Chapter 85

I pulled into the driveway, got out, and slammed the door.

Kevin cringed as he watched her slam the door shut.

I walked into the house closing the door behind me.

Kevin stuck his hand out to stop the door from closing on him. He walked in and locked it.

He sighed as he heard her shut her door and lock it. Then he went and sat down on the couch.

I continued slamming things shut as I searched for something to change into. I was so frustrated with Kevin. Here he was telling me that he wanted to be with me and he loved me. But yet he was flirting with that girl like I didn't even exist.

I changed and then walked into the kitchen, making myself something to eat.

Kevin heard Janel come out and decided to go check on her.

"What are you making?" Kevin asked quietly.

"A sandwich," I replied.

He sat down and watched as Janel pretended that he wasn't even there.

I made my sandwich and then went to grab a napkin. I had planned on eating in my room when Kevin grabbed my wrist.

I stared down at him.

"We need to talk," he said.

"What's to talk about? You are obviously a lot more interested in other girls than me, your fat pregnant girlfriend," I said angrily.

"That's not true," Kevin said.

"Oh really. Cause that's what it looked like to me when I was watching you with that pretty little redhead," I said as I walked away.

"What about you and Rick?" he asked bitterly.

"Oh, so the truth comes out. You're jealous because of me and Rick," I said.

"You and him were getting pretty close. And I'm not jealous of Rick," he said.

I laughed. "Just for your information we were talking about him and Char, his girlfriend. So now tell me that you're NOT jealous."

Then I walked into my room and slammed the door in his face.

Kevin knocked on the door. "Janel, let me in."

"Nope, not until you can act like a grown man," I said as I sat down on my bed.

"Please, let me in," Kevin said.

"Nope," I said. Then I turned on my radio full blast.

Kevin sighed and walked away. He knew he shouldn't have been messing with that girl. But he didn't like seeing Janel with Rick, even though they weren't really doing anything.

He went into the kitchen and rummaged around for something to eat.

I sat there eating as I listened to my music. I couldn't believe he was acting some little child. I thought he had matured somewhat from a hormonal teenager.

Once I was through eating I called Lauren.

"Hello."

"Hey sis."

"Hi girl. What have you been up to?"

"Well I'm sure you've heard by now that Kevin and I got back together."

"Yes, I did. Brian made sure to call me. I was going to call you, but I figured you two lovebirds needed some time."

"Yeah, well we're having a problem with Mr. Richardson."

"Do you want me to come down and kick his ass?"

I laughed. "No, I don't think that's necessary. . .yet."

"So what's wrong?"

"I don't know. I think he's jealous."

"Of what?"

"Rick."

"Oh, I see."

"Yeah, well he thinks he did also. Rick and I were talking about his new girlfriend."

"What? Rick has a girlfriend?"

"Yep, her name is Char. She's such a sweetheart and they're really cute together. Oh yeah, and she actually took him out dancing."

"Wow, that's amazing. And good for him, he needs someone in his life."

"Yeah, don't I know it."

"Okay, so continue on with your problem with Mr. Richardson."

"Well I guess that Mr. Richardson seemed to forget about me while he was flirting with a pretty little red head."

"Seriously?"

"Yep. I walked up to them and shocked the hell out of them."

"Did you slap the girl?"

I laughed. "Yeah, like I need that again. No, I just looked at them and then she left and so did I. Kevin's lucky he even made it home."

"Good for you girl."

Kevin picked up the phone to call Brian when he heard Janel's voice. He knew that he shouldn't be listening to her conversation, but she sounded so sad.

"Lauren, do you think that he thinks that I'm no longer pretty to him? Because I don't feel pretty, and now I'm so fat. Sometimes I just feel so ugly. I don't understand why he wants to be with me at all."

"Janel Elizabeth Evans! Don't even think like that. You are a beautiful woman and a beautiful person. Anyone can see that, even Mr. Butt-Head-Richardson."

Kevin felt terrible. He hadn't mean to hurt her so much, he just wanted her to be a little jealous. Not to feel unloved or unwanted.

"I don't know Lauren. Sometimes I wonder if he's just here for the baby. I wonder if he really loves me."

"Sis, listen to me. That boy loves you with all of his heart. Now he may not have the best way of showing it all the time, like now, but deep down I know that he loves you more than life itself."

"Thank you Lauren."

Kevin sat on the floor in the kitchen with the phone attached to his ear. He couldn't believe what she was feeling. He felt like scum, acting the way he did earlier.

"You're welcome sweetie. Can I ask you a question though?"

"Sure."

"What brought on these feelings? I know Kevin's part of it, but there's something else."

"I don't know. Mood swings I guess."

"Oh no, that's not going to work with me girl. There's something else and I want to know what it is."

The tears slowly began to fall as I sighed. "I had a nightmare."

"About Jerry?"

"Uh huh."

"When?"

"About a week before my birthday."

I wiped away my tears and then continued.

"I don't know why I had a nightmare, I haven't had one in a really long time. But I guess something triggered it."

"What was it? Do you know?"

"I don't know, I guess it happened when I was working and this man was looking at the jewelry. So I was helping him, showing him the jewelry and everything. He was bending over looking in the glass case when I caught the scent of his cologne. It was the same one that Jerry used. I felt like l was suffocating all over again."

"Then what happened?"

"I helped him and then tried to forget about it. But I couldn't shake that feeling."

"So you think that's why you had the nightmare?"

"Yeah, I guess at night I was subconsciously thinking about it and then I went to sleep."

"Janel, what happened?"

I began crying. Then I choked out. "He threatened to hurt my baby."

Kevin just about dropped the phone when he heard Janel say that. The tears that had began to well up were now falling from his eyes.

"Lauren, I don't ever want my child to go through the pain that I've gone through."

"Oh no, don't worry about that baby sis. That child will only be surrounded by people that love him or her. And I know that Kevin will protect you and your child with his life."

"Always," Kevin interrupted.

"Kevin?!" I asked shocked.

"Janel, please open the door. I'm begging you," Kevin said.

"Sis, I'm going to let you go now. I'll call to check on you later," Lauren said.

"Okay," I said as I got up and unlocked my door.

I hung up the phone and set it down. Then I opened the door to see Kevin standing there also crying.

"I'm so sorry," he said. "I never meant to act like that. It's just that I was afraid of losing you, so I just, I don't know, I. . ."

"Ssh, it's okay," I said as I placed my finger on his lips.

He took my hand and kissed it. Then he hugged me.

I just cried as he held me in his arms.

Then he picked me up and we laid down on the bed. He rubbed my stomach ever so slightly.

After both of us had stopped crying for a while he began to talk.

"How come you didn't tell me?" he asked.

"I don't know. So many things were going on at that time. I was trying to tell myself that everything was going to be okay, just me and the baby. And then you showed up, kind of throwing a curve ball at me," I said.

Kevin sighed. "Yeah, I just kind of barged right back into your life."

"I was trying to forget that nightmare. I just kept telling myself that I wasn't afraid and my fear would just disappear."

"Have you had any more nightmares?" he questioned.

"No. But sometimes when I close my eyes, I can see him standing there ready to hurt our baby," I said as I began to cry again. "Kevin, I don't want him to hurt our baby, not ever."

"He won't Pumpkin, he won't. I promise," Kevin said as he hugged me tighter.

I put my hand on my stomach and Kevin put his hand on mine. Both of us trying to protect our unborn child from the world.

Then Kevin's soothing voice filled my thoughts as he began to sing a lullaby to our child.

I closed my eyes, relaxing in Kevin's strong embrace.

"It's okay go to sleep, I'm right here," Kevin whispered.

"I love you," I whispered.

"I love you too," he said.

Then he continued to sing. He laid there awake watching Janel sleep. Once he was absolutely certain that she was sleeping peacefully, he closed his eyes.