Chapter 14

"Nickolas Gene Carter! Get your butt up!" Kevin said as he pounded on Nick's door.

Nick rolled out of bed and sleepily walked towards the door. Then he opened the door.

"What do you want Kev?" Nick asked.

"Get yourself ready, we have to leave soon," Kevin said.

"Leave where?" Nick asked as he rubbed his eye with the back of his hand.

"To see Lily!" Kevin said.

"Oh okay," Nick said. "Hold on."

"Be over in my room in 15 minutes," Kevin said.

"Okay," Nick said. Then he closed the door.

Nick crawled back into bed and threw the covers over his head.

"Ten more minutes," he said to himself.

Kevin went back into his room and sat down to watch t.v.. But he looked at his watch every five seconds.

I woke up and looked at my clock. It was 7:30.

I got out of bed and walked into the dining room where everyone was getting ready to have breakfast.

"Do you want an egg?" Jaime asked as she stood in the kitchen making the potatoes.

"No," I said.

"Are you sure?" she asked.

"Yeah, I'm too nervous to eat anything," I said.

"Oh okay," she said.

I sat down at the table with the rest of the kids as they ate. I just drank a glass of water.

Then I decided to take my shower and get dressed.

Once I was out of the shower I walked into my room and began to brush my hair.

Then Jaclyn and Samantha walked in.

"So Lily are you ready for me to do your hair?" Jaclyn asked.

"Sure," I said.

"Okay, let's go in the bathroom," she said.

"All right," I said as I followed her.

It had been exactly fifteen minutes since Kevin told Nick to get ready.

Nick quickly did his hair and then grabbed his cell phone. He closed his door and walked over to Kevin's room.

Just as Kevin was about to go check on Nick, he heard someone knock.

Kevin got up and opened the door.

"You're lucky that you're here Carter. Cause if it would have been someone else, I would have gone over to your room and hauled your ass out of there," Kevin said as he closed his door.

"You know Kevin, that language of yours is really going to have to go once Lily comes into your life," Nick scolded.

"Yes Daddy," Kevin said childishly.

"You're just mad cause now I'm the one telling you what to do," Nick said.

"In your dreams Nicky," Kevin said as they walked out of the hotel.

Kevin got into their rental car and pulled out the directions. He looked at them and then started the car.

Once Jaclyn finished my hair I was all ready. I looked at the clock and it was only 8:30. Still another half an hour to go. Then the doorbell rang.

My heart started to race.

"Hi, come on in," I heard Jaime say.

Then I saw Kate.

I let out my breath that I had been holding.

"Hi Kate," I said.

"Hi Lily," she said. "Are you all ready?"

"Yep, I'm just waiting," I said.

She smiled at me. "He'll be here soon."

"Okay," I said. "How long will he be here?"

"As long as you'd like him to be. You have the whole day to be with him," Kate said.

"Oh okay," I said.

"Kevin, slow down. We'll make it there on time," Nick said as he tightened his seat belt.

"I don't want to make it on time, I want to be there now," Kevin said.

"Well we're not going to make it there at all if you end up killing us," Nick said.

"Don't worry, we'll be just fine," Kevin said.

"I hope," Nick said quietly.

As Kevin drove around the neighborhood he slowed down searching for the right house.

"What number are we looking for?" Nick asked.

"3630," replied Kevin.

I watched the clock as it changed to 8:59. By this time the butterflies had turned into a knot. I was so nervous and my heart was racing. I almost felt sick.

"There it is!" Nick exclaimed as he pointed to it.

"Where?" Kevin asked as he looked all around.

"Right there, 3630," Nick said.

"Oh! I see it!" Kevin said as started to drive towards it.

Kevin pulled up to the driveway and him and Nick just sat there.

"So are we going to get out?" Nick asked.

"Yeah, hold on," Kevin said.

"It's okay Kev. Everything is going to work out fine," Nick said.

"Yeah, I hope," Kevin said.

"It will, I promise," Nick said.

"Okay," Kevin said.

Then they opened their car doors and got out.

I heard a car door shut and my heart seemed to beat faster.

Kevin walked up to the door and rang the doorbell.

"I'll get it," Kate said.

"All right," I said quietly.

Kate walked to the door and opened.

"Hi Kate," Kevin said.

"Hi Kevin," she said as they both walked in and stood there.

I sat there listening as I heard voices. Then I got up and slowly began to walk towards the door, wanting to see him.

"This is my friend Nick," Kevin said.

"Hi Nick. My name's Kate," she said as she shook his hand.

"Hey," he said.

"Where is she?" Kevin asked.

"Right this way," Kate said as they began to walk towards the family room.

I heard their footsteps coming towards me and I froze. I told my feet to move, but they wouldn't.

Kevin followed Kate to the family room with Nick behind him.

He immediately stopped as he saw Lily, his angel.

He began to cry as he studied her. She was about 5"7' wearing Khaki colored capris with a light yellow tank top. She had beautiful wavy dark brown hair that went just past her shoulders. It looked as though she had put gel in it and had crunched it. Then she had put a little butterfly clip up at the top to slightly pull it back. Her complexion was a beautiful tan just like his. And her eyes, were gorgeous. They were bright green also like her dad.

I watched as two men and Kate entered the room. I watched as my dad walked in and stopped as soon as he had spotted me.

I began to cry as I looked at him. He had perfectly spiked hair that was dark brown like mine. He was wearing dark blue jeans and a orange Phat Farm T-shirt. He was about 6 feet tall and he had a perfect tan complexion matching mine. Then I stared into his eyes. There were a beautiful green. It was like staring into my own eyes.

Nick watched as Kevin and Lily both began to cry. But neither of them were moving. They just stood there staring at each other.

Kate knew that Kevin was going to be perfect for Lily. She could see how much he loved her, even though he had never been around her.

I didn't know why he was crying. If he was disappointed or happy, I couldn't determine. But I knew that I was crying because I was so relieved to finally have found my dad. I didn't know what to do. Should I hug him or do I shake his hand?

Kevin realized that he was just standing there like an idiot crying. He was probably scaring his little girl. Kevin smiled and wiped away his tears.

I watched him as he smiled and then wiped away his tears. Then he began to walk towards me.

Kevin stood in front of Lily as he wiped away her tears.

I felt his fingertips wipe away my tears. His touch was so soft and so loving.

"I love you," Kevin said quietly, so that only I could hear what he had said.

That was all it took, those three little words and I burst into tears again.

Kevin immediately wrapped his arms around Lily as she did the same.

I hugged my dad as tightly as I could. I never wanted to let go of him or him to let go of me.

Kevin gently brushed Lily's hair back as she continued to cry. He smiled as he realized that she had a death grip on him. She didn't have to worry about anything because he never wanted to let go of her.

I breathed in the smell of his cologne. It smelled wonderful. I knew I would remember that smell always.

I finally put myself together and stopped crying. I wiped away my tears and then pulled away from him slightly. I looked at his shirt that was wet with my tears.

"Sorry," I said quietly.

"No sweetie, it's okay. Don't be sorry," he said.

He took my hand and we sat down on the couch.

He never let go of my hand as we sat there.

"Well Lily as you know this is your dad, Kevin," Kate said.

I looked at him and he smiled at me. I smiled back at him.

"And I'm a friend of your dad's," the blonde guy said. "My name is Nick."

"Hi Nick," I said as I shook his hand.

He took my hand and pulled me into a hug. At first I was taken by surprise, but then I hugged him back.

"Okay Nick, give me my daughter back," Kevin said jokingly.

Nick let go and I sat back down next to my dad.

I sat there and stared at our hands.

I wasn't really sure of what to say. I had so many questions for him. I didn't know where to begin.

Kevin's mind was reeling. He had no idea what to say to her. He was just so glad that he had finally found her, he didn't care what they talked about. He had already told her the most important thing.

"You're so beautiful," Kevin said.

I looked up at him and smiled.

"Just like your mom."

"Did she come with you?" I asked.

"Um. . .no, she didn't. I haven't seen her in 14 years," he said.

"What?" I asked confused.

"I'll explain that to you later. Okay?" he asked.

I shook my head okay.

"Right now I want to hear all about you. I want to know everything," he said.

'Like what?" I asked.

"Favorite video game," Nick suggested.

"Uh, I don't really have one. I've never really played Nintendo, or anything like that," I said.

"Oh! That's such a crime!" Nick exclaimed.

I looked at him strangely.

"You'll have to excuse Nick. He may be 20, but he still acts like he's 13. So you and him should get along really well, my dad explained.

I smiled.

"Your dad just doesn't know how to have fun," Nick said.

"Whatever," my dad replied as he looked at Nick.

"Hopefully you'll be able to change that," Nick said as he smiled at him.

I laughed at him.

"So where did you used to live?" my dad asked.

"All sorts of places," I replied.

Then I continued to tell him about how Joanne, Alan and I moved around a lot. I also told him about all the schools that I had gone to.

We sat there and talked for hours about everything and anything. Except for why he was here, why he had left, and where my mom was.

Nick sat there listening to Kevin and his daughter talk. Every once in a while he would comment. But he decided that this was Kevin's time. He watched as Kevin seemed so relaxed and so content. And how there was this new light in his eyes and his smiled seemed to be brighter.

"Guys, I hate to interrupt but I really have to be heading back to the office now," Kate said.

Nick noticed that both Lily's and Kevin's faces became sad.

"Do we have to leave?" Kevin asked worriedly.

"No, I told Lily that she has the whole day with you," Kate said.

Kevin breathed a sigh of relief.

"Can we take her somewhere?" Kevin asked.

"Sure. Just as long as you bring her back tonight," Kate said.

"Okay," Kevin agreed.

"You guys have fun today," Kate said.

"We will," Kevin said.

She waved good bye and then left.

"Umm. . .Kevin," Nick said.

"Yeah?" Kevin asked.

"I'm hungry! When are we going to eat? It's like an hour and five minutes past lunch time," Nick whined.

I smiled as I listened to Nick whine.

It was like watching a little kid, except that he was trapped in a big kid's body.

"Geez Nick! Do you have to whine like that? You're setting a bad example for Lily," my dad said.

"I'll teach the girl everything there is to know about whining and about getting her way," Nick said proudly.

I watched as my dad raised his eyebrow.

"Don't you even think about it Carter," my dad warned.

"Don't worry Lily, me and you will talk later," Nick said.

"Okay," I said as I smiled at him.

"Any ways, are you hungry Lily?" my dad asked.

"Yeah," I said.

"Want to grab a pizza?" my dad asked.

"Yes!" exclaimed Nick.

Kevin just looked at him.

"Sorry," he said.

"I don't know if I'm as excited about pizza as he is, but yeah pizza sounds good to me," I said.

"Okay, let's go," my dad said.

"Let me just go put my shoes on and tell Jaime where we're going," I said.

"Okay," my dad said.

I got up and ran to my room. I slipped on a pair of my sandals and grabbed my backpack. Then I told Jaime that we were leaving.