“I’m cool, you?”
“I’ve been doing pretty good. My mom and I are working pretty hard these days.”
“That’s good to hear. I’m glad that your mom is able to come down here and work. My mom won’t leave come to Florida even if her life depended on it. She wants to live in Vermont and until I buy her a house there, I don’t think I’m even allowed to call myself her daughter.”
Kevin laughed, “That’s pretty harsh, isn’t it?”
“Yeah, it’s also not true. My mom just doesn’t like Florida, that’s all. She loves Vermont, and she’s wanted to move there since she went there with my step dad on their honeymoon. According to her, it’s a beautiful place where everyone should live.”
Kevin laughed again, and then it got a little uncomfortable between them.
“Have you talked to A.J. lately?” Kevin asked.
“Not since the last time I saw you. I just haven’t really had time. Since I announced that I was going to take some time off, everyone has wanted me to come on their talk show or make an appearance somewhere. It’s really getting annoying.”
“That’s what happened when we said that we were going to take a break after this tour. I think we were on like 6 different talk shows in three days. It gets rough, but that’s show business.”
“I guess…” she said, looking around the room, as if she was looking for an escape. She spotted Sarah Michelle Gellar and was relieved when Sarah waved to her, “I’ll check you later, okay Kev?”
“Yeah, later Kayla.”
Kayla walked over to Sarah, “Hey, what’s going on?”
“Not too much, just chilling out.”
“That’s all?”
“Yeah, I’m a little bored though.”
“Why? This is a great party.”
“Yeah, but I don’t have anyone with me.”
“What happened to Shawn?”
“We split up about three months ago.”
“What happened?”
“It just wasn’t working anymore. We weren’t happy, so it’s better this way.”
“Yeah…”
“I heard you and A.J. split too.”
“Yeah we did. Same thing, it wasn’t working out. I had way too much going on and he wasn’t what I needed.”
“And Kevin was?”
“What?”
“It looked to me like you and Kevin are together now.”
“No, we’re not. Where did you get that idea?”
“You two looked awfully comfy over there.”
“Just the opposite. It was the most uncomfortable conversation I’ve ever been in.”
“I’m going to repeat my question, is there something going on between you and Kevin?”
Kayla looked around and then pulled Sarah away from prying ears, “Look, I’m not supposed to be talking about this, but you’re a close friend of mine who I know I can trust. I’ve got to talk to someone. I can’t say anything to Nick.”
“You can’t talk to Nick? It’s got to be pretty serious then.”
“Yeah it is,” she said and looked around again, “Kevin and I slept together.”
“You WHAT?”
“Sarah, keep it down. I told you that no one else can know and here you are shouting.”
“I’m sorry, but it’s kind of hard to believe that you and Kevin slept together.”
“Well it is for me too. He’s my best friend and after, we agreed that it never happened.”
“It never happened? You’re too much Kayla.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Because you can’t just pretend that you didn’t sleep with someone. It’s not right.”
“Sarah, please don’t lecture me right now, I don’t think that I could handle it.”
Sarah put her arm around Kayla’s shoulder, “Girl, you need to talk to him.”
“I have, but we both say that we need to forget that it happened. I don’t know what to do, I’m so confused.”
“Go talk to him Kayla.”
“I can’t. Not tonight. I’ll go see him the first thing in the morning.”
“Kayla, you shouldn’t put it off.”
“Sarah, don’t start. I just told you because I needed someone to confide in. If I needed a lecture, I would’ve talked to my mother.”
“Hey!”
“I’m sorry, I’ve been a little testy lately. I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”
“Maybe you’re regretting the sex.”
“I don’t know, it was pretty fun.”
“Kayla!”
“Well it was. With A.J., it was always very romantic, but it seemed like everything was very methodical and expected.”
“Ouch.”
“No kidding. With Kevin, it was exciting and more fun than anything I could imagine.”
“Sounds like you want to make love to him again.”
“I don’t know, he’s still my best friend and besides, it never happened.”
Sarah laughed, “You’re insane Kayla. I gotta go though, it’s getting late and David, Nicky, Charisma, Aly, and I are all going out later. Want to go with?”
“No thanks, I’ll just stick around here. Jeff has been bugging me to dance with him since I got here.”
“All right, I’ll catch you later.”
“Bye Sarah thanks for listening.”
“Any time.”
Kayla watched Sarah as she walked away and let her eyes wander to Kevin. When they made eye contact, she quickly averted her eyes. Jeff walked over to her to take her up on her dance and she happily obliged.
“Hey Kayla, where are you?” Jeff asked.
“What?”
“You’re spacing out, where are you visiting?”
“I’m just thinking about things.”
“Things you want kept private I’m assuming.”
“Yeah, I’m sorry about that.”
“It’s okay, but if you need to talk about it, I’m here.”
“Thanks Jeff, you’re so sweet.”
“Why does everyone say that?”
“Because you are.”
“Thanks, I guess.”
She smiled, “Jeff, you’re a nice guy, and you’ll find someone to compliment your sweetness perfectly.”
“What about you?”
“Jeff, you’re very sweet, caring, generous, not to mention gorgeous and talented, but I can’t think of you that way.”
“Everyone says that too.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Hey, no sweat, we’re still friends, right?”
“Until the very end.”
“That’s all I need then.”
Kayla wrapped Jeff in a hug, “One day I’ll tell you what’s up. Until then, just know that this little talk we had has helped me.”
“It has?”
“Most definitely.”
“Then I feel better already.”
“Good, hey Jeff, I need to go to the bathroom, will you excuse me?”
“As long as you call me tomorrow.”
“Won’t I see you again tonight?”
“No, I’m gonna go home and go to sleep.”
“All right, I’ll call you tomorrow.”
“Good night Kayla.”
“Night Jeff,” she called over her shoulder as she made her way to the bathroom. She went into the stall and suddenly had the urge to retch.
“I can’t get sick, I’ve got too much to do this week,” she mumbled to herself.
She washed out her mouth and went back to the party.
“Hey Kevin, I’m gonna go home, I’m not feeling too good.”
“Okay, I’ll see you in the morning.”
“All right.”
Kayla left the party and went home. Only bothering to take off her shoes, she climbed into bed and fell asleep. Kevin woke her up the next morning.
“Kayla?”
“What?”
“Are you okay?”
“I’m sleeping Kevin, what do you think?”
“You look like hell.”
“Thanks,” she said yawning, “What are you doing here anyway?”
“I told you I was coming by this morning last night.”
“You did?”
“Yeah.”
“I’m sorry, I forgot. I wasn’t feeling that great last night.”
“It looks like you’re still not feeling all that great.”
“Gee, thanks.”
“Well…”
“I think I’m coming down with something. I feel like shit and I’m throwing up.”
“Sounds like the flu. It’s about that time.”
“Yeah, I know… Kevin, MOVE.”
Kayla pushed Kevin off the bed and ran to the bathroom to throw up.
“Kayla are you okay?” he called from the bedroom.
“I’m fine,” she said in between retching.
“Kayla, I’m calling the doctor.”
Kevin picked up the phone and dialed the number to the doctor they’d been going to for the past six years, “Nancy, this is Kevin Richardson. I need to make an appointment for Kayla Swanson as soon as possible. She’s throwing up and she’s pretty pale.”
Kayla walked into the bedroom and sat on the bed, “Kevin, I’m fine, really.”
“Yeah, I believe that, when pigs fly out of your ass.”
“Oh look, there went one.”
“Kayla, you’re going to the doctor and that’s final.”
“I can’t win with you, can I?”
“Nope.”
“You suck.”
“You wish.”
Kayla stopped laughing and stared at Kevin, “I’ll go to the doctor if you never say that again.”
“Deal.”
Kayla wouldn’t let Kevin go with her to the doctor’s office. They ran all the usual tests and made her wait there while they waited for the results. Dr. Lynn came back into the room a while after she took the tests to be run. Kayla couldn’t read her face to see if the news was good or bad.
“Well?” she asked.
“Maybe you’d better sit down Kayla.”
“What’s wrong with me?”
“This is kind of hard to tell you Kayla.”
“We’ve known each other since grade school Marcy, you know you can tell me anything.”
“Kayla, you’re going to need to watch what you do from now on.”
“What?”
“I mean no partying, no strenuous activities, and no drinking.”
“Why not?”
“You’re pregnant.”
Kayla felt her breath catch in her throat, “I’m what?”