“He wants you to move in with him?!” Stevie exclaimed in sheer surprise as Keveney confessed the bombshell that had been dropped on her earlier that week, freezing within the middle of the cluttered household she had been attempting to clean. She had expected her sister to come in the house like a whirlwind after working, stripping off her scrubs as she walked back the hallway, donning on some sleepwear, and then scurrying into the kitchen for a source of food. That was typical of the younger woman, especially since she never took breaks at the hospital. But, Stevie had to admit she had been floored when Keveney came in, stated what Howie had offered, and then went on about her business. Not that she didn’t approve of the suggestion, but was frustrated that Keveney acted as if it were really nothing when it meant everything. It seemed like typical Keveney behavior, no matter how much Stevie wanted to throttle the young woman for it.
“Excuse me? What’s with that stressed word of ‘you?’” Keveney immediately accused, narrowing her light violet eyes with obvious disdain. She had brewed over the idea for many sleepless nights, considering her options, finally deciding (with much disdain) to ask Stevie about the subject. Although both girls were hardheaded and Keveney offered a majority of the teasing, she still admired and respected her older sister’s thoughts. Stevie could analyze the situation far better than anyone else in her life. Though, Keveney started to have second thoughts as Stevie snorted with bewilderment, repeating the confession over again as if Stevie were mentally retarded for the time being. “Why wouldn’t he want me to live with him? He loves me and he wants to be with me, which means he wants me to move in with him!”
“Sweetheart…” Stevie trailed with a smirk, swooping into their living room to pick up various items of clothing that belonged to the younger sister. Most consisted of a variety of colorful boxers along with a mixture of CDs, scrubs, various sneakers, and books. She emphasized to the growing load in her hands and then shoved them into Keveney’s arms. “You’re an absolute mess.”
“So what?”
“Howie is far from a slob. You’d drive him insane not even two days into the move. Not to mention you hate doing dishes, you always sleep late, you stay up to ungodly hours, you toss and turn when you sleep, you play your music way too loud--”
“Thanks for the confidence builder there, Stevanie!” Keveney exploded with disbelief. “Glad to know how you think I’m perfect in every way!”
“What?”
“I just honestly thank God you’re not a school counselor like you wanted to be!” Keveney fumed with annoyance, throwing her items to the couch. “You would have had kids climbing up the walls, thinking Armageddon was here because they had a few extra pencil marks on their tests! Damn! I’m not that horrible! And, for your information, Howie doesn’t care about me being sloppy! Not that it’s any of your business! Besides! My messiness makes for a good conversation starter when Brian comes to visit. I can tell him you were with the whole basketball team for a private interview--”
“How you doing, Kevie?” Brian muffled from underneath the pile of clothing that she had accidentally thrown on him without much thought. He had come over earlier after a small meeting with the band and their management, wanting some private time with Stevie. Only, she had been in a fury to clean, so he sat back to watch some TV. That is, until Keveney disrupted their entire process, but she seemed quite skilled in that field so Brian wasn’t too upset. He found the younger woman a true delight, especially when she riled up her older sister.
“Pretty good, you?” Keveney quipped, leaning over the couch to press a kiss to his cheek, acting as she had known he had been there all along.
“Amused to say the very least,” Brian chuckled, pushing the clothing back onto the floor to cause his girlfriend to huff and snort as if she were a wild animal. He immediately held his hands up in defense, knowing not to tempt her temper. “Sorry, Baby.”
“I’m sure,” Stevie growled.
“I am,” Brian protested as Keveney hopped over the back of the couch to sit beside him. “Besides, I think it’d be good for Kevie to move in with Howie. They’d make a great team and Jillian needs her mother to be there all the time. Not just on the weekends or various days throughout the week. It’s not fair to any of them. They deserve to be a family.”
“Brian, you’re supposed to be on my side,” Stevie groaned.
“It’s her choice in the end, Stevie,” Brian attempted to point out.
“Did I mention how much I would love having you as a brother-in-law to help me through her shit?” Keveney opted.
“Shut up, Keveney!” both growled, obviously not wanting to interrupt the argument.
“Or not…” Keveney trailed.
“Besides, like I said before, she still needs my approval, Brian,” Stevie returned sharply.
“Not really--”
“Brian…”
Brian winced and threw his hands up in defeat, “Forget I said anything!”
“Thank you,” Stevie approved as she moved to sit beside her little sister. “Now, Kevie. This is a really big decision that you can’t make lightly. Or on a whim for that matter. It’s not just you and Howie trying to play house. You’ve got Jillian in this deal, too. Are you ready for that? This needs a lot of thought and planning--”
“I’m moving in with Howie!” Keveney suddenly sang, her decision being quickly made as Stevie tried to persuade otherwise. She had been debating about it for many sleepless nights and Brian seemed to add the final push. Excitedly, she threw her arms around Brian’s neck to give him a sloppy kiss. When Brian laughed, she squealed with delight, offering an adorable little dance back the hallway to change. “I’m moving in with Howie!”
“KEVENEY--”
“I LOVE YOU, EVIE!”
“Fine! Good riddance!” Stevie hollered back at her sister, though she knew she had lost the argument. She wished her sister all the happiness in the entire world, but she didn’t want to lose her either. She knew that Keveney would be a terrific full-time mother for Jillian and a wonderful lover for Howie, but what about her own needs? Keveney seemed to be a workaholic and if she lived with Howie; Stevie feared she might never see her little sister again. It was heartbreaking as well as frustrating, because Keveney always seemed to work so hard to go against her wishes. “I’ll be happy to have this place to myself! Without all your boxers everywhere! And you’re music waking me up in the middle of the night! Fighting over who gets the kitchen first! And your midnight cold pizza raids…”
“I STILL LOVE YOU, EVIE!”
“Baby…” Brian called softly with a sad smile.
“She’s leaving me,” Stevie finally sniffled, falling onto the couch beside Brian to become wrapped within his embrace.
“She’s just leaving the nest, not you,” Brian promised, offering a kiss to his lover’s forehead.
“But she’s leaving.”
“It’ll take a few weeks for her and Howie to get everything planned and you’re still allowed to visit. You’re Aunt Stevie, remember? Not to mention one of Howie’s good friends and Keveney’s favorite older sister.”
“Only older sister.”
“That makes you even more special in her heart.”
Stevie attempted to wipe away her tears as Brian kissed her softly. “I’m going to miss her.”
“Howie, where are we going? The guys are going to be at your house soon to start decorating for Jillie Bean’s party,” Keveney explained in confusion as she hoisted the sleeping Jillian against her hip while Howie reached to take her free hand. He tugged her close to his side as they walked further into the dungy portion of lower Orlando, all types of riffraff loitering and eying the small family as if they were a small meal. Keveney felt her stomach knot tightly as she melted into Howie’s protective embrace, keeping Jillian curled close to her body. She pressed a kiss into Jillian’s light blonde locks, feeling the warm breath of the sleeping infant against the crook of her neck. She rubbed the child’s back to keep her in the dozing sleep, refusing to let the child awaken to see the darkness of human potential.
“I need us to do something before we have her party,” Howie attempted to explain, ducking into a familiar alleyway. He held a bouquet of white roses in his opposite hand, knowing that this wasn’t the type of place that he really wanted to bring his child or lover. But, he felt it necessary to do this with both of them. It would only take a moment.
“What are we doing?” Keveney questioned yet again as Howie pulled them in front of a dingy dumpster. It was faded and carved with years of abuse, several numbers plastered over its chipped green paint leading its admirers to the best prostitutes on this side of the street. Heavy dents could be seen against its sides, where cars had swapped paint with it. But, there was an eerie familiarity of it as Jillian curled closer to Keveney, who glanced up to Howie with knowing. “This is where you found her, isn’t it?”
“Exactly one year to this date,” Howie agreed, kneeling down to lay the twelve roses at the foot of the dumpster. He could still hear the labored squeals of Jillian as she was thrown into the dumpster to die. He could even hear AJ becoming hysterical at the idea of Howie chasing the sound. And he would never forget seeing the suffocating infant wrapped in the bloody, plastic bags, begging for even just the tiniest breath of air. He had saved her from death and she had saved him from a meaningless life. Howie felt that he owed it to both of them to commemorate the day as he stood back up and pulled Keveney into his arms. He then leaned over the woman to admire his beautiful child, loving how her lips puckered against her tiny thumb that she suckled softly for obvious comfort. She was adorable and Howie believed that he fell in love with her more every day. “At this point, we were waiting in the hospital to make sure she was okay…”
“And you decided to claim her for your very own,” Keveney continued with a soft awe, turning her face inward to kiss his neck.
“She needed me as much as I needed her.”
“You needed each other,” Keveney agreed as Howie leaned to nuzzle her neck while pulling both girls into his embrace for a closer fit. They each seemed to fall into their own quietness, complimenting the seriousness of the moment. Keveney even allowed the silence for once, listening to the steady beat of Howie’s heart as she felt Jillian’s warm breath. It gave her a soothing comfort to hold and cherish both of them, especially as an uneasiness settled in the pit of her stomach. It was sudden, causing her to tense with bewilderment. It was almost as if something were leering at her family, causing an air of protectiveness.
“Kevie…” Howie finally whispered softly, kissing the side of her neck as he drew himself out of the silence. He was oblivious to her intensity until he noticed her peering down the dark alleyway, as if she were searching for something. “Kevie… Baby?”
“What?” Keveney murmured, shifting Jillian to hold her closer against her chest, wrapping both arms protectively around the infant.
“What are you doing?”
“I…” Keveney blinked rapidly as she glanced up at her lover, realizing that nothing was in the alleyway but them. She feigned some kind of foolish smile, continuing to hold Jillian close just in case. “Nothing… Thought I saw something…”
“Are you afraid of rats?” Howie attempted to tease, leaning in to affectionately kiss the tip of her nose.
“Only if their mutant size…” Keveney trailed as Howie turned to lead them back toward the light. “And knowing this edge of the city and all the testosterone these transvestite prostitutes leak into the sewers…”
“You’re funny.”
“I know.”
Howie chuckled as he pulled her close to kiss the side of her face again, unable to contain his love for her to a mere glance. “You’re also exactly what Jillie Bean and I need to be utterly happy.”
“I’m glad you think that.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah, because I’m going to move in with you.”
“Really?”
“Really.”
“Everything’s absolutely perfect now,” Howie concluded with a thrilled grin as he kissed the back of Jillian’s head before turning to offer a sweet kiss to his lover, not realizing what could possibly be lurking in the darkness.
