Chapter 44

Kevin, Kristin, and Lily all went to the reunion, as a happy family. Now that they were making an honest effort to be friendly and get to know each other, things were no longer hostile. So at the reunion, they had a wonderful time. Kevin was the proud dad, introducing his daughter to all of the family and making sure that they knew she was his. And then he made sure to introduce Kristin, since she would be his wife very soon.

They were now on the plane ride home and Lily was sitting with her laptop, instant messaging her Uncle Nicky, and listening to her headphones. While Kristin sat on the other side of Kevin, resting her head on his shoulder as they quietly talked.

"Kris, if you don't mind, can I ask you why you suddenly changed your mind about Lily?" Kevin asked.

"Basically overnight, huh?" Kristin said.

"Yeah, it seemed like it," Kevin replied.

"Well, I changed my mind because of what Lily said to me in the hospital," Kristin said.

"What?" Kevin asked, confused. "Lily never visited you in the hospital, for some reason she refused to come."

"She didn't stay at the hospital once?" Kristin inquired.

"Um…just the first night and then after that she refused to come," Kevin said.

"Then that must be when," Kristin said.

"When what?" Kevin asked.

"When Lily talked to me," replied Kristin.

"But you were in a coma," Kevin said, puzzled.

"I know, but I could still hear her…and you," Kristin said as she kissed Kevin.

"Oh, so what did Lily tell you?" Kevin questioned.

"She just kept apologizing to me and pleading for me to wake up," Kristin answered.

"Apologizing for what?" Kevin asked.

"For what she said and for the accident, since she thought it was her fault," Kristin said. "I listened to her and with each thing she said my heart broke. I wanted to say something to her, hug her…anything. But I couldn't and I felt so guilty."

"Guilty because?" Kevin inquired.

"Because of how afraid I had made her of being take away from you and how much she thought I hated her," Kristin said quietly.

"Oh," Kevin replied.

"She really is a sweet girl," Kristin said, as she thought about the past few days that she had spent with Lily and getting to know her. "I can see some of your personality in her."

Kevin smiled. "Brian says she gives the same look that I do."

"Yeah, I'll agree with that," Kristin said. "Especially since I've received a few of them."

"I'm so glad that you two are no longer fighting," Kevin said. "I don't know how much longer I could've handled it."

Kristin then kissed Kevin. "I love you Kev."

"I love you too Kris," he replied.

"And now we can concentrate on our wedding," Kristin said excitedly.

"Yep," Kevin said happily. "Things can go back to normal."

I quickly took off my headphones and turned to my dad and Kristin.

"Hey guess what!" I said excitedly.

"What?" replied Kristin and my dad.

"Uncle Nicky said that his family is moving down here to be closer to him, which means that I'll get to see Aaron and Angel more often," I said happily.

"Really?" my dad questioned.

"Yep, he said that they'll be down here within the next few months," I said. "And guess what else he told me!"

My dad and Kristin shrugged their shoulders.

"Aaron's coming down to visit today!" I said, smiling.

My dad looked at me suspiciously. "What about Angel?"

"Uncle Nicky said that she didn't want to come this time because she'll be here soon, so it's just Aaron," I said. "Why?"

"Oh, nothing," my dad said. "You just seem awfully excited to see Aaron. I was wondering if you'd be as excited to see Angel?"

"Kev, what are you insinuating?" Kristin asked while smiling at me.

"Yeah Dad," I said.

"Oh nothing," my dad replied, smiling. "Nothing at all."

"Yeah whatever," I said laughing. "Any ways, Uncle Nicky wanted me to tell you that he's still picking us up, but we have to wait for Aaron since his flight will be coming in shortly after ours."

"Okay, that's fine," my dad said.

Then Kristin and my dad just stared at me.

"What?" I asked. "Did I interrupt your guys' conversation?"

Kristin smiled. "No, not really. Your dad and I were just talking about things going back to normal."

I frowned. "Normal means going back to school, doesn't it?"

"Yes," my dad said.

"It'll be my 5th or 6th school, I forget. But I can't wait," I said sarcastically.

"Why so many schools?" Kristin asked curiously.

"Alan and Joanne moved around a lot," I said.

"Yeah, but this time it'll just be one school, we're not moving anywhere," my dad said. "Maybe it'll be better now."

"Maybe," I said.

"Oh you know what, when the Carter family moves down here I could ask Bob and Jane where Angel and Aaron will go," my dad said.

"Really?" I asked excitedly.

"Yeah, I'll see if we can do that," my dad said.

"Thank you," I said as I hugged my dad.

"You're welcome sweetheart," my dad said.

After about 45 minutes we were finally getting ready to land. All of us buckled in and waited as the plane made its final descend. Then we grabbed our carry on luggage and got off the plane, along with my Uncle Brian and Aunt Leigh.

As soon as I saw my Uncle Nicky, I dropped my backpack and then ran towards him.

"Nicky!" I yelled happily.

He smiled as he yelled, "Lily!"

I jumped into his arms and gave him a hug.

"How are you?" he asked as he set me down.

"Good," I said happily. "You?"

"Pretty good, but I was a little bored without you," Nick said. "I couldn't just call you up and invite you over to play video games."

I smiled. "I'm sorry Nicky."

"That's okay, as long as you promise me that you'll come over sometime and make up all the time that we missed," he said.

"Sure," I said.

"How about you come over tonight?" Nick suggested. "Aaron will be over."

"Are you sure?" I asked.

"Yeah, it'll be fine. You know I love having you over, and I know what you think about my brother, so I'm sure everything will be fine," Nick said smiling at me.

I elbowed him in the side as I smiled. "I don't like him, so quit it."

Nick just laughed. "Oh, so you're still keeping it a secret?"

"Keeping what a secret?" Kristin asked as she came over to us.

"Nothing," I replied quickly.

Nick just smiled. "About how much she likes my brother."

I glared at Nick. "I do not like him!"

Kristin laughed at us. "You're secret is safe with me."

"But it's not a secret, I don't like him!" I exclaimed.

"Don't like who?" my dad asked as he walked over to us.

"Nick," I replied.

"Ugh! I'm hurt," Nicky said as he placed his hand over his heart.

My dad hugged Nick. "Lily you gotta be careful with your Uncle Nicky, he's so sensitive."

"Oh, sorry. I'll try to remember that, especially when I'm kickin' his butt on the video game and rubbin' it in his face," I said, smiling.

"Oh, those are fighting words in my country," Nick said.

I shoved my dad in between Nick and I. "You have to go through him first."

"Man, I can kick this old guy's butt anytime," Nick said as he pretended to make himself buff.

My dad glared down at Nick. "Really?"

"Or not," replied Nick. "I was just kidding."

Kristin smiled as she grabbed Nick's arm, pulling him away from my dad and I. "Let's go get our luggage before you get yourself in more trouble."

"Good thinkin', Kris," Nick said as they began to walk through the airport.

Then Uncle Brian and Aunt Leigh walked up to us.

"Well we're leaving Kiddo, so are you going to tell us goodbye?" Uncle Brian asked.

I hugged both my Uncle Brian and Aunt Leigh.

"Thanks so much for accepting me," I whispered to my Aunt Leigh.

"You're welcome. You know that you can always come to me and your Uncle Brian if you need anything," she said, smiling reassuringly at me.

"Thank you," I said.

"Come here Kiddo," Uncle Brian said as he pulled me into a hug. "Glad that you made it out of this family reunion in one piece."

I smiled. "Me too."

Then my dad hugged both Uncle Brian and Aunt Leigh. "We'll see you guys later."

"Bye," they replied.

"Okay, let's go Lily, your Uncle Nicky and Kris are getting our luggage. Or at least we hope they are," my dad said. "They could've gotten lost."

"I bet they did," I said, agreeing with my dad.

"So what were you and your Uncle Nicky talking about?" my dad asked.

"Nothing really," I replied. "Oh wait! He asked if I could stay the night tonight. Can I?"

"Tonight?" my dad asked.

"Yeah," I said.

"But we just got home, we haven't even made it to our house yet," my dad said.

"I know, but I really want to go over there," I said. "Please?"

My dad looked at me skeptically.

"You and Kristin can have some alone time," I said, trying to persuade him to let me stay at Nick's.

"Do you think that that's going to make me change my mind?" my dad asked while smiling at me.

"Possibly," I replied. "Please! I haven't seen my Uncle Nicky in almost 3 weeks and we need to catch up."

"Oh, so it has nothing to do with Aaron being there?" my dad asked.

"No," I said defensively.

"Yeah, I guess that's fine. You can get your things when Nick drops Kris and I off," my dad said.

"Thank you Daddy," I said as I kissed him on the cheek.

"Love you too," he said.

Eventually, we found Nick and Kris, and then we picked up our luggage. After that we waited for about 10 minutes at Aaron's gate. Then he came walking out his backpack on and his headphones around his neck. I instantly began to smile as I saw him…he looked so cute. His hair was all messy, but in the perfect way. I watched as he smiled that famous Carter smile as he saw his brother.

After wards he said hi to Kristin, my dad, and then me.

"Hey Lily. What's up?" he asked.

"Hi Aaron. How are you?" I asked.

"I'm good," he said. "But I'm a little tired."

Then we all went to get his luggage. Once we had his luggage, we got into Nick's truck and finally left for home.

Aaron and I sat up in the front with Nicky, while my dad and Kris sat in the back. As they talked, so did Aaron and I. After a while, both of us began to get tired.

"You can use me as your pillow," Aaron offered as I yawned again.

I smiled. "No, that's okay."

"No, really it's fine," he said. "You can rest your head on my shoulder and I'll rest my head on top of you. That way we both win."

"Oh, all right," I said. I moved a bit closer to him and then rested my head on his shoulder. Then for him to get more comfortable, he put his arm behind me and then rested his head on top of mine.

Fifteen minutes later, Nick pulled into Kevin's driveway. He shut the truck off and then sat there staring at Lily and his little brother.

"Awww, look. It's a Kodak moment," he said.

Both Kevin and Kristin leaned forward trying to get a glimpse of the two kids sleeping.

"They look too comfortable," Kevin said, noticing Aaron's arm around Lily.

Kristin smiled at the sight. "Yeah, they do."

"Yep, so why don't you go get Lily's stuff for her so that way we don't have to wake either of them," Nick suggested.

"Okay, I'll be back soon," Kevin said.

"Wait," Kristin said as she put her hand on Kevin's arm. "I'll get her things. You just get our luggage."

"Good idea," Kevin said.

Then the three of them hopped out, Kristin going directly inside for Lily's things, while Nick and Kevin got the luggage from the back of the truck.

Kristin came back downstairs and handed Nick Lily's bag. "There you go."

"Thanks," Nick said. "Well I guess I'll be going now, so I can put those two in bed."

"Wait a second," Kevin said as he followed Nick out.

What?" Nick asked.

"I have to take a picture," Kevin said, holding his camera.

Both Nick and Kristin laughed.

"What? I hardly have any pictures of her, and why not this one?" Kevin asked.

"No, go ahead," Nick said, smiling. "Ten years later when they're getting married they'll have this picture."

Kevin snapped the picture and then turned to Nick. "Hey, who said anything about them getting married? My little girl is staying with me until she's at least 25 and then once she moves out she can begin dating."

"Yeah, yeah whatever Kev," Nick said, smiling as he got back into his truck. He waved goodbye to Kristin and Kevin as he drove off.