"You need me like I need you / We can share our dreams comin’ true / I can show you what true love means / Just take my hand, baby, please"
‘Green-eyes’ glanced over at the couch as the young man slept. One of the benefits of being on the road so much; they had all learned to sleep anywhere. He was grateful for the time alone. He was tired; tired of being the rock for everyone, tired of being optimistic in the face of loosing yet another person that he loved deeply. In the three years they’d known each other, he had fallen deeply and hopelessly in love with her.
He got up and went to her room where he sat down beside her taking her hand in his. He looked at her fingers, so long and slender; the tan lines where his class ring had been.
**********
Kevin and Courtney walked along the beach holding hands. "Alex has told you so much about me. What about you?"
"What do you want to know?"
"Where are you from? I know you’re not from here by your accent."
Kevin laughed his slow southern laugh. "No, I’m from Kentucky, along with Brian. I came down here to pursue my singing and acting career and got a job with Disneyworld."
"That’s where you met Alex?"
"Along with Howie and Nick."
"Sounds like you know what you want."
"I’d like to think so. What about you? What do you want to do?"
"I don’t let myself dream about the future anymore."
"Why not?"
Courtney looked up at Kevin. "I’ll never live to be on my own. Please, don’t tell Alex. He worries about me enough. Just promise me you’ll be there for him and support him. He’s going to be a basket case when it happens."
"What’s going on, Courtney?"
"The beatings are getting worse. They aren’t as frequent, mainly because he’s not around, but they are worse."
Kevin noticed the change in her tone and her mood. He said, "Let’s sit down."
The two sat down where they were; Courtney choosing to sit between Kevin’s legs with his arms around her. She leaned against his chest as a feeling of complete serenity washed over her. She’d just met him but she felt like she’d known him forever. He had such an easy manner about him.
"You’re trembling. Are you cold?"
"No, you’re arms are keeping me warm."
"Am I rushing you?"
"Definitely not. I feel safe here in your arms."
"Courtney, why do you stay?"
"Where am I going to go? I have no money and no family."
"What about Alex and Denise?"
"That would be the first place he looked."
"Do you REALLY think he’d look?"
"I don’t know," she answered and grew quiet. "Can we not talk about my father?"
"I’m sorry. I just can’t understand why he would want to hurt you."
‘Tell me about you."
The two sat on the beach together as Kevin told her all about himself.
**************
The young man put his hand on his shoulder. "Hey, wake up."
‘Green-eyes’ sat up and rubbed his eyes. "I must have fallen asleep. I was thinking about the first night we met. She trusted me so easily."
The young man smiled sadly. "She always sees the good in people, even her father."
"When I met her, I never expected to be with her. I thought she was your girl."
"In all the years we’ve known each other, THAT kind of relationship was never something we considered."
"I just wish we could have protected her this time."
"I know."
"What time is it?"
The young man looked at his watch. "Nine."
"I’m going to get those documents. Do you want anything?"
Looking at her, he said, "For her to be okay."
****************
The party was over and everyone was getting ready to leave. Howie and Kevin had driven down but Alex was going to ride back with his mother and it was assumed that Courtney would go with them.
"Hey, Courtney, you coming?"
Courtney was standing with Kevin at his truck and looked over at Alex. "I’ll be there in a minute."
Kevin said, "Let me take you back."
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah, I’m not ready to say good-night just yet."
Courtney smiled, "Me either. Hey, Alex, Kevin’s taking me home."
Alex smiled, "See you later then."
Kevin helped Courtney into his truck and then looked at Brian. "Catch a ride with Howie. I’m going to take Courtney home."
On the ride home, the two continued to talk, getting to know each other better. At the house, they sat on the front porch talking.
It was late and Courtney began to yawn. Kevin said, "I’d better go so you can get some sleep."
"Please...don’t go, Kevin. I don’t want to be alone tonight."
"I don’t think it’s a good idea for me to stay. What if your father comes home early?"
"He won’t be home early. When he come in, he’ll drop his truck off in the yard and go to the bar to get drunk. Please, Kevin," begged Courtney.
Kevin couldn’t resist her eyes and said, "I’ll stay."
He honestly didn’t want to leave either even though he knew nothing was going to happen with her.
The two went inside and Courtney led him up to her room. Courtney went in the bathroom and changed into a T-shirt and shorts. When she returned, Kevin had taken off his shirt and shoes and was looking around her room.
"You know, your window is unlocked," said Kevin when he realized she was in the room.
"I leave it like that for Alex. When he’s home, he comes up here and holds me or we take off together. We’ve been doing it for almost four years now."
"It’s been rough for you with Alex being gone, hasn’t it?"
Courtney shrugged her shoulders. "Yeah, but he has his dreams, same as you."
Kevin went over to her and took her in his arms. "What is your dream?"
Courtney looked into his eyes, "To be safe and to find someone to love."
Kevin put his hand on the side of her face and kissed her tenderly. "I want to make you feel safe...to be that someone you find true love with....but it’s not fair for me to ask you to wait for me and you’re so much younger than me."
Courtney said softly, "All you have to do is ask, Kevin, and I’ll wait. I’ve never met anyone like you....well, except for Alex...and I may be 15 but I’m older....I’ve had to grow up."
*******************
All four men looked up as ‘Green-eyes’ stormed back into the waiting area. They saw the anger all over his face.
The young man asked, "What’s up?"
"There was a fire last night at the lawyer’s office."
"You have got to be kidding?" said the dark-haired one.
"I wish I were. Amazingly, the only thing destroyed was her files. There is NO power of attorney."
"What the hell are we going to do now?" asked the young man.
"I don’t know but we have GOT to figure something out."
The tall blonde one suggested, "Why don’t you marry her?"
They looked at him.
"They do it on all the soaps. You know, the patient lies near death and the love of their life marries them. Then the patient gets better and they live happily ever after."
"That’s only in movies," said ‘Green-eyes in a older brother tone that REALLY aggravated the tall blonde.
The young man put his head in his hands and began to cry.
