Chapter 81
Kevin closed the door behind them and felt as if he was closing a door on a part of his life. He just wasn’t sure which part. Would he have a future with Dianne or was his future going to be every other weekend with his children?
“Why did Chelsea lie for you?” demanded Dianne.
“I don’t know…trying to protect you, I guess.”
“Protect ME? Why in the hell would she try to protect me? And if she was trying to protect me, why did she sleep with you?”
Kevin understood the anger and hurt spilling out in Dianne’s tears and words. “Dianne,” he said moving to her. “The only one you need to be angry with is me. None of this is Chelsea’s fault.”
“BULL!” screamed Dianne. “This is ALL her fault! She should have told you the truth about Annie in the very beginning! She could have continued to lie to you that day in Norfolk. She could have told Marcus not to tell you she was there. She had made it all that time without your help or you in her life. Why now?”
“Listen to yourself! You would deny me my child because you’re jealous?!”
“Damn straight I’m jealous! Aren’t you jealous of Alex?”
“NO!” snapped Kevin quickly…too quickly.
“She’s really done a number on you.”
“What’s THAT supposed to mean?”
“You’re lying to yourself and to me. I saw the look in your eyes when she rushed into his arms. Did she know about the divorce papers?”
“Not until we were at dinner with her father.”
“And not that she’s turned you down, you’re crawling back to me?”
“It’s not like that, Dianne.”
“Then what is it like, Kevin?”
“It’s what Chelsea said…..”
“Can’t you leave her out of your explanation? Can’t YOU tell me how you feel?”
“I’m trying to.”
“Then leave that slut out of it.”
Until now, Kevin hadn’t been angry. He knew Dianne was angry and had every right to be but her attacking Chelsea was too much. “You can call me anything you want but you will NOT call Chelsea names! Like it or not, she’s the mother of my daughter and she will always be a part of our lives,” he growled.
“Our lives? ! You seem to have forgotten that you filed for divorce.”
“No, I haven’t forgotten but I’m going to retract them. Dianne, I do love you because our lives do fit so perfectly. You’ve been a part of my life since before I was a Backstreet Boy…as my best friend and now my lover and wife. I’ve made mistakes and I am deeply sorry for the hurt I have caused you. Please,” he took a step closer, “forgive me.”
Kevin reached out to take her in his arms but she backed away from him. “No! Don’t touch me,” she cried.
“Come on, Dee,” pleaded Kevin giving her a pitiful look. “Let me hold you. Let me make it up to you.”
Dianne wanted Kevin’s arms around her. Tearfully, she said, “Kevin, I love you but I can’t keep doing this. I need to know where I stand.”
“I want you by my side,” he said as he took her hands and pulled her to him.
“What about Chelsea?”
“I won’t lie. She’s going to be a part of my life and if she needs me, I’ll be there for her, as a friend, but she’s right. It’s you that I love and want to spend the rest of my life with. I want to raise our child together and I want you to help me with Annie. I don’t want to miss a single thing in his or her life. That’s why after this tour, I’m going to leave the group.”
“You’re going to do what?”
“I’m going to leave the group.”
“But you love singing.”
“I can still sing and I can try my hand at acting. Dee, I want to be at home to help with the baby….and to be there for you.”
“When are you going to tell the others?”
“Not until after the tour. It’ll just cause problems if I tell them now. Dianne, please tell me you can forgive me?”
Wrapping her arms around his waist, Dianne allowed Kevin to tighten his embrace on her as she said, “I love you so much, Kevin. Yes, I forgive you.”
The couple stood embraced for some time, tears falling unchecked, until Kevin finally said, “You need your rest, baby. Let’s go to bed.”
