Part 29
Alex made his way to the kitchen where he found the other four sitting around the table sipping coffee.
Everyone but Kevin looked up and Howie greeted, “How’s Chels doing this morning?”
“She’s sore but she feels better. Where’s Annie?”
“I took her to school so she could say good-bye to her friends,” answered Kevin without looking up.
It was obvious Kevin was mad about something and AJ assumed it was about Chelsea. He wasn’t wrong either but he was wrong in thinking Kevin was mad at her.
“Look, Kevin, I’d appreciate it if you just lost the attitude about Chelsea stripping. She’s already upset enough that you found out, about having to do it in the first place, and about Monique’s death.”
Kevin stood suddenly toppling the chair and got in AJ’s face. “Stay the hell out of my business.”
“No, I won’t. Chelsea’s MY girlfriend and I’m going to take care of her…even if it means telling YOU to back off.”
AJ had remained calmed but he wasn’t backing down either. The two were squared off, glaring at each other until Nick put his hand on Kevin’s shoulder. “Come on, Kev. Back down. AJ’s just doing what you would in the same situation…protecting Chelsea. You know, he’s right…Chelsea’s grieving and she’s having to deal with the pain of her injuries. You don’t need to push her.”
“Sorry, ‘J’,” said Kevin remorsefully. “I…I guess…shit, AJ! I still love her and knowing how shy she was…it kills me to know what she had to do to support herself.” Patting his chest, Kevin said, “I DID that to her…it’s MY fault.”
“So, why are you angry with her?”
“Because she was too damned stubborn to call me.”
“Pot calling the kettle black,” mumbled Brian as he took a sip of coffee.
It got a chuckle from Nick and Howie but Kevin simply cast a glare at his cousin.
“You need to work through your feelings, Kevin. I know things between you and Chelsea really didn’t end so put closure to it and concentrate on the daughter you two have.”
“I know I need to do that…it’s just…hard. Every time I look at Annie, I remember the feelings we shared that created her. They never died or went away…they were just pushed aside and I could kick myself for putting Chelsea in that situation.”
From the door, Chelsea said, “Kevin, it’s NOT your fault. I made a decision and I am the one who has to deal with it.”
All eyes turned to se Marcus standing behind Chelsea and AJ moved to her saying, “Beautiful, I was going to bring you breakfast in bed.”
Chelsea smiled as AJ kissed her. “I know but I decided to get up and come down when Marcus stuck his head in.”
Howie stood offering her his seat as AJ helped her to the table. “Can I get you anything?” he asked.
“Some juice would be wonderful.” Chelsea reached for Kevin’s hand. “Kevin, please…its in the past. Just let it rest.”
The phone ringing interrupted the conversation and Marcus handed it to Chelsea.
“Hello?”
“Hey, how do you feel this morning?”
“Sore, but I’m going to live. Thanks for checking in on me. I take it someone came by the club last night asking about me?”
“Yeah. How did you know?”
“Someone told me but we weren’t sure if he’d made it.”
“Was it one of your brothers?”
“No. it was Kevin, Annie’s father.”
“Do you need me to come over?”
“No, thanks anyway. I have someone here to protect me,” she answered as she looked at AJ.
“I was a little worried about you being alone when I heard Monique had died. Did you and your family make up?”
“My mom and I did but that’s not who it is. I met someone who is super wonderful. Look, I’m not coming back, Jerry. I’m moving to LA with my boyfriend.”
“I really didn’t expect you to come back. You don’t belong here even if you ARE my best dancer.”
Chelsea blushed, “Thanks.”
“Be sure to stop in and say good-bye…and get your check.”
“I promise. Thank you for everything, Jerry.”
Chelsea handed the phone back to Marcus as AJ asked, “Who was that?”
“Jerry, the owner of ‘Snappers’.”
“I take it he was letting you know I was there asking about you.”
Chelsea nodded her head. “Jerry was the only one there who knew the whole truth.”
AJ took her hand and laced his fingers with his as he saw the tears in her eyes. The others remained silent, sipping on their coffee.
“No one called me Chelsea. I went by Nikki and I didn’t use my last name either. I didn’t want there to be ANY way for anyone to find out about Annie. I usually worked Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays but I never left before she went to sleep and I always had Monique here or her parents.”
Her voice was shaky and Chelsea had to stop. She stared at the tattoos on AJ’s fingers not wanting to look at the guys sitting around the table.
All five of them waited for Chelsea to get herself together. They understood her need to get this out....for herself and for Kevin and to some degree, AJ needed to hear it too.
“I never want Annie to know what I did to provide for her. It was one of the hardest things I ever did but I needed the money and it was the only job I could find and still go to school. The first weekend…I cried before and after my show and Jerry threatened to fire me.”
“How did you get past it?” asked AJ.
“The night Jerry threatened to fire me, I came home and like always, I went up to check on Annie. She was asleep in her crib and all I could do was stand there and stare at her. She was so sweet and innocent.” Her tears began to fall and with her free hand, she wiped them away. “I wanted to give her the world…to make up for keeping her father from her but I NEVER wanted her to know what I did. It got easier the longer I did it and eventually, Jerry started getting requests for me to do private parties. That’s when I really started making the money. I could easily bring home two thousand in one weekend.”
“These private parties…what did you do?” asked Brian.
“Dance and that’s it!” Looking at AJ first, she said, “No one touched me and I never slept with any of them.”
AJ lifted her hand to his lips and placed a kiss on the back. “I never thought you had.”
“All you did was dance?” asked Howie.
“No. I waited tables too. A couple of us usually shared a station and split the tips. It was good money for four hours of work three nights a week.”
“Sounds like it,” said Nick.
Chelsea turned to Kevin and was stunned to see his emerald eyes were glassy. “Kevin?”
“I’m sorry, Chelsea…god, I’m sorry,” he sobbed as his own tears began to fall.
It broke her heart seeing Kevin like this. Looking at AJ, she let go of his hand and he gave her a slight nod to let her know it was okay before she reached to take Kevin in her arms. The others quietly slipped away to give the two a chance to talk.
Minutes passed, a lot of minutes, as she held him God, she felt so damned good against his body and her touch…she was rubbing his back just like he imagined she had done with Annie to soothe her. Finally, when he didn’t think he could cry any more, he pulled back and touched her cheek. “Chelsea, I can’t even begin to tell you how sorry I am…for everything.”
“You don’t have to, Kevin.”
“I don’t know why you’re being so understanding. I treated you like a piece of trash…I used you and then threw you away when I was done.”
“Yeah, you did and now, you’re being a jerk about all this. YOU LOVE to go to strip joints…trashy ones too…but you have a problem with me working in one that was three times better than what you use to go to. THAT is being a hypocrite,” she reprimanded.
Kevin smirked, “Kinda honest, aren’t you?”
“I’m tired, Kevin….I just want to get on with my life. We’ve apologized for the mistakes we made. Let’s just focus on giving Annie the best.”
“She’s already got the best mom,” praised Kevin as he brushed her hair back. “Chelsea, every time I look at her…I feel like my heart is going to explode.”
“I know the feeling. That’s what kept me going.”
“She needs her family, Chels…giving her that kind of love every single day.”
“She’ll
have that now that I’ve told you about her. She’ll have you and Dianne, Alex
and me, Howie, Brian, and Nick. She’s got…”
“No, Chelsea…she needs US, her parents…together. I love you. I never stopped loving you and I want to give Annie the life she deserves.” Taking both her hands in his, Kevin looked her in the eyes. “I want to give YOU the life you deserve…a man who loves you and helped create that beautiful miracle we call a daughter. Please, Chelsea, give me this one wish so I can make all YOUR wishes come true!”
To say that Chelsea was stunned by Kevin’s proposal would have been an understatement. She thought she knew Kevin. He’d always been the rational one, never jumping into something without thinking it out first. Had he really thought this through? Could he really hurt Dianne like this?
Movement at the door caught her eye and she saw AJ standing in the door. They had just talked about this half an hour ago but he still looked as if he were holding his breath waiting for her answer.
Squeezing his hands, Chelsea said, “Kevin, I will always have a special place in my heart for you…you were my first love and you’re Annie’s father but…”
“But you aren’t in love with me.”
“And you aren’t in love with me….not enough to hurt Dianne or to make a marriage work. I know you care for me,” she smiled. Then giving a half chuckle, she said, “Not many men would have been as protective as you have been since Monday or as forgiving, but Kevin, if you truly loved me enough to marry me, you wouldn’t have walked away from me seven years ago.”
“Tell me something. If you had told me about being pregnant back then and I’d asked you to marry me…would you have?”
“I’d probably have said ‘yes’ last week if you’d asked.”
“What changed then?”
“Do you really need to ask?” smirked Chelsea as AJ moved to put his hands on her shoulders. “I fell in love with Alex the minute he looked into my eyes.”
“You always were a sucker for eyes,” teased Kevin. “What about Annie?”
“What about her?”
“You said you wanted her to have the best. How do we do that if we aren’t together?”
“We don’t have to be together to do that, Kevin, and besides, she’s going to be the luckiest girl around. She’ll have her parents who don’t fight over her like kids of divorces and she’ll have two sets of parents who are going to shower her with a whole lot of love.”
“Kev, I’m going to love her as if she were my own daughter,” promised AJ.
“I never doubted that, bro, and you’re right, Chels…she is going to be lucky to have us both. I guess I should thank you for agreeing to move to LA so she’ll be closer.”
“You should thank Alex because he’s the reason I’m moving to LA.”
“Just let Chelsea do the ‘thanking’,” leered AJ as he leaned over to kiss her on the cheek.
Kevin laughed, “I’ll do that. Chelsea, I’m sorry I lost it. ‘Snappers’ really did look like a nice place.”
“Thanks. Now, who’s fixing breakfast because I’m starving!”
“How about I make breakfast for everyone…to apologize for being an ass,” offered Kevin.
“Sounds good to me,” piped up Nick as he walked in the door.
“Me too,” agreed Brian and Howie as they followed.
Kevin looked at Chelsea, “You still like scrambled eggs with cheese in them?”
“And bacon and English muffins.”
“Cool…breakfast is coming up. AJ, why don’t you fix your lady some juice?”
“I can do that.”
With Kevin’s questions answered, things settled down and the group spent the time talking and sharing stories.
