Chapter 37

Kevin walked into his room and collapsed onto his bed. He sighed as he rested his arm over his eyes. As he lay there, he tried to think of what he could do.

Then he quickly sat up and reached for his phone. He dialed the number and then rested against his headboard, waiting for someone to answer.

"Hello?"

"Hi Mom," Kevin said.

"Hi my son!" Ann said, happily. "How are you?"

"Okay," he replied.

"What's wrong? You don't sound okay," Ann said.

"It's Kristin and Lily."

"Are they okay?"

"Yeah, I guess."

"Then what about them?"

"They got into a fight, again."

"What happened this time?"

"It was their usual arguing, but this time, Kristin hit Lily."

"Kristin?"

"Yeah, she slapped Lily."

"What happened? Why did she do that?"

"She said it was a reaction to what Lily said."

"Oh. So where is she now?"

"I told her to stay somewhere else for the night, and she ended up at Brian's house."

"And Lily?"

"She's in her room sleeping."

"Is the poor thing okay?"

"Yeah, physically she's okay. But I'm not sure about mentally."

"Why do you say that?"

"Because Nick told me that whatever Kristin said to her really made her start to doubt things, such as whether or not I want her here."

"Well what did you tell her?"

"Nothing. Somehow Nick managed to fix that, or at least I hope so."

"Okay, so what's going on between you and Kristin right now?"

"I don't know. I'm so confused. And I'm so angry with her for striking Lily, she should have never touched my daughter."

"I know what you mean Kevin. I would be furious also. But are you thinking about calling off the engagement?"

"I don't know, I haven't thought about that too much lately." Kevin sighed. "Mom, what do I do? I need help. They both want each other gone."

"Okay, first of all I know that you're angry with Kristin right now, but you two can't get separated. I know that these last 7 years with Kristin have meant so much to you and her, don't throw them away."

"I could never do that Mom, I still love Kristin too much."

"Okay, I'm glad to hear that. And of course you're not going to get rid of your daughter."

"Never. But yet, that's the problem. What do I do?"

"The only thing you can do my son, is talk to them. And make them understand that you love both of them. Because it sounds as though, both of them are afraid that you can't or won't love both of them, and so they want you to themselves."

"But Mom, they won't listen to me. I've tried."

"You're just going to have to try again. You have to make them listen to you and make them understand. It's the only thing that will work."

"I'll do anything to keep both of them."

"Good, because I want to see my soon to be daughter-in-law and my granddaughter, whom I haven't see in 14 years, at the family reunion."

"They will both be there. But the trick will be getting them to act civil towards one another and not make a scene."

"It'll be okay my son. And if not, I'll deal with them."

Kevin laughed. "Thanks Mom."

"You're welcome. Now get some sleep and stop worrying so much. Things will work out, I know it."

"Night Mom, love you."

"Night Kevin, I love you too."

Kevin hung up his phone and then changed for bed. He climbed into bed and lay there underneath the covers. He was determined to talk to Lily and Kristin tomorrow, and make them understand that things were going to change.

After a while he closed his eyes, and let himself relax, falling into a fitful sleep.

Next Morning

"Morning Daddy," I said as I walked into the kitchen where my dad was reading the newspaper.

"Morning sweetheart," he said as he looked up at me.

I grabbed a bagel, which he had made, and sat down, across from my dad.

"So what are we doing today?" I asked, before I took a bite.

"We're going to settle this little problem we have," my dad said.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"I mean between you and Kristin," my dad said.

"But…" I began to whine.

"No, Lily. I don't want to hear it," my dad said. "All three of us are going to resolve this, and I'm not going to let you or Kristin talk me out of this. Understood?"

"Yeah," I said quietly.

"Good," he said. "Once you finish eating, I want you to get dressed. And as soon as Kristin gets here, we'll begin our talk."

"Okay," I said reluctantly.

Then my dad got up and went into the living room.

Kevin sat down and called Brian's house.

"Hello?"

"Hey Leigh."

"Oh hi Kev!"

"How was filming?"

"Oh pretty good. But I'm glad it's over with, because I couldn't stand to be away from my hubby any longer."

Kevin smiled. "That's good to hear."

"So how have you been?"

"Umm…okay, I guess."

"I hear I'm an Aunt now. Is that right?"

"Yeah."

"So when do I get to meet your daughter?"

"Soon, I promise."

"Okay Kev. Any ways, I take it you called to talk to Kris, right?"

"Yeah, is she still there?"

"Yeah, hold on, just one minute. I'll get her."

"Thanks Leighanne, and I'll talk to you later."

"No problem Kev."

Leighanne set down the phone and then went to Kristin's room.

"Kris, Kev's on the phone for you," Leighanne said as she popped her head into Kristin's room.

"Okay," Kristin said as she picked up the phone. "Hi Kev."

"Hi Kris."

"How did you know I was here?"

"I saw the 4-Runner there last night when I dropped Bri off."

"And you didn't want to talk to me then?"

"No, I was still too upset. But I want to talk to you now. I want you to come home."

"We have a lot of talking to do though."

"I agree."

"Okay then, I'll be home in about 15 minutes."

"Bye Kris, I love you."

"I love you too, Kev."

Once Kevin hung up he breathed a sigh of relief. He was thankful that so far neither of them had put up much of a fight, in fact, Kristin actually agreed that they needed to talk.

After I had finished getting dressed, I went downstairs and sat next to my dad on the couch. I rested my head on his shoulder as we watched TV.

"So what did Nick have to show you last night?" my dad asked, curiously.

"Umm…nothing. He just wanted to give me something," I said.

"Well, what did he give you?" my dad asked.

"Just a picture," I said.

"Of?" my dad asked.

"You and me," I replied. "Do you want to see it?"

"Sure," my dad said.

"Okay," I said as I got up. "I'll be back in a second."

"Kev! I'm home!" Kristin called as she walked into the house.

Kevin smiled and then got up. He greeted Kristin at the door, giving her a kiss.

"I love you," Kristin said.

"I love you too Kris," Kevin said.

Kristin smiled. Then she said, "I'm going to go clean up real quick before we sit down."

"All right," Kevin said.

Kristin headed upstairs just as Lily was coming back down.

I stopped as soon as I saw Kristin. "Come back to get your stuff and leave?"

"Nope, I'm here to stay," Kristin said, with a smug smile spread across her face.

Then she walked into my dad's room and shut the door. I took a deep breath and then went downstairs to where my dad was waiting.

"Kristin came back?" I asked, annoyed.

"Yes Lily. I told you that all three of us needed to talk," my dad said. Then he changed the subject. "Is that what Nick gave you?"

"Yeah," I said. "It's a photo album of pictures of us."

"All of them are pictures of us?" he asked.

"Yeah," I said. "They're all from the first day that we met."

"They are?" my dad asked surprised as I handed him the album.

"Yep," I said. "Turn to the very back, it's my favorite picture."

My dad opened it, and then turned to the back like I had told him. His eyes got wide as he looked at the picture. Then a huge smile spread across his face.

"Nick drew this?" he asked shocked.

"Yeah," I said, smiling. "He said that we looked too cute, so he got his drawing pad out and drew us."

"Wow. I'm going to have to call your Uncle Nick and thank him," my dad said. "I can't believe he drew this."

"I love it," I said. "He captured one of my best memories, and one of my first memories of you."

"Yeah, the first time I got to hold you in my arms after 14 years," my dad said, smiling.

Then he continued to look through the rest of the album.

By the time he had finished, both of us were crying because we had been laughing so hard.

"I can't believe Nick got a picture of us in the pit of balls," my dad said. "And the one of me going down the slide, that's just embarrassing."

"I like that one," I said. "You looked like you were having so much fun."

"I was," my dad said. "But let's not show your other Uncles, cause they'll make fun of me."

"Okay," I said, smiling.

Kristin stepped out of her and Kevin's room, to hear Kevin and Lily laughing from downstairs. She went downstairs and saw them laughing on the couch, while they were looking at something.

"What are you looking at?" Kristin asked as she walked over to my dad and I.

"Nothing," I said as I quickly took the photo album and closed it. Then I got up and put the album in my room.

Once I came back, my dad was standing and Kristin was sitting on the couch.

"Sit down Lily," he said.

I sat down at the far end of the couch, while Kristin sat at the other end.

"I thought you said that we needed to talk," Kristin said. "What is Lily doing down here?"

"I'm here because…" I began.

"Lily, please. I'll tell Kristin," my dad said.

"Okay," I said quietly.

Kristin smiled at me.

"Kristin," my dad said.

"What?" she asked.

"Please don't," he said.

"Sorry," she said quietly.

"Thank you," he said. "Now Lily is here because we need to talk, and that means all three of us."

"But…" Kristin began.

"No. I don't want to hear it," my dad said. "I want you two to listen to me. Okay?"

"Okay," we replied quietly.

"First of all, I want you two to know that I love both of you equally. I need both of you in my life. So if either of you are thinking that I'm going to have one of you leave, you're wrong. And you can just forget that thought right now, because it's not going to happen," my dad said.

He looked at both Kristin and I for a reaction. "Is that understood?"

"Yes," we replied.

"Good," he said. "Because I never plan on getting rid of my fiancée or daughter. But that means that all three of us are going to live here together, which also means that I do not want you two fighting every time I leave for the store or walk out of the room. I hate it that both of you are saying things to hurt each other. Don't you realize that you're also hurting me? Because whenever you guys are hurting, I am too."

"I'm sorry Daddy," I said.

"No, don't apologize to me. I want you to apologize to Kristin," my dad said.

"Kristin?" I asked.

"Yes, Kristin," my dad said.

"No," I said. "I'm not going to say sorry to her, when she's the one who should say sorry to me. She's the one who hit me!"

"I want both of you to apologize to each other," my dad said.

"What!?" Kristin asked.

"You heard me. And I don't want to hear about Kristin did this or Lily did this," my dad said as both Kristin and I were getting ready to speak. "I want you two to apologize."

"Sorry," we mumbled.

"Say it like you mean it," my dad said. "Look at each other."

Both Kristin and I looked at each other.

"Sorry," she said.

"Yeah, sorry," I said.

Kevin sighed, frustrated with the two of them. They weren't making this easy. But at least, they attempted to apologize, if that's what you wanted to call it.

"Look, I know you two aren't going to love each other right away. Heck, I know you two don't even like each other right now, but please try to be civil towards one another. That's all I'm asking, is that you two treat each other with respect because I hate it when you two fight," my dad said. "The family reunion is in a few days, and I want to take you two and show them my beautiful fiancée and daughter."

"Don't worry Kev, I won't make a scene…as long as your daughter doesn't," Kristin said.

"I won't. Just don't talk to me and we'll be fine," I said.

"Lily!" my dad exclaimed.

"What?" I asked.

"I don't want you two to avoid each other, I want you guys to try and act civil towards one another. I'm tired of both of you ignoring each other," he said.

"Fine," I said. "And don't worry, I'll be good at the family reunion."

"Thank you," my dad said.

"Can I go to my room now?" I asked.

"Yeah," my dad said.

I got up and headed to my room.

"Lily!" my dad called.

"Yeah?" I asked as I turned around.

"I love you," he said.

I smiled. "I love you too Daddy."

Once Lily had gone up to her room, Kevin sat down next to Kristin.

"Kris, I'm sorry about last night. But I was too upset to have you stay here," Kevin said.

"It's okay Kev, I understand. And I am really sorry about what happened. I never meant to hit her. I'm sorry Kevin," Kristin said as she hugged him.

"It's okay," Kevin said.

Then Kevin and Kristin just stayed there on the couch, in each other's arms, watching a movie.

Kevin was glad that it seemed to go okay, but he also knew that it didn't help as much as he would have liked it to. He could see that it still went in one ear and out the other. But this time, he thought that he was able to get through to them that he loved both of them. So hopefully they would change their attitudes, or at least try to tolerate one another and stop their fighting. He could only hope that nothing would happen at the family reunion. He hoped that there would be too much commotion for them to remember how much they didn't like each other.