Chapter 71

Rick heard the doorbell and looked at his watch, only 6:15.

"Coming!" yelled Rick.

He walked downstairs and went to open the door.

"You're a little early," Rick said as he opened the door, expecting Janel.

As soon he saw that it was Kevin, he glared at him.

Kevin knew by Rick's look that he knew what had happened with him and Janel. So he had to know where she was.

"Is Janel here?" Kevin asked.

"No," Rick said.

"Where is she?" Kevin asked.

"I don't know," Rick said, then he began closing the door.

Kevin used his body to push his way inside.

"I told you I don't know where she is," Rick said.

"Yes you do. And I'm not leaving until you tell me," Kevin said stubbornly.

"What makes you think I know where she is?" he asked.

"No one else does, and you're a good friend of hers," Kevin said.

"So? That doesn't mean anything," Rick said.

"Tell me where she is," Kevin said angrily.

"Why the hell should I tell you? You don't even love her!" Rick said.

"Yes I do!" exclaimed Kevin.

"Then why the hell did you sleep with another woman?" Rick questioned.

"That's between me and her," Kevin said furiously.

"No, it's not. I'm involved with Janel also," Rick said, knowing that him and Janel were nothing more than good friends. But he knew that Kevin would automatically think that they were going out, and that made Rick happy.

"You're what? You're involved?" Kevin questioned angrily.

"That's between me and her," Rick said rudely.

Kevin's face was becoming red.

Rick smiled to himself inside.

"How does it feel?" Rick asked.

Those four little words pushed Kevin over the edge.

Kevin punched Rick directly in the stomach.

Rick was taken by surprise as he grabbed his stomach. Then he became furious and tackled Kevin. The two of them were on the floor wrestling with each other.

I pulled into Rick's driveway and got out. Then I walked up to the door and knocked on it. Then I let myself in.

"I'm. . . ," I began, but then I heard yelling.

I quickly ran into the living room to see Rick and Kevin fighting. I was shocked to see Kevin, but then I became angry.

"Stop it! Both of you!" I yelled furiously.

They instantly stopped and looked at me. Then they stood up. They continued to get in each other's faces as they stood there. I stepped into between them and pushed them apart.

"Stop it," I stated angrily.

Then I just stood there while they glared at each other. I just needed a second to think. My first instinct was to grab Kevin and began kissing him. My second instinct was to smack him. I couldn't do either, so I had to figure something else out. I took a deep breath and then slowly exhaled.

"Okay, explain to me why you are here in Rick's house beating him up," I said angrily.

"You're going out with Rick?" he asked.

"That's the first thing you say to me!? You want to know if Rick and I are going out!" I yelled.

"Are you?" he asked.

"Kevin Richardson, get your ass out of here," I said as I began pushing him. "You have the audacity to come here and ask me if I'm going out with Rick?! You know what? It's none of your damn business! We're no longer together, remember?" I said as I shoved him.

"Janel, please stop," Kevin said as he slowly backed away.

"No, I want you to leave. I want you to leave me alone!" I said as I hit him in the chest.

"But we need to talk," he said as he grabbed my wrists to prevent me from hitting him.

I tried to pull away from him, but he wouldn't let me go.

"Please," he said.

"Let me go," I said as tears streamed down my face. "Let go."

"Can we talk?" Kevin asked as he continued to hold me.

I shook my head no. "Just let go."

Then Rick placed his hand on Kevin's. "She asked you to let her go."

Kevin looked at me and then let go.

"Now get out," I said as I began to walk towards the door, showing Kevin the way out. But as I walked towards the door the whole room began spinning and I got disoriented.

Kevin just watched Janel as she almost fell over.

"Rick," I said as I reached out for him.

He quickly ran over to me and held me.

"You okay?" he asked.

"Yeah. I just need to lay down for a second," I said.

"Is it the baby?" he whispered as he walked me over to the couch.

"What? What did you just say?" Kevin asked as he followed us. "What's going on?!"

"Shut up!" yelled Rick.

Kevin just stood there shocked.

I laid down on the couch and closed my eyes. I just wanted to stop the spinning.

Kevin sat down on a chair while Rick kneeled beside the couch.

"Are you okay?" Rick asked.

"Yeah, I just got a dizzy spell," I said.

"Are you sure?" he asked.

"Yeah," I said as I looked at him.

"What's going on?" Kevin asked worriedly.

I slowly sat up. Then Rick sat next to me. He took my hand and held it.

"He said the baby, didn't he?" Kevin questioned.

"Yes, he did," I said as I shook my head. "Kevin, I'm pregnant."

"My child?" he asked hesitatingly.

"Yes!" I said angrily. "You think I'd just come here and sleep with Rick cause you screwed some bitch!?"

"I. . .," Kevin began.

"Well I didn't. I didn't come here to get revenge, I came here to get away from you," I said.

"And I came here to apologize and make things right," Kevin said.

"No. It's over with," I said.

"How can you say that after what we had?" Kevin asked hurt.

"Exactly, what we HAD," I said.

"But we still love each other and now we have a baby," he said.

"You're wrong," I said.

Kevin looked at me puzzled. "You can't be saying what I think you are."

I shook my head yes.

"Kevin, it's over with. Just leave. I have nothing more to say," I said.

"No, you don't mean that," Kevin said as he got up and walked over to me.

"I want you to leave," I said.

"No, not until we talk," he said.

I stood up and stared at him. "There's nothing to talk about. Now leave."

"Can you look me in the eye and honestly tell me that you don't love me anymore?" he asked.

I looked up at him and stared deep into his eyes. "I don't love you."

Tears stung Kevin's eyes as he heard those words.

He leaned forward and kissed my forehead. "But I love you."

Then he walked out.