Chapter 26

"Come in," Kevin said as he moved so she could walk in.

He closed the door and then led her to the living room where Lily was sitting on the couch.

"Lily! Are you okay?" Kate asked worriedly as she walked over to me.

I nodded my head yes.

"Kate, would you like something to drink?" my dad asked.

"A glass of water would be fine," she answered.

"All right," my dad said as he walked into the kitchen.

Then Kate came and sat down next to me.

"Lily, what happened?" she questioned.

"We had a fight," I said quietly.

"Did he hit you?" she asked, seriously.

"No! That's not it at all," I said.

"Are you sure? Because I really need to know," she said.

I looked up at her. "He didn't touch me."

"Okay," she said. "Now what was this fight about?"

I sighed. "Well I over heard a conversation that I wasn't supposed to."

"And he got mad that you were listening?" she asked.

Then my dad walked back into the living room.

"Here you go," my dad said as he handed the glass to Kate.

"Thanks," she said.

Then we just sat there in silence.

"I'll be upstairs if you need me," my dad said as he got up.

"Thanks Kevin," Kate said.

Once he left Kate bean to ask questions again.

"So what happened when he found out that you were listening?"

"He tried to explain to me what I had heard," I explained.

"What was the conversation?" she asked.

"Me," I replied.

Kevin walked into his room and collapsed onto his bed. He felt as though his whole world was shattering in a matter of seconds. He was terrified of losing Lily or Kristin. He couldn't pick one or the other because he loved them both.

If Lily decided that she didn't want to be with him, then he would get Kristin back. But if Lily stayed then he might lose Kristin. He knew that he couldn't lose either of them. He would do anything in his power to keep both of them with him.

"Lily, do you want to tell me what your dad was saying about you?" Kate asked.

I shook my head no. "Not really."

"Why not?" she asked.

"I don't want to talk about it right now. It's between me and my dad," I said.

"Are you sure?" she asked.

"Yes, I'm sure," I said.

"Okay sweetie, that's fine," she said. "So how do you like your new house?"

"It's wonderful," I said. "I have my own room and my own bathroom."

"Can I see it?" she asked.

"Sure," I said.

We got up and then went upstairs.

"Wow, it's beautiful," she said as she walked in.

"Yeah, I really like it," I said.

"So I know that today hasn't been the best for you. But did you enjoy your stay here yesterday?" she asked.

"Yeah," I said, smiling. "I got to meet my new uncles."

"Really? Were they nice?" she asked.

"Yes, very nice. They treated me like family," I said.

"Good, I'm glad," she said. "So Lily how do you think things are going here?"

"Right now, it sucks," I said.

She frowned at me.

"But I don't want to be anywhere else. I want to stay here with my dad. Things are a little rough right now, but I'm hoping they'll get better," I said.

"So right now, staying here is best for you?" she asked.

"I think so, yeah," I said.

"Okay, as long as you're sure that this is what you want," she said.

"It is," I said. "But I'm not so sure about my dad. He might have changed his mind."

"Don't worry about him. I'll take care of everything," she said.

"Thanks," I said.

"You're welcome," she said as she hugged me. "Now let me just talk to your dad."

"All right," I said.

"I'll be downstairs while you get him," she said as she walked out of my room.

I nodded my head okay. Then I went to my dad's door and knocked on it.

Kevin got up quickly and opened the door.

"Kate wants to talk to you. She's waiting downstairs," I said.

Then I went back into my room and shut the door.

Kevin stood there staring at Lily's door. He didn't know if it was a good thing that she went to her room or not.

He sighed and then forced himself to go downstairs. He walked into his living room and sat on a chair across from Kate.

"Kevin, I want to know if this is going to work for you, Lily staying here?" Kate asked.

"What did she say?" he asked.

"I want to know what you think before I tell you what she said," Kate answered.

Kevin sighed. "Okay, I think this can work. I want it to because I really love her and I want her to say here with me."

"What about today?" Kate asked.

"She over heard a few things and we were arguing about that," he said. "She's just looking for an explanation."

"So you plan on working out this problem between you two, whatever it may be?" she asked.

"Yes, I owe her an explanation for some of the things that I said," Kevin answered.

"Okay good," she said. "So am I correct when I say that you still want full custody?"

"Yes," Kevin said.

"Okay, well it seems as if that's what your daughter also wants," Kate said.

Kevin breathed a sigh of relief. "Really?"

"Yeah. She thinks it can work. She just wasn't too sure about you," Kate answered.

"Oh," Kevin replied.

"Well I guess I'll leave you two now. But if anything happens I want you to call me right away," Kate said as she walked towards the door.

"I will," he said.

Kevin shut the door and then went up to Lily's room. He quietly opened her door to see her at her desk writing.

"Lily," my dad said softly.

I turned around and looked at my dad. "Yeah?"

"Can I come in?" my dad asked.

"Uh huh," I said.

He walked in and then sat on my bed.

"Thank you for staying. I don't know if I could've handled it if you left me," my dad said.

"I never want to leave, unless you don't want me to stay," I said.

"I do want you to stay," my dad said. "And I want to explain everything to you."

"No, I don't want to hear it," I said.

"What?" my dad asked.

"I don't really want to talk about it right now," I said. "Can you just give me some time to think?"

"Yeah, sure. That's fine," my dad said.

"Thanks," I said.

Then he came over to me and kissed the top of my head.

As he walked out I said, "I love you Daddy."

My dad smiled. "I love you too my little girl."

Then he left my room, closing my door.

I laid on my bed listening to the radio.

"And here's the latest hit from the Backstreet Boys, The One," the radio DJ said.

I quickly sat up and turned the radio up.

"But first we'd like to send our congratulations out to Kevin Richardson for his engagement to Kristin Willits," the DJ said.

I sat there stunned at what the DJ had just said.