It was two months later and Brandy and AJ had returned to their house in Florida. She was making plans for their upcoming wedding. AJ had promised her a fairytale wedding with sparkles and diamonds and tons of people. The only difficult thing was the date. They couldn’t set a date because of his hectic schedule along with the unpredictable actions of the fans. The only thing Brandy didn’t want there was the press.
AJ walked in the front door, bouncing a basketball on the foyer floor. “Honey, I’m home,” AJ yelled mockingly up the stairs. Brandy smiled at him from his office desk that was to the left of the foyer. “Honey, I’m over here you dipstick,” she laughed, hugging him tightly.
Kevin and Nick walked in behind him. Brandy flinched when she saw Kevin, as she did every time she saw him. Katy had made her promise not to say anything to Kevin about her being pregnant.
Brandy didn’t understand the method behind her madness, but Katy had said that she didn’t want to ruin Kevin’s dreams. She said she knew how much he loved what he did and that she couldn’t see herself interfering with that. Brandy had argued that she might not want you interfere with Kevin’s life but the baby had no choice. It was his blood; he had a right to know. Living with Katy had taught her a life long lesson: Audrey Kathleen is always right.
“We’re going to go and get something to eat. You want to go?” AJ asked.
“No, but will one of you guys help me move this bookshelf? My sister, Kate, sent me a shipment of Jude Deveraux and Sandra Hill novels and I bought a bookshelf for them but I need to make room for it.” At the sound of Katy’s name Kevin’s eyes glinted with something that was unidentifiable by Brandy but she knew it was there even though it was gone in a split second.
“I’ll help you,” Nick interrupted. “I’ll catch up with you guys in a few minutes. It shouldn’t take us long.”
AJ and Kevin nodded and waved goodbye as they walked out the door.
“Where do you want it,” Nick smiled.
She directed him as to where she wanted it and while he moved it she took the books off of the other bookshelf in order to be able to move it. After she was done she helped him put it in the exact place.
He sat down in the big leather office chair behind the computer desk and took a deep breath. She continued placing the books in their right places as he rested.
“How have you been doing, Nick,” she asked, referring to the implications of him being a father.
“I’m breathing,” he informed her, insinuating that he was hanging in there. He rubbed his big hand over his face. “I don’t know about this, Brandy. I’m mentally and physically tired of everything that’s going on around me. You know, I have considered just throwing in the towel and giving up, but I can’t.”
Brandy listened to him tentatively from the other side of the desk, where she now sat. “I don’t know. I just want to go to sleep and never wake up again,” he trailed off.
“Nick, if that was a cry for help, I don’t feel sorry.”
Nick looked at her, rather shocked.
“Why hasn’t she already popped that kid yet? She was six months pregnant five months ago.”
“That was just a plea to get me to give in. She was only a couple of months along when she said that. My lawyers are all over that, believe me.”
“You mean you really don’t remember having sex with this girl?”
“Yea, but I don’t remember when.”
“Oh c’mon Nick. It can’t be that hard, especially when your life is so planned out right? What’s city does she live in?”
“Detroit, Michigan.”
“Well if it were after the show you can find out when you were performing in Detroit and that’s probably when you were with her. Find out how many months along she is and see if the numbers add up right.”
“Well it isn’t that easy. Her family has chosen to keep her out of the public eye and, of course, away from me. No one knows exactly how far along she is. Her lawyers aren’t excepting calls from my lawyers, period. She made her press release and we’re waiting. The only thing we can do is wait it out. Like you said, just wait until she has the kid and then see if the dates match.”
“Nick, I’m so sorry. I wish I could help.”
“You do help. You listen to me and you’re a great friend. That’s what I need most right now is true friends.”
********
Brandy and AJ lay amidst the strewn bed sheets after their passionate lovemaking. She couldn’t help but notice how incredibly whole she felt; her heart felt complete when she was lying in his arms. She was lying to his side, half her body sloppily tossed over his. Their fingers were laced together loosely and she could feel his heart beat. A heart beat that matched the rhythm of her own. Hard and fast, trying to catch up with the rest of their body.
Even though she was laying there next to her other half, her completion, she couldn’t help but think about her sister. That was all she could think about since she left Savannah. She hated the thought of leaving her there but what could she do?
Katy made her promise not to tell Kevin but it was so hard. Somehow she managed to keep her promise to her sister, as sisters should, but it was killing her. Katy needed Kevin’s love and support.
“Baby, I need to talk to you,” Brandy whispered, breaking the silence.
“About what?”
“Katy,” she paused because she knew she would feel guilty once she told AJ.
“Katy’s pregnant.”
“Really?” AJ sounded surprised and happy. “When did this happen?”
“Katy’s pregnant with Kevin’s baby.”
There was a hush between them for a few very long seconds and when AJ spoke again he wasn’t as joyful as he was before.
“Kevin’s?” he asked, his voice sounding worried.
“Yea,” she whispered, on the verge of tears. She hated thinking of her sister going through such a thing with no one to be there for her. Of course there were their parents but it wasn’t the same as a husbandly love. Her tears started to fall and no more did they pour over her eyes and onto her cheek before AJ pulled her to him tightly, hugging her and hushing her to calm down.
“I don’t know what to do, AJ. I want her to be happy and I know she is miserable without Kevin. She made me promise not to tell him,” she weeped.
He calmed her down and then got a few more answers out of her.
“Now tell me why she doesn’t want Kevin to know.”
“She just said she doesn’t want to interfere with his claim to fame.”
He wanted to tell her how wrong her sister was. Kevin’s claim to fame lay within his awards and trophies and was left in the spotlight of the stage. He was really just a simple country boy at heart. But AJ didn’t say anything. It was best to keep his mouth closed on this one.