Chapter 31

Kevin got up and went downstairs to find Lily lying on the couch watching cartoons. He smiled as he walked over to her.

"Morning my girl," he said.

I looked up from the TV to see my dad standing there.

"Morning Dad," I said.

"Can I sit next to you?" he asked.

"Sure," I said as I sat up. Then he walked over to me and sat down on the couch.

"What are you watching?" he asked.

"Nothing really," I said. "Nothing is on at 8 in the morning."

"Yes there is," my dad said. "Scooby-Doo."

I giggled. "Do you watch it a lot?"

"Only when I can, which is hardly ever," my dad said as he changed the channel.

"You know the channel?" I asked.

"Yep, channel 15," he said.

I smiled. "You have it programmed or something?"

"No," he said. "I just happened to remember."

"Sure," I said, smiling.

"Just watch the show," my dad said as I rested my head on his shoulder.

"Okay," I said.

So for half an hour we sat there on the couch watching the adventures of Scooby-Doo and the gang. Normally I probably would have changed the channel or shut the TV off, but since I was with my dad, I didn't really care. I was just glad to be spending time with him.

"Lily, are you getting hungry now?" my dad asked.

"Yeah, a little bit," I replied.

"Want me to pick up some donuts for us?" my dad asked.

"Yeah, that sounds good," I said. "Can you go to Krispy Kreme?"

"That's exactly where I was going to go," my dad said.

"Okay good," I said.

Then my dad got up and changed into a pair of jeans and a t-shirt.

"I'll be back soon," he said.

"Okay," I said as I lay on the couch.

After my dad left, I continued to channel surf until I realized absolutely nothing was on. So I got up, turned the stereo on and then the Playstation. I sat down and began to play Crash Team Racing.

Kevin walked into his house to hear Lily yelling. He quickly ran to the living room, only to find her yelling at the TV.

I turned to see my dad standing there. "Hi Dad."

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"Yeah. I was just yelling at the game because another player shot me," I said, smiling.

My dad laughed. "Okay good. Because you had me worried that you were hurt or something."

"Sorry," I said.

"Actually that's not good. Now you're becoming like Nicky, always yelling at the stupid game," my dad said as he set the donuts down on the coffee table.

"Can't help it. You get so caught up in the game," I said.

"Well it's okay, just as long as you don't start cursing at it," my dad said.

I laughed. "Okay, I'll try not to do that."

"For now though, why don't you hit pause so we can eat these donuts," my dad said.

"All right," I said.

"Lily, do you want a glass of milk or water?" my dad asked as he walked into the kitchen.

"Milk!" I yelled.

Kevin got two glasses of milk and a couple of plates. Then he went back into the living room and sat down.

"Here you go sweetie," my dad said as he handed me a plate with a donut on it.

"Thanks," I said as I took a bite.

We sat there devouring our donuts, neither of us saying a word. Both of us were too hungry to do anything besides eat.

Once we were through we leaned back against the couch, listening to the radio.

"Lily," my dad said.

"Yeah," I said.

"I need to talk to you about something," my dad said.

My heart began to race. I could tell it wasn't going to be good, just by the way he had said it.

"Um...okay," I replied.

"It's about Kristin," he said.

"You mean that one chick, your girlfriend," I said, rudely.

"Lily, Kristin's my fiancée," he said.

"Same difference," I said.

"No, it's not same difference. I will be marrying Kristin soon," my dad said.

"What about me?" I asked.

"What about you?" my dad asked.

"What happens to me when she comes back and you marry her?" I asked.

"Nothing happens to you. You stay right here with me," my dad said. "Nothing changes."

"Everything changes. There'll be another person here," I said.

"No, nothing changes. It's just that now, the three of us can be a family," my dad said.

I rolled my eyes at him. "How can we be a family if she doesn't like me and I don't like her?"

"Lily, please don't say that. You don't even know her," my dad said.

"So? I don't need to know her. All I need to know is that she gave you an ultimatum, so she could get rid of me," I said.

"That's between me and her," my dad said.

"How can you say that when it involves me?" I asked.

My dad sighed. "Look, I don't want to argue with you about Kristin. I just wanted to tell you that she will be coming here in 2 weeks."

"Two weeks?" I asked.

"Yes, and we'll be picking her up from the airport. And then after that, her and I will be going out to dinner," my dad said.

"So where will I be?" I asked. "At home, by myself?"

"No. You're staying the night with Nicky," my dad said.

"So she's staying here for the night?" I asked.

"I don't know. But I do know that we'll be out very late and there's no sense in you going over to Nick's and coming home late, when you can just stay the night," my dad explained.

"But I don't want to stay there," I said. "I want to be with you."

"Lily, I need time alone with Kristin," he said.

"But she's going to take you away from me," I said.

"No, she's not sweetheart," my dad said.

"Yes she is," I said. "She'll make you forget about me."

"I could never forget about you," my dad said.

"You want her more than you than you want me, don't you?" I asked.

"No. . .I. . .," my dad began, but then he stopped.

Kevin stopped and took a deep breath. He was getting frustrated with Lily. This wasn't how he wanted her to act. He was hoping that she would just be okay with it. But he knew that he was obviously dreaming if he thought that was going to happen.

"Look, I want both of you," my dad said. "In fact, I need both of you because I love you guys so much."

I just sat there staring at my dad.

"Do you understand?" he asked.

I didn't say anything.

"I love both of you," my dad repeated. "Do you understand?"

Then the phone began to ring.

"We'll continue this in a second," my dad said as he got up to answer the phone.

Kristin took a deep breath as she picked up the phone. It was now or never. Either she called Kevin and talked to him now, or she wouldn't be able to do it again. She'd make up excuses not to call him until she got back to Florida. But right now she wanted to figure out what Kevin was thinking and how she would be able to convince him of giving Lily up. So she dialed his number and then held the phone tightly in her hand as she listened to it ring.

"Hello," my dad answered.

"Hi Kevin," Kristin said, hesitantly.

"Kristin? Baby, is that you?" he asked, happily.

"Yeah, it's me Kev."

I looked at my dad and watched as his face lit up when he said Kristin's name. He came back into the living room and sat down on the couch.

I knew that he would want to talk to her, so I got up and went to my room. I didn't feel like listening to him talk to her, not when I knew that they would probably end up arguing over me.

I shut my door and then plopped down onto my bed. I picked up my phone and called my Uncle Nick.

"What's up? This is Nick's answering machine. I'm probably playing a video game and trying to reach my high score, so I won't hear the phone. But if you leave a message I'll eventually get back to ya!"

"Hi Uncle Nick. I just wanted to talk, but never mind," I said, as I was about to hang up.

"No! Lily, wait!" Nick said.

"Uncle Nick?" I asked, surprised.

"Yeah," he said.

"I thought you weren't home," I said.

"I just couldn't make it to the phone in time, so I was going to let the machine get it. But since it's you, I decided to answer it," he said.

"Oh, okay."

"So what's up? You said you wanted to talk?"

"Oh. Yeah, well it's not that important anymore."

"No, no, no. It is too important and it's bothering you, so I want to know what it is."

I sighed. "It's about my dad's girlfriend."

"You mean his fiancée, Kristin?"

"Yeah, whatever."

"Well, what about her?"

"I'm sure you already know that she's coming back in 2 weeks, and then I'm staying the night at your house."

"Yeah. So what's the problem?"

"That she's coming back. I don't want her to."

"Why not? You haven't even met her?"

"I know, but I'm. . .well, I'm scared."

"Scared of what Lily?"

"Uh, nothing. Never mind, I don't want to talk about this anymore."

"No, Lily what is it? I want to know."

"It's just that. . .never mind."

"It's just that what?"

"I said never mind."

"And I said I want to know what's bothering you."

"Fine! I'll tell you. I'm terrified of being alone again. I don't think I could handle it if someone leaves me alone again."

"You're not going to be alone! I promise you that."

"No, but Kristin is trying to get rid of me. She doesn't want me here. I'm scared that she's going to make my dad realize that he doesn't want me either."

"Lily, that's not going to happen. I know for a fact that your dad wants you. He was so determined to find you that he's not just going to give you up. Especially now that he's found you, he's never going to let you go. Plus, me and your other 3 uncles will make sure you are never left alone. We'll always be here for you."

"Even if my dad chooses her over me?"

"He's not going to do that."

"But if he does choose her, will you guys still be here for me?"

"Yes, of course. But. . ."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome, but that's. . ."

"I have to go now Uncle Nicky, but I'll talk to you later."

"No Lily, wait."

"Bye," I said before I hung up.

I placed the phone back on the receiver and lay on my bed.

I had 2 weeks to figure out a way to convince my dad that he didn't want her in our family. Somehow I would have to make him see that this was best, just me and him. A small family, but a good family. I'd have to make him see that we still needed our time together because we had missed out on so much before.

"How are you? I've missed hearing from you. I've tried to call you, but I always get your voicemail."

"I know Kevin. I got all of your messages. And that's why I called, so we could figure out a few things."

"About us?"

"About that little girl that is staying with you."

"You mean my daughter, not some little girl."

"Yeah, any ways. . .she still there?"

"Yes, of course. I told you she lives here."

Kristin sighed. "Kevin, I don't know if we can still be together with her there."

"What? Why not?"

"It's just not the same."

"Kris, just listen to me for a second."

"Okay, go ahead."

"Nothing is going to change, I promise you. And I don't want you making any decisions when your miles away and we can't talk this out. I know we can make this work, but not when you're so far away. That's why I'm going to pick you up from the airport, then we can go out to dinner afterwards."

"All three of us?"

"No, just the two of us. Lily will be with Nick."

"Oh, all right. Well I have to go now, so I'll call you later. Bye Kev."

"Bye Kris," he said, before he hung up.

Kristin smiled. She was glad that her and Kevin were going to have some time together alone. That's when she would be able to make Kevin realize that he only wanted and needed her. Then he'd understand that they didn't need this little girl to be happy. They were already happy with just each other. And she would show Kevin just how in love they were, not needing anyone else to complicate things in their life.