the recliner, wondering what it would be like to call somewhere else home. Just as she was getting lost in her reverie of memories the phone rang again. "Hello?"
"Kerry Isabelle, is that actually you??"
'Arrrggghhh' Kerry groaned inwardly. "Hey Mom."
"I can't believe I'm actually talking to you! You're never home anymore!"
"Sorry, I got a life while you were gone." Kerry said, settling in the recliner. She knew she wouldn't be going anywhere any time soon.
"Your sister told me you had a new boyfriend... how's that going?" her mom inquired.
"Unbelievably well... I'm, uh... well Miah and I are , uh, moving in with him actually." Kerry said, clutching the arm cushion and just waiting for a response.
"Oh my! Isn't this a bit sudden? We've been gone less than a year... and I know you weren't dating him when we left..."
"You've been gone for seven months and three weeks, mom. Nick and I have been together for a little over six months now... I meet him just after you left. I love him, he loves me, he's so good to me and he loves Miah..."
Her mother interrupted, "Well, that's good. How is Miah?"
Kerry knew the idea made her mom nervous, she could tell by the way she was avoiding talking about it. "Miah's fine. She's reading a little bit, she loves school and she gets cuter everyday."
Her mom sighed, "I miss not seeing her. I'm afraid I won't recognize her! But only another week, and I'll be there to spoil her silly again."
"She's quite spoiled enough, thank you. And I have a feeling being with Nick all the time isn't going to help any." Kerry smiled at the thought. She really liked that Miah was getting to have a male role model/father figure around her now.
"You're really going to do this?" Her mom had that concerned parent tone that Kerry had come to hate.
"Really do what? Move in with him? Yes. It's time I got on with my life, and he is exactly who I want to do that with."
After another 20 minutes Kerry finally got her mother off the phone, after assuring her that she was indeed being careful her mom had relented and finally said maybe it was a good idea. They'd briefly discussed how much her mother loved Seattle and that she and Kerry's dad had even looked at houses in the area. Apparently her dad had been offered the promotion he wanted, which would give him the option of working from whichever office he wanted. her mom had said they hadn't really thought of moving but if she was leaving and Haley was going off to school, maybe they would relocate for a little change of scenery.
Kerry scooped Miah up and took her upstairs to get her out of her pajamas, thinking how crazy it was that so much could change it such a short period of time. She stuck her head in Haley's room to say she was leaving, and found her curled up with her stuffed Snoopy sleeping soundly. She scribbled a note and taped it on her mirror and got Miah out to the car, headed to Nick's house.
Nick greeted them at the door with a hug and kiss on the cheek for Miah, and a passionate embrace for Kerry. Miah almost immediately disappeared into the game room, leaving Kerry and Nick alone to talk.
"I talked to my mom this morning.. and Haley.. and Miah.." Kerry said, as she snuggled against Nick on the couch.
He wrapped his arms around her, loving the feeling of having her so close to him. He'd noticed since she'd left earlier, that he felt like he was missing something whenever she wasn't around. Which was why he was hoping she was going to say, yes, she'd be moving in, and soon. "And, how did that go?"
Kerry tilted her head to kiss him, "You sure you want a four year old around here all the time?"
"I want you both here all the time. I love you, I love her... I could use a few more tea parties in my life." he replied, lightly caressing her cheek.
"When do you want us here?" Kerry asked softly, nuzzling against his palm.
He smiled and leaned in to kiss her, mumbling "Now." against her lips before kissing her deeply.
******
3 weeks later
Kerry lay sprawled on the floor surrounded by empty boxes as Nick gave her a massage. "I remember why I never wanted to move before." she laughed. "It's a pain in the ass!"
He leaned down to kiss her cheek. "That part may have been, but you're in now, and this is where the fun starts." he smiled.
Kerry rolled over onto her back, while Nick was still hovering over her and pulled him onto her. "I love you."
Nick propped himself up on his elbows above her, looking directly into her eyes. "I love you and I'm glad you're here with me."
"There's no other place I want to be." she replied, running her fingers through his hair.
Nick smiled and kissed her softly on the lips, "Welcome home, baby."